Most Bluetooth speaker boxes have just enough battery life to play one Grateful Dead bootleg. Here's one with enough staying power to make it through every note of the Dead's 1972 European tour.
Eton's Rukus solar boombox harnesses the power of the sun, recharging its battery as it goes. The $150 portable has a lithium ion battery inside, and a 40-square-inch monocrystal solar panel on top. It takes about six hours of full sunlight to juice up the battery, or you can use AC power to charge it faster.
When you're outdoors, the battery will continue to trickle-charge and your music will keep playing indefinitely -- as long as there's available sunlight. The underbelly of the Rukus has a USB port and a little elastic pocket for your phone, so you can use the internal battery to charge your mobile as well.
The design is pleasant. It's light, and there's a handle with a low-power, e-ink display. The Rukus isn't exactly rugged, but with plenty of rubber and thick plastic on the shell, it's easily tough enough for camping trips, days at the beach, or a few tumbles in the bed of a pickup truck.
The speakers themselves are about what you'd expect: Not great but entirely adequate, and about the same volume and clarity as a Jambox or other sub-compact system. I paired it with my phone (super easy) and played some Beatles and Bob Dylan songs. Even on the noisy CES floor, the Rukus made enough of a ruckus to get a thumbs up.
Eton expects to be shipping by May. Also available is a $100, non-solar version.
