What is Solar Technology?

Solar technology is one of the most ancient forms of technology used by mankind and is probably the most important solution to the latest global issue of the time.

The making of salt by evaporation of saline water near ocean and lake shores is one of the oldest industry known, which runs on solar energy utilization technology. The industries of today are somehow so gigantic that it is creating global challenges for meeting energy solutions made more complex with ever increasing population. Solar technology in its various forms tries to suffice ever increasing global energy demand.

Solar Technologies are broadly classified as Active or Passive depending on the process of utilization of solar energy. A solar-electric system is the best example of active or complex solar technology which involves production of electricity using Solar panels, rechargeable batteries, regulators and controllers, etc. The passive forms of solar technologies were utilized in days gone by to arrange the infrastructures and building in such ways that it would produce natural air circulation.

TrendZ in Electronics

A few general universal trendZ in Electronics are: Prices always reduce over the time and specifications and functions improve over time. Except for some periodic cases of high inflation or due to international currency conversion issues and shortages due to lack of supplies prices may go up temporarily. These exceptions have a vital role in Sub Saharan African countries including East Africa.

One of my good old friend used to say “If you wait too much to get married you may lose but if you wait more for buying electronics you may win” the rationale behind such a thought is: the more time passes by the prices of electronics generally reduce. You may even get a device which has better specifications and functions at the same price in future. For instance this good friend of mine is planning to buy a laptop for more than two years. The below are the comparisons which explains how he is benefited.

(By the way on a side note; Planning to buy a laptop doesn’t cost money, Buying a laptop does!!)

Buying a Laptop before 2 years in US$ 400 (Retail approx prices for average brands)	Buying a Laptop now in US$ 400                   (Retail approx prices for average brands)
14’ LCD monitor	15’ LCD monitor
DVD combo	DVD writer with its software
120 GB Hard disk	500GB Hard disk
512 MB RAM	2GB RAM
Pentium 4 processor with 1.6 GGHZ	Pentium Dual core processor with 2.2 GG HZ
Battery life of 3 hours	Battery life of 5 hours
DOS (No operating systems or software)	Preinstalled Window 7 operating system, with a trial version of Windows Office 2010 and Antivirus
Built in Micro phones and web camera	Built in Microphones, web camera, Bluetooth and WIFI

Another example to demonstrate these trendZ in electronics is a mobile phone.

Buying a Mobile Phone before 2 years at US$ 40 (Retail approx prices for average brands)	Buying a Mobile Phone now at US$ 40            (Retail approx prices for average brands)
Single line utility	2/ or even 4 lines utility
F.M. radio receiver	F.M. radio receiver with voice recording
No camera	Digital camera with still photographs, video recording
No Internet or Bluetooth functions	Bluetooth and Internet options
Head phones	Wireless head phone and microphone units
Basic video games	3D animated video games
Calculators, Calendars and alarms	Apart from Calculators, Calendars and alarms they have theft proofs, Emergency help settings, Pill reminders, voice modulators and background sounds, organizers, etc
Internal Memory storage of 100 Phone numbers	Internal Memory storage of around 500 Phone numbers & contact details like email adds.

Categories of Electronics:

The electronic devices were formerly divided as Brown or White depending on the skills required to use them, repair them and based on their sizes.

Small/ Brown: If you remember seeing olden days black and white T.V, screens packed in huge wooden boxes with shutters. They would look like brown wooden cupboards from outside, so also most of the radios and cassette players of old times where encased in wooden boxes. Such wooden boxes were used since plastic was still not so common and economical in those days. Wood serves as a protecting case, produces good base for the sound, it is safe as it is bad conductor of electricity hence contains any electric shocks, was readily available and was widely used in electronic devices in those days and hence the small devices were called “Brown electronics”.

These devices are mostly not so bulky, comparatively less complex, and hence somehow easy to repair. T.V., D.V.D, woofers, cameras, Mobile phones and landlines, etc. come in this category. As a matter of fact people still like those radio cassettes and woofers which have wooden body and /or are colored like wood, for instance “Geepas” woofers are more popular in small woofer category around East Africa.

Major/White: Unlike T.V. screens and radio cassettes which were colored brown in olden days, most of the bulky, not easy to repair, devices were colored white, for instance Refrigerators, most of them are still colored white. Other examples are Washing machines, Water heaters/ Geezers, Electric stoves, etc. Repairing these devices needs specialized technical help, most of them even work on higher watts and consume more power. 

The Evolution of Electronics

Since the beginning of 19^th century the discovery of electricity has lead to various other inventions and innovations, Simpler forms of electronic devices like Radios evolved over time into Radio cassette players, Radio cassettes which can play Flash / SD cards and now even available with D.V.D and stereo systems. With increasing innovations and reception by populations the field spontaneously took shape of an industry which has multibillion dollar turnover around the world.

The applications of Electronics are now expanding much more than just in sectors of entertainment, communications, office works and auto-electronics to Hospital and Health sectors, Infrastructure development, Defense and Security, GPS and Space research, etc.

The electronics of these days are now super machines having loads of specifications, features, functions, utility and are more adaptable to mobility than ever before. For instance a portable Screen/ D.V.D, commonly known as “Coby” locally is a very good example for the evolution of electronics and can be termed as a “value for money electronic device” with wide range of applications as below:

·         It’s a color T.V screen supporting different systems and formats of video

·         D.V.D, V.C.D, Audio c.d. player

·         F.M. radio receiver

·         Satellite broadcasting receiver (can receive U.B.C, K.B.C, NTV depending on area) comes with small satellite antenna

·         MP3 player : can play Flash disks, Memory cards (SD and Micro SD for mobile phones)

·         Has Video game functions and mostly comes with special remotes and c.ds for games

·         Has Copy / Paste functions for transfer of MP3 files

·         Supports viewing of digital photographs

·         Has rechargeable battery (extremely useful in the days with power cuts)

·         Is portable and easy to travel with

·         Is remote control operated

·         Has two type of charging systems i.e. you can charge it on power (A.C.) or on motor car lighter sockets during travel and even directly on batteries (D.C.); hence can even be used in locations where there is no Electricity.

·         It can be connected with external T.V. screens, woofers and decoders.

·         Some models even come with rotatable screens which can turn 180 degrees, ear phones and special pouches for hanging them in motor cars.

·         It also comes in various colors, styles and sizes.

·         It’s a “value for money” purchase because the cost of this device is much less than buying a 14’ color T.V + a D.V.D player.

What are House hold Electronics/ Consumer Electronics?

Consumer Electronics: Wide range of easy to use electronic devices which are commonly and commercially available around most of the places in the world.

House hold: A place where a group of people / family live together

Electronics: A Device or appliance which works on the principle of flow of electrons (or charged particles).

Household Electronics: Devices, appliances or machines which work on principle of Electronics and are mostly used by people in their day to day lives. The purpose of using electronics could be anything from below:

·         For making our lives comfortable and easy (e.g. Fans, Lights, Electric showers, Vacuum   cleaners, Electronic stoves, Extension cables, etc)

·         For entertainment, leisure and relaxation (e.g. T.V., D.V.D., woofers, IPods, Mp3 players)

·         For getting valuable information from around the world and for communication (e.g. Radios, Mobile phones, Satellite decoders)

·         For reducing work load and finishing daily tasks faster, (e.g. Calculators, Computers, electric kettle, water heaters, etc)

·         For security (e.g. Security alarms, security lights, Door bells)

·         For improving the quality of life (e.g. Digital cameras, Refrigerators, Microwave Ovens)

·         For good health and sanitation (Electronic thermometers, shaving machines, flat irons)