Running out of juice when you're chatting on your phone, battling aliens on your PSP or listening to your iPod is one of the most annoying things known to mankind. Well it’s not, but it's irritating nonetheless. Thankfully portable gizmos are rechargeable, so you merely plug them into the nearest socket and wait.

But what do you do when you're nowhere near a power source? Well it just so happens that, unless you're reading this from the Planet Onderon, you're always near a power source: the sun.

Okay, so it's not that near, but 93 million miles is nothing to the ingenious FreeLoader Solar Charger. That's because this smart, eco-friendly device soaks up the power of the sun and stores it for up to 3 months. You can then use it to charge up your electronic gadgets, anytime, anyplace. Think of it as a portable solar-powered battery.

Whether you're stuck in nowhereville, hiking in the wilderness or miles from civilization, the FreeLoader is a must-have accessory. After all a portable gadget minus power is as much use as a rhubarb wristwatch.

Super sleek and barely bigger than a cell phone, the lightweight aluminium FreeLoader pulls open to reveal two solar panels. Simply charge it by allowing it to soak up some rays. Its internal battery will then power an iPod for up to 18 hours, a mobile phone for up to 44 hours, a PSP for up to 2.5 hours and a PDA for up to 22 hours. That’s a lot of juice for such a tiny gizmo. Once the FreeLoader has emptied its charge just power it up again via the sun. You can also charge it via USB if you're near a computer.

The FreeLoader comes with various adaptors for all your power-hungry items, so you won't have to take umpteen clumpy chargers on your travels. Versatile? It really is an essential travelling companion for anyone who never leaves home without some kind of electronic gizmo. And that means you. All hail the sun! All hail the FreeLoader!