Solar charge your mobile phone

WHAT COULD be greener than recharging your mobile phone using solar power courtesy of the 'Freeloader'?

Produced by the UK's Solar Technology, it comes with a plethora of adapters and can power a mobile phone for nearly two days (44 hours)..

As standard, the Freeloader comes with 11 different connectors which cover a variety of popular mobile phones from the likes of Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG, Crackberries, Motorolas and HTC/XDAs.

The last few makes is thanks to support for the Mini USB standard, but the company also throws in a connector for Apple devices which includes most Ipods as well as the Itouch and Iphone.

If your particular mobile phone, PDA, digital camera, MP3 player or portable games machine isn't covered by the standard 11 adapters, there's another 25 adapters available for post-purchase.

These cover some of the more obscure phone makes such as Sagem and Alcatel.

The company maintains that the solar panels are extra sensitive so they, " are more much efficient at absorbing light in cloudy and dim conditions that the UK."

That should be great news for those wandering down to music festivals such as Glastonbury and Womad. You can also use the Freeloader to charge rechargeable batteries.

The INQ would argue that the Freeloader doesn't cost the earth (just help save it?? Arf, arf) at £29.99 inc VAT. Let's hope it is robust enough to cope with tent dwelling. µ