LG Unveils Solar Power Touchscreen Smartphone Comments

I was actually discussing stuff like this yesterday. Myself and a mate own the iPhone 3GS and were commenting on how atrocious the battery life is and wondered how long it would take phone manufacturers to included solar panels or kinetic type devices (like inside some watches) to help extend battery lives.

So, instead of everyone playing apps all day at work we could be shaking our phones constantly instead...

It's hard to imagine a phone being left somewhere safe to sit in the sun long enough to be useful. Not so much the technology as the practicality. Hope I'm proved wrong. In principle, it's a neat idea.

I don't think the screen would last long though if you have to leave it face down to charge.

kinetic device does seem to make more sense - you're hardly going to leave your beloved iPhone or whatever basking on the window sill to get it charged, not unless you actually want it to get nicked (then hopefully it's the fellon who will be charged...sorry, couldn't resist)

I sort of doubt a kinetic recharge will do anything to improve the runtime; it's enough to power a watch, but that's not saying much. The only kinetic recharge devices I know which are actually used on medium-sized devices work with a crank...

I'd love to have the back of my mobile covered in solar panels, leaving it in the sunlight while I'm sitting at the desk doesn't sound too troublesome. As for performance: I just looked at a random review of a pocket-sized mobile charger: it apparently charges a 1800 mAh battery in 6-12 hours. My 5800 XM has a puny 900 mAh battery, the discharge time totally depends on the usage, but a pocket-sized solar charger should at least prolong standby time indefinitely. Heck, maybe it's enough power to leave Wifi running in the sun.