Bicyclists who use Nokia cell phones won't have to find electrical outlets to recharge them much longer. The company says it will start selling chargers that are powered by bicycles before the end of the year.
Aimed at cell phone users in developing countries where electric-power can be scarce, the chargers uses a small electric generator that spins on the bicycle's front tire.
The electricity from the dynamo is carried by wire to the cell phone holder mounted to the handlebars. Touring bicyclists can easily stuff that attachment in their front bag if their handlebar “dashboard” already is crowded with headlamps, bells, altimeters, bike computers and GPS devices.
The faster and longer you ride, the more electricity you store. A 10-minute ride at 6 mph, for instance, produces enough battery life for 28 minutes of talking or 37 hours of standby, according to a Nokia. The recharger works with any Nokia that uses a 2mm power jack.
The Nokia cell phone charger will be available for about $18 by the end of the year.
Nokia isn't the only cell phone maker that offers such a device. Motorola CEO Ed Zanger unveiled a battery charger for bicycles at the Consumer Electronic Show back in 2007. Meanwhile, Dahon announced last year that it had a cell phone charger — called the Dahon FreeCharge — designed for bicycles that was going to hit the market this past March.
Other cell phone chargers for bicycles have come and gone over the years.
Here's the press release from Nokia that tells more about the new device.
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