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Kinesis is marketing the charger as a “3-in-1 Tribrid,” due to its ability to collect and store power from three different sources: wind, sun, and AC wall outlet. According to specifications, one hour of exposure to sun and wind would supply about 30 minutes of talk time, or approximately 300 minutes music playing time.
The K3 charger will power mobile phones, MP3 players (including iPods), smartphones, PDAs, portable gaming devices, GPS units, digital cameras, and Bluetooth headsets. In general, almost all gadgets that use regular connections – or even recharge using USB ports – can be connected to the Kinesis K3. The status of recharge is easily seen on the LED display, which indicates when the connected device has finished charging.
This new gadget has high portability, with weight of 300-grams and dimensions of 78 x 236 x 80 mm. Considering its Lithium Ion battery supplies 4,000-mAh, it is a good solution for electronic consumers who like to stay connected at all times, even when outdoors. Other potential buyers are those who are concerned about the environment. The price is currently set at $100.
TFOT has previously covered various ‘green’ chargers, such as aigo, a portable solar charger, and the Datexx SuperBattery, a hand cranked universal USB charger. Other related TFOT stories include the invention of Roll-Up Solar Panels, made by startup company Xunlight, the Air-Fueled Battery, researched at the University of St. Andrews, and the Toshiba Speedy Recharge Battery, which can be recharged to 90 percent of its capacity with a current as large as 50 amperes in less than five minutes.
For more information about the Kinesis K3, see its datasheet (PDF).
