Interesting item today on the solar-powered gadgets beat. Reminds me of my days at NASA, when I headed up a program that put solar arrays in orbit to beam microwave energy back to earth. I'm not kidding . The program was called off when we accidentally broiled several offshore islands in the Caribbean.

Terrestrial solar-power gathering is much safer, or course, if maddeningly less efficient. Stupid stratosphere. For the discerning and connected traveler, you might consider the solar powered beach bag . This delightful innovation from environmental champions Reware uses a technology called thin-film solar panels that are up to 100-percent lighter than standard silicon solar cells. They're also quite a bit trickier to manufacture, but you can expect to see more of these widgets as production prices come down. The point is, the solar panel collects enough energy from your day at the beach to recharge your cell phone, digital camera, or what have you. The panel feeds into a standard "car lighter" type receptacle that will work with most devices. You can also remove the flexible panel for separate use -- just set in on the back porch (in the sun) and hook up your digital device (in the shade).

If you really want to get serious about outdoor gizmo-charging, don't forget about the tent-mounted wind charger . It's just a matter of time before someone comes out with the tidal hydropower underwater iPhone docking station. Mark my words.

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