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LG Solar eReader
LG Solar eReader Overview
Soon reading in your backyard may mean more than just an opportunity for relaxation. Currently in the works (target release date is in 2012) is an ereader attached with a super thin photovoltaic panel designed to harness the sun’s rays to power the device. The LG Solar eReader does not merely take the eco-friendly concept of ereading devices a step greener, it also opens new doors for improving current battery technology. If you are looking for a device you can rely on even when you travel off the grid for an extended period of time, the solar-powered LG reader can stay for days with or without a wall socket.
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Features – Hardware and Software
The LG Solar eReader will feature a 6-inch TFT-LCD display that will consume energy during page change only. Attached opposite the LCD display is a credit-card thin photovoltaic cell. At 0.7 mm thick and 10 cm wide, the solar panel is small enough to not add extra bulk to the eReader. It weighs only about 0.7 ounces, allowing the device to remain light and portable.
Unlike the crystalline solar panels typically used in roofs, the LG reader solar panel is not based on silicon wafers but on electrode-integrated glass or plastic. Boasting a current conversion efficiency of roughly 9.6 percent, the device can provide a day’s worth of battery life with only 4 to 5 hours of sun-soaking time. With planned improvements in conversion rate to 12 percent in 2010 and to 14 percent in 2012, sun-soaking time may be reduced to less than 4 hours by the time the LG reader is available for commercial release.
The device will still be equipped with a main battery, which can be recharged conventionally.
The solar panel will only serve as an optional/backup/supplemental recharging tool. To recharge, simply remove the solar panel from its protective cover and leave it sitting under the sun.
The Bottom Line
Slated for release in 2012, the LG Solar eReader will surely usher in a new era in mobile technology. It is the perfect device for researchers and travelers who often stay a long time off the grid. Guaranteeing a steady source of ubiquitous solar energy, it is also the best alternative for those who are tired of constantly replacing ereader battery.
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LG Solar eReader Pros & Cons
Pros
Anything that helps conserve the earth’s non-renewable resources is a winner. The LG Solar eReader not only lets users save on their power bill but also helps them avoid buying batteries again and again. The supplemental solar-powered battery also frees users from relying on electricity to power their device; the LG Solar eReader can be recharged off the grid.
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Cons
Current models of e-ink readers have very low energy requirements, using power only to refresh a page. A solar-powered device may appeal the most to eco-enthusiasts, but unless LG equips its ereader with fancier features, it may fail to be a game changer it hopes to be. Ebook buyers, after all, will also look into format, readability, and other features of the ereader.
While the LG reader looks promising, there are still a lot of unknowns about it. Will it come with a web browser? Will it support DRM or non-DRM content? LG may also want to improve on the looks of the solar panel, which looks like a bleak-looking, opened book.
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LG solar eReader Main Features
• Will come with a supplemental solar-powered battery
• Current energy conversion efficiency: 9.6 percent
• Can be recharged “off the grid”
• 6-inch LCD screen display
• Small solar panel: measures 0.7 mm D, 10 cm W
• Light solar panel: 0.7 ounces
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