Powered by solar energy, bright flower pot that does just

Taking photosynthesis to the next level, as its name indicates, this design 28cm tall pot absorbs the sun's rays in order to charge an internal battery that powers the built-in LEDs.

As night falls across the pot begins to shine, add a "enchantment" light touch to your garden.

There are two pots in tenders - a constant that glows white or one that phases through a kaleidoscope of colors.



The pot of the solar cell is at a peak that connects through the pot to 3 meter cable. Just stick in the ground and hide the cable. All this is splash proof, although not as much as frost.

The length of time the pot is lit depends on the amount of sunlight the solar panel is exposed throughout the day, but the claim is that you're looking at about 6-8 hours to 2-4 hours in summer and the winter.

Just white is £ 19.95, while the option to change color will cost £ 22.95.

source [engadget]

Solar powered iPhone?

It's possible that Apple's future just got sunnier.

Employees at computer, phone and software company Apple (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people ) have filed a patent to place solar cells on portable devices, Trade the News reported Monday.

Outfitted with such technology, Apple’s devices, like the iPhone, could have photovoltaic cells stacked underneath LCD touch screens, thus maximizing the area available for harnessing the sun.

The filing said that information regarding the performance of a device’s solar cells could be displayed on the main screen next to info for battery power, text message alerts and time of day. Or this information could also appear on top of the solar cells themselves, which are likely to display some version of the Apple logo.

In any case, Apple's new technology could herald the next generation of wireless mobility. Without the need to electrically charge devices--either via outlets or USB cables--users could at last start to break free from on-the-grid power connections.

Apple is certainly not the one in this field field. Mobile product manufacturers have looked at solar energy for some time, as consumers demand more battery power from portable devices.

One related product is the 6.4-ounce Solio Mg, $200, from Better Energy Systems. Its three magnesium blades fan out to reveal solar panels, which can store enough power to charge most phones and PDAs twice; an hour of clear sun will give most cell phones 25 minutes of talk time or an iPod an hour of playing time. It takes ten hours of direct sun to fully juice the device.

Also, the world’s first solar bag--the Voltaic Systems’ Generator laptop bag--is covered in solar cells and can charge a laptop. It generates up to 14.7 watts after a day of direct sunlight, can carry a 17-inch Apple Powerbook and comes with adapters that allow other electronics, such as cell phones, to be charged.

source[www.forbes.com]