Solar powered notebook isn't a wind up

Freeplay Power Group, the firm behind the wind-up radio, is working with General Electric on the first ever wind-up notebook.

Currently based on a clockwork generator, the South African outfit is aiming to have the machine ready by 2000 and is also hoping to include a solar panel.

David Matthews, senior product manager for PCs at Compaq, said it was a good idea in principle. "The key thing with laptops is power - they need to address that situation," he said.

Although Matthews couldn't comment on whether Compaq would follow suit with its own version, he said in principle a low powered word processor could be just as successful in Africa as the wind-up radio had been.

It has also been reported that Freeplay has been speaking to Apple on the idea of using the technology in future products.