BoostSolar: $99 Solar Power Battery Backup System

Eton BoostSolar is a solar charger with a 5,000 mAh battery

      The Etón BoostSolar is a solar-powered smartphone and tablet (and pretty much any other electronic devices) charging solution that helps deliver power anywhere that has ample amounts of sunshine. This product also includes a battery capable of delivering two charges to the typical smartphone. Consumers looking in the market for mobile power solutions and emergency preparation products may recognize the Etón name as the manufacturer of several Red Cross branded emergency and outdoor  products.
        The Etón BoostSolar is a solar charger and battery pack that consumers can charge up with the sun or by a USB port. The 5,000 mAh battery has the capacity to charge a smartphone twice and can push enough power to charge power-demanding tablets, which tend to be strict about any power requirements.

        This product is able to charge the included 5,000 mAh battery in approximately 16 hours of sunlight or in about 5 hours over the USB port. Each battery includes a LED indicator light to show the battery life left. It also ensures that the solar panels will survive any outdoor activities due to its IPX-4 rating for water, which defines itself to be able to survive splashes and a little rain. The corners feature openings so consumers are able to clip the solar charger to a backpack while walking, for on-the-go charging. 

Switch between batteries to keep the power flowing

"Artificial Leaf" is able to use Dirty Water to Convert it to Clean Energy!

     Imagine one day you walk into a dollar store, buy a thin, flat device in the size of a playing card, dunk it in a quart of dirty bath water, and use it to generate 100 watts of electricity 24 hours a day, you can thank the Air Force. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research, along with other federal agencies,  have been constantly funding their latest project: the development of an "artificial leaf," a low-cost solar-powered device which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen for powering fuel cells.

     This "artificial leaf" concept actually occurred a few years ago when lead researcher Daniel Nocera had claimed it to being "the Holy Grails of science." The device, which is in a compact size (similar to the size of a playing card), is able to create energy from sunlight and water. This device is simply designed as a slim wafer of silicon coated with catalysts that break water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen cases, which then can be stored in tanks and used as fuel in hydrogen fuel cells.
     The initial research associated with the "artificial leaf" has had commercial potential but required purified water. Otherwise, naturally occurring bacteria creates a film on the wafer, which interferes with its efficiency and eventually prevents it from working together. However, in a convention of the American Chemical Society, Nocera has revealed a new iteration of the device that is capable of working perfectly fine chugging down contaminated water. The trick, he noted, was to "tweak" the catalyst so that it creates a rough surface, preventing biofilm from forming. While that involves making part of the catalyst fall apart, it also has the capability to heal and reassemble itself.
     However, don't be led astray: the artificial leaf is not to be developed to be an efficient device. Its aim, behind Nocera's research, was to develop a simple, durable device that could help provide affordable, renewable energy to the billions of people who currently do not have access to conventional energy and clean water. Aside from general quality of life improvement, low-cost devices such as the artificial leaf could help provide sustainable alternatives to the widespread use of primitive cookstoves, which cumulatively have a significant impact on the global climate with an increasing force of "black carbon" emissions and deforestation.

So you hear that there's going to be a solar storm coming soon, now what?

When this solar storm hits, there will be panic and chaos, we already established that. But, now what? Well, there'll obviously be a strong sense of wanting to survive kick in; so how do we survive?

First, evaluate where you're living. Are you living in an urban area, where skyscrapers and telephone wires are everywhere? Or do you live in a rural area, where the nearest skyscraper would be 1 hour away?
   Be warned people of the city! If you live in an urban area, chances are the electricity, that you're depending on, won't last once the storm hits. Even water and food sold in supermarkets will become scarce. So, my suggestion would be to stock up on food and water as much as you can because once the storm hits, you can definitely bet on it that those necessities to live will go out very quickly.

Example : Remember Hurricane Sandy?

You may also want to consider having a bag with essentials such as toiletries, matches, blankets, extra clothes, medical supplies, etc.

To read in-depth about things you may need, click here!
Good luck.

G-shock beyond any doubt goes green

For people, who may not know what a G-shock is, it's a digital watch brand, manufactured by Casio, designed for high shock and water resistance. Here's a picture of one of G-shock's models.

In recent news, G-shock had been developing digital watches, engineered with no battery source, but is powered by the sun's rays as well as fluorescent light. The watch is equipped with a large power storage capacity in which it performs stability throughout all functions of the watch. For the ladies, Valentine's day is coming up, here's something to look into, yeah?