Orange launches Power Pump mobile charger for Glastonbury

21 May 2009

Charge your phone by foot?

Well, baffle us green. It turns out foot pumps at festivals don't just operate porta-loos, they're an essential part of charging your phone the eco-friendly way too.

Ever the innovator, Orange is launching the Orange Power Pump at this year's Glastonbury, for portable, power point free phone charging. It's made by renewable energy experts GotWind, which stuck a foot pump to a turbine that then harnesses the kinetic energy produced by you stamping up and down quite fast. Then some other tthing converts it into electrical current to power your phone. (In your face, high school physics!)

Apparently you'll get five minutes' talktime in 'the time it takes to inflate a pillow', which sounds a bargain, particularly when you compare it to the solar-powered Samsung Blue Earth, or LG's version, both of which get three minutes of talktime after a whole ten minutes soaking up the rays.

If you're going to Glastonbury, Orange will have a Chill 'n' Charge tent with 600 phone charging points, free internet access and live music, 10am-10pm.