Today we will be looking at a USB charger with a solar panel. Yes, you read that correctly, a solar panel. We are sure you are thinking, “another USB charger?”. No worries, we thought the same thing until we opened it up and started examining it. Its built-in 4440 mWh lithium-ion battery can charge devices such as mobile phones, MP3 and PDA. With these types of products showing up more and more on the market, one has to ask, “why would I want/need to carry around another piece of hardware?” Hopefully, we can answer that once we are finished with this review.

The Packaging:

The ARCTIC C1:

Specifications and Features:

Usage/Charging:

In the picture above, you can see us charging our new Arctic Sound P311 Bluetooth headset. It’s simple to plug in and begin charging, as you can see, and all you need is a USB connection to connect to the C1 Mobile, and you are ready for charging.

In the shots above, you can see the red LED lights letting you know how much battery capacity is remaining while charging your devices.

• 3 LEDs on – 70-100% li-lion battery capacity
• 2 LEDs on – 30-70% li-lion battery capacity
• 1 LED on – 10-30% li-lion battery capacity

Once the charging is complete for the C1 Mobile or the device being charged, the red LEDs will go off letting you know that the charge is complete.

Conclusion:

After testing the C1 Mobile, and trying to figure out how exactly we would use this, we can safely say that it is definitely geared toward a select few. If you are the outdoor type of person who hikes or camps and spends a lot of time away from power outlets, the C1 Mobile was probably made for you. It is extremely compact, so it would be easy to store along with your gear. The C1 Mobile can also be charged by a USB connection, which is ironic, since the C1 Mobile is labeled for green energy.

Overall, this product is certainly innovative to say the least, and we think the idea is great, but actual usage of the product is only for a select few. We like the fact that Arctic Cooling is trying to think outside the box and create something for everyone. The C1 Mobile works and does what it is supposed to do. We just worry that the extremely small niche market that it is geared toward may not be enough to sustain it.

The Arctic C1 Mobile Solar USB Charge receives the TechREACTION.net Silver Silicon Award!







For more information please check out the C1 Mobile here.