Solio Universal Hybrid Solar Charger (Black) Reviews

• Wow I wanted this to work

  
  By A30XZKFJ0CAW1A on 2007-08-31
  I reluctantly returned this product after a few weeks. It just does not charge in sunlight the way I expected it to.
  Even the manual say it takes two days of sun to fully charge the battery. I placed it in a West facing window for a week and it never fully charged. The company said the usual stuff. Window coating can diminish results, clouds, haze, etc. Plus the instructions say it has to be pointed right at the sun to charge correctly. So if you are driving West with the device on the front windshield it still won't charge correctly. You have to point it RIGHT at the sun.
  I laid it on my deck. It was drenched in sun and still didn't get a good charge.
  If you plug it into a wall outlet overnight then it will do a good job as a backup battery. But that isn't why I bought it.
  Plus it doesn't work quite right with iPods. When you plug the iPod in and hit the start button on the Solio, the Solio will charge the iPod. But after a few hours it will quit charging and the iPod will run off the internal battery until you hit start on the Solio again.
  Solio tech support said this is a known issue.
  I guess I will try again in a few years.
  Great idea, just not ready for prime time.
  
  

• AVOID until they guarantee the connectors

  
  By A37UU2OB9JW5K on 2007-10-21
  I thought this would be a great dash-board all-in-one charger for the various gadgets I carry.
  It took charge overnight from the wall and then I drove it to work in the dash, my plan was to deliberately use up my phone's battery (Motorola RAZR) and then charge it up from the Solio. I hooked up the charge at the end of the day, hit the go button and there was no "charge" shift on the phone's display. The cable-chain from the solio is a loose-connection nightmare. Fiddling with it never got the "charge" indication from the RAZR. What i *DID* get is an increasing sensation of warmth.. i pulled the phone off the cable but it was too late - the phone's logic board AND battery fried.
  
  I have since replaced the RAZR, got a refund on the Solio, and there is no way in hell i would attach anything costly (Hello, $500 iPod? No Way In Hell) to another one until they are able to show that this thing works in the US; one cable from Solio to Charge-Object, no loose connections to jam-up and thrust juice to fry our devices.
  
  If i could give their current development less than one star i would.
  
  

• Great for keeping gadgets going in the backcountry

  
  By A3FCJPHPURCI9B on 2007-05-14
  I would give the Solio the MVP award for all the gear used on a recent expedition to climb Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina. One member of the expedition brought a Solio along and it found full-time use keeping all the iPods of the team running. I ordered one as soon as I got off the mountain.
  
  Now a friend and I are relying on two Solios to keep cell phones, GPSs and AA batteries charged as we ride out mountain bikes the length of the North American Continental Divide. The Solio's internal battery is charged by day and at night we recharge devices. When we do reach civilization the Solio plugs into the wall and acts like a normal wall charger meaning we were able to leave a wide array of chargers at home. This is a fantastic little device.
  
  

• I agree this product is JUNK

  
  By A2W6RQVWCI0KNB on 2007-03-05
  I have to agree with the other reviewer. I got my Solio in December and it only charged via the sun twice. After that, even after leaving the Solio in the sun for days it won't charge. It only charges if I plug it in, making it useless for me.
  
  I contacted Solio support and they replaced my Solio, but I've had the same problem once again. Solio support has stopped responding to my emails and won't tell me what was wrong with my first product. They also refuse to refund my money.
  
  This is a great idea gone wrong STAY AWAY
  
  

• Works well - may need to order another tip for your device

  
  By A1LFAI4D34DQ71 on 2006-12-10
  Excellent robust design. If going to a no-electricity place, this is an ideal way to charge your electrical device (provided there is access to sunlight). It's a bit expensive but the quality is obvious. My unit did not have the tip for my cell phone so it had to be ordered (more expense). Folds up and easy to carry. If going on an extended trip to the woods and you need your radio, phone, or gps, this is the ticket.
  
  
• great product
  By A39ICLVFOSJU7P on 2007-03-22
  I am not sure about the critics since my experience has been awesome-- both in the backcountry and during my commute, solio has saved my bacon several times. granted there is not always enough sun during the winter, but that is why it also works from the wall socket... love the product, the idea. great design!
  
  
• Essential equipment for backcountry iPod users
  By A16RUMTQ42DBN8 on 2007-08-07
  I just returned from an 8-day climbing trip and used this charger to keep my iPod working. I take an iPod on my trips to save weight (audio books weigh nothing), pass the time when weather turns bad, and mask the sound of the tent fly flapping during windy nights. I have an iPod nano and a fully charged Solio holds about 1 1/2 iPod charges. I typically left the Solio next to my tent to recharge during the day and it worked great. Interestingly, at some of my higher camps (~6500 feet) the Solio charged more quickly than it did at home (sea level), most likely due to the more intense solar radiation at that elevation.
  
  My only concern is whether or not the Solio is waterproof enough to leave out on days when it might rain. The manual says "do not immerse in water", and putting the Solio in a clear waterproof baggie might be the answer, but I did not test this.
  
  I wish there was an attachment to charge a Canon NB-4L battery, but so far I have been unable to find one.
  
  
• Don't buy this junk
  By ANSQZCGLK2ZAR on 2007-07-11
  This worked, poorly, for about a month, then stopped charging altogether. In the end, this supposedly eco-friendly device ends up just being more landfill. It seemed like a good idea, but this just doesn't do what it promised. The claim that a charge can be held for up to a year is nonsense. The battery died completely in just one month. DON'T BUY THIS JUNK.
  
