Green travel chargers keep vacationers powered on the go

The latest in travel gadget news is a host of new travel chargers that provide energy on the go by harnessing the sun's rays.

According to ZDNet, several new travel chargers are hitting the market that use solar energy to give an extra boost to various mobile gadgets. As small devices like MP3 players, smartphones and iPads become more popular, one of the most important things is keeping them going when they're out of juice. All of these travel chargers are sold with various converters that allow them to work with nearly any device.

The Solio Classic-i uses a fan-like design to absorb energy from the sun. The maker, Better Energy Systems of London, claims that it holds its charge for a year and works with over 3,200 gadgets.

However, one problem with solar chargers is their bulkiness. That's fixed with the Novothink Surge, a solar panel sleeve that fits around an iPhone (the company also makes sleeves for several other devices). This device has a solar panel backing that allows it to continuously charge the phone and extend battery life.

Not a sunny type of traveler? Then the nPower PEG is what you're looking for. This small device can be clipped to your body. As you move around, it stores kinetic energy, which is then converted into extra juice for your device once it's attached.