While walking through the South Hall at CES, out of the corner of my eye I saw a couple of Voltaic, solar-charging laptop bags. They were next to a gentleman who was happily enjoying his lunch until I accosted him. Having written about Voltaic last month, I was curious about any news or product updates. It turns out the man was a representative of the company and willing to put aside his lunch for a quick chat. While there’s not much new to report, I did get a chance to see the Voltaic batteries that hold charge once the bag has soaked up the sun’s rays. One of the problems with the solar bags is that they take so long to charge. That problem is mitigated at least in part when you can carry along extra juice.
I pointed out during my impromptu meeting that the price tag ($499) on the Voltaic makes it impractical for most. The response: It depends on a given user’s needs. And I admit, in certain rugged conditions the Voltaic bags would be invaluable. Perhaps an investment for the Department of Defense?
