Solar-Powered Logitech Keyboard Appears on Amazon Mexico (tomshardware.com) 34
Tom's Hardware: According to an early Amazon Mexico listing, Logitech is preparing to launch the Signature Slim Solar+, a wireless keyboard in every sense of the word. The Signature Slim Solar+features a solar panel, providing owners with a battery lasting up to 10 years.
whats old is new again.. (Score:1)
this was a thing 20+ years ago and shockingly people realized you don't get a lot of sunlight in your cubical.
Re:whats old is new again.. (Score:4, Interesting)
I had one of these in my sub-basement recording studio for ..10 years? It worked flawlessly the whole time on the few dim incandescent bulbs, satanic candles, etc
It's still used as the remote keyboard when tracking drums from the other side of the room.
I tried to find another one for my second studio tracking station but they stopped making them. UNTIL NOW
Actually if the battery lasts around 10 years, that's about how long the one downstairs has been working flawlessly without ever needing charging.
Re:whats old is new again.. (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:whats old is new again.. (Score:5, Funny)
> worked flawlessly the whole time on the few dim incandescent bulbs, satanic candles, etc
Satanic candles are unusually efficient light sources for solar panels, not everyone is burning those; check your privilege
Re: (Score:2)
Indeed I only use LED candles for my satanic rituals. Unfortunately the only spirit I've been able to summon is a coal roller who keeps ranting about his neighbour buying a Prius.
Re: whats old is new again.. (Score:1)
Re: whats old is new again.. (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
I have a very old Logitech "Solar" keyboard that has worked flawlessly for at least a decade or two on my desk with no direct sun.
I think the PV panels are of a different type optimized for low light since I've never run out of charge.
Solving a problem that... (Score:1)
...doesn't exist.
Re: Solving a problem that... (Score:4, Funny)
They should add AI too.
Re: (Score:2)
AI enhanced light tracking solar cells.
Re: (Score:2)
Those same people would probably buy a solar powered keyboard and charge it with a 100 watt incandescent bulb while claiming how they're being environmentally conscious. It's the same mentality we saw during COVID with people wearing cloth masks they never washed while sitting at a traffic light alone in their cars.
How is this news? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
if they discontinue the product and then bring it back when the news cycle has sufficiently buried it, then they can claim it's a new product and their shareholders will see how innovative they are.
I hope this means they will "reinvent" the K740 since I can't find anyone else making a backlit scissor-mechanism low profile keyboards. The Cherry Stream would be my most likely replacement if it had backlighting.
LED Lighting (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Solar cells can be made to be sensitive to different wavelengths of light.
Crystalline silicon panels are better for sunlight, while other semiconductors and amorphous silicon are better for broad spectrum and higher wavelengths, although overall are less efficient.
Beach Gear (Score:2)
Hope it has a charging socket too. I think people don't realize that pulse-width modulated LED lights don't really provide enough useful light to charge anything, but maybe this is for road warriors who want to show off their Logi gear on the beach.
Re: (Score:2)
Must be those fancy dimmable lights, because plain old regular LED bulbs don't use PWM - they are using a linear regulator that just controls the current through the bulb. This compensates for varying line voltages (so they don't dim when you turn something big o
K760 (Score:2)
https://www.parts-people.com/b... [parts-people.com]
I've had this one for EVER and it's still working perfectly. I don't think they make em anymore or I'd have 2.
Re: (Score:2)
EBay is your friend. Plenty of them available there!
Solar powered electronics (Score:3)
I find it amusing when "solar powered X" can still make news headlines, when we've had things like solar powered calculators for 45 years now [vintagecalculators.com]
Re:Solar powered electronics (Score:4, Insightful)
"Better known as 318230."
Well, we're talking about calculators, so--
OEZBIE?
Re: (Score:2)
I'm sure I remember Logitech solar powered keyboards from a decade ago.
Non removable battery (Score:3)
Means no.
Model M keyboards didn't need batteries anyway (Score:2)
Some classic equipment was way ahead of its time.
Yet more enshittification. (Score:2)
My old Microsoft Natural ergo keyboard has worked fine since 1999. Not everything needs batteries (or proprietary Logitech receivers...).
My Dream (is crushed) (Score:2)
Arrghh, it's the "num pad on the wrong side" design with laptop keys. I would pay hundreds of dollars for a tenkeyless mechanical BLE keyboard that never needs a wire. Ya know, "actually wireless" not "sometimes wireless except when you need the wire to charge". I'm fine with no caps lock LED since that's my ctrl key - or it could be eink. I'd also be fine with AA cells instead of solar cells since the lithium variety can last years.
But no, these fuckers glue lipos into everything so you need to buy two $10