Samsung Blue Earth
Treehuggers can now rejoice as Samsung has finally revealed details about its Blue Earth mobile phone. First revealed in February during the Mobile World Congress, this handset’s claim to fame is the solar panel on the back. Now that the specifications are out, let’s have a quick look at some of its features.
Upside
Though it’s focused on being eco-friendly, the Blue Earth is not lacking in basic features. Samsung has included an HSDPA radio for high-speed data transfers over the cellular network. Aside from that, it comes with Wi-Fi for use at hotspots and Bluetooth, too.
The display on the Blue Earth is a capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 400×320 pixels (WQVGA). It measures 3 inches diagonally and will let you control most functions given there aren’t many buttons on the device.
Other features include 130MB of internal memory and a microSDHC slot, which supports up to 16GB cards — good for those who use their mobile phones as music players. The Blue Earth also comes with a pedometer built-in. Instead of acting as a fitness guide, the step counter will help you relate to savings in carbon dioxide emissions by walking as opposed to using a motor vehicle.
The eco-friendly angle starts with the production of the phone. According to Samsung, this handset is made from materials extracted from recycled water bottles and is free of harmful substances. Even the packaging is supposed to be compact so less material is wasted.
Of course, the main “green” feature is the built-in solar panel. Though no mention of charging time is mentioned in the official release, we got a rough idea during our hands-on with it in June. An hour of sunlight gives about 10 minutes of talk time. That may not be much, but it’s definitely better than nothing when you don’t have a power socket handy. Even if you disregard the savings in power consumption because of the solar panel, being able to charge your phone at any time if you work outdoors is convenient, especially for those who walk around with their phones clipped on a belt.
Downside
Without first testing the Blue Earth, it’s hard to say if any of its “green” features will be useful. One concern we do have is how the external materials and components will hold up after daily long exposures to the sun. The solar panel, of course, is designed to reside in hot conditions without problems but plastics may become brittle if there are constant transfers between hot and cool environments. This is something we will explore in the future when a review unit becomes available.
Outlook
It’s quite obvious this phone targets the environmentally conscious. Those really into the “green” agenda will finally be able to walk the talk when it comes to choosing a mobile phone. Even if you couldn’t care less about saving the earth, those sitting near a window most of the day may even find it more convenient than something you have to leave plugged in to remain charged.
The Samsung Blue Earth will first launch in Europe and make its way to Asia in November starting with Singapore. Its price has not been announced yet.
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