If you are looking for a set of MP3 speakers that you don't have to plug in to an outlet, one of the new offerings that was shown at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2010) may be for you. It is the ReNu solar battery charger from Regen, and this is no ordinary solar charger. Typically, solar charging units are made up of solar panels paired with a rechargeable battery, which you can then use to charge mobile devices, but Regen has gone the extra mile by creating a variety of accessories that can be used with the ReNu charger. These include a simple iPod dock that allows you to sync with a computer while it charges the iPod, as well as a full-blown audio dock with speakers for your iPod that can be powered by the ReNu charger while the iPod charges up. All you have to do is charge up the ReNu with power from the sun, seat it into a slot on the audio dock, and you can power the speakers without running up your electricity bill. It is a pretty slick package!
So, where can you get the Regen solar powered audio dock? Unfortunately, CES 2010 just provided a sneak peek at this line of solar gadgets, and they are not expected to be available until summer 2010. However, the Regen website does provide pricing: The ReNu charger is expected to retail for $199 (or an “early supporter price” of $174 if you pre-order now) and the audio dock is expected to retail for $149 (or $124 for pre-orders from “early supporters”). So, the package is not cheap, but it will free you from being tied to a wall outlet. You could even take your MP3 player camping, charge up the ReNu with free solar power, and pump out the tunes right at your camp site! Besides, it's a pretty cool gadget, and who doesn't want more of those?