Slashdot Mirror
Solar Powered Table That Wirelessly Charges Your Gadgets
greenerd writes "Panasonic recently unveiled a solar table at Tokyo's Security Show that harnesses QI technology to wirelessly charge your gadgets with solar power whenever you place them on the countertop."
If I point the solar panel towards the sun, my gizmos drop on the floor. If I don't, the sun will hardly hit it. Nice thing if you live on the equator.
Nae king! Nae laird! Nae yurrupiean pressedent! We willna be fooled again!
Could the elephant in the room also be used to wirelessly charge gadgets?
I'm not convinced that we get enough sun here in England for half the year. Given how cool and useful this technology could be, it would be nice to see this table built with a mains lead as well, so that when the sun isn't out the table would still recharge your gadgets, but would automatically use the solar power instead when it could. It would be most annoying to have this at home, stick my phone on it to charge when I get home, but then have to plug my phone back into the mains overnight if it hasn't got enough charge.
The idea is neat. Imagine if most surfaces where people spend some time (e.g. restaurants, cafes and so on) had these. You wouldn't need to fully charge your device in one go but you'd be continually charging them a bit.
Now if only companies could agree on ONE standard so that IKEA could ALSO sell those tables and countertops and what-have-you and they could then charge ALL of your devices, because the tech could be built-in from the beginning by any manufacturer.
I mean, what's the big idea? Should I buy different tables for my HTC Android, for the PSP and the iPod?
A solar-powered table makes as much sense as a solar-powered down comforter or solar-powered underwear.
Will save a bit of energy at home - and it's got a nice coolness factor. But at home we need of a lot more power than a tabletop of cells. Like covering all the walls and roof with low-cost solar cells will be of some use. What we could use *now* are jackets, hats, backpacks, cellphones and laptops with solar cells built in, to get a little more power when you're *not* near home or any power source.
Build your own energy sources from scratch. http://otherpower.com/
I hope it's fucking earthquake, tsunami, and Godzilla proof.
Hm, I might need to get some bigger pockets to be able to fit the 25+ mm of lead shielding needed for safe operation.
No need for shielding. Just don't put the device in your front pant pockets if you plan to have children in the future.
that's been raised from none (0), so that's good? it says in all the manuals that everything we need is way available to us, once we can see through some of our de/il~lusions, in order to quell our fears. doesn't sound difficult? there are sounds involved. at least nobody's challenged our right to remain silent yet? babys rule, by an overwhelmingly exponential to us majority. they also have longer attention spans & already know stuff we could benefit from learning, & they are more than willing (their mandate) to share with us, unless we allow them to become spiritually atrophic, euthanized, or something(s) even worse, as only we can allow.
When is this 'Wireless' nonsense going away. It is not an innovation, it is a stupid solution for a non problem and any 12 year old can calculate it has NO future. Plug in the damn phnes.
This is useless, there aren't any solar rays in my mother's basement!
What do I know, I'm just an idiot, right?
that's right. their unashamed eyes are considerably advanced, exhibiting burgeoning magnetic reasoning (bird like) fractal abilities (meeting the need). yikes. we'll learn to be careful not to force them into excessive solar radiation exposure, because we're distracted. they still burn/damage quite easily. they still love, & trust us to participate in our rescue, & stop killing & starving them everywhere they are gathering... as one, of us.
will love this, , not so useful for the rest of us.
Of course we could put the table outside, as long as there is no other weather (rain, snow, dogs etc.)
no. it just adds more deception+poison to the equation. just look how 'blind' (mind/spirit) it's rendered us?
Hasn't the world settled on USB plugs for charging.
Induction is not that efficient.
So, I can recharge my phone by doing yoga?
I'm not sold on this wireless charging technology. It doesn't seem to add any simplicity, other than just not having to plug in a cord. Other corded charging stations seem to work as well, if you don't mind the extra 0.001 kilocalorie of effort to plug your device in.
It's also relatively inefficient. It has to be to work that way.
Seriously people - don't you have windows in your homes? Put the table by a window. You know, those glass rectangles that are in the walls that allow you to see outside... Never mind, I forgot who was reading this stuff. Even my windows have shades or curtains over them and if I move them out of the way, people will be able to see me...
I imagine that this would have a severely detrimental effect on the life cycle of modern batteries.
It is a nice idea. Good way to utilize natural source. I like preservation of electricity.
but required to be in direct contact. Ok, no wires does not really mean wireless by today's standard. Especially if it has to be "plugged in" via direct contact.
Should I buy different tables for my HTC Android, for the PSP and the iPod?
I can't imagine Apple or Sony using a proprietary technology or connector when a standard exists.
Apple's devices only charge on the iTablette.
I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it. -- Groucho Marx
Requires the energy of a lightbulb to charge your devices. Epic fail in engineering to build a table for indoors that has a solar panel in it. Of course all the Green Nuts cannot see the flaw in this design, but they are too busy stockpiling hemp to understand why it won't work.