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A radio, an emergency battery with solar panel and hand crank recharge also for the smartphone and a flashlight. It is Esky ES-CR01, a 3-in-1 gadget that we tried recently and which packs these three features in a rather compact body, while also offering some advantages from the point of view of recharging the internal battery.
How it's made
It is about the size of a can of a soft drink (13 x 6.2 x 4.2 cm) and weighs 220 grams including wrist strap. The whole body is in plastic protected by a rubberized layer that is very pleasant to the touch.
On the front side there is the speaker, the knobs and the buttons to manage the radio, including the analog panel that shows the selected frequency. On the top edge is the solar panel, the flashlight power button (three LED lights recessed in the front edge) and the telescopic metal antenna to improve radio reception.
Behind it is recessed the knob for the dynamo while on the lower edge, while on the rear edge there is the microUSB input for charging the internal battery and the USB output to exploit the energy of the 3-in -1 to recharge a smartphone . Both sockets are protected by a large rubber cap which ensures good waterproofing of the product.
The battery is hidden inside a compartment which can be accessed by unscrewing a screw. It is a rechargeable 1,000 mAh battery, the replacement is suitable for those who enjoy DIY to restore the cable connections with a soldering iron).
How the radio works
To listen to the radio just turn the right knob: the first “step” acts as an On / Off switch, the rest of the stroke is dedicated to volume adjustment. The central switch allows you to choose between FM, AM and WB frequencies, while the left knob is dedicated to the selection of the frequency whose value, as anticipated, is indicated by a white selector inside the “screen” placed on the front. .
The audio quality is good, at the levels of a common beach radio: to stay in this example, at maximum volume (3W) it is possible to listen to the music clearly even at two beach umbrellas. distance (about 15 m) from the radio.
The flashlight
The flashlight turns on and off with a click of the only button present. The light is strong enough to illuminate a small area of 1 × 1 meter, offering better visibility if the framed area is narrowed, for example by bringing it closer to a door lock when entering the house in complete darkness.
The battery
The 1,000 mAh are sufficient to restore about 35% of the energy of an iPhone 7, therefore they are useful in emergency situations, when the mobile it discharges suddenly. Charging takes place at 1A.
As anticipated, it can be recharged in three ways:
By connecting it to the USB output of the computer or to a power supply via the microUSB input – recharging takes place completely in about 1 hour. If you have the opportunity, it is certainly the quickest and “painless” choice.
Exposing it to sunlight – Thanks to the built-in solar panel it is possible to restore energy simply by using it outdoors. Even while it is in use. With one hour of exposure to direct sunlight (test carried out from 12:00 to 13:00 on June 15 on the beach and with a cloudless sky) it is possible to restore approximately 10% of the energy.
“With your own sweat” – If the sky is cloudy or it is late at night and there is no outlet nearby, you can rely on the dynamo. It is sufficient to extract the knob and rotate it for a few minutes to collect enough energy to listen to about 10 minutes of radio. In numbers, 130 revolutions per minute are also equivalent to roughly 3 minutes of continuous light with the flashlight.
Conclusions
It is a very comfortable gadget of the summer whether you are hyper-technological or “analog” with the radio to keep under the umbrella for listen to music and stay up to date on the latest news. The flashlight offers more than help in everyday situations where a small light is required, and the ability to recharge the smartphone is the added value of this product, which will always guarantee some energy for an emergency call thanks to the possibility of restore energy via solar panel or thanks to the built-in dynamo.
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