Vodafone Trials Booster BrollyVodafone Trials Booster Brolly

NEWBURY, U.K. -- Vodafone UK has unveiled the latest innovation in mobile communications with its multi-purpose Booster Brolly.The unique prototype has been created in partnership with University College London (UCL) to ensure thatfestivalgoers stay connected with their friends during this summer’s biggest outdoor events.

The concept umbrella has been designed to function as an eco-friendly mobile phone charger, powered by a seriesof flexible solar panels within the canopy. The electrical current generated from the panels also powers a microantenna, boosting a phone’s 3G signal wirelessly. The innovative gadget, which will be trialled at the Isle of WightFestival next weekend, also boasts an LED torch for night time navigation and a ‘hands free’ smart phone cradle.

The Booster Brolly works with a wide range of mobile devices, charging a smartphone battery in under three hours.The design allows for one handset to charge through a USB port in the brolly handle. However, any friends makingcalls from under the canopy could also benefit from the umbrella’s signal boosting functionality, as the 3G signal iswireless. Underpinning the pioneering technology of the Booster Brolly is a durable carbon fibre skeleton, whichhouses the electrical circuitry and a double layer wind and waterproof canopy that protects festivalgoers from theworst the British weather can throw at them – whilst doubling as a sunshade during sunny times.

Vodafone UK