Check out this interesting green twist on the cell phone: Motorola just filed a patent for a cell phone screen (or other mobile device) that also functions as a solar cell.
According to the Treehugger article, it's an idea that's been around for some time, but the cost of the thin film needed to serve both functions has been cost-prohibitive.
We could see this being a great back-up when you're running low on juice, but we wonder, don't most of us carry our cells on our pockets or purses? If the screen on the inside of a clamshell phone is the solar cell, how many of us are going to carry our phones around, open when not in use?
To the author -
This makes perfect sense. A cellular phone draws most power when you are actually making a call and using it. That is when you would want to help out the internal batteries - not when it is in your pocket.
Also keep in mind every clamshell phone on the market has a secondary display on the outside where this technology can be used.
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Brzilian - I did think about the secondary display, but this shows it on the inside, so I was taking it at that, for now (this is just in the patent stage, so who knows how long it might be before it hits the market).
And when you're talking, isn't your ear pressed up against it (and if you've got hair of much length, it would cover the phone even more), or it's mostly in your pocket if you have an ear piece?
Just thinking about the way people usually use their phones...still think it's a great idea!
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