Solar panels are becoming more efficient and cheaper to produce every year, and manufacturers are starting to add them onto keyboards and laptops to extend battery life and save energy in general. Just this week, Logitech launched their snazzy-looking K750 solar keyboard. Unlike other solar keyboards I’ve seen, which resemble large calculators because of ugly-looking solar panels, this one is quite elegant looking and efficient. It has a 2.4 GHz wireless tech and lux meter to let you know when light levels are sufficient. It’ll stay charged in a dark room for three months and if your windows are large enough, it can charge light from indoors. All in all, Logitech’s K750 solar keyboard looks like a great solution to wireless keyboards with crappy battery life.
Then there’s the LCD panel manufacturer called AU Optronics, who one-upped Logitech with their own 14″ solar touchscreen keyboard. But unlike the Logitech keyboard, which is designed as a peripheral device, the AU Optronics keyboard is 2.1mm thick and has a solar module built into the notebook’s cover and keyboard panel. This saves power by around 20%, giving you around an hour of extra battery life. No news on cost just yet but the AU Optronics keyboard will be showcased sometime this month. As for the Logitech keyboard, it’s available for $79.99
One thought on “Solar Keyboards and Laptops”
Cool! But quite not cool for “night surfers”
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