Umbrella charges cellphone, boosts signal

British cellphone carrier Vodaphone says its Booster Brolly umbrella will allow users to charge their phones while also improving cellular reception. Developed by Kenneth Tong, a lecturer in antennas and microwave technology at University College London, it features a dozen 2-volt solar panels hand-stitched into the umbrella to charge a cellphone, GigaOm.com reported. The umbrella has aluminum struts to improve conductivity and a small high-gain antenna with signal repeater to improve reception for a cellphone clipped to the umbrella's central carbon fiber pole. When clipped to the umbrella the cellphone can be charged, communicate with an improved signal and offer hands-free usage. Vodaphone is reportedly offering the Booster Brolly at a number of festival events in Britain this summer.