I Can See Through Your Juice

The Second Life Mobile Phone Concept works on the premise that we often forget about the battery life of our mobile phones, hence run out of juice, just at the wrong time. As a remedy (rather power-saver-option) the phone incorporates a double display. When in active use the AMOLED screen powers up in all glory and in standby mode the E-ink display gets active. This essentially means that the E-ink uses very little energy and the degree of transparency of the display shows how much battery is remaining. The more transparent the display, the less battery remaining.

So besides ultra-low power consumption, the transparent screen offers an intuitive expression: “You’re low on juice so better recharge the phone soon!” Apparently the E-ink uses power to change the degree of transparency and doesn’t add to the battery load.

I like the idea behind the concept and its transparent vibe, but I guess its more aimed at a niche set of people who keep forgetting to put their phone on charge.

Designers: Cho Sinhyung & Jeon Jungjae

Radhika Seth

Radhika Seth is a design and technology writer with over 18 years of experience covering products, innovation, and the ideas shaping design. She serves on the jury of international design competitions, including the iF Design Award, and hosts Yanko Design’s Design Mindset podcast. A former Ogilvy advertising professional, she has also taught Communication and Design Journalism, bringing together her experience across design, storytelling, brands, and media.

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