Do you have an e-reader? I don’t yet, but its going on my Christmas list. Studies have shown that devices like the Amazon Kindle have a significantly lower environmental impact, compared with traditional book publishing. But, there is room for improvement.
Solar Powered e-Readers should be on everyone's digital list this year!
Like cell phones and cameras, e-readers need to be plugged in to be recharged. And we all know where most of our electricity comes from… coal! If you can minimize recharging time with use of solar-powered device or backpack, (unless, of course, you have solar panels on your home), you can wear the badge proclaiming your ultra, clean green status.
O.K. – There is no badge. But there is a significant “feel good” factor involved if you go with LG’s new e-reader which includes an integrated solar panel. On less than 5 hours of sunlight a day, the e-reader will be able to run on 100% on clean, renewable, solar power. But…. not quite yet.
LG's new solar powered e-reader
According to GizMag:
LG has not (yet) entered the e-book market, but the Display branch of the South Korean electronics giant has just announced a new e-book sized thin-film solar cell, and is demonstrating it using a Sony reader at the International Meeting on Information Display in Seoul.
Its not just about going green! The thin film solar panel will also provide you the assurance that your device will not die in the middle of your favorite chapter. Forget searching for an outlet – just get outdoors!
The new LG solar powered e-reader is not the company’s first foray into renewable energy. Last year, it introduced a display that is illuminated by sunlight instead of the backlight when used outdoors, increasing visibility and cutting energy use by 75 percent.
Will the e-readers include that technology? That remains a mystery, along with the retail price for this slick device.
Stay tuned for more information. Talk about a cliff-hanger!
Tags: amazon kindle, e-books, e-readers, LG solar powered e-reader, solar e-book, solar-powered, thin film solar
October 15th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
I love it – definitely need to have more solar powered items like this!