The following article is not complete, only I don't have time to finish it properly. However there may be useful information in it, in the present form, so publish it. I may finish it someday...

Solio Classic charger is one of the weirdest gadgets you can own. However its unique shape is not aimless, it is the most ergonomic shape for a portable solar charger available. I'll discuss it later.

I can't remember how I noticed it first, but I wanted one almost in the moment. The conception is simple: there are many battery life extenders on the market since cellular phones are so popular. Battery is never enough. Solio is an extra battery which you can charge through its solar panels (and from USB too). It has tips for many charger connectors in the box and much more available in their webshop.

Unfortunately my story had some less happy moments. I ordered my piece from the Hungarian T-Mobile Webshop, which was the only shop in Hungary that sells Solio's products. It was cheaper than ordering from the solio European webshop (with delivery cost). As the package arrived I noticed a crack on one of the plastic parts. It wasn't so serious, but it may cause problem when moist can diffus through it in cold weather and condense on the electronics.
On one of the sheets found in the box which told me that in case of any problems contact them first.
So I did that, and found them very helpful. In a few days UPS picked up the parcel and brougth it to the German warehouse. Due to some confusions in the system  I got the new device only a month later. It had a serious problem with the electronic parts, but I managed to repair it.

From now on only the positive experiences follow. I had my fresh, defectless device, and it was late spring. The sun was shining all day, so I could start my tests immediately. First of all: for a new device the battery is new also. It needs some cycles of charge-discharge to reach its final capacity. For me it was 3 or 4 cycles. I suggest USB charging for this part, as it's faster.
After the initiation I started using it as the primary energy source. That means I did not touch the AC charger until I had a usable battery level. The two devices I was using Solio with: SanDisk Sansa clip+ and Treo 650.  Treo has a 1800 mAh battery which usually lasts for 4 to 9 days (average 7 days). Sansa has an approx. 3 or 400 mAh battery that needs to be recharged almost twice a week. Treo is a smartphone so it uses much more energy than does a not so outdated not so "smart" cellphone.
The first 3 weeks of the test was sunny, so I could capture many photons. I charged the Solio during traveling (suckkorongg), and during the day. Unfortunately it needs to be carried or at least to be adjusted constantly as the sun is moving on the horizon. During weekdays I can't utilize the period between 12-13.30, when the sunlight has the best potential.
In this manner I needed the AC charger only after the 3 weeks, when a 2 weeks long constant rain period came which is quite unusual in Hungary. In average weather the Solio could guarantee the energy needed.

Unfortunately they discontinued the production of Solio Mag, which was the same as the Classic, with a battery with slightly higher capacity, and a magnesium alloy housing. The price was the double of the Classics', but it could have been a much more rugged construction.

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