Filed under: Apple
Apple files patent for solar charging
Our sister blog, Engadget, noted yesterday that Apple has filed a patent for transparent photovoltaic cells that can cover portable devices. This means your iPod, iPhone or MacBook might be coated in a layer of clear, power-charging solar cells.
Motorola already has a similar patent, though it only applies to covering the display area with solar cells.
While it's not clear how much power these cells will be able to generate, it will certainly be nice to have devices in the future that can charge themselves just by sitting out in the sun.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Andrew Rush said 11:47AM on 5-27-2008
This would be nice just to give our devices that 'extra boost' to the battery. Obviously they will keep the traditional charging methods. I don't know much about solar cells or anything like that, but I'm guessing they're pretty fragile. Maybe someone out there can answer this question, but would their charging capabilities be hindered by scuffs and scratches? I've got a 4 year old PowerBook, and it has quite a bit of battle damage. But other than cosmetics, it works better than the day I got it (I recently upgraded the RAM and to Leopard) but I would be worried about buying something too fragile.
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JoshK said 12:04PM on 5-27-2008
I don't think we'll see this soon. I don't think the rest of our gadgets are ready to be left in direct sunlight. So maybe Apple is just hedging a bet but for right now I don't think direct sunlight is any place for high end gadgets.
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JoshK said 12:04PM on 5-27-2008
I don't think we'll see this soon. I don't think the rest of our gadgets are ready to be left in direct sunlight. So maybe Apple is just hedging a bet but for right now I don't think direct sunlight is any place for high end gadgets.
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required said 12:22PM on 5-27-2008
The PowerBook 1400 supported a solar panel "bookcover"
http://macspeedzone.com/archive/5.0/bymac/app/PBK14_166Oct00.html
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Blaktornado said 7:03PM on 5-27-2008
Environmentally friendly but ugly...
However, I think Apple would find a way to cover the panels in some sort of transparent, nice looking plastic rather than the blue-ish colours of solar panels.
Mccreations said 10:49PM on 5-27-2008
The shipment of electric computers must have this. It would confirm what blacktornado said that they grow towards the sun.
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jonathan ober said 8:34AM on 5-28-2008
im thinking my computer, ipod and iphone get hot enough as it is...no need to bake them in the sunlight. they'll melt.
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Thor said 5:24AM on 6-08-2008
This would be a great technological investment for Apple, and frankly I am surprised that the back of an i phone is not already covered in the crystalline beauty of a solar panel.
Andrew, Actually solar panels are a very durable technology, They can be made of flexible plastic, or the normal solid kind, and they are often known to be have warrantees exceeding 20 years and are suspected to last way way more.
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