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Orange updates its solar tent just in time for the festival season
Speaking as a tent-o-phobe who is girding her loins for this summer's festivals, this camping concept from UK mobile company Orange looks just the ticket. Especially if, like me, you like your gadgets and couldn't bear being away from them for a whole weekend. Thanks to its photovoltaic fabric, the tent is solar-powered, and it also rocks a heated groundsheet, magnetic induction charging pouch and wireless hub. Great idea, because it means you can retreat to your home turf and FB your friends once you hear the dreaded words over the tannoy: "Hi. John Mayer here." Luckily for us, John Mayer ain't too popular this side of the pond.
The Orange tent also boasts something called "glo-cation technology". Nice. That means that, after one beer too many you can use the awesome powers of your cellphone to identify your tent via either an SMS or RFID technology. Activate it, and the motorcycle helmet-esque dome of the tent will glow gently, guiding you back to your sleeping bag, and not that of the Hell's Angel you inadvertently insulted when you said "Nice rug," as you passed by earlier in the day. See the tent's glow below.
By Mr. Gumsandals at 6:54 AM ON 06/23/09
This is the best improvement on the tent well, since the invention of the tent. That rolling tent for the homeless some posts ago was an idea that rolled against common sense. This one embraces it with the inclusion of cutting edge tech. I quite dig it.
By djc at 7:14 AM ON 06/23/09
Doesn't look very portable. Think it will be convenient to carry on a hike?
By anova at 10:27 AM ON 06/23/09
Being an avid hiker / camper, I find it very doubtfull that that thing would be at all portable. It's probably better suited for 'car camping'.
Cool concept tho. Makes me want to take my netbook and other toys with me on my next trip :-)
By Angryspoon at 11:30 AM ON 06/23/09
I agree. This is highly non-portable unless they get crazy innovative. I mean it would be amazing to have to have a tent with solar panels on top or something so that you could heat the tent for cold nights or charge a GPS or something for the hike but otherwise its a "city" camping product. Hopefully they can provide one with just a solar panel top and 2-3 outlets with a decent charge so that certain items could be used or charged. It would be nice especially for those that must bring inflatable mattresses for their backs.
By SteelFox at 1:46 PM ON 06/23/09
If you read the original article, it says this is a concept. I don't think it actually exists anywhere. I do notice a distinct lack of shots of it folded up.
However, it might fold up better than it looks the solar pannels are supposed to be fabric.
By Louis at 3:04 PM ON 06/23/09
If its a tent for the Uk festival season you wold be better of with it doubling as an Inflatable boat. and better than any silly solar power idea's. you would be better off putting a water wheel on the side to tap pouring torrents as they descend from the sky...
By Anonymous at 8:33 PM ON 06/23/09
continuing what steelfox said the solar panals might be power plasic,its a new type of solar panels that being made that use flexable palic coated with solar ink
By Anon at 2:08 AM ON 06/25/09
The ones who are complaining about it not being very portable. YOU DIDN'T READ THE ARTICLE DID YOU!
It stated in the first line "Orange updates its solar tent just in time for the festival season"
This means Nice for events where you camp out. Not a portable device to have luxury when your biking. Pay attention folks.
Either way lovely tent i wouldn't mind having it when i go camp out someplace for sure.
By kizer at 4:14 PM ON 06/26/09
To me its one of those gadgets or tents that you would use at a specific time. For instance I have a modified tent trailer that I tow behind my Jeep when I'm riding around in the woods, however if I plan on hard core wheeling I'd pack my tent because its more suited for the situation.
I think its cool and will be very useful for those that have a larger vehicle to bring it in opposed to a back pack.
By lisa at 5:46 PM ON 07/21/09
this is very cool enen though i dont go campin much i just do it for this tent.
By Big Rich at 12:38 PM ON 07/31/09
It appears to be a practical solution to eco friendly power but is it in a reasonable price range for everyone? How much is it?
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Big Rich:
It appears to be a practical solution to eco friendly power but is it in a reasonable price range for everyone? Ho...More »