Small Solar Panel Could Power Pixel Qi And ARM Tablet

Earlier this week, we put up a video of Pixel Qi showing off its new and thin screens for tablets and other devices. The cool thing about all of the Pixel Qi screens is that they are designed to be easy to read in direct sunlight and to consume very little power. At Computex Pixel Qi was also showing off another very cool item along with the new screens. The company was demoing a tablet that could get all the power needed for the Pixel Qi screen and an ARM-powered tablet mainboard from a small 1W solar panel.

Think about how this tech could change the landscape for tablets and readers. If all you need is a small solar panel of the surface area the lady in the video is holding that could be integrated into the tablet bezel or onto the back of the tablet to allow almost continuous use of the device outdoors or in sufficient sunlight. That would mean unlimited reading at the beach in direct sunlight. The little solar panels are also very cheap.

The panel shown in the video is only $3. ARMdevices reports that this same solar panel tech could be used by OLPC for upcoming netbooks and tablets for emerging markets. It's interesting that most of us think longer lasting batteries are where the game changer for gadgets will come and just as important are fast charging batteries and components that slurp little power. Check out the video bellow to see the solar device in use.

[via ARMDevices]