March 3, 2004 [SolarAccess.com] According to JCNN newswire, Japan-based NTT has prototyped PocketEnerger, a compact solar-powered charger that can be used for various types of mobile devices ranging from cellular handsets to digital cameras to portable game consoles, but not notebook computers. It has a capacity of 5 Wh, equivalent to energy provided by two built-in handset cells. It takes about two hours to recharge a handset cell. The company plans to release the product for about 20,000 yen (US$190) in May. This will be the world’s first solar-powered charger compatible with multiple types of mobile equipment, said the company.
