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Honestly, if you're thinking of solutions for hurricanes where you might be without power for longer than the portable batteries will last ... see if you can't find a hand-crank generator or something.

This looks interesting, but other than the google search for "hand crank generator" I know nothing about it.

A bunch of years ago my family spent a week without power after a major storm. A few weeks after that my father had a Honda generator wired directly into the house so they could keep the fridge running for short periods and run the well pump. Flick a switch, and you have limited power and a single AC plug. My in-laws have a much bigger generator which will generate a lot more power.

And then there's really cool things like this which is a campstove, but which also powers USB .. so you can cook and generate electricity from wood, which is pretty neat.

Similar thing in this power pot which charges USB while you boil water.

So, wood-burning USB power is a real thing.

With some googling, you can find a ton of ruggedized things which both charge from USB, and, and which generate power to charge USB devices.

The question is ... what do you need?

While that may seem slow, people in remote areas may have few alternatives.

Try this or this as alternatives.

http://www.biolitestove.com/campstove/camp-overview/features/

It works just fine, and took forever to come to market. Its on kick starter because not every good idea can get funding. Sounds like you are nay saying just to nay say.

I was also going to point out the BioLite stove (direct link to the product on their site). I see a couple advantages of the BioLite already. It doesn't consume / require water, and can operate off of a wide variety of fuels (little sticks and leaves and stuff) since the combustion takes place in its own combustion chamber. The Biolite appears to operate off a smaller heat source (and thus less fuel) because of the efficiency of burning the fuel in a controlled manner, instead of merely sticking it over flame you have to produce and manage manually in some way.

Not sure why someone would back this rather than support BioLite, who have already gone to market: http://www.biolitestove.com/

Or there's also the higher-tech approach taken by BioLite. While obviously more expensive, that stove not only improves efficiency and health, but also provides electrical power generation capabilities suitable for charging smartphones and other low-energy electronic devices. Given how transformative cellphones are proving to be in developing economies, that's a non-trivial benefit.

http://www.biolitestove.com/homestove/overview/ for the "homestove" which is intended for folks who need it "full time". Yes, it is more expensive, but they are working on funding sources.

One of the funding sources is us outdoor geeks, on their website you can find the campstove, the campgrill and the upcoming pot. Some of their profits go towards their homestove work.

I've got the campstove, it does a very nice job. Perhaps by next summer I'll invest in the grill.

You mean something like this: the Bio lite stove? That doesn't help you find your way in the cold dark when all batteries die because it's -20C outside. Her project would help.

Have you seen the Biolite Stove? It runs on regular sticks and makes electricity from a peltier junction that runs the vortex fan to increase the heat and charges a USB port. Pretty awesome, I want one!

Coolest thing ever for glamping, a small stove w/ a USB power supply:

http://www.biolitestove.com/campstove/camp-overview/features/

Or for half the price you can get one that runs on a much more camping-friendly fuel and puts out twice as much power.

there are still candle makers in existence.

Because sometimes electricity fails and eventually the batteries in the flashlight and smartphone and laptop and ereader run down.
Then again, sometimes people want to pretend there is no electricity or cellphone or laptop or ereader.

I want a candle with a USB outlet to charge my smartphone

While it's not exactly a candle, here's a camp stove that uses heat from the stove to charge your USB device:

http://biolitestove.com/campstove/camp-overview/features/

I do go camping, this thing is going to be awesome. Thanks for bringing this up.

If anyone else wants the link
http://biolitestove.com/

Well you can always use Solar or one of these.

It's a good thing that Slashdot told us that Android Phones Sell Like Hotcakes In Kenya. As a firm believer in press releases, I for one welcome the use of firewood for recharging smartphones twice a day...

You laugh but...

here's a wood camp stove that charges USB devices.

http://biolitestove.com/BioLite.html

BioLite is a revolutionary stove that makes cooking on wood as clean, safe and easy as modern fuels while generating electricity to charge cell phones and LED lights off-grid.

Since they're already cooking with fire, might as well charge their lights/cellphones at the same time, with an improved cooking stove