Green technology is all the rage these days, but portable gadgets have been lagging behind the curve. Samsung is hoping to redress the balance with its new Blue Earth eco-friendly handset.
Shown over on CNet, the new handset is designed with integrated solar panels to keep it ticking over on the go without costing the earth – although it requires that the rear of the unit it facing the sun for extended periods, of course. The casing continues the ecological theme, being made of recycled water bottles and free from nasties such as brominated flame retardants and beryllium.
The device itself is a full touch-screen smartphone, with a user interface – above an as-yet unconfirmed operating system – which aims to highlight the impact one has on our environment. To this end, Samsung has included a pedometer as part of the unit – and software which will calculate the saving in your carbon footprint compared to the same journey in a car.
The handset is due to début at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, at which time we should learn a few more details – including the overall specifications, memory, and which frequencies it supports – alongside pricing information. It will also be interesting to see how tough the touch screen is – if the device is due to spend a lot of its time face-down so its solar panels can get their dose of light, the front is going to need some serious scratch protection to remain intact.
Is this the sort of eco-friendly advance that you'd like to see more of in your portable devices, or are solar panels redundant on the back of a device that spends most of its time in your pocket? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
Shown over on CNet, the new handset is designed with integrated solar panels to keep it ticking over on the go without costing the earth – although it requires that the rear of the unit it facing the sun for extended periods, of course. The casing continues the ecological theme, being made of recycled water bottles and free from nasties such as brominated flame retardants and beryllium.
The device itself is a full touch-screen smartphone, with a user interface – above an as-yet unconfirmed operating system – which aims to highlight the impact one has on our environment. To this end, Samsung has included a pedometer as part of the unit – and software which will calculate the saving in your carbon footprint compared to the same journey in a car.
The handset is due to début at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, at which time we should learn a few more details – including the overall specifications, memory, and which frequencies it supports – alongside pricing information. It will also be interesting to see how tough the touch screen is – if the device is due to spend a lot of its time face-down so its solar panels can get their dose of light, the front is going to need some serious scratch protection to remain intact.
Is this the sort of eco-friendly advance that you'd like to see more of in your portable devices, or are solar panels redundant on the back of a device that spends most of its time in your pocket? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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