Lumia 930 video shows it getting charged by lots of apples and potatoes

Microsoft has released a new promo video that shows their latest marketing effort for the Lumia 930, where the phone is being charged by a collection of 800 apples and potatoes outside of a shopping center in London.

The exhibit is based on the well known principle that hooking up a potato to an electronic product could power that device. This happens thanks to a chemical reaction that occurs inside the potato when a nail is inserted and then a copper wire connects the nail to the device. The Lumia 930 exhibit is the creation of artist Caleb Charland, who has built similar set ups in the past and was asked by Microsoft to make this happen for the Windows Phone 8.1 device.

The effort, which was also sponsored by Carphone Warehouse, was placed outside the Westfield Shopping Center in London on Thursday, and the video shows the surprised reactions of the people who saw a phone being charged by a bank of apples and potatoes.

Besides being a very clever marketing scheme for the Lumia 930, it also shows that smartphones and other electronic gadgets can be powered by unconventional means. Most of us don't have lots of fruit available to charge their cell phones, but this kind of experiment is an example of how such products could be powered by different sources in the future.

What do you think of the video and do you believe it was a clever idea to help promote the Lumia 930 in the UK?

Thanks to KustomAU for the tip!

Source: Nokia on YouTube, Nokia Conversations

128 Comments

I have seen this video before. Thats awesome trick for promo.
If I place my phone on top of a potato will it wirelessly charge? Lol jk
I know it will
I don't think it's awesome.... Charging a phone with a potato.... NEWS FLASH❕ Apple, and Samsung have a better, and faster way... It's called THE USB CHARGERS THAT EVERYONE ALREADY USES EVERYDAY!!!.... Jesus Christ.
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If anyone ever uses the excuse that MS spends as much as they can on marketing I'm gonna post a link to this article... No, I don't like this, right now, and I'm sick of MS's marketing department doing the complete opposite of what needs to be done to promote WP devices.. This is a prime example of what I mean when I say that "WP's core problem is marketing", and I'm sick of saying it❕
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Sure, I understand the message that this demonstration gets through, but MS hasn't yet got to the point where they should be wasting time with this sort of thing.. It doesn't show any real life practical uses for the device... What about the keyboard? Cortana? Brag about IE11, even if it may not be the best browser, because that's what SApple does!... And, is this on tv every other minute?..... This kind of research isn't a waist of time, but right now, for MS, this is a waist of time... That ad isn't going to sale one damn Lumia, and that's sad...
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It's been 4 years, and I can't believe that we're still sitting here watching MS kill it (not In a good way) with marketing... It's real is pathetic, and whoever runs the marketing department needs a demotion because they just aren't cut out for it.... Didn't MS get some dude from Verizon to head up marketing?❔❓ ...... And, y'all call Elop a Trojan horse.... Pathetic.
Man, I totally agree with u
Well, then I totally agree with you! How about that❔❔
LOL, too funny! And I agree with both of you. You make a really good point that they are not in the position to be pulling stunts like this (as freakin cool as it is!). I always wonder why all the cool adverts I see for Microsoft are never meant for TV. Over 30 seconds long, don't illustrate any features of the device...etc. I did really like the Nokia/Microsoft merger one where they had the Rube Goldberg like contraption. Super catchy music, great visuals, but it said NOTHING of the devices/OS! The only TV adverts I do see are for the Surface. And the Pro 3 one that is out now is actually really good. I almost think they are buying time for the OS to get all of it's issues sorted out instead of publicizing a half-baked OS or whatever it currently is. I was fine with the limitations of WP8, but 8.1 has everything in Beta, down to the music player of all things. Tsk tsk.
Shouldn't you be on Apple phone central or something?
No, but MS needs to be... How long have you been a WP fan?
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And, it's called iMore, my friend❕ Lol!!!!
Wtf man, one little video piss you off that bad? Lol
No, not really... I guess it's just an accumulation of disappointment from the WP marketing team... I explain everything above... Sorry, if its a bit much.
Understandable, took it as seriously pissed tho, I just thought the vid was cool, but it does mot have ANY marketing about the phone, just says look what we can do hehe....
Well, either way its resources that could be put towards more important things... Lol!! Think about it... Google is experimenting with augmented reality glasses, and MS is hooking up phones to potatoes... Lol!!!.. Yeah, yeah I know that MSR comes up with some cool things, bit it is kinda funny if you think about it like that.......
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BTW, to better pruuuuuff reed yor comentz because we have a little grahammmarh nazi ⤵⤵⤵ ....
HB men you should eat pineapples.. -_-
*Waste* Get it right. I get you're angry & I pretty much agree with you, but you make yourself look dumb.
Who cares about that..... That's besides the point.. Predictive text isn't perfect.. Save that for another conversation, smart guy..
