Samsung announced its solar powered mobile phone the Samsung E1107 Crest Solar. While there has been some talk about the Blue Earth phone, this solar pioneer is expected to be a cheaper device and perhaps the foremost solar-powered handset to hit the market. The Blue Earth was announced sometime in February, with more exciting features, but it will take some more time before it is available. The GSM Crest Solar is a dual-band mobile phone with a big solar cell at its rear, which has the ability to keep the 800mAh battery charged when it is in the sun. According to Samsung, when the phone is kept in the sun for an hour or so and the power of the phone is switched off, it can produce sufficient power to enable you to talk for five to ten minutes extra.
Some of the other characteristics of this handset are MP3 ringers, integrated FM radio, flashlight or torch. There are some restricted features for particular markets such as prayer reminders and features for the bike. Crest Solar also comes with a Mobile Tracker, which according to Samsung will sound an alert when anyone tries to change the SIM card of the mobile phone. The handset also has a false call function which will help the mobile users to get themselves out of an uncomfortable situation.
One has to understand what a ‘solar powered’ phone really means, before you toss your traditional charger in the trash. You will get a talk time of around 5 – 10 minutes with an hour of sunlight. This will also depend on the strength of the light. This does not eliminate the requirement for charging the mobile phone on a regular basis, but it is very useful if you are in a place where you are not sure of electricity, like camping.
Samsung E1107 Crest Solar Links: