Very cool: self-charging mp3 players

she loves her natural mp3 player and so should you (link)

Today in the New York Times there's an article called "Cranking Out Music Off The Grid" which highlights a couple mp3 players that can recharge themselves through a hand crank or solar panels. Very cool.

"There's a secret bonus feature, too: you can use these players to recharge other portable gadgets. Yes, these players can drag less environmentally enlightened electronics off the grid along with them.

To make this work, you connect your secondary gadget to the eco-player's U.S.B. jack using the appropriate adapter cable. The eMotion Solar comes with 12 such tips, most intended for cellphones and things that can be charged from a U.S.B. jack (including BlackBerrys, Treos and even iPods). The Eco Player, on the other hand, recharges only cellphones (it comes with five cable tips), and only while you're cranking."

eMotion Solar from Media Street for $169 for 2GB of memory (solar power)

Baylis Eco Media Player at $200 for 2 GB of memory (hand crank)
(info and video from cnet)

• fyi - here's a DIY crank charger you can connect to your iPod