This Jacket Charges Your Phone With Solar Energy and Makes You Look Like a Jedi

Imagine your jacket could do more than just protect you from brisk wind -- imagine it could also help power your electronics. And make you look like a Jedi. That's what this poncho-like jacket from Anker Solix, the solar and energy storage tech branch of Anker, aims to do. I saw a prototype of it at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona -- and tried it on for size. I've never felt simultaneously cooler and weirder. The jacket, which Anker Solix calls a cloak, is covered in about two dozen sewn-on solar cells made from perovskite, a mineral that helps the cells feel more fabric-like and somewhat flexible. An attached cable with a 30-watt USB-C output connects to a power bank or directly into your device, so you can charge your electronics as you walk around or relax outdoors. Blue light lines the hood to give a cooler, more futuristic feel. I imagine it's also helpful if you're out at night and want to make yourself clearly visible for safety. The cloak resembles a rain jacket, with a ... Read full article.