World's First Solar-Powered Cell Phone

Hi-Tech Wealth, a well-known Chinese telecommunication products supplier, claims to have produced the world's first solar-powered cell phone. Setting the phone out in the sun for one hour will provide users with 40 minutes of talk time, however, the phone can also be charged by using other sources of light, including candles.

The phone is a clamshell shaped design and features scale-like solar panels on the top side of the phone, which allows the phone to recharge its battery.

Hi-Tech Wealth says that they have developed the most advanced solar power technology, and own eight patents and have applied for numerous others. Other companies around the world are working on similar products, however, they are still in experimental stages.

China has more than 400 million mobile phones in use within the country, so anything that could be done to reduce the amount of electricity needed to supply them (amongst other things) would be very beneficial. Zhang Zhengyu, chairman of Hi-Tech Wealth, said the company began research the use of light as an energy source in 2000 and has invested hundreds of millions of yuan into the technology.

Hi-Tech Wealth plans to make six of its light energy cell phones on the market this year, and another 30 phones next year.

Via: China Daily