Step this way to get your daily fix of green news, eco product launches and videos delivered by email.
Since solar chargers became old hat -- there are now over half a dozen of the buggers -- we've been dying to get our mitts on the Hymini, a pocket charger that promises to power your gadgets with wind power. Handily, it's just gone on sale in the UK for £40 and Nigel's Eco Store sent us one which we've been having a play with.
You can see in the photos below what you get in the box, but the big question remains: does the thing actually generate any electricity? Or is it a piece of tat begging for the Woolies bargain bin?
To find out, we took it for a bicycle ride yesterday. In the absence of the official (£10!) bicycle bracket, we opted for a lo-fi and literally tacky approach of taping the Hymini to our helmet. Every time we stopped and had a look, the fan was spinning away very fast. The weather conditions couldn't have been much better as it was warm and very windy. Perfect, surely, for generating free green energy.
Well, we cycled for four miles at an average and moderate speed of 13-14mph. Here's what we generated: just one bar of energy on a Nokia N73 phone. It charged our old phone for around 20 minutes before running out of juice. On that basis, we'd need to ride for 28 miles at a decent pace to charge our phone to full. Which is quite a lot of cycling in anyone's book, though we did once have a job that entailed a slightly insane 28-mile round cycle commute.
We'll be running a full in-depth review of the Hymini shortly, but in the meantime we've jotted down our first impressions here. One thing we liked was the use of an expanding ZIP-LINQ cable for the USB adapter that you use to connect the Hymini to gadgets for chargers. Supported gadgets include anything that charges via mini USB, new and old Nokia mobs, plus phones from LG, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and Motorola. There's also female USB built into the device, which means you can plug in an iPod or anything that charges via USB off a PC.
We were certainly relieved that the design is as slick as it looks in photos. This is a sexy green design that's solidly built and will certainly inspire gadget lust.
You can buy the Hymini from Nigel's Eco Store, which also stocks the bicycle mount. While you wait for the review, take a look at the photos below.
The Hymini arrives in a fittingly compact and -- largely -- plastic-free box
Here's what else comes in the box: a UK charger to top-up using the mains, a bunch of adapters and a manual printed on recycled paper
The fan's well protected by a recess and feels fairly sturdy
Underneath this rubber flap are the two charging connectors (one for your gadgets and USB charging, one for topping up via mains)
And the mandatory confectionary scale index: the Hymini is officially the same length as a Flake, it turns out
14 May 2008 11:29am
Ahhh a cadbury's flake bar why did'nt you use a fairtrade divine bar instead??
14 May 2008 02:26pm
Fan-tastic, though dont know if its going to last the test of time, the idea is good, but common sense tells otherwise. Does not look too userfriendly, I can see one of my nephews hanging out the car window trying to charge one of his electronic gizmo's only to loose when making a sharp turn onto the M5!
14 May 2008 04:53pm
@ anon. I blame my wife for the Flake. She's got me addicted to fridge-chilled ones at the moment, though Green & Blacks is usually the house favourite.
@ 2Lov, yup, on first looks I don't see many practical ways of creating energy from this apart from cycling or, at a push, running very very fast. However, I may discover new ways as I have a longer play with it.
19 May 2008 05:37am
I've got a HYmini. Yes the bike mount make a big difference. Also, it's best when you place it where it can collect wind even when you are not moving. AC vents are a great way if you are indoors. Frankly, if you are not moving, the best combination is to set the HYmini where it can collect wind even when you are not around and also to plug in one of the minisolar panels. Riding bikes is fun. But, let the HYmini do the work for you once in a while.
21 May 2008 09:55am
I've been using on my commute to work (bike, 6 miles each way) and it's keeping my phone going nicely, although I don't make too many calls on it.
26 May 2008 11:48am
The HYmini is a source of supplemental energy. Yes. If you use the solar panels and the hand crank, you can live your gadget life 100% off the grid. It's possible. But, just as we will all have to use solar and wind to supplement (hopefully carbon sequestered) coal energy for years to come, we should look at gadget chargers like the HYmini as supplements. That's not a bad thing. Just the way it is in 2008.
27 August 2008 01:18pm
Look, Hymini is a little wind turbine that supplements an electronic devices power. Its great if you are outdoors doing stuff or need emergency power. If you're into windpower, why don't we all switch to a green tariff for our homes so the energy companies build more wind farms, then we'll be in great shape.
Please note: Your email address must be entered but will not be displayed
Please note: All submitted content becomes the sole property of CNET Networks UK and may be used, edited or rejected at CNET Networks UK's sole discretion. You acknowledge that you, not CNET Networks UK, are responsible for the contents of your submission.
Step this way to get your daily fix of green news, eco product launches and videos delivered by email.
