Anker's Smart Solar Umbrella: A New Way to Stay Cool and Charged

Meet Anker’s innovative Solix Solar Beach Umbrella. It's not just your average shade provider; it's a powerhouse with next-generation solar cells. These cells, made from a material called perovskite, are better than the silicon ones we use now. They can soak up more light and work better in low light too. Anker says their perovskite cells are 30% better in bright light and double the efficiency in low light compared to silicon. What's special about this umbrella? It can produce up to 100W of power, which is enough to keep Anker's new Solix EverFrost 2 Electric Cooler running forever in sunny places. The umbrella has XT-60 and USB-C connections for this purpose. Plus, it can charge your phone over USB-C. Perovskite solar cells are amazing because they can make solar panels work even better. They can absorb light from a wider range of the light spectrum than silicon cells. This means that panels with perovskite can be more efficient, up to 43% efficiency, compared to silicon's 24%.

Anker hasn't shared many details about their perovskite cells, though. We don’t know how efficient they are or how long they'll last. Perovskite has had issues with durability in the past. We also don’t know how much the umbrella weighs. It does have an IP67 rating, so it can handle sand and rain. The Solix Solar Beach Umbrella will be available next summer. It's over seven feet tall and has a diameter of six feet two inches. It folds up and can stand up to rough weather. Anker has also launched the Solix EverFrost 2 Electric Cooler. It comes in three sizes: 23L, 40L, and 58L. The 58L model has two sections, making it a fridge and freezer combo. It uses air-cooled refrigeration, which means it might be noisier and less power-efficient but offers better temperature uniformity and faster cooling. The cooler can run for up to 104 hours on two batteries. One battery will halve that time. The batteries can also charge your devices and are removable for use as power banks. They charge from solar input, a car socket, a wall outlet, or a USB-C connection.

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