One of the newest products garnering a lot of attention at Outdoor Retailer was Eton’s Soulra XL, which is a solar-powered portable stereo unit designed specifically for the iPhone® and iPod®. Besides the music coming from their booth, which was full of clever products that rely on solar or dynamo (hand crank) power, they also had one of their reps walking the floor of the show with the Soulra XL providing tunes along the way.
Sporting a foldout enhanced monocrystal solar panel measuring 72 square inches, this 7lb device is no lightweight. Some of that heft is the rechargeable lithium ion battery pack though, as well as the amplifier necessary to push 22 watts of music through its pair of tweeters and two woofers. Actual dimensions are 15.125” x 8.125” x 5.25” (W x H x D), making it small enough to stow on your next camping trip, yet still providing big sound.
While it should charge fully in about five hours of direct sunlight, there’s an included AC adapter, (which we hope never gets used) just in case. Factors such as such as volume obviously figure into the equation, but expect up to eight hours of playback time. It will also charge your iPhone® or iPod® in roughly four hours, depending on the model. Some nice touches include rubberized end caps, a remote that stores in the back, a padded carrying strap, and a little window in front of your device, tinted just right so you can see it, but providing protection from the sun and elements.
To learn more about this device and other Eton products, head on over to EtonCorp.com.
– Brian
(With apologies to Neil Young)