Spring Break
Samsung goes green with new cellphone
Phone combines technological, eco-friendly needs for users
By: Romy Misra
Issue date: 6/30/09 Section: Features
|
The world's first solar charging phone, Blue Earth, is meant for users who are concerned for the environment. The Samsung gadget was unveiled in February in the Mobile World Congress and is set to be released in July.
Price
Samsung has yet to publish a price, but it looks like it will be more expensive than other phones with the same specifications.
Strengths
The phone has a sleek design and comes in two colors: black and blue. The blue looks better and goes with the name and the theme of symbolizing the protection of Earth. The design is smooth and rounded at the edges to resemble a flat and shiny pebble. The Blue Earth is a touch-screen phone, with capabilities not compromised even though it concentrates on being environmentally friendly.
The phone is environmentally friendly starting from the packaging. The exterior is made up of plastic water bottles that help reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions from the manufacturing process. The mobile has a solar panel on the back for charging. This charging capability can deliver power to the user to make a call anytime.
The handset can be charged with an adapter that has up to four hours of talk time. Both the handset and the charger are free from harmful substances that are used in the manufacturing of regular mobile phones.
The best feature of this phone is the ability to measure the impact on the environment. Generally, we tend to believe that one person's action alone is not significant enough to create an impact. This is where the phone scores, by making the user more sensitive to the environment.
An "Ecowalk" function calculates the amount of steps you take (the phone has a built in pedometer) and the carbon dioxide you save by not traveling by car. This feature also calculates the number of trees you save.
An eco mode, or energy-saving mode, allows the user to conserve power. Features such as backlight duration time, brightness and Bluetooth can be run on an energy saving mode.
Weaknesses
The negatives of the gadget only will be realized after it is released. The device sounds great, but the price is unknown and it has yet to be tested by users.
Conclusion
The Blue Earth has arrived at a good time, because frequently changing cell phones has a high environmental impact. The phone is not a silent, eco-friendly device but encourages users to be more environmentally conscious all the time through its features. It's worth a look if you are planning to purchase a phone.
"Samsung's 'The Blue Earth Dream' demonstrates our small but meaningful commitments for the future and our environment," said JK Shin, executive vice president and head of Mobile Communication Division of Samsung Electronics. "We are committed to achieving the highest eco-status with our customers and business partners by providing the best eco-products and promoting eco-activities."
Romy Misra is an industrial engineering graduate student.
Be sure to include your name, major, and class year. Submissions without this information are subject to deletion.
By submitting a comment, you agree to thebatt.com's Terms of Use.
You may also send a Mail Call to The Battalion at mailcall@thebatt.com