Solar Powered Wallet - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 25, 2017, 11:42:35 am
content: Is there no end to these types of stupid projects?https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1868178560/solar-wallet-italian-wallet-with-7-unlikely-featur/description

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2017, 12:36:05 pm
content: As long as "stupid" buyers exist...Alexander.

author: Avacee
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 25, 2017, 12:43:00 pm
content: Wouldn't be surprised if the Double Digiters support this with their Juicero refunds.

author: vealmike
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2017, 02:00:57 pm
content: The first thought I had was "you're going to get mugged."Just for a laugh I clicked the link and I was wrong. At an rrp of $199, you get mugged twice.

author: timothyaag
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2017, 06:16:53 pm
content: Usually the bad kickstarters want to run away with your money, but these guys want other people to run away with your money, when you leave your wallet out and away from you in the open sun.On some of these pointless projects I can see the appeal of theidea, but I can't understand the appeal of this one.

author: edy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2017, 10:13:35 pm
content: Wow, another useless gadget that has gathered over $80,000 in funding! Never ceases to amaze me!Having an external charging battery pack is nice. But to make it into the form-factor of a wallet with a solar panel attached is complete stupidity. For one, the amount of piss-ant charging you will get from that solar panel is nothing compared to what you need to charge up that battery. It is just a gimmick! You will almost inevitably be plugging your "smart" wallet into the wall at night to charge the internal battery. Second, having all your money and credit cards also in there and having to pull it out of your pocket every time is also idiotic, as has already been mentioned several times (risk of losing it, theft, etc).And to charge people $99 for this garbage? Future price to be $199? Seriously? WTF?This is what I use for all my phone battery-life extension needs and it does the job beautifully, at a fraction of the cost, and with the ability to change the battery. You don't even need a BlackBerry phone. And you can buy a bunch of LS1 batteries for nothing and extend yourself even more if needed, just swap in and out.I love this thing!:https://www.amazon.ca/BlackBerry-Battery-Charger-Bundle-Z10/dp/B00BMMQFBI/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1493158311&sr=8-4-fkmr0&keywords=blackberry+portable+charger+ls1Basically, this portable thin charger/battery pack has a USB port to let you charge that LS-1 battery inside of it. It is thin enough that you can strap it to the back of your phone case. The device also has a small USB cable connected to it that you can plug into your phone when you want to charge it from the LS1 battery in the charger. Alternatively, you can do a complete battery swap if your phone also happens to use LS1 batteries.The nice thing is, this device allows for daisy-chaining or "pass-through" charging. So if I want to charge BOTH the external LS1 battery in the thin charger, *and* the battery in my phone, I can plug USB into the charger while it is hooked up to my phone with it's own little USB cable. Both the internal phone battery and the external LS1 battery in the charger get filled to capacity. When I am done, I unplug and leave home and I've got enough to last me well beyond my needs!

author: edy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2017, 10:32:12 pm
content: Oh yeah... and not to mention this already exists, without the piss-ant solar panel:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nomad-Wallet-with-Built-in-2400-mAh-Battery-Lightning-Cable-for-iPhone-/262656823007?hash=item3d27910edf:g:Q5YAAOSw8gVX8rSvI'm sure I can find dozens more.And I love this one..... 100,000 mAh!!! Wow that's impressive.http://www.ebay.com/itm/100000mAh-Dual-USB-Portable-Solar-Battery-Charger-Power-Bank-For-Cell-Phone-/252864956563?hash=item3adfed0893:g:twMAAOSwgY9XfjY1You gotta be shitting me...

author: cloudscapes
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 02:49:27 am
content: I too enjoy leaving my credit cards and personal identification in the sun for hours on end, in full exposure of the elements and of strangers. nothing could possibly go wrong.

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 12:59:01 pm
content: They should make an advanced version with a GPS and a beacon that broadcasts its position.You know, just to help a distracted owner...

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2017, 03:39:31 pm
content: Quote from: edy on April 25, 2017, 10:32:12 pmThat must be the charge it provides over the lifetime of the product(provided you leave it out in the sun all the time).

author: JimRemington
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2017, 05:48:59 pm
content: $155,000 pledged and counting!

author: garnix
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2017, 07:58:54 am
content: Wow I like it - so if I have an empty wallet, I keep it in the sun and boooom money is flowing in again. It will pay by itself!

author: Farrel
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2017, 10:42:13 pm
content: why just not use bloddy power bank instead this

author: hamdi.tn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2017, 10:51:38 pm
content: because ... why not

author: BroMarduk
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 20, 2017, 02:20:50 pm
content: Quote from: cloudscapes on April 28, 2017, 02:49:27 amNot to mention that the times its not out in the sun, you will have a suspect quality LiPo (guessing) in your back pocket.

author: mdszy
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 20, 2017, 03:24:17 pm
content: My wallet pretty much never even sees the sun. It's always either in my back pocket or on my bedside table. Who just leaves their wallet sitting out???

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2017, 03:29:39 pm
content: Quote from: mdszy on June 20, 2017, 03:24:17 pmThat's kind of like what I was going to say, more like, they can stick their solar wallet where the sun don't shine!

author: fredst
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 20, 2017, 03:52:05 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on April 25, 2017, 11:42:35 amShort answer. No.Another crowd funded exercise in futility lives on with government funding.https://www.pddnet.com/news/2017/06/photos-day-moisture-vaporators-create-water-desert

author: buck converter
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2017, 04:09:36 pm
content: don't solar cells getand is heat not bad for lipos?

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2017, 06:39:12 pm
content: I'm making no claims as to the aesthetics of my arse but I feel damn sure it won't be any more attractive for having had a LiPo in a wallet explode next to it after i've sat on my wallet one too many times.

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2017, 07:01:52 pm
content: When I read "Solar powered wallet" I thought, "What a good idea! I know lots of people who need a prosthetic to help them get their wallets open down the pub" and I expected to see something with stepper motors in the wallet's hinge to help those poor unfortunates who struggle to get theirs open. I was sorely disappointed.