Nokia are releasing a new mobile phone charger that can charge up the battery in your mobile using the power generated from riding a bicycle.
The device is really aimed at developing countries where electricity is not as widely available as in developed countries but the whole idea could take off anywhere.
“Bicycles are the most widespread means of transport in many markets around the world, so this is just one more benefit to be gained from an activity people are already doing,” said Alex Lambeek, Vice President at Nokia, in a statement.
This would certainly apply to somewhere like Amsterdam where bicycles are a popular mode of transport for getting about the city.
The new Nokia bicycle charger will fit any Nokia phone that has a 2mm charger jack. The charger comes with a charger kit which includes a special holder for attaching the charger to the bicycle’s handlebars where the phone slots into, and a generator which is attached to the bike’s fork.
Electricity is generated by the movement of the wheels so as you pedal you create the power. In order to charge up a phone you would need to cycle at a speed of about 6 kilometres an hour or more and the faster you go the more your battery gets charged.
As an example, Nokia have said that cycling at a speed of 10 miles an hour for 10 minutes will give you around 28 minutes of talk time or 37 minutes of standby but obviously these times will vary depending on which battery model your phone has.
The charger is likely to cost around 15 euros, which equates to about $18.40, and will be available towards the end of the year from some retailers and online.
Finland based Nokia is currently the world’s largest mobile phone company and along with details of the bicycle powered charger they also announced details of a new phone and I like the sound of it.
With the dual-SIM Nokia C2 you will be able to use two SIM cards at the same time on the same phone. This means that you can have a separate number for each SIM card but use only one device, and you can change from using one SIM to the other without having to turn off the phone first.