Hand Recharged iPod Shuffle 129
randomErr writes "In one for the first article on the new O'Reilly MAKE magizine we see how to recharge your iPod with a crank. The "Torronesque" project was based on the idea of coming up with a project and buiding it even if it has no immediate purpose. Imagine getting a little power charge every time you press a key or open your phone or laptop."
Old idea (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Old idea (Score:1)
Perhaps this is another patent that just sitting there keeping (this time) battery manufacturers in business.
Maybe I could patent doing the same thing with a mouse..
Re:Old idea (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Old idea (Score:2)
But how about using the idea on wireless keyboards? The extended weight wouldn't really be problem since the keyboard just sits on your table. I don't have one nearby so I could check how much it consumes, but this ps/2 keyboard seems to draw 200mA.
The old article discussed that you could generate 0.1W at typing 10 keypresses at 1
Re:Old idea (Score:2)
though, even then.. solar cell on it's surface might do a better job.
anyways.. there's been crank-chargers for mobile phones for several years on the market already. using one to power an ipod would be pretty straightforward mod.
Re:Old idea (Score:2)
I wonder if one could make a totally passive wireless keyboard with RFID-like technology? It could change its signature with each key pressed, then the computer would poll it at 1KHz or so.
Re:Old idea (Score:2)
How many rfid's can you have in a small area at once?
--jeff++
Re:Old idea (Score:5, Funny)
Actually, a crank-powered audio player was patented a long time before that. See here [phonophan.com].
Re:Old idea (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Old idea (Score:3, Interesting)
Heard of it already (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Heard of it already (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Heard of it already (Score:2)
Your name wouldn't be Mr. Obvious, would it?
Re:Heard of it already (Score:2)
portable chargers (Score:1)
Re:portable chargers (Score:2)
Re:portable chargers (Score:1)
Re:portable chargers (Score:2)
Re:portable chargers (Score:1)
Re:portable chargers (Score:2)
not really a post (Score:2, Informative)
another use! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:another use! (Score:5, Funny)
I don't want to think what sort of repetitive mechanical hand motion would be used to power such a device.
Re:another use! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:another use! (Score:1)
Or five slashdotters.
Re:another use! (Score:2)
What? (Score:2, Insightful)
What the heck are you even talking about?
Re:What? (Score:1, Redundant)
Re:What? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:What? (Score:1)
Hee hee. I don't think I've ever seen anyone trying to use Polish notation in English.
Done before, but still cool (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Done before, but still cool (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Done before, but still cool (Score:3, Informative)
- backlight because it has no display.
- hard drive but a static memory chip (pay attention: this is what introduced the rumor that music from an iPod shuffle contained static).
The size of the battery could be smaller to accommodate for the power-generating mechanism. Weight and size of the mechanism are less of a problem than in a watch.
Motion powered flashlights exist.
I still can't exclude that the idea is feasible.
Bert
Re:Done before, but still cool (Score:2)
I thought Apple had given up using expensive parts when cheap ones are good enough (SCSI vs IDE for example). Last time I bought SRAM chips they were $4 for 32KB, but they were DIP, the SOP version was only $1 - and that's Australian dollars too. You must get such good prices when you buy in bulk...
It must suck when the battery runs out of charge and you lose all your songs.
Why wouldn't they use flash memory like everyone else?
Re:Done before, but still cool (Score:2)
Bert
Re:Done before, but still cool (Score:2)
Re:Done before, but still cool (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Done before, but still cool (Score:1)
Even Better Idea... (Score:5, Funny)
THEN BREAKFAST WILL BE COMPLETE !!! MWAHAHAHAHA !!
Whole new meaning (Score:1)
Re:Whole new meaning (Score:1)
Hmph... (Score:1)
Re:Hmph... (Score:1)
Puns (Score:5, Funny)
I don't mean to be an old crank, but I really don't think my pockets will fit this.
When you have to make your own power, you're less inclined to crank up the volume on that iPod shuffle.
The only problem is you can only listen to alternative music on it.
I'll need someone to give me a hand with this.
Looks like a fine prodcut, but how much will they charge?
Hopefully no more than an arm and a leg! I'll need at least one arm.
No fair, it's my turn!
Does this mean the iPod shuffle uses the ARM processor?
Tip your waitresses folks, they're good people! Try the buffet! I'll be here all week!
Obligatory sticker reference (Score:2)
Now all he needs to do is... (Score:5, Funny)
Now all the inventor needs to do is to invent some sort of electric machine that will turn the crank for you. You could take a motor, and put it in some sort of project box, with some wires coming out of it to plug into the wall, and some sort of arm to turn the crank on the cranking machine...then when you want to recharge your iPod Shuffle, plug it into the crank, and mate the crank with the crank motor, and then plug the mottor into the wall. Then you have the benefits of hand-cranking, without all the manual labour.
Genius! I'm going to go an apply for a patent on this one for sure!
Yaz.
Re:Now all he needs to do is... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Now all he needs to do is... (Score:2)
http://www.acme.com/
http://www.acme.com/other
ACME Laboratories
Graphics * Unix * Networks * Fun
Purveyors of fine freeware since 1972. On the net since 1991.
