Sharp Creates Solar Powered eReader

BenLee · 06-26-2010, 12:22 AM

http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Art...-dull-days.htm

This might be interesting to those of you who have complained about the short battery life of your eReader devices. Now you have all the battery you'll need, provided you occasionally get out of your house. I know there are some of you who never see sunlight!

I really wouldn't mind having something like this on a Nook or Kindle as backup. If this could operate purely on indoor lighting, that would be a bonus. But I can see this being adopted in the future, just like calculators took to solar cells before.

basschick · 06-26-2010, 05:41 AM

what a cool idea! i'd leave the house occasionally in daylight if doing so would let me charge my reader

roger64 · 06-26-2010, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basschick

what a cool idea! i'd leave the house occasionally in daylight if doing so would let me charge my reader

it's a hot idea

Iphinome · 06-26-2010, 06:06 AM

Would you absolutely have to leave? My solar powered calculator works indoors. Maybe double the number of solar cells?

GhostHawk · 06-26-2010, 07:50 AM

You know if I could put the reader in the window for an hour or 2 and not have to charge it, would be way worth it.

Logseman · 06-26-2010, 09:13 AM

Solar cells on the back of the device should be enough to power it up. In fact, it would be another way to make ebooks more consumer-friendly.

SensualPoet · 06-26-2010, 10:32 AM

Personally, I have always thought putting solar cells on the front of the Kindle leather case would make sense. It could be "permanently" plugged in using the hinge to attach the Kindle 2 to the case. This way, a trickle charge could be applied to the Kindle while it was unused. And, given the Kindle already has a two week battery life, you'd rarely run the battery down.

Javed · 06-26-2010, 11:11 AM

I wonder how heavy the reader would be with the solar cells. Any pictures of the reader?

fishface · 06-26-2010, 11:54 AM

Since the screen needs an external light to be visible anyway this could make a lot of sense; the main technical goal would be to make the processor and memory consume low enough power that a standard reading light could power the device indefinitely without a "charge up" period (like those solar calculators). Exciting times. Wouldn't look for it in the store though.

BenLee · 06-26-2010, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basschick

what a cool idea! i'd leave the house occasionally in daylight if doing so would let me charge my reader

Haha...Sharp is therefore indirectly promoting exercise, tanning, and possibly increased Starbucks coffee sales.

Seriously though, having a solar unit on the device that can also "buffer" energy for future consumption while not in use would be amazing. This would ensure that you almost never run out of battery. You wouldn't even think twice about how many pages you have left before a charge anymore. Let's hope they take a serious look into this technology.

Clancy_s · 06-27-2010, 12:41 AM

Or one could use a multi-purpose solar charger (at least for readers with a compatible plug)

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SOLAR-BATTERY...item27b2ead895

Javed · 06-27-2010, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clancy_s

Or one could use a multi-purpose solar charger (at least for readers with a compatible plug)

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SOLAR-BATTERY...item27b2ead895

I like the idea of this. Can be used for a variety of things like ipod, mobile phone, etc also. It doesn't seem that expensive either. The additional ways of charging the charger gives additional flexibility when not in the sunlight.

Ken Maltby · 06-27-2010, 02:38 PM

I prefer the reflective TFT display over the e-ink. (Like the Ectaco Jetbook.)
Now if "they" could develop an LCD display that had a solar cell for the reflective
layer, that would be something.

This would work fine for my Ectaco Jetbook Lite, which runs on 4ea AA batteries:
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/sh...rsllit8gi3gna7

Luck;
Ken

P.S.; I should be able to find 7hrs of daylight before the ~30hrs of reading time a
charged set of NiMH AAs gives me, runs out.

GA Russell · 06-27-2010, 03:18 PM

My calculator runs on a solar cell with nothing more needed than enough light to read the screen. So the "printing" of the text on the screen shouldn't be a problem.

But I wonder about the memory, such as remembering "last page read". Perhaps that would take a little more power than a typical calculator does.

BenLee · 06-28-2010, 05:31 PM

Actually, on second thought...

