Our friend Ken Banks of Kiwanja.net and NGOMobile wrote about the challenge of mobile phone charging in off grid Africa; noting that this solar powered charger could be one of the solutions. 
I quite agree; two years ago i bought a similar solar powered charger that cost $99. The charger pictured above is made by G24 innovations, and costs $20. This is just the kind of technology that AfriGadget likes, because it is not only quite handy to have, but it is empowering and well suited for off-grid rural areas in Africa, California or anywhere with sunlight for that matter. Ken explains it best…
In some rural areas, where the lack of reliable mains power might be the difference between making it worth owning a mobile or not, a small solar panel such as this could be a deal clincher. Of course, solar energy has been touted as a solution for charging mobile devices for years now, but what’s interesting about this is the cost. Suddenly, it actually seems possible. And by possible, what I really mean is affordable.
Read more about the device.
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locally can learn to continue developing the system if the code is available. Of course we are taking it that one step further by hiring a local developer to join the team. Still, you get the point I hope. Now in almost completely separate news, todayI read about a solar cell phone chargerthat only costs $20! That’s only 10,000frw. Not much at all. The other day when I met the volunteer health workers who are going to use our systems to collect data I asked specifically where they charged their phones (all three had phones already)
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But, another thing that keeps some of my green tendencies in check is, well, a shortage of the other type of green, the money kind. If I had more of that kind of green, here are green things I’d love to do or have:Solar cell phone charger(this one is really rather inexpensive) Push reel mower (probably the most surprising thing on my Amazon wish list) and European scythe (my son, who mows our lawn with a gas mower we got from the trash, is glad we
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2 votesAffordable solar charger for Mobile Phones8. by thakadu 4 hours ago. Score: 48 (www.afrigadget.com) 0 comments afrigadget mobiles new window
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2 votesAffordable solar charger for Mobile Phones8. by thakadu 4 hours ago. Score: 48 (www.afrigadget.com) 0 comments afrigadget mobiles new window
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Here’s the lineup: 1) Al-Qaeda Targets Saudi Cell Phones 2) Washington Post Blogger Amar Bakshi 3) AfriGadget Links: — Wire toys, a pictorial —Solar Cell Phone Charger— Human/Animal powered vehicle — Knife-sharpening bicycle — Ethan Zuckerman’s blog — Simpsons figurines from Kenya 4) Global Beer Shortage? Also — you can now give a donation to the World
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a fabulous object, designed to be used, abused, taken apart, and maybe even fixed, though there is not much to go wrong. Click through for more gory photos and delightful design details. 4. Affordable solar charger for Mobile Phones from Kiwanja viaAfrigaget
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is just the kind of technology that AfriGadget likes, because it is not only quite handy to have, but it is empowering and well suited for off-grid rural areas in Africa, California or anywhere with sunlight for that matter. Ken explains it best… —AfriGadget » Blog Archive » Affordable solar charger for Mobile Phones12am
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3 March 2008 - 2:13 pm - :
Hi Juliana
Great that you picked up on this! I met G24i at Mobile World Congress and was pretty surprised when they told me what the panel cost. It’s about the length and width of an average laptop, and about 8mm deep. It’s made of the same kind of material you find on rucksacks, so seems quite durable, and the solar panels themselves are behind a plastic screen.
There have been numerous attempts to build rugged solar chargers for rural markets, many of which have failed. I have a feeling that these guys might be onto something, and as Dave comments on his own Blog (if you follow the link through) at $20 there’s no reason why panels can’t be provided to teams of remote health workers, field staff, etc.
I’m in discussions with G24i about a number of project ideas, and willbe sure to keep Afrigadget in the loop.
Ken