Solar-Powered Cell Phones

Although it's unlikely that this will be the sole source of power for an upcoming cell phone, it's great to think that you can have this kind of of backup plan ready to go. Motorola has been granted a new patent wherein solar panels would be layered beneath the external LCD of a mobile phone, effectively translating those rays into usable energy. What this also means is that you will not have to walk around with a handset that blatantly rocks ugly solar panels; they'll be hidden.

The Display and Solar Cell Device patent allows mobile phones to be powered by the solar cell screen, as well as get a quick recharge of the internal battery while left in the sun. I don't recommend you leave it on your car's dashboard in the dead heat of the summer, however, because you may return to a pile of melted goo.

This is definitely an interesting idea and will be an absolute godsend to people who just can't be tethered to a wall outlet every few days.