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Solar 'Street Charge' Phone Stations Hit NYC

by Julia Black

Finally, New Yorkers can go to Central Park or the Brooklyn Bridge and not have to worry about losing that perfect Instagram moment thanks to a dead iPhone battery.

AT&T is the latest corporate sponsor to hook NYC up with some shiny, environmentally-friendly goodies. They've partnered up with solar power provider Goal Zero and design firm Pensa to launch Street Charge, the public mobile-charging program that debuts Tuesday in New York City.

AT&T dreamt up the idea after Superstorm Sandy left millions without power and unable to get in touch with their loved ones last fall. Now New Yorkers will be able to plug in at 25 futuristic charging stations around the city, free of charge. And to ensure that our smartphones stay glued to our faces once they're full of juice, AT&T is also introducing free Wi-Fi in 28 locations within 21 different parks.

Will Street Charge's corporate branding invoke the same kind of artistic disobedience as Citi Bikes? What kind of disaster will ensue if we allow distracted smartphone users and inexperienced bikers to roam the very same streets? It's all just part of the vast experiment that is New York City.

Photo Credit: AT&T