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LG Unveils Solar-Powered e-Book Reader

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News Posted: Tue, Oct 13 2009 9:45 PM
LG Display has unveiled a solar-powered e-book reader. Given the fact that the electronic paper these readers use already provide really long battery life as they draw power only when the page is being turned, this could mean no recharging necessary --- ever.

All right, all right, on sunny days, anyway.

That's because the solar cell in the new device will extend the running time of the e-book’s battery by a day for every four to five hours of exposure to the sun. However, according to LG's press release, they won't be ready to commercialize the reader, or the panel, until 2012.



Right now, the solar panel used in the prototype has an efficiency of 9.6 percent; LG is aiming to increase this to 12 percent next year and 14 percent by 2012. At that point LG feels the panel will be ready for commercialization.
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3vi1 replied on Wed, Oct 14 2009 8:52 AM

Sweet! I'm just surprised no one had already come up with a battery recharger/cover like this for Kindles.

People read the stupidest things.  Like this sig, for instance.

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gibbersome replied on Wed, Oct 14 2009 1:01 PM

"the solar cell in the new device will extend the running time of the e-book’s battery by a day for every four to five hours of exposure to the sun."

Wow, terrific idea. Imagine this number reducing by half over the next few years.

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rapid1 replied on Thu, Oct 15 2009 12:49 AM

I think I am just gonna get an ebook , and hook me a solar shingle on it, the wire the output from it to a mini usb cell phone charger wire. The energy percentage is better for the solar panel to..............

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realneil replied on Thu, Oct 15 2009 9:34 AM

So the Sun charges the one side, and degrades the screen on the other,...........

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ClemSnide replied on Fri, Oct 16 2009 9:43 PM

I was given as a present the Voltaic Systems solar backpack ($249). These cells have enough output to keep my cell phone or (assuming I had one) iPod in charge, and the backpack has a Li-Ion battery pack to use as a buffer on cloudy days.

 

What I use it for mainly, though, is to draw attention to myself. I get an average of two enquiries a day, some of which come from hot babes. So that's why I'd pick up a device like LG's solar-powered eBook reader: To start conversations with hot babes.

"I didn't cry when Bambi's mother was shot... but I cried when HAL was turned off."

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