Toshiba Corp. will release in July a flat-panel liquid crystal display television equipped with a rechargeable battery that can operate for up to three hours during blackouts.
Toshiba Corp. will release in July a flat-panel liquid crystal display television equipped with a rechargeable battery that can operate for up to three hours during blackouts.
The manufacturer suggests operating the TV on the rechargeable battery during the day to save on electricity this summer, when a power shortage is anticipated, Toshiba officials said April 20.
The rechargeable battery will be mounted on a 19-inch model in the Regza series. The battery charges during regular use or overnight.
To switch to battery power, users press a "peak shift" button on the remote control unit.
The model will sell for between 40,000 yen to 50,000 yen, nearly 10,000 yen more than similar models. The company is also considering adding a rechargeable battery to a 32-inch model.
The feature comes in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake. Toshiba used the same technology for rechargeable TVs that it sells in emerging markets where blackouts are frequent.
"Disruption of available information can cause considerable anxiety," says Masaaki Osumi, a Toshiba executive officer and corporate senior vice president.
"I never expected that we would be releasing this type of model in Japan."