If there are two concepts that don’t seem to belong together in any way, it’s umbrellas and solar chargers. In reality, you can only need one of those things at a time. But British telecom company Vodafone is, for some reason, putting these two together in a gadget they call the Booster Brolly. The umbrella essentially has three functions: to protect you from rain (or, presumably, the sun), to provide solar charging cells for your phone, and to boost cellular phone signals.

The high-gain antenna is hidden inside the handle of the umbrella, providing an increase in signal for not only the person holding the umbrella but everyone in the immediate area as well. The flexible solar panels on the umbrella’s canopy can connect to your phone or other gadget via a USB plug at the end of the handle…if the sun is out, that is. And since the Booster Brolly is being debuted in England, there doesn’t seem to be a great chance of it seeing very much sun.

The post Booster Brolly is Unlikely Team of Solar Panels + Antenna first appeared on Gajitz.

Using an empty coffee can, a wire hanger and a couple of cheap technology accessories, author and handy geek John Graham-Cumming built this simple wi-fi antenna for around $5. The antenna is directional, long range and very strong  – all for almost no money and with very little need for technical knowledge.

The entire materials list and instructions can be found at the inventor’s blog. He points out that the shape of the can and the fact that it has a lid are both helpful facets of the design; when the antenna is not in use, the cord fits neatly inside the can. Little details like the size of the can and the positioning of the elements all have an effect on the strength of the antenna, so it’s worth following the instructions to get the best result.

The post Powerful Long Range WiFi Antenna Made From Coffee Can first appeared on Gajitz.