LG Electronics recently introduced a solar cell e-book reader, offering a new addition to the e-reader market that continues to grow at a rapid pace.
The LG-crafted solar cell is 10cm in width and length, and fits the e-reader perfectly. The device has a 6-inch display, and has the ability to extend battery life up to one day after four to five hours of charging.
Specifically, the solar cell weighs just 20 grams and is 0.7mm in thickness.
"E-books 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," LG head of Solar Cells Ki Yong Kim said. "The idea of e-book combined with solar cell will offer users the added benefit of longer usage. We will continue to provide user with enhanced convenience and value to solidify our lead in next-generation, environmentally products."
The South Korean company has put a large emphasis on thin-film solar cells -- and the ability to try and cash in on a more unique e-reader is a wise choice by the company. The new solar-powered e-reader will be shown off during the International Meeting on Information Display (IMID) conference in South Korea.
Pricing, release information and further details about the LG device have not been disclosed as of yet.
Depending on the price, LG's e-reader could find a new niche market in the competitive e-reader industry. I'm not fully convinced I need a solar-powered e-reader as of yet, but I'll be interested in seeing how it performs compared to the Amazon Kindle, Sony e-reader, and new products that are being released.
