Vodafone creates a signal-boosting, solar-charging umbrella to juice your cellphone whatever the weather

Vodafone has created the Booster Brolly, an umbrella that boosts your signal, charges your handset and can even keep you dry during the traditionally aqueous British summer. Developed by Dr Kenneth Tong at University College London, it's designed around a carbon fiber skeleton which holds a heavy-duty canopy in place. On top, there's 12 hand-stitched silicon solar cells which charge a battery stored in the handle. It'll reportedly charge your handset in around three hours via the handle-mounted USB port, while on top, a pair of high gain antennae enhance the signals of any cellphone within a meter radius. It'll be unveiled to the public at large at the Isle of Wight festival on June 22nd, where hordes of people will hope that the company starts selling this publicity and electricity generating canopy.

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Vodafone creates a signal-boosting, solar-charging umbrella to juice your cellphone whatever the weather originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.