Orange UK's wind-powered charger to blow into shops?

It seems Ben Jandrell -- the brains behind Orange's recent wind powered charger -- is considering launching the little orange-colored charger if interest is there for his product. Ben was commissioned to build three prototypes for Orange which were subsequently shown off at the Glastonbury festival. The yet unnamed contraption -- though we're feeling "The Engadget Mobile Charger" rings nicely -- generates about a half-watt of power, enough to trickle charge the batteries you eventually tap into to juice up your mobile. If you are inspired to show yer green (both types) for this type of technology, hit up Ben's site and leave your contact info.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 27th 2007 12:05AM]

As much as I see a future in eco-effective design, this product has little if any merit. One has to think where will I use this product, sitting in a park chatting on my cell, ok I see that. On a campus, outdoors...ok...in a coffee shop on the street...probably not.. Mobile techonology charging see's much more solar related applications than wind power. Aside from the lack of practability in this, it just doesn't provide enough power to make it worth pulling out a bright orange windmill from your bag, setting it up and then having to field questions on what in the hell you're doing. Not to mention that after about a week of carting this thing around it looks like it will most likely fall apart.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 27th 2007 2:36PM]

can we put this baby on the top of our cars and use it to charge our phones while driving? just wonderin