May 27, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Motorola holds U.S. patent for solar cells in wireless device displays
Apple has filed a patent for "integrating solar cells into portable devices by placing them underneath the layers of a touch-sensitive display," according to the IDG News Service.
It certainly sounds like a promising application of solar energy. But is it really original? Not quite: Motorola received a patent of its own last year for "displays such as [LCDs], organic light-emitting diode displays, and touch sensitive displays are stacked with one or more solar cells." (You can read Computerworld's write-up about it here.)
Now I'm no patent lawyer, but I don't see the difference between the patent Motorola has and the one Apple is seeking. But it might prove to be a snag for Apple if it has plans to roll out an iPod with solar cells under the display.
Of course, the notion of using solar power to charge a wireless device in general isn't new either. At CeBit last year, Chinese company Hi-Tech Wealth unveiled a phone with a solar panel built into its flip side. That's not quite as slick as having the solar cells in the display, of course -- plus as far as I can tell, the HTW phone isn't available in the U.S.
Posted by Ted Samson on May 27, 2008 03:50 PM
February 12, 2008 | Comments: (0)
IBM, Motorola back effort to control supply-chain carbon emissions
More big-name companies are joining forces to figure out ways to measure and control their supply chains' carbon emissions.
This time, IBM and Motorola have joined the European Supply Chain Institute's (ESCI) Supply Chain Carbon Council. The aim of the program is "to develop and promote strategies for effective carbon management in the supply chain. ... All aspects of this field will be addressed to include carbon reduction initiatives, carbon trading/offsetting, and compliance/reporting."
The group is pushing the initiative as not only a means of helping suppliers to reduce their carbon footprints, but to save money in the process.
Also joining the ESCI's Supply Chain Carbon Council is the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). Last month, that group announced its Supply Chain Leadership Collaboration, through which 11 corporate giants -- including IT heavyweights HP and Dell -- will develop a standard method to gather carbon-emissions information from suppliers.
Related articles:
Green demands trickle down the supply chain.
Dell, HP join effort to measure supply chains' carbon output
Wal-Mart throws its weight behind a greener supply chain
C02 spewer? See you in court!
Ted Samson is a senior analyst at InfoWorld and author of the Sustainable IT blog. Subscribe to his free weekly Green Tech newsletter.
Posted by Ted Samson on February 12, 2008 10:47 AM
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