Sharp slings out industry's thinnest solar modules for cellphones

Timely, no? Just a month after Sharp aided in producing the planet's first waterproof solar cellphone, the aforementioned outfit has just announced the industry's thinnest solar module for handsets. Checking in at just 0.8 millimeters thick, the LR0GC02 shouldn't take up too much space on your daughter's great-granddaughter's smartphone, and while Sharp isn't handing over too many details just yet, we figure it'll pretty much do what it says. You know -- charge the handset it's integrated into whenever sunlight is available. As for when we'll see these in cellphones everywhere? Take a wild guess, tree-hugger.

[Via Akihabara News]

[Adderz @ May 26th 2009 11:07AM]

It makes no sense. Nobody is going to leave their phone in the sun to charge, and probably get stolen. My phone is in my pocket 75% of the time anyway.

I dont want this on my phone adding to the cost, weight and size. Give me a new battery technology that lasts more than 4 hours talk time.

The only time this would be usual is on ruggedized satellite phones or things of that sort when your out in the middle of nowhere.

[aj121489 @ May 26th 2009 11:11AM]

Yea I'm not really sure I understand why they're putting this (or any) solar tech into cellphones either

[Chris Paris @ May 26th 2009 11:12AM]

In the words of Morrissey, "the sun shines out of our behinds".

So PFFT. Phone would charge in your pocket. Or, BACK pocket anyway.

[TJ @ May 26th 2009 12:43PM]

How about when your phone is sitting on top of your desk all day? It'll get a charge from overhead lighting, same as the sun.

[michael @ May 26th 2009 1:20PM]

I imagine once you got used to the idea you would make use of it. Every time you were sitting around the office, classroom, or what every place you weren't mobile at... you would take it out of said pocket and throw down with it's solar goodness.

And as were I'm a solar fanboy and love that part of it. My question is wouldn't the constant and gradual charging be bad for the life span of the battery? Is there a way around that?

[wrabbit @ May 26th 2009 2:12PM]

I totally agree, adding solar modules to cellphones is pointless - you might be able to get what, 3-4% of energy out of those, on average. Considering how much price it'll most likely add to the phones it'll end up costing you more.

What they should do is add some kinetic based chargers - we carry the phones everywhere, they are almost constantly in motion - shifting about in your pocket, shacking with your booty in the club ;) etc. Now that would noticeably extend the battery life.

[loosely_coupled @ May 27th 2009 12:09AM]

Exactly.. This is completely worthless..

[chadow @ May 26th 2009 11:12AM]

It would be great while camping and hiking. If they incorporate some sort of layer of insulation I would imagine they could find a way to use this in the sun without damaging the phone.

[Alex @ May 26th 2009 11:17AM]

If the phone is left out in the sun it will most likely damage if not make the battery explode

[majortom1981 @ May 26th 2009 11:17AM]

Wow i guess a lot of you dont live by water. i go to the beach alot and having a solar panel on my cell would allow me to have the phone charging while i am at the beach.

Also would help while camping and things like that.

[Templarian @ May 26th 2009 11:20AM]

Of you could you know charge your phone before you go to the beach.

[Richard @ May 26th 2009 12:22PM]

Or in your car to/from the beach.

[Mattvega @ May 26th 2009 11:22AM]

A portable solar charger: good idea! A solar panel on a phone however is just silly!

[BigD145 @ May 26th 2009 1:23PM]

Why is it silly? Would it be wasting space or adding all that much weight to your phone? Is there valuable real estate on your battery cover that is better used for something else?

[pear @ May 26th 2009 11:31AM]

I'm not too familiar with solar tech - but could you possibly put it behind the backlight of the LCD to harvest the excess inefficient light, to power the LCD? (so less drain on the battary?) Second thought it might be too ineffecient to warrant such tech -- might as well go with a bigger/second battary

[Leo @ May 26th 2009 11:38AM]

Oh no! Oh no! God I know the process, first they (the machines) will capture the world. Then we will cover the sky with thick black clouds in an attempt to cut off the machines supply of supply power. And then... they will use as batteries!!! I don't want to harvested!

Riot! People when we still have a chance

[Wwhat @ May 26th 2009 11:45AM]

It would work if you use a beltclip for your phone.
Or if keep it in a pocket that lets light trough, white nylon or something of that nature.

[Keith @ May 26th 2009 11:54AM]

Would it charge off of other light sources? cause I leave my phone laying on my desk all the time it might help the time between charges a little.

[tony @ May 26th 2009 12:05PM]

you don't have to stand in the sun to use solar calculators!

[Richard @ May 26th 2009 12:23PM]

Well NOW someone tells me

[orangecat @ May 26th 2009 12:22PM]

I would think that it could be useful for the people who live in sunny states such as Florida or California. They could just put their phone on their dashboard when they're out driving, give it a little more juice.

[Scarhawk @ May 26th 2009 3:51PM]

It'd charge a lot faster from a cigarette lighter socket charger than the solar panel. Much more power available for charging.

[Marco Juan @ May 26th 2009 12:23PM]

I work next to a window, so this would work well for me. Since the office is climate controlled I doubt it would get too hot too.

[Scarhawk @ May 26th 2009 3:52PM]

If you're in an office, why wouldn't you just plug it into a wall charger. Maybe if you forgot the charger somewhere else.

[jdeng @ May 26th 2009 12:26PM]

Office light will work, and that will be a good plus, but I can't imagine too much power being 'recharged' with these panels. Wouldn't a 1 minute usage of the phone take up like 20 minutes of charging? (Exaggeration, but when all the phones are smart phones - the power drain is significant).

[windblownmonkey @ May 26th 2009 12:34PM]

I wouldn't trust it built into the phone...maybe as a secondary charger.

[lookoutmtnak @ May 26th 2009 12:43PM]

Wow awesome! Just another step towards.... off grid loving.
Small micro self charging device. Where can i get one or two... for my rc planes..

[richb93 @ May 26th 2009 2:30PM]

About the pocket thing, wouldn't it be easier to have this attach to the outer of the pocket and then have a cable connecting it to the phone/portable device?

[vkannan @ May 26th 2009 5:30PM]

I think the solar powered cell phone charger is one of those ideas that most people will not find applicable to themselves right away. It is more of a concept that will grow on you over time and you may end up using it in situations that you wouldn't expect. Also, what's wrong with just having the option of powering your cell phone through solar power? Technically you don't ever have to use it but I feel at certain times it could come in handy.

[Fanfoot @ May 26th 2009 6:14PM]

I don't really care about this on my cell phone, though it might still be a good idea if its cheap enough, just to keep the thing charged all the time without having to buy all those chargers (I have them everywhere).

Instead, I'd want this on my bluetooth devices. The Blue Ant speakerphone my wife has on the visor in her SUV. Just flip the visor down when you get out of the car and keep it charged.

Ditto my bluetooth earpiece. Just leave it on the dashboard of the car, or out on the desk while at work. Or it would simply charge from the sun while I'm walking around. Plus the chargers for these things are a pain anyway, given how small they are.

[Miles @ May 26th 2009 6:15PM]

Sounds like a cool idea. I think it'll only catch on at first with the outdoor adventure type though; the sort of people who may spend a long time inside cell phone range but without access to a wall charger.

[Handuar @ May 26th 2009 7:20PM]

From http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/sharps-solar-936sh-and-934sh-with-memory-lcd-headline-latest/
"Clearly the big draw here is the big solar array up front that'll give you one minute of call time or two hours of standby per 10 minutes of charging,..."

Sounds like a great thing for cellphones.

[Marc Ricks @ May 26th 2009 7:57PM]

I think the more obvious problem is that a battery (car batteries are built differently) has only so many charge cycles (normally about 500 cycles per battery). If you leave your phone in the sun to charge for a few minutes, and it doesn't fully charge, there goes a charge cycle. Ever wonder why your battery loses it's ability to hold a charge or to be able to give an accurate reading on remaining power? It's because of partial or incomplete charges and this would only make matters worse, especially if you don't WANT to charge it at that particular time.

[hardly.anonymous @ May 28th 2009 7:02PM]

Because you love to talk on your phone while hiking, camping, and on the toilet?