News Samsung to launch solar phone

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2009/02/16/samsung-to-launch-solar-phone/1

Samsung is to launch a smartphone made from recycled plastics and featuring dual solar panels in order to improve its eco credentials.

 

Is it just me that keeps my phone in my pocket all day or face up on my desk then holds it with my palm covering the rear? Or dont people do that in the east?

 

Im especially curious about the time it takes to charge the battery indoors with no natural light sources. If it would be possible to charge the phone by just putting it on my desk while im at work it would be great if i would never have to use my charger anymore.
Also arent most phone's supposed to not be exposed to direct sunlight? What about this one?

Looking forward to some reviews of these kind of phones.

 

Curious device. I bet they'll ship these with full alloy protection cases made with all the bad materials they didn't use on the phone just to protect it.

 

Sounds interesting, but I'm not sure it'll work for people who are on the go all day. If you can just sit it on your desk and let it charge the it'll be great but if you're outside you'll probably have it your pocket where it won't get much/any sunlight. I guess you could probably have it in one of those pockets that some backpack have on the shoulder strap. If the front of the pocket is transparent it should work fine i guess.

 

A marketing gimmick and nothing more IMO.

 

Well aren't you a bunch of miserable, cynical sods! lol

Good on Samsung for trying something;

a) Different
b) Innovative
c) For a good cause

 

This could be quite usefull, my phone just sits on my desk all day. and then when i do go some place the battery dies cos its been so long since it was charged.

 

Its about time, I was wondering when they would finally do this, they need to also do this with laptops as well.

Lol guys havent you ever been somewhere and forgot your charger or out in the middle of no where and you car breaks down, or out a job site, or a long night on the town, come on I can name hundreds of times that I wish my phone could have this to recharge so it wouldnt be dead, this is the perfect solution.

 

laptops would be weird, i do not think there is any chance you could generate enough power to keep a laptop powered on in a sufficient small package... and for a reasonable price.

 

no not to keep it powered but for recharge purposes, it would also help to extend some battery life as some load could be sent to the solar panels.

 

Why does alternative quite often mean ugly? XP style was good for 2001 [if ever].

 

well if Im understanding what your referring to, I think the phone looks great.

 

For a "green" product, this phone actually looks very nice, better than some normal phones that are out there.

 

In shopping centres here in Portugal, they have these little machines with all imaginary charger types, all you have to do is stand next to the machine for 10mins with your phone plugged in and you'll have enough juice for a few more hours.

 

Yeah, this is *really* going to help, given that my house uses at least ~10 kW at all times, twice that during winter. Marketing gimmick, but can be useful sometimes.

 

I find it funny how whenever something like this comes out people always attack its usefulness, yet when nothing like it is on the market the masses beg for it.

Stop looking at the solar panels as the sole way to power the device, and look at it as an auxiliary means to keep that charge going.

 

mmm it would be a great addition to my solar powered wrist watch...

It really has great looks, but seems a bit too large though.

 

I agree, I mean come on, no one here who is complaining never found them selves with out a charger for their phone? and their phone about to die, this is where they would stop complaining and wish they had this option as a way to charge their phone.

 

sounds like a waste of money if you ask me - I'd rather them spend some $$ on something useful like a taser phone or somethign haha