Energy...

Every once in a while, a new device comes along that instantly grabs peoples' attention. That's the case with the Solio line of solar-powered device chargers. These great little tools allow you to use the power of the sun to charge just about any cell phone, MP3 player, game player, GPS unit, or other small electronic device.

Solio's line of chargers are actually "hybrids" -- you can use their built-in solar panels, or plug them into a wall socket to fully charge them. Then, plug the Solio into any device to charge it on the go.

According to Solio, one hour of sunlight translates to 20 minutes of talk time or 50 minutes of music (depending on the device, or the quality of the sunlight).

There are three main Solio chargers: the Magnesium ($169.95), the H1000 ($79.95), and the Solio Classic ($99.95). They also sell a few types of LED lights that you can attach to your Solio for flashlight capability.

So, if you're looking for a way to cut your energy use, get off the grid, and make your small electronics more efficient, give the Solio a try.