Check out the ACME produc list:
http://home.nc.rr.com/tuco/looney/acme/acm
Re:Now all he needs to do is... (Score:1)
Apparently Captain Klutz [berkeley.edu] was fighting in vain?
CC.
Re:Now all he needs to do is... (Score:2)
Re:Now all he needs to do is... (Score:4, Informative)
Polish Notation (Score:1, Funny)
or phone laptop
I know Slashdot's a geeky site but when we're speaking in English, could we please make an effort to avoid Polish Notation? A correct rendering of the above would be "phone or laptop" :-)
Cheers,
AC
"Charging the iPod" (Score:5, Funny)
"I'm, uh, charging my iPod. Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket..."
Re:"Charging the iPod" (Score:2)
Do the editors read slashdot? (Score:1, Insightful)
"In one for the first article
and
"...press a key or open your or phone laptop."
So, in conclusion, either Zonk doesn't read the submissions or he is an idiot
Re:Do the editors read slashdot? (Score:2)
"In one for the first article
and
"...press a key or open your or phone laptop."
So, in conclusion, either Zonk doesn't read the submissions or he is an idiot
He didn't just fuck up the grammar, he can't spell either:
O'reilly [O'Reilly]
buiding [building]
Really, how hard is it to spellcheck a paragraph?
The last few weeks seem to have set new lows. Interminable dupes, stupid
Spring loaded mechanical regulation (Score:1)
This would be particularly neat if the guy could make a USB dock with one of these mechanically regulated spring loaded cranks.
AFAIK humans are really bad at regulating their power output, electrochemical (super-capacitors/batteries) storage is very inefficient
Sorry but this won't work so well (Score:3, Insightful)
That's not how it works (Score:4, Informative)
The greater problem with LiIon is that they loose about 20% capacity per year from the date of manufacture, irrespective of whether they are used or not.
Re:That's not how it works (Score:3, Informative)
Makezine is fast becoming (Score:5, Interesting)
Seriously, between the BBC news site [bbc.co.uk] and Makezine [makezine.com] there's nearly everything slashdot story contributors deep link to.
Re:Makezine is fast becoming (Score:1)
Can we say Trevor Baylis here? (Score:4, Informative)
Cell phones (Score:2)
I know cell phones are getting ridiculously multipurpose lately but thats just silly.
Nobody has a head big enough to put their ear at the top of the screen and their mouth on the touchpad.
Bag of liquid? (Score:3, Interesting)
Or so I think.
Is this the... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Is this the... (Score:1)
Re:Bag of liquid? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Bag of liquid? (Score:2, Funny)
woah, kid. (Score:2)
Looks like someone is still thinking about the current poll [slashdot.org]
heh
What about ergometers and crosstrainers? (Score:1)
Re:What about ergometers and crosstrainers? (Score:3, Interesting)
More Interesting Invention (Score:4, Funny)
Re:More Interesting Invention (Score:2)
Motorola Freecharge (Score:2, Interesting)
Ahh.. (Score:2, Funny)
Gizmodo Dupe (again) (Score:1)
Is the battery life that bad? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Is the battery life that bad? (Score:2)
imagine being out of reach of a mains socket for a week or two. that's where it comes handy(or if you just simply forget to charge your ipod for said trip).
DS (Score:1)
I only ever stop playing it when the battery runs low, and if it's powered by my frantic button mashing, then it's entirely likely that *I* will be the first device to run out of power.
not a full charge cycle (Score:3, Informative)
Re:not a full charge cycle (Score:2)
Someone above posted a relevant page [apple.com] at Apple.
Re:not a full charge cycle (Score:2)
hand crank practically useless (Score:2)
but it takes at least 10 minutes cranking for 2 minutes phone on time.
nice toy but to all intents a waste of time and a little money
on the otherhand a small wind generator supplying a lead acid battery that you could later hook up to your battery powered device. not such a bad idea, mount it in your garden, balcony doubles as a bird scarer. might even be able to power your garden lights too.
or use it to charge a spare battery pac
Re:hand crank practically useless (Score:2)
or if one was on a long hike, i think that i could crank the crank for 20 minutes to read the news(from web).
"Free" Power - Thinking way too small here, guys (Score:2)
I realize there are limitations to these "speed bumps," because they could only be placed where a vehicle was goi
Re:"Free" Power - Thinking way too small here, guy (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:"Free" Power - Thinking way too small here, guy (Score:2)
Shock therapy (Score:2)
That'll teach you to press a key or open your phone or laptop.
This is all well and good... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Should be fun (Score:1)
Well if you give youself said shuffle you may indeed get something else straight.
Seriously, though, I love the idea; I have a deep hatred for "single-use" non-rechargeable batteries. I just wonder if the iPod explodes if it's mastu^H^H^H^H^Hcharged too much with this.
Another retread (Score:1)
Reverse polish notation (Score:1)
Do we talk in reverse polish notation nowadays?
Re:Just imagine... (Score:1)