We have seen lots of hand cranked radios before, but the new Sony ICF-B01 combines several interesting features into one small, and inexpensive unit. The radio is battery powered, but if you get stuck in an emergency situation the batteries could die before you are done with them. This is where the hand crank comes in, Sony says it’s incredibly efficient. One minute of cranking will power the AM radio for one hour, or give you 40 minutes of FM listening. You can even use the crank to charge your mobile phone, so you can maintain a connection with the outside world. One minute of cranking provides about three minutes of phone charge. The radio also has an efficient LED light, so that you can see what you are doing after dark.

The Sony ICF-B01 seems like a very efficient tool for every home during hurricane season. It will be available from June 10 for $54.