While wandering amongst the gigantic yet wafer-thin HDTV's of CES, it's easy to forget that a significant part of the world's population has no access to a reliable supply of electricity, never mind 24/7 internet connectivity. With that in mind, one of the coolest gadgets I saw today was a deceptively simple self-powered radio from British company Freeplay Energy. The Freeplay Lifeline radio is powered by both a hand crank and a solar panel that can be detached and placed outdoors while the radio is used indoors. Available for purchase only by licensed NGO's, over 300,000 radios have been distributed to date for educational use in remote locations.
