Palo Alto, Calif. –
launched what it calls the industry’s
first solar-powered iPod/iPhone-docking speaker system, the $199
.
The portable AC/DC system with
rechargeable lithium-ion battery will be available early this month in Apple
stores, Amazon, Crutchfield, Frontgate, Hammacher Schlemmer, L.L. Bean and
other outlets, the company said.
The iPod/iPhone-certified system joins
outdoor solar-powered emergency radios from Eton.
The water- and dust-resistant Soulra
comes with a rubberized aluminum case with front door the closes over a docked
iPod or iPhone, which can be controlled from behind the door by a supplied IR
remote. The remote controls track up/down as well as pause, volume, and
bass/treble, volume, bass, and switching between the docked iPod and a 3.5mm
aux input.
When the door is flipped up, its
attached solar panel points toward the sky.
The splash- and dust-proof 2.8-pound
device is equipped with two 3-inch speakers with power output rated at around
10 watts, a spokesman said.
The rechargeable battery charges
in 10 hours by sunlight and in two hours by AC adapter. A full charge delivers
about four hours of playback/iPod-recharging time, which can be extended
another two to three hours in sunlight.
The price includes AC adapter and
remote.
