Mobile battery low? It's a wind-up

Anyone with a mobile phone has experienced the problem of making a call only to find that the battery has run out of power and there is nowhere nearby to charge it up.

Thanks to a new gadget developed by Motorola and the Freeplay Energy Group, mobile phone users can now apparently charge their phones by clockwork.

FreeCharge is a portable self-sufficient power source that requires only 45 seconds to a minute's winding to give an extra five minutes of talk-time or nine hours of standby, according to the companies. More winding produces more talk-time.

"The Freeplay self-sufficient energy technology is a source of freedom for mobile phone users," said Rory Stear, chairman and chief executive of Freeplay Energy Group, which develops self-sufficient energy technology.

"FreeCharge will empower travellers, consumers and the business community with the independence and flexibility to always have a charged phone in the palm of their hand," he added.

The unit contains a rugged generator which is connected to a mobile phone via a plug-in adapter module. At initial shipment, adapter modules will be available for most Motorola phones. Additional modules compatible with most major handsets are expected within a year.

An internal battery can also store the energy generated from winding or from a DC power source, providing an extra battery that can be used to recharge a mobile phone anywhere. The unit also comes with a built-in flashlight.