Solar-powered Laptop Keyboard Saves 20% Power

[JMcEntegart]

Logitech's not the only company working on solar-powered keyboards.

Solar-powered Laptop Keyboard Saves 20% Power : Read more

 

[nforce4max]

Interesting now make solar chargers and other features to charge while not having to be plugged in.

 

[Manos]

I'll be honestr and admit it sounds silly... But for some this might actually be usefull. Thing is, what if you also have your baterries recharged through solar energy while the laptop is even closed? I find it way easier to have that done instead of taking up space from the inner design of the laptop. Neither that convinient having the sun pointing on the keyboard which means you also get sunlight on the screen. I really dont enjoy light on my screens...

 

[nukemaster]

With no tactile feedback(click or even having a button to push), I think I will never want to use that kind of keyboard. Put panels on the deck(bottom around the touchpad) and touchpad and everywhere else, but the keyboard it self. NO...please no....

 

[Guest]

Does the keyboard REALLY take up 20 percent of the laptops power usage? I doubt that.

 

[Supertrek32]

Yeah... too bad I can never see my laptop's screen outside... Other than that, it's a great idea.

 

[rembo666]

I was interested up until I read "touch keyboard". If they made an actual keyboard in which every key was a solar cell, I would pay a reasonable price for that, but a touch-keyboard is useless. Great idea though.

 

[jrocks84]

Wouldn't the constant charging and discharging of the battery kill it faster?

 

[liveonc]

Pixel-Qi & solar cells on the back of the screen seams more energy saving... ;-)

 

[nukemaster]

Does the keyboard REALLY take up 20 percent of the laptops power usage? I doubt that.

No, the flat touch style keyboard is just so they can hide a solar panel set under it.

 

[bourgeoisdude]

[citation][nom]WrongUsername[/nom]Does the keyboard REALLY take up 20 percent of the laptops power usage? I doubt that.[/citation]

LMAO! Epic fail in reading comprehension!

 

[fstrthnu]

Seems pretty useless when most of us use our notebooks INSIDE. Even outside with Matte displays, it's still very impractical to use notebooks in direct sunlight (the kind that one would need for this solar keyboard to be most effective). Plus, I wouldn't count on that solar panel doing well if you spill something on it (easier to clean, but...)

 

[enzo matrix]

AUO says the laptop can absorb solar and electric light

oooo. "Electric Light"

 

[dEAne]

yeah I like this one. This can also save the planet.

 

[Haserath]

[citation][nom]enzo matrix[/nom]oooo. "Electric Light"[/citation]
Lightning? I would love to see it absorb that.

Why don't they just put solar cells on the back of the screen to at least let the screen be out of direct sunlight when being used and having a way to charge the batteries when not in use.

 

[MasterM40]

i would love to visit "CHIBA!!!" im just pulling your tail Jane I never catch the misspellings so im excited to finally get one still got love for ya!

 

[FloKid]

Laptop + Z = Useless -> Laptop + 30Years = Maybe

 

[Dkz]

Assuming that the solar cell can be recharged while the device is off, then it would be nice, or even more useful for things like smart phones for example, in those cases you are running off battery, you stand in the light, and there you go, extra minutes to write that sms that you need.

 

[reggieray]

Keyboards use a tiny amount of power. Look how long a wireless keyboard lasts and that's including the wireless transmitter being powered. How about Solar powered displays, then I would be impressed.

 

[haunted one]

Find a way to do it while still keeping normal keyboards and BANG- the biggest selling point of macbooks are gone. They only thing I like about macbooks is their immense battery life. If non-Apple notebooks gain that......

 

[Silmarunya]

Very nice. I already thought the solar powered logitech design intresting (I don't game in the dark, I find it makes eyestrain worse and it's just not... cosy), but this is truly useful. A 20% battery life increase (most likely 15% as they'll probably have calculated that 20 at optimum lighting conditions) is massive, especially since it doesn't require a single desing compromise.

 

[f-14]

i don't see this as being a viable solution until OLED was standard on all laptops as you can barely see the screen in sunlit areas hence the dark rooms jane. once you can see the screen in full blaring sunlight, then it MIGHT be worthwhile.

 

[nebun]

i can't stand non-tactile keyboards

 

[False_Dmitry_II]

I think solar cells won't suck in about 20 years and then this might be worth doing similarly.

 

[iamtheking123]

[citation][nom]False_Dmitry_II[/nom]I think solar cells won't suck in about 20 years and then this might be worth doing similarly.[/citation]
They've been saying that for 40 years wink wink.

I do however think the idea of supplementing power on a laptop with solar cells capable of producing power in electric light is a good idea, provided they can control the costs. Other than the price of the solar cells themselves, integrating them with the laptop isn't difficult at all since a laptop already has all the needed power selection circuitry from the battery/AC outlet system.