Soon a session of reading in the backyard may serve a more practical purpose than just offering a relaxing afternoon. LG has debuted a prototype e-reader in the same vein as the Amazon Kindle, the Sony Reader, and the rumored Barnes and Noble e-book (which may feature color), but LG has taken the paperless idea of the e-readers a step greener by attaching a thin film solar cell to their e-book.

Attached opposite the e-book’s main screen, the credit card-thin, super lightweight solar panel soaks up sun and can provide an additional day of power if it receives 4-5 hours of sunlight (a bit tricky for winter reading in rainy and cloudy climates). A battery provides main power to the LG e-reader for conventional recharging and is backed up by the solar panel, which could theoretically support the e-reader for days with consistent solar charging.

The LG e-reader, while still in a prototype stage and unlikely to be available until 2012, could set a new standard in e-readers, which are already hailed for their eco-friendliness because of the reduced impact from not having to create and transport traditional paper books. If LG’s solar e-book proves successful, it could lead e-readers the way of calculators, one of the first devices to switch to full solar power successfully. Click here to read more

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