I don't think the built in solar cell in an ereader is going to catch on. As Apple has proven, the sale of accessories is as big a business as the actual device. With no more cables that ever need to be "replaced", that's extra money that will not be made. Will any company be willing to make less on power-cable sales? Hmm

06-26-2010, 12:22 AM	#1
BenLee eReader Junkie Posts: 304 Karma: 1220 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: New York City, NY Device: Kindle + Sony	Sharp Creates Solar Powered eReader http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Art...-dull-days.htm This might be interesting to those of you who have complained about the short battery life of your eReader devices. Now you have all the battery you'll need, provided you occasionally get out of your house. I know there are some of you who never see sunlight! I really wouldn't mind having something like this on a Nook or Kindle as backup. If this could operate purely on indoor lighting, that would be a bonus. But I can see this being adopted in the future, just like calculators took to solar cells before.

06-27-2010, 02:38 PM	#13
Ken Maltby Wizard Posts: 4,466 Karma: 6900052 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Heart of Texas Device: Boox Note2, AuraHD, PDA,	I prefer the reflective TFT display over the e-ink. (Like the Ectaco Jetbook.) Now if "they" could develop an LCD display that had a solar cell for the reflective layer, that would be something. This would work fine for my Ectaco Jetbook Lite, which runs on 4ea AA batteries: http://www.thomasdistributing.com/sh...rsllit8gi3gna7 Luck; Ken P.S.; I should be able to find 7hrs of daylight before the ~30hrs of reading time a charged set of NiMH AAs gives me, runs out. Last edited by Ken Maltby; 06-27-2010 at 02:47 PM.

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06-26-2010, 05:41 AM	#2
basschick Wizard Posts: 1,096 Karma: 4695691 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	what a cool idea! i'd leave the house occasionally in daylight if doing so would let me charge my reader

06-26-2010, 06:06 AM	#4
Iphinome Paladin of Eris Posts: 3,119 Karma: 20849349 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: USAland Device: Kindle 10	Would you absolutely have to leave? My solar powered calculator works indoors. Maybe double the number of solar cells?

06-26-2010, 07:50 AM	#5
GhostHawk Data Privateer! Posts: 586 Karma: 62887 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fargo ND Device: Ectaco Jetbook& Jetbook Lite	You know if I could put the reader in the window for an hour or 2 and not have to charge it, would be way worth it.

06-26-2010, 09:13 AM	#6
Logseman Orisa Posts: 2,001 Karma: 1035571 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ireland Device: Onyx Poke 5	Solar cells on the back of the device should be enough to power it up. In fact, it would be another way to make ebooks more consumer-friendly.

06-26-2010, 10:32 AM	#7
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	Personally, I have always thought putting solar cells on the front of the Kindle leather case would make sense. It could be "permanently" plugged in using the hinge to attach the Kindle 2 to the case. This way, a trickle charge could be applied to the Kindle while it was unused. And, given the Kindle already has a two week battery life, you'd rarely run the battery down.

06-26-2010, 11:11 AM	#8
Javed Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,270 Karma: 1126878541 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Astak Pocket PRO, iPod Touch, PRS-650	I wonder how heavy the reader would be with the solar cells. Any pictures of the reader?

06-26-2010, 11:54 AM	#9
fishface Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 56 Join Date: May 2010 Device: none	Since the screen needs an external light to be visible anyway this could make a lot of sense; the main technical goal would be to make the processor and memory consume low enough power that a standard reading light could power the device indefinitely without a "charge up" period (like those solar calculators). Exciting times. Wouldn't look for it in the store though.

06-27-2010, 12:41 AM	#11
Clancy_s Zealot Posts: 133 Karma: 1010308 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Newcastle, NSW Device: Kobo Glo HD	Or one could use a multi-purpose solar charger (at least for readers with a compatible plug) http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SOLAR-BATTERY...item27b2ead895

06-27-2010, 03:18 PM	#14
GA Russell Ticats/Als, Riders/Lions Posts: 7,717 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	My calculator runs on a solar cell with nothing more needed than enough light to read the screen. So the "printing" of the text on the screen shouldn't be a problem. But I wonder about the memory, such as remembering "last page read". Perhaps that would take a little more power than a typical calculator does.

06-28-2010, 05:31 PM	#15
BenLee eReader Junkie Posts: 304 Karma: 1220 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: New York City, NY Device: Kindle + Sony	Actually, on second thought... I don't think the built in solar cell in an ereader is going to catch on. As Apple has proven, the sale of accessories is as big a business as the actual device. With no more cables that ever need to be "replaced", that's extra money that will not be made. Will any company be willing to make less on power-cable sales? Hmm

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