Solar Laptop Bypasses Electric Grid
Recently at the London Convention Centre, WeWi Telecommunications held a launch event where they showcased the prototype of their laptop, "SOL." What's fascinating about this particular laptop is that it doesn't require a plug or a cord to charge. One must only "plug" it in to the sun if it's running low on battery, hence the name SOL.
SOL runs entirely off of solar power and even comes equipped with a long-lasting (eight to 10 hour) battery for usage at night. The four-panel solar-charging device built into the computer's case replenishes the battery in about two hours.
It is an all-terrain, sport utility laptop that is perfectly suited for outdoor adventures across the globe. However, this wasn't the main impetus for building the device.
The company developed the solar-powered computer to be used in developing countries for educational purposes. Due to its self-sustainability, it is an excellent choice not only for developing nations but also for first world countries looking for greener computing options. The first place that it will be launched is Ghana.
Roland Carson, CTO of WeWi stated, "We saw a great need for affordable computing in areas where power infrastructure can not sustain the large growth in population or where there is simply no access to electricity at all. A future where people are able to study and work with computers without any access to electricity is very important for advancing education and will help shaping a better future for many individuals in those countries."
David Snir, the company's CEO commented, "It is a great device for everyone around the world. We have been in talks with several universities looking for computers to do field work such as Geology, we are even looking into preparing and certifying SOL to Mil-Spec [U.S Military Standard] which would open another market."
While there are many solar-powered devices that can plug in to laptops, there are very few actual solar-powered laptops. Samsung came out with a model back in 2011 but it's still a relatively new field and they are not very common. However, SOL could change that.
SOL uses Intel chips and comes preloaded with the UBUNTU operating system along with all of the productivity and creativity tools a new user would need to get started. There are thousands more free applications available online. It's expected to cost around $300-450.
