Umbrella boosts cell phone signal, charges batteries, protects from rain

The Vodafone Booster Brolly is not your ordinary umbrella. It is a triumph of geek-inspired engineering! The accessory's primary function may be to protect its bearer from rain and the sun's scorching rays, but at the same time, a pair of antennas and a small repeater built inside the carbon fiber handle increase cell phone signal, as long as you are a Vodafone user.
Dr Kenneth Tong, who is a lecturer in antennas and microwave technology at University College London, is the one responsible for this invention. Some of his other projects aim to optimize reception according to a cell phone's orientation, thus achieving the best quality call possible.