Lenovo readies self-charging Bluetooth keyboard with a solar panel, also preparing an AI travel kit for road warriors

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The wireless keyboard will draw power from solar and ambient light

Early leaks of Lenovo's self-charging wireless Bluetooth keyboard
(Image credit: Evan Blass on X)

Lenovo is set to introduce an array of interesting new accessories next month at CES 2025. According to leaked information by popular tech tipster Evan Blass, the company is working on a self-charging Bluetooth keyboard that could potentially eliminate the hassle of charging or replacing batteries.

While the leak doesn’t give away any technical details, Blass suggests that the keyboard can draw power from solar and ambient light. As we can see from the leaked images, the keyboard will feature a sleek design with low-profile keycaps and will be offered in two colors — white and black with green accents. A large black bar at the top will seemingly function as a solar panel for charging the device. Judging by the three dedicated Bluetooth buttons above the numpad, the keyboard will also offer wireless connectivity with up to three devices.

Leaked image of Lenovo's self-charging wireless Bluetooth keyboard in black and white

(Image credit: Evan Blass on X)

Lenovo is rumored to unveil an AI travel set alongside the self-charging Bluetooth keyboard. According to the tipster, the set will include a smartwatch-style wristband, TWS earbuds, and a camera-equipped pendant, possibly sharing a single charging case. Additionally, the kit may feature a larger fourth device with Ethernet and USB ports, though its purpose is currently unknown. The AI travel kit is expected to connect with smartphones, offering enhanced AI performance for on-the-go users.

The company demonstrated a similar concept at CES 2024 in January, featuring a wireless mechanical keyboard and mouse set that combined mechanical movement and solar energy to meet its power needs.

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Lenovo's upcoming set of AI-powered accessories
(Image credit: Evan Blass on X)

The company is also expected to showcase its upcoming ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable at CES 2025. According to early leaks by Blass himself, the laptop will feature a rollable display that expands from 14 inches to 16.7 inches vertically, transforming into a portrait-oriented screen. This expansion is controlled via a keyboard hotkey or gesture. The laptop is rumored to be powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, accompanied by 32GB of RAM, and includes a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for enhanced AI capabilities.

Kunal Khullar
Kunal Khullar
News Contributor

Kunal Khullar is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware.  He is a long time technology journalist and reviewer specializing in PC components and peripherals, and welcomes any and every question around building a PC.

8 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Notton
    Logitech used to sell solar charging keyboards. The K750 and K760.
    IDK why they discontinued them because they worked well.
    Reply
  • Findecanor
    AI travel kit? I hope it helps AI travel away and never come back.
    Reply
  • thestryker
    I used to use wireless keyboards and the batteries on them lasted forever relatively speaking. So long as the battery in it can be easily replaced this seems like a decent enough idea. Personally speaking I'd rather the solar panel part to be a removable module than built in.
    Reply
  • BillyBuerger
    I used a couple of K750 keyboards in the past and they worked well while they worked. But eventually, the battery inside will die. And Logitech seemed to treat these as non-replaceable making them useless after this happens. I hope Lenovo will make the battery replaceable. Otherwise, I would prefer something that runs off of AAA batteries that I would have to swap out every few months than something that might last a couple years with the solar charging but then is useless after that. Or worse, might bulge or start on fire when it dies.
    Reply
  • Geef
    thestryker said:
    So long as the battery in it can be easily replaced this seems like a decent enough idea.

    Lenovo is known for doing horrible things with their gear to NOT allow it to last. Most Lenovo notebooks solder in the memory even when there is plenty of space for two slots.
    I would be surprised if they did what you are thinking for the battery. Higher chance Lenovo of making it so it can't be opened or battery replaced.
    Reply
  • wr3zzz
    I am still using the old Logitech K750. The rechargeable button battery needs replacement every 2-3 years but it work as intended and it's fun to pop up the lux app to see it charges. However I will never get another one because modern wireless keyboards can last 18+ months on a single charge whereas ~30 days was the norm when K750 was released. Backlit wireless gaming keyboards still only last days but solar can't help with those anyway.
    Reply
  • nitrium
    Yeah hotel rooms and cars have no power access points. And fortunately this keyboard can be used without a mobile phone or laptop or desktop PC to connect it too, all of which are also solar powered already. Oh wait, no it can't and they aren't. This is a classic example of a solution waiting for the non-problem it is trying to solve.
    Reply
  • Amdlova
    Got one logitech keyboard here with two AA almost four years with out change the batteries mouse work almost a year with one AA. Why some one need a sun cheager lol.
    Reply