Perhaps it will solve the bother of depleted batteries but on a more universal level, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd’s new phone launch promises more. It is a phone with the trappings of the usual touch phone but one crucial feature – it is solar powered. ‘Blue Earth’ is an innovative attempt by Samsung to bring environmental conscientious to its products and extend it to its end users. Samsung is the world’s leading consumer electronics brand and one of the 20 top global brands so what it does commands attention.
The latest phone from its stable is a part of ‘The Blue Earth Dream: Eco-living with SAMSUNG mobile’ an environmental enterprise by the company to reduce its CO2 emissions, eliminate its use of hazardous substances and encourage cell phone recycling.
The form factor of the cellular phone resembles a flat, shiny pebble. The outer casing is made from recycled plastic called PCM, reprocessed from thrown away plastic water bottles. The packaging comes from recycled paper. The front is distinctive touch screen while the back is where the solar panel is. The phone comes with a 5 star rated efficient charger which can use standby power less than 0.03W. The innards of the phone and the charger are free from those obnoxious phthalates, beryllium and brominated flame retardants.
And if you are wondering what the heck is that then here’s it – phthalates are plasticizers used to make plastics more flexible but come with health concerns. Beryllium often targets the respiratory system or the skin. These concerns also address those who recycle these substances from discarded cell phones.
The gizmo gadgetry of the phone has things like easily accessed one touch ‘eco-settings’. Set screen brightness, toggle Bluetooth or set backlight duration to preserve energy. The phone prods the eco-consciousness with its ‘eco walk’ function that counts steps with a built-in pedometer. It lets you know how much CO2 emissions have been reduced by walking, as opposed to driving, and generalizes it to the number of trees you have saved during the course of a walk.
More specifics are awaited at this point of time. Though a very welcome step, it is yet to be seen whether the company can walk the talk because experience tells me that a Touch Phone is one heck of an energy guzzling beast. But from appearances alone, a simple phone just got ‘eco-hyped’.
You can check out the look here
Image: Wikimedia Commons