The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

Samsung readies 'world's first' solar netbook

The power and the glory

  • print
  • alert

Agentless Backup is Not a Myth

Samsung has announced it will be launching the NC215S solar-powered netbook this August for customers in Russia. Using solar panels to keep laptops running is nothing new, but the company claims a world’s first here due to the panel being integrated into the lid of the netbook's 10.1in, 1024 x 600-pixel display.

Samsung NC215s

Rather than fueling the netbook, the solar panel is designed to sustain battery life, notching up a possible 14.5 hours on the go. A robust enclosure helps keep scratches to a minimum, and the whole shebang weighs in at 1.3kg.

The NC215S itself is on a par with the current crop of Samsung netbooks, running Windows 7 Starter and sporting an Intel Atom N570 (1.66 GHz) dual-core processor, 1GB of Ram and a 250GB or 320GB drive.

Samsung NC215s

The image of snow covered boots tends to accompany thoughts of the Russian climate, but it’s one helluva big place and this launch suggests Samsung is minded to look on the bright side. As for the potential buyers, the NC215S will no doubt have its appeal, as it offers a chance to get one over the energy oligarchs. ®

Customer Success Testimonial: Recovery is Everything

Nice idea, but...

...you can't exactly use and charge the netbook at the same time, the back of the screen has to be pointed directly at the sun to gain maximum power meaning looking at the front of the screen will be somewhat difficult because you'll be looking in the direction of the sun.

A detachable solar panel with retractable cable may be the better option, that way the panel could be foldable, doubling the area of light captured.

4
0

hmmm

Could charge it at night when you're not using it I suppose?

Ah no, that's not going to work either....

1
0

Nice idea, but...

Where's my ARM netbook? Solar panel could run that even in the dark!

1
0

More from The Register

First look: iOS 7 for iPad
No, Apple hasn't released it yet, but that doesn't stop intrepid devs
Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Proof the pen is mightier?
Sammy’s iPad Mini killer has a stylus to stab other rivals too
 breaking news
Curtain drops on Apple Store ahead of WWDC: What lies behind?
Steve Jobs watching from on high. No pressure, lads
 breaking news
Cold, dead hands of Steve Jobs slip from iPhones: The Cult of Ive is upon us
Billionaire biz baron's death clears way for uber-shiny iOS 7
Airbus imagines suitcases that find themselves
Point your mobe at your smalls to track their every move
Surprise! Intel smartphone trounces ARM in power trials
Tests show equal performance while sipping significantly less juice
Microsoft lures buy-curious vixens, corduroys with a cheap fondle
Surface slab sales latest: Will no one rid Ballmer of these turbulent tabs?
Apple said to be 'exploring' 5.7-inch iPhone
Who's the copycat this time, Mr. Cook?
Google Chromebooks now in over 6,600 stores
Major, worldwide retail push begins this summer
Samsung plans LTE Advanced version of Galaxy S4
1Gbps download capability could stiffen drooping S4 sales forecasts