This isn’t a new ideea but it’s the first demo prototype I’ve seen that looks promising.
|
|
Snippy is an ultraportable handheld electronic viewer for textual and graphic information which harvests operating energy from the sun and transparently links to other Snippys in the area to share content. This solar networked information propagating paper-like display brings together the daylight readability and extremely low average power consumption of an electronic paper display, a solar panel to gather energy from light, and a Bluetooth radio interface. The readability and optical quality of an E Ink display are unparalleled, especially in high light conditions like outdoors during daylight hours. The 800×600 6″ diagonal high reflectivity screen used in the device offers 166ppi resolution at 16 gray levels, which translates to crisp, well rendered text and detailed grayscale images with a paper-like look. A high quality device of this nature can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 128kg and fresh water usage by 3543 liters per year by displacing the paper used for ephemeral content by a typical reader. Laminated metal/organic construction, design for repairability and long service life, and mostly recyclable components minimize the life cycle ecological impact of the device.
I’m pretty ure that if priced right this green gadget could be a success. Just imagine being in a caban, isolated from civilisation, with no electrical power, but still able to read on the solar powered ebook reader.
Can I plug in a small solar powered computer and use this ‘Ebook’ as a screen for it? I am looking for ‘zero operating cost home’ accessories, and if this worked it would fill my needs well! I also am looking to make my ‘zero operating costs home’ a ‘zero upkeep home’, to make retirement a joyful and inflation proof thing! The book idea is good enough alone to be of interest that’s for sure!
[Reply]
[...] GreenStumbler.com and Teleread.org Tags: alternative energy, e-paper reader, green gadget, pocket electronics, [...]
“I’m pretty ure that if priced right this green gadget could be a success. Just imagine being in a caban, isolated from civilisation, with no electrical power, but still able to read on the solar powered ebook reader.”
And a good old fashioned book, rented for free from a library, would not be cost effective and eco-firendly?
[Reply]
@ Uncle B: No, you can’t. Supprising aint it?
[Reply]
The sharing content functionality is cool. Beyond that we will not have to carry heavy books anymore.
[Reply]
My comment covers several arenas since I am an author of e-books and one who retired at 42 on not much because I was able to explore Uncle B’s concept of zero operating cost - with 30 years of experience, what I recommend may be useful; first I was able to purchase an out-of-the-way fixer-upper which would have cost $65K to run electric power lines (that was 30 years ago) - that made solar power attractive, even in its infancy, right off the bat. But I also had purchased a year-round stream and the place seemed windy, so I made several experiments with wind (destructive, not powerful) and water (too irratic and maintenance intensive) - I was able to buy many ‘used’ PV panels from experimental solar farms, and gradually, as we could afford them, bought newer, more efficient models.
All of them still work just fine and I have an excess of power I’m waiting to convert to use in my new electric plug-in car. But I tried to support US firms in my setup and so recommend very low power refrigerators (12vdc) built by Sunfrost of the San Francisco area, cooling units (12vdc) by Solar Cool of Tuscon AZ, washing machines by Stabler of Ohio, etc., - I recommend 12vdc because inverters (12v to 120v) do sometimes go bad, usually when you aren’t looking, and spoiled food … well, you know. Anyway, these items might look expensive on the surface, but when you realize that you aren’t paying ever increasing prices for propane or electricity and an ever increasing reliance on an ovewhelmed (in emergencies) utility, you’ll begin to appreciate the wonders of self-reliance. Having your own well (pumped by the sun) is another plus day to day as well as in extreme situations. I haven’t paid an electric bill for 30 years or propane (for 5). As for the other thing, the e-book deal, check my webpage for free as well as not-free e-books and e-stories. Embrace the sun!
[Reply]
Cool.
[Reply]
This would have made school so much easier. At one point I had a full and heavy backpack AND a rolling pack filled with books. I can’t tell you how awesome it would have been to cut that even in half utilizing this technology with e-texts. My back would have loved it!
[Reply]
[...] Solar powered E-book Reader | Green Stumbler [...]
I really liked your article. My compliments!! Thank you!
[Reply]