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Now, back to bitchin❕
Actually... You should've wrote "I get that you're angry, and I pretty much agree with you"... If you want to nit pick.. Lol:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o
I have to agree with you. MS is killing it with their marketing stratergy and to re emphasise your point its a nice video but MS should be talking about its features on the Windows Phone 8.1 and adds and promotions should be centred around these. MS has absolutely no marketing stratergy for the Middle east. Everywhere I go I see Samsung advertising their Android (these days its S5). Why can MS not market efficiently and effectively?
They continue to suck at it!!!
This kind of research isn't a waist of time, but right now, for MS, this is a waist of time... When you look down and can't see your feet, man that is a " waist of time".
Wow, not only did charging it this way draw attention to the product and cause this article to be written. It also drew your stupid comments so I guess their advertisement works. Oh by the way knowing how to alternatively charge something may be very useful in the event you can't plug something into a wall. I'll just let you imagination run wild on all the very possible scenarios where there's no electricity.
That draws attention for sure but it doesn't highlight any interesting feature of the 930.
... wireless charging?
Yes, but it isn't very useful, highlighting the OS would be better. Now that I think about it, wireless charging is the only thing other flagships don't have. Anyways, this exhibit is better than nothing.
Not true... A few big flagship Android phones have it...
Apple is most likely to invent wireless charging because they have a competent marketing department... MS isn't smart enough to show, on a large scale, that Lumina devices feature wireless charging.... WP has a huge marketing problem, and it doesn't show any signs of gettin better...
The TV commercial for the 930 is not bad at all.
The S5, the One M8, the OnePlus One, the Z2, the iPhone or Blackberry devices don't have wireless charging built-in.
Agree Agreed Agreed!!! I'm glad your speaking out. I wish I could meet Mr. Nadela and express my frustration with the lack of or rather bad marketing stragery at MS.
But they showed APPLE Natural charger prototype... for L930
They've cut the video before the potatoes got fried.
Lol. Good one.
Outdoor barbecues, anyone?
I heard it doubles as a barbecue grill.
French fries, anyone? :P
What do you think about MS's marketing for WP devices?
Pathetic. But Microsoft's marketing has always been pathetic all around. The only division within the company I ever saw producing good commercials and marketing materials was the Xbox division. All the rest is just terrible (and non-existant. The only commercials I've ever saw of Microsoft on television here, for example, was to promote Microsoft Azure!)
Your first word was well said..
Ok, lets clear something up... I don't know the real answer to this question, and if you don't know for sure that's ok as well.... Does each division handle their own marketing, or is there a marketing division itself that does all of the marketing for MS❔.... I would think the later, although I'm not sure... That would kind of go against what your comment implies... Does anyone know that answer to this?????
Different divisions. Microsoft, albeit Ballmer's propaganda, is still pretty much divided into sections. The Xbox division almost operates independently of Microsoft.
Right... It's a wonder that WPC hasn't ran an article about WP marketing.. Its such a huge issue, and debate, it needs to be addressed in the same way WPC had that series about how to improve XBLOWP..
About time they sorted their marketing out lol
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Great phone, but no glance screen, no led notification. Too pitty.
Those features are great, but not quite necessary though. However missing those features quite ruin a flagship's impression.... :/
Glance is what I consider needed.
I'm sorry but a flagship phone needs to have as most options as possible , led notification and glance screen are a great way to know if you received any notification without even touching the phone , it's a very good feature and the 930 should have at least one of them.
And please Microsoft , stop amoled screens , IPS LCD is so much better ...
Agreed. Quite disappointed with the specs and features when the 930 came out...
Yep. Hope they are reading this if they are they'll know it was a bad idea
why are people so amazed at potato batteries? havnt they read about it in school?
MS's marketing department is ran by a bunch of grade schoolers... WDY expect❓
Looks like Microsoft is reaching out to the uneducated ;)
I guess there's nothing wrong with that...
Did MS fuuck your mother or anyone in your family ...?
No, but I will do that to yours
What??? Why are you asking people that❓
Speed up the launch plz...!!
Apple how many were taking photos from android or apple.
Apple is too expensive....Can I try it with a Jack fruit
Lemons are more efficient
I can potate a potato, so potato power
Thank you so much! I've tried everything -- carrots, gherkins, kumquats, jalapenos, you name it, all in my vain search for that elusive fruit-and-veg based phone charger. I will sleep soundly tonight.
You must be a fruit vendor then :p
Top answer the article's question, no I don't think this was clever at all. This used to be a favorite science project of my schoolmates back in the 80s. It was overdone then. Does the 930 not have any endearing features on its own? I keep seeing these nonsense ads with the 930 in it about charging the device.
