[Gear Review] Eton Rukus Solar: A Sun Powered Bluetooth Boombox

in steemstem •  7 years ago  (edited)

Normally these babies go for around $200-$250 new. So when I saw one used for $56, I snapped it up. Well it certainly is used. The solar panel on top has loads of faint scratches on it. The glass protector does anyway, I hold out hope I can replace it with a new one. It's also missing one of the little rubber feet:

The underside has a nifty elastic sleeve for tucking your phone into. There's a 12 volt DC charging port if you want to charge it from a wall adapter, an aux input for phones without bluetooth, and a USB out so the solar panel on top can charge your phone at the same time as it's charging the boom box.

The readout is e-ink, which I thought was a cool touch. They could have gone cheapo LCD but I think e-ink requires even less power? It uses electricity only when changing some element of the display. That green LED illumination around the power button is many times more energy hungry.

How is the sound quality? Very good. Loud and clear. I can keep my phone in my pocket or backpack and control the playback from my watch. It's very easy to pretend the phone isn't even involved. I plan to get a lot of use out of this while camping this Summer. It'll be nice to not have to plug it into anything and just have it go forever on free solar energy.

Honestly if a solar panel will fit on some electronic device, it should be there. Why not? If a device is electronic and designed for outdoor use, there is no good reason not to have a solar panel built into it. Then again I am sort of a fanatic about this topic, haha.

I can't recommend you buy this new. The price is too much for what you get. But if you can score a used one for less than $100 and are likely to use it often outdoors, it's a solid buy. It's smaller than expected but on the flipside I can just barely fit it inside my backpack. Build quality is good, sound quality is good and the solar functionality makes it stand apart from other bluetooth audio devices.


Stay Cozy!

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Cool. It's bluetooth linked as well!
Does it have enough juice to last through a Thanksgiving dinner?

I...guess so? What an unexpectedly specific question. If it's in direct sunlight it will run indefinitely. On battery alone I would estimate perhaps ten hours.

I like turning on Spotify when I invite friends over for dinner.

10 hours is fantastic!
Definitely more than sufficient.

Although small, I think this tool has many benefits and practical for outdoor. Moreover, available bluetooth and USB slot that makes it multi function. You're lucky to have taken it @alexbeyman. You will feel how useful the device will be.

Good information. But i can't recomended is a very good information too. Because not all the new ones fit with us. this is a very honest information. thank bro.
Stay cozy

Wow you bought it on good price
Lucky i would like to have one
It looks good for 56 $ \o/

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

Belive it or not, but while reading your posts when it comes to solar technology it just got me thinking and early this year I started buying few things with solar. Here is one of the items 😆.40ABD745-7D8F-4B20-925A-36B832D4E8B0.jpeg I already got it long time ago sitting in my basement and waiting to be used when the right time comes. Of course, I can use it to charge external devices as well.

Very cool. You'll be glad you picked that up when the time comes that you need it.

This is really amazing. I can't get one of these in my country. The solar attached to it makes it stand out as countries in Africa will be needing this

Hi @alexbeyman Thats a good boombox
I need to buy one soon
i went to the beach and it goes like boom :D
Good for that $

Wow, that's cool as hell. Closest thing I have to that is a little emergency hand crank/solar panel radio that I got for xmas several years back, lol. Where'd you find it used for such a cheap price though? You got one hell of a deal if they run around $200-250 new.

Solar panels are indeed solutions for charging in the future. Especially during the summer. Destroy us if we just miss the ultraviolet. May the little baby have enough space to accommodate plenty of sun. E-ink embedded in it is also sophisticated. This is progress @alexbeyman. You have nothing to lose. Profitable purchases.

I did not know such a thing existed.

Wow thats really cool. A music player with a good sound which doesn't need to be charged. I wish i could have those. It can be used mostly while going on a picnic, hiking, etc. You got one at a cheap price. Lucky guy.

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

By the way @alexbeyman i needed a little help from you. I wanted to post one of my sculpture work but when I try to upload the picture it says "unable to complete previous operation due to low memory". Do you have any idea what's going on and what should I do?

Wow, how lucky are you! It is a technological advance. Especially for camping purposes. It will be very fun and practical than you have to bring diesel generator to camp. Good job @alexbeyman.

This are the kinda gadget I love to acquire, the fact that it’s solar makes it mobile you know what I’m talking about . And believe me I love gadgets and this one I’m totally in love with.

Honestly if a solar panel will fit on some electronic device, it should be there. Why not? If a device is electronic and designed for outdoor use, there is no good reason not to have a solar panel built into it.

I totally agree with you on this , and more reason why I fall in love with that device

How miserable I am. I just found out that there is a sun-powered music player. Seems good to be taken to the beach.

Ah Alex i see your novels are beginning to depict you, so you actually pick up these gadgets just like your stories and you pick up robots and fix them. This one too looks like one of them robots, maybe your stories will actually come to life and become a reference manual in the future. I like this gadget too, maybe all gadgets should just run on solar

I totally agree with the fact that if it's electronic and meant for outdoor use might have as well it run on solar power. Makes a lot of sense right

I was looking for this solar wireless speaker system in amazon but they don't ship it to Australia. But you still need to be careful when ordering online because some models are not solar models.

Hell yeah! This reminds me of my teenage years. We used to go everywhere with a case connected to an mp3. Kids were even bringing stereos on batteries to listen to some mixtapes in the neighborhood.

I don't think we have a solar music player available here yet but this is one cool gadget to buy.

Is the speaker water resistent?

That is a good one. Also, run with solar. Save electricity.

Excellent tool, very practical and very comfortable for trips to the beach, because it uses solar energy

A solar panel on a boombox makes a lot of sense. Audio a reasonable levels doesn't use that much power and something like this would probably wouldn't run the battery down while the sun is out.

iam full agree this topic

Technology makes stuffs easier and also gives a lot of options...technology makes sense

nice gadget you have there
wish to have one some day like that.
nice capture too

A boombox powered by the son, hmmm.
Is it possible to cover the solar panel with something that will strengthen the energy generation?

Modern speaker tech is pretty amazing for the money. I love seeing stuff retrofitted with solar.

It's a boombox that can be charged through sun, omg.
If they can make a sun boombox then I wanna Iron Man suit.

very good tool, if we use it when going camping is very helpful, thanks for the information @ alexbeyman

what a good advance in technology, I love it!

  ·  7 years ago Reveal Comment

There is a battery inside that the solar panel charges. So yes it can be used without sunshine, until battery runs out.