Paving slabs and patios are generally pretty bland and boring (though they do provide an area for a computer case DIY BBQ). In order to literally brighten up a boring old patio you could go for these solar powered tile lights, they charge during the day and shine at night.

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This solar powered gadget looks a load more fun than the solar powered ventilator we wrote about earlier (though not as much fun as the Wego Kite Tube). The black Solar Airship is probably the most fun you can have in the park with your clothes on.

To use the sausage shaped Airship, simply fill with air which I assume is done by holding it open and running across the field with an insane grin on your face (so no puffing required though probably a bit of panting). Once filled with air the solar airship measures a whopping 8 metres long. Next you let the sun heat the airship and watch it rise into the air holding on for dear life. I’m not sure what sort of weight it can lift but it will be fun to find out.

You can get the Solar Airship from The Gadget Shop for £10 which is an absolute steal IMO.

You know when you come back to your car on a really hot day, you open the door and get blasted by hot stuffy air well this solar powered gadget solves half the problem, at least the hot air won’t be stuffy (and maybe a little cooler too).

The solar vent clips on the top of your window with the solar panel outside (and some air vent I assume) and a fan on the inside. It then sucks the hot stuffy stale air out of the car and replaces it with not quite so hot fresh air from outside. It’s certainly not a replacement for air con but a green and ecologically friendly addition.

Available from Sunshine Solar for under £30.

One of the great things about the iPod is you can carry it anywhere. One of the not so great things is that when the batteries run out you can’t charge it up anywhere (finding a power socket in a field in Glastonbury just ain’t going to happen). The answer may be at had with the Solio Charger