Sunny Ahn's WebLog

ZTE has launched its own solar powered mobile phone, the Coral-200 Solar.  What makes this annoucement more interesting is the target market for the device, specifically the emerging markets.  Given the lack of power outlets in many developing areas, inexpensive, solar powered devices makes complete sense.  in a recent announcement, the China-based ZTE has partnered with Jamaica’s Digicel Group to rollout the ‘world’s first mass-market solar cellphone to folks with limited or o access to the power grid.” 

It is expected to be available by June 2009.  More to come later..

Based on information from the Nokia website, Nokia will remove all brominated and chlorinated compounds as well as antimony trioxide from all phones by 2010.  In Nov 2008, Nokia introduced its first device, the Nokia 7100 Supernova, which was free of brominated compounds.  

At present, the typical Nokia mobile phone has the following material breakdown:

• Plastics: 45%
• Metals: 35%
• Glass and ceramics: 10%
• Battery electrodes: 9%
• Precious metals: 0.11%
• Other: 0.9%

Nokia also reports that all new Nokia phones developed since 2006 are PVC free and RoHS compliant (Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment).  

For more information on Nokia’s material/substances plans, visit http://www.nokia.com/A41041092

Based on the information from Nokia, the Nokia 3110 Evolve features include:

• 50% of its bio covers come from renewable sources
• Has Nokia’s most energy efficient charger, AC-8 (the charger delivers juice at a full 94% below Energy Star specification)
• phone is made of 60% recycled content

The Nokia 3110 Evolve is based on the original 3110 classic, a phone that has a 1.3 megapixel camera, FM radio and tri-band GSM radio.  Based on Nokia studies, the Nokia 3110 Evolve has 15 to 20% lower energy consumption during its lifecycle than comparable products.

LG Electronics entered into an exclusive solar energy agreement with REC Wafer of Norway to purchase multicrystalline silicon wafers.  

According to LG, crystalline silicon solar cells are expected to make up 80% of the solar industry by 2010, overtaking thin film solar cells.  Crystalline silicon solar cells are based on silcon wafers, while thin film solar cells are made by coating light absorbing layers and electrodes from various materials on a substrate.  Thin film solar cells are less expensive but also less efficient. 

It has been reported that Samsung will launch a solar-powered touchscreen phone, called Blue Earth, by the 2nd half of 2009 in the United Kingdom.

The phone is made from PCM, the recycled plastic from water bottles.  Other key features of the phone include a pedometer that tells how much CO2 emissions one saves by walking instead of driving, a ‘eco’ mode for efficient screen brightness and a decent solar panel on the back of the phone to charge it enough to make a call anytime the sun is out.

According to Greenpeace, our friends at Sony Ericsson won the greenest electronics company award for 2008.   Interestingly, only two companies scored higher than 5 (out of 10): Sony Ericsson and Sony.  SE was the overall winner because of its top marks on reducing toxic chemicals in their mobile device products.   The Greenpeace guide examined the production procedures of 18 different electornic companies.    Well done Sony Ericsson. 

My computer recently crashed and I feared that I wasn’t going to be able to port over my iPod songs back into my iTunes on my restored computer.  I came across the TouchCopy software from Wide Angle Software on the web.  For about $30, I was able to restore all my songs back on my computer.   Certainly saved me hours of time reload my songs.  thanks.

I just wanted to put up a quick note about our company’s recent marketing alliance with the Georgia State Firefighter’s Association.  Our product, ccAlert, will be the exclusive mass notification service for the association.  more information on our mass notification is below:

ccAlert is a mass notification service that offers emergency responders the ability to keep in touch with others via a single message. The service allows an individual to send a web-based message to an individual or a group of individuals via the devices that people have (e.g., mobile phone, pager, email). Messages can be mass alerts to notify members of an emergency such as a fire or a non-emergency note for an open shift change.

The solution:

• does not require any additional hardware or software
• provides secure, rapid communication
• allows communication across multiple departments
• sends messages based on levels of priority
• provides customized teams and groups
• allows multiple devices per individual
• enables security through CCL’s patented contextual database

Microsoft is making some noise within the global directory area with more announcements of its Echoes initiative.  According to Mary Joe Foley, the platform will provide the following:

• Syncs address book contacts over the air
• Ensure that IM messages work seamlessly with SMS
• Windows Live Messenger contacts get local numbers
• Voice calls from Messenger on PC to mobiles
• Offer some sort of presence

The platform will be similar to Skype and Google’s GrandCentral services.  The end goal, however, needs to be the ability to ‘find and connect’ one another without providing actual phone numbers – essentially allow people to connect via contextual listings (like email addresses, unique listings) and eliminate the need for phone numbers

My colleague Rod Drury sent me this link on Microsoft’s goal to remove phone numbers as the main way of communicating.  Totally agree – one should be able to find others based on the context they know them and allow the individual to control how they are connected. 

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1420