LG has unveiled a special lightweight solar cell for ebook readers that allows users to read ebooks for longer periods of time.
LG unveiled a prototype that combines LG’s solar cell with a Sony Reader at the IMID trade fair in Seoul. The Sony Reader is one of the most popular electronic book readers in the market today.
LG has stated that by just exposing the solar cell to sunlight for four or five hours, users can extend their ebook reader’s battery time by up to 24 hours. This is ideal for long afternoons spent reading outdoors.
Ki Yong Kim, head of the solar cell office at LG Display commented, “Ebooks are attracting a lot of attention because they offer the advantage of storing thousands of books’ worth of contents in an easy-to-carry device.”
“The idea of ebook combined with solar cell will offer users the added benefit of longer usage. We will continue to provide users with enhanced convenience and value to solidify our lead in next-generation, environmentally friendly products.”
LG Display is well known for its LCD screens that are commonly used in computers, TVs and other electronic goods.
The solar cell is currently in the development phase. The finished product is likely to be available somewhere in 2012. In the meantime, LG plans to improve the efficiency of the device.
LG’s solar powered ebook reader concept has received mixed responses. Most ebook readers available in the market today are very efficient as their power requirement is very low. LG’s concept, though innovative, is not ground breaking and may not have much of a practical value.