  
• Good idea, but never worked...
  By A1EY2SOIV1XJKO on 2007-11-22
  Couldn't get it to charge from AC or the sun, so I returned it and got a $40 USB battery that works like a charm. Once this product is perfected I'll probably try it again, but it's just not ready.
  
  
• Worked great on the JMT
  By A2EUTFNAZK9Y41 on 2007-10-09
  Just had to chime in since there are too many negative reviews.
  I purchased this device so that I could recharge my Archos 604
  video player while hiking for 2 weeks on the John Muir Trail.
  What I did was strap the thing to the top of my backpack. After
  a day of hiking typically I would get well over 1 hour of play time
  on the Archos. Since sometimes I was walking within tree cover or
  the sky was cloudy the device would not fully charge in 1 day.
  Fairly certain if I could have left the device in full sun for a
  day it would fully charge.
  Anyway, it works great and I will be taking it on backpacking trips
  in the future that are >3 days!
  For instructions find the manual on their website. The "instructions"
  that come with the device itself are laughable.
  
  
• Great for Ipods and PDAs
  By A3NEAETOSXDBOM on 2006-12-29
  This saved me from disaster on a recent vacation where the portable travel charger for my Palm TX malfunctioned and drained the unit instead of charging it. The Solio easily brought my Palm back to life. Also, I had a long layover on a connecting flight and was not near any AC outlets, and again the Solio proved to be a power source to keep my Ipod going.
  
  I have not tried charging it in the sun, but only with the AC adapter. It came with attachments to charge both my Ipod and Palm, and worked well in charging both. I intend to bring this with me on all my trips since it is a very convenient portable power source.
  
  
• Solar Charger
  By A1S64P640OYHAC on 2007-08-27
  The charger really works! I used it backpacking in Yosemite for a week to recharge my GPS and it charged perfectly. The only problem with the charger is, like the manufacturer says, it takes a long time to charge even in direct sun. This is a problem when you don't have enough hours of sunlight to fully charge the device. Otherwise, the charger is great.
  
  
• Waste of money
  By A2JVAJLFGGYZP on 2008-02-01
  This product was virtually useless. It charged feebly for a week or so, then couldn't sustain a charge for more than 10 minutes (after charging all day in direct sunlight). I use it as a paperweight now. It is a brilliant concept, but don't waste your money.
  
  
• Horrible!
  By A3KA8AX93TVUP0 on 2007-06-04
  I bought this for a soldier who is training to go to Iraq, and it does not work. I would never recommend this product. It is horrible that a company would market a product that simply does not do what it says it does. DO NOT BUY THIS!!!!
  
  
• Not easy to use
  By A2ZKF3GK6X0YDU on 2007-08-23
  Couldn't get it to work, not user friendly. Wish I didn't throw out the box, so I could return it. Waste of money.
  
  
• I love my solio!
  By A3JUAGKTC6YGT on 2007-09-22
  This thing is all I imagined it would be. I am able to charge my Cellular phone, Mp3 players & my handheld computer. It takes 2 or 3 days to fully charge the battery by sun. If you camp alot or just want to do a small part to help the enviorment you'll love this product!
  
  
• Iraq
  By A26AMR37VD5XTR on 2007-12-18
  I'm in the Marine Corps, and considering that I'm not Infantry, I'm able to bring things with me to Iraq that others wouldn't normally be able to bring. Like an iPod for instance. I bought this in order to have a power source out there for scenarios that might not have an outlet for my iPod charger. Everyone should know or assume that Iraq has plenty of sunlight, hehe.
  
  I'm going to Iraq in January '07, and I'm looking forward to giving this wonderful contraption a shot. It's been nothing but spectacular for me so far, stateside.
  
  
• Love it!!!
  By A1XZVOPDZ7880N on 2008-02-18
  Unlike some of the reviews on here... I LOVE MY SOLIO!! I am really not sure why others would say that it is does not work, because I use my Solio to charge my phone and iPod ALL of the time and have never had a problem. And the one time I did have a question, their support team was super nice and even sent me a free tip for my new phone :)
  
  One thing that is cool about Solio versus other solar chargers I have tried is that it stores power. It does take about 8 hours of good sun, but I just leave mine in the car or outside on nice days, and it saves the charge for when I need it. I am slowly trying to get into living a GREENER lifestyle and Solio was a great start. Now I want to go solar for everything!!
  
  
• Do Not Buy
  By A3O12NJE0EHR3Y on 2008-02-28
  The charger worked well the first time that I used it, but now the power will not stay on to charge my cell phone. The website states that this is a known problem with some motorola phones, but it also occurs with my blackberry. Totally worthless to me.
  
  
• research solar power before bashing
  By A39UGU2R4LB5D1 on 2008-07-23
  Look, I see a lot of people out here writing crap reviews because it doesnt charge fast or anything, etc. Those people need to research solar power. If just one of the cells aren't in the right sunlight, then the power production could be cut in half. And behind windows, the solar energy getting through is much less because some rays are reflected by the glass. And in the manual, it clearly states it take 12-24 hours of direct sunlight to fully charge the battery, meaning it must be aligned properly with the sun. Mine works fine, sometimes has a little problem charging, but these solar chargers are new products. Anyone who bought this should have seen Al Gore's Speech. Remember computer chips and how much they evolved year after year? Its the same with solar power, and because these are new, they will be quirky. So if you had a bad experience with it, say it, but don't complain about how all of these products suck because of one problem.
  
  

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