The SolarKindle is a case for the Kindle eBook reader with a built-in booklight, a battery, and a solar panel. Just set the case out in the sunlight when you’re not using it and it will collect some rays and charge the battery.
When you connect your Kindle to the case, the backup battery will charge your Kindle. In other words, you never have to plug a Kindle into a wall jack if you’re using the SolarKindle case.
SolarFocus introduced the SolarKindle case in January and I got a chance to check one out at CES… and then I forgot about it until I was leafing through a folder with press releases I picked up at the show this afternoon.
As promised, it looks like the SolarKindle started shipping a few weeks ago, and it’s getting mostly positive reviews from early customers.
Right now the case only fits the Kindle 4. Versions for the Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, and other eReaders are in the works.
The SolarKindle is available from Amazon for $79.99 — or about a buck more than the price of a Kindle. The eReader doesn’t use much power, so I’m not sure you’d ever save $80 on your home electric bill by using this case. But if you’re more concerned with finding a way to keep your Kindle charged when away from an outlet, it might be worth the price.
Decent Kindle cases also don’t come cheap. It’s not unusual to find cases that cost $40 or more which don’t offer booklights, batteries, or solar panels.
I thought it wasn’t good to put electronics in the sun. So do you take the kindle out of the case to charge it? Leaving the kindle in the sun might kill it.
 Only if it gets too hot… Most devices are fine in the sun unless conditions are such that they basically get cooked. While mind that the case will be closed while charging. So the Kindle won’t be directly exposed.
While the basic Kindle is a pretty low powered device and it’ll be rather hard to make it get too hot. You’d have more to worry with the Kindle Fire but even that should be fine in most cases.