09-09-2004, 09:00 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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Did You Say "Solar-Powered?!?"
Here it is! You've been asking for it, and Scott Jordan is finally gonna deliver it: the solar-powered Version Three.0 SCOTTeVEST!
"SCOTTeVEST INC. (SeV) maker of Technology Enabled Clothing�, and Global Solar Energy, developer and manufacturer of flexible solar cells, announced that the first solar-powered jacket designed to carry, connect and charge portable devices will be available in time for the holidays. The solar panels are attached to SeV�s signature jacket, Version Three.0 Finetex, an all-weather jacket with removable sleeves and over 30 hidden pockets. The jacket features SeV�s patent-pending Personal Area Network (PAN), which conceals wires associated with power sources and earbuds."
Here are a few more specifics:
� The battery pack is about the size of a deck of cards.
� The battery pack charges any device compatible with USB chargers.
� The solar panels are removable.
� Devices can begin charging immediately upon exposure of the panel to sunlight.
� Typical full charge time is 2-3 hours.
Actually, I think this is a pretty neat idea (you would expect me to say anything else?), especially for people who spend a lot of time outdoors and need (or want) to use their devices far from the nearest power outlet. The new jacket systems will be available for the gift-giving holidays later this year, but you can pre-order one right now for only $425. And, if you happen to already own a Version Three.0 SCOTTeVEST, there are plans to offer retro-fit kits for adding the solar panels to your vest sometime in the future.
There's just one thing about this that I'm not sure of... If you're geeky enough to wear one of these, do you actually spend enough time in direct sunlight to make it worthwhile?
(And, yes, I do want one!)
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09-09-2004, 09:52 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 102
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This is quite an amusing gimmick, but the obvious thought is that if the sun is strong enough to get a charge from, surely people will be taking their jacket off?!
What's next, a kinetic fur jacket that charges devices if you go for a vigorous 10 mile run?! 
/\
P.S. Yes, I know the jacket could be draped over a wall or something, but as soon as you take it off the point is sort of lost...
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09-09-2004, 10:03 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 90
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What I find cool about SCOTTeVEST products is that it hides all the gadget effectively, so why this?
IF it was sewn into the back of the jacket and the area around the panels were made in the same black fabric as the rest of the jacket, then it would be ok.
But this is butt-ugly! :?
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09-09-2004, 11:04 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 545
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Over 500 for a jacket?? 8O It better be able to charge my devices and then some for that!  Well, I have to admit I love my version 2 and I am going to try to get a non-solar version 3 before winter hits as I do need a new jacket. In any case, I question having the pannel on the back.....would it not be better to split the panel in two and put it on the shoulders??? I guess if you have a back pack style laptop bag, you may block the panel there. HMM.
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09-09-2004, 11:36 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 601
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From the user's guide: "In order to recharge devices properly at Noon, insert device into charging slot and touch your toes with your fingers for 2 hours."
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09-09-2004, 01:42 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 80
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Jacket Questions
The jacket with the panels is actually quite attractive. The panels can be easily removed as well, and used separately, e.g. on your dashboard or on your desk. As you know, even the coldest days can be very sunny. Moreover, you don't need direct sun to charge your devices. In sum, you won't ever need your AC Charger with this product.
Scott
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09-09-2004, 01:42 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 77
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I don't know. My daughter is perpetually cold, and we live in Florida...
The biggest hangup in her life is that her nokia 3300 runs out too quickly while playing MP3s and she can't talk on the phone for 12 continuous hours.
She would LOVE this. especially if there was a version that showed off the midriff... (probably why she is cold all the time)
Bikers, hikers, Germans and Canadians would love this... UK types would probably need a Rain Slicker version of this, if there is enough sun there for anything solar. 
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09-09-2004, 01:50 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 5
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This prospect intrigues me enough to stop my read-only user status and post.
I'm just curious, and don't know exactly how to do the math to figure out how well such solution would work. Last I'd heard solar technology still blew. What I'm wondering is, how big is the battery? I can't seem to find a number like I'm used to seeing (rated in mAh for instance) to have any idea if this would truly be a solution or not. The site gives a couple numbers, such as a typical 2-3 hr charge time for its battery, and then goes on to say 3-5 hours to charge a PDA (which is sort of the direction I'm taking this in my mind). They could be talking about a handspring visor, I don't know-- but even those two numbers, collectively, would suggest that a full charge on the provided battery with the vest will not fully charge their example PDA. Anyway, it'd be nice if anyone could come up with some concrete numbers. They also give battery output figures such as 5.0 V +/- 10%, 0.5 Amps max current. But that could be 0.5 amps that lasts 10 mins right?
right so anyway, very cool to see technology progressing so. Anxiously awaiting devices' ability to recharge from our bodies. now THAT will be cool.
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09-09-2004, 02:17 PM
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09-09-2004, 02:38 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 126
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This could be very useful for those that hike/camp using a GPS unit.
Scott,
Could the power cable from the panels be extended (if needed) so that the panels could be hooked onto a backpack and plugged into the GPS/PDA unit?
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