It is a clever ad though! The science isn't.
Not really clever when you take out the camera angles and piano tones. They are there to captivate the audience and is known to work well.
It's a good thing they put them in then. ;)
:)
I wonder if potatoes are rechargeable :p
LOL!!!
No sir, (perhaps) they are one-time-use batteries :p The thing I wonder is are those potatoes still edible.....
Well, I can bet... If they try to recharge them with 10.000 volts! :p
You are trying to blow everything up huh? LOL
Nope, just trying to cook something up :p
Huge waste of produce. I'm in favor of solar charging over using 800 foodstuffs that could feed the hungry.
Not a waste if it gets eaten.
After they've been handled like that with wires and nails being stuck in them I doubt health regulations would allow them to be used for human consumption.
Perhaps Lumia 940 or even 540 will packs solar charging, who knows? :3
Yes but thats way too logical for the marketing muppets at Microsoft. Never let logic get in the way of a Gen Y marketing idea
Portal 2
Seems Iconier.....
*Seem Nine-thirtier...
Wow so much wasted fruit and veggies.
What makes you think they won't get eaten?
#1 nails ruin the fruit #2 heat spoils fruit #3 people in front of fruit while talking only gives fruit germs and bacteria. At least I don't recommend it.
No, #2 heat fries fruit :)
Yeah fruit fries... But what about the potatoes? french fries? :P
Yeah Lumia 930 + French fries + grilled apples = urghhh... Microsoft-styled barbecue?
I better never eat that thing :S
Would make more sense if they out same effort into getting the phone released and into customers' hands.
That OneNote parody advert was better!
I think this one is too old now...
Amazing
Good they're raising awareness of this spectacular device
LOL dumbest marketing idea ever........
That's cool and all, but the most important question we should be asking is What is the guy in the background doing against the wall in the post picture?
Lol, didn't observe.. :P
Charging his phone by jerking off his "potatos" maybe
Those are "grapes" not "potato" :3 he is not an alien lol :p
How do you found out allien has potatoes.....oops..
Ahem... just guessing :3
Awesome sauce!
See what they did there
Yah I saw it.... Its cool... Last time they did experiments with sound and lightenings :)
Lol, how does this highlight wireless charging?
Sounds like an AT&T commercial highlighting their alternatives to Qi...
Waste of food
Apple is in charge again!
Plot twist: The iphone can't be charged by (an) apple.
My Lumia 820 can do that too.. ;D
"quite a bunch of apples equal to one MS."
I like the message they're sending here.
LOL! You've a point. But don't forget the potatoes! Apple Inc. also needs a bunch of potatoes along with the Apples to compete with MS!!! :P
Well Said LOL
^ This guy deserves a thank from Microsoft ;)
its creative and really nice but in India and in many countries so many people can't even afford to buy an apple(fruit) to eat , and this guy is wasting so many apples :/
Agreed. Terrible waste. After the way the food has been handled there's no way they would allow it to be consumed by anyone other than farm animals.
A ot more than that is thrown away everyday, a) for being misshapen, before even shipping to stores, and b) from overstocking. Right or not, these fruit would likely never have fed anyone poor anyway.
You mean I can't put my 930 on an apple or potato to charge wirelessly? I'm disappointed.
does it get as hot as a potato whlst charging off a potato? :)
Microsoft what are you smoking... Lol
How could you be so unthoughtful!!!!! this could have fed some hungry children instead of wasting on 930 that is not even live in most parts of the world!! Pethetic MS!!! Just showing thats it is charging will never help you achieve that publicity for 930 (which does not have any thing very much substantial!) How many $$$ wasted on this Advertisement??
Is this phone able to make calls?
Ahahaha, the symbolism is quite clear here, apples and potatoes indeed... :D
I usually like this kind of science demo, but that music---ugh, what an over-sentimentalized turn off. Sounds like a hospital ad. MS really needs more compelling outreach.
Just watched the video. Agreed it's actually pointless. I can't see how it would help the Lumia cause at all. A device charged BY APPLES & POTATOES!!! Haven't seen that before. What a load.
I tipped WPCentral on this because I thought it was an "organic" and creative way to show off wireless charging on the Lumia 930. I'm definitely surprised and disappointed at the all the negative comments here :(
Potatoes and apples... Thank you Apple to support our 930 windows phone with your power fruits
beyond clever, if not expected, now can the potato charge a wireless charger?..
You people have no soul.. It's supposed to be a bit of fun. Remeber that concept? Mobile phones are supposed to be fun, but reading all the negativity on these forums about MS and WP in general, you would have thought that this sort of thing matters in the scheme of things. It doesn't. A phone is a tool.. A device for communication.. That's all all. Yeah, you can listen to music, play games, e-mail etc... All fun... Remember that?? A lot of 'armchair CEOs' who probably couldn't run a stall at a village fete... Jeez!!!!
Cool experiment.
Imagine... how many hungry children would have a meal for this one Lumia 930 charging cycle. Such a waste.
It seems like a lot of effort to carry all that produce around with you just to charge your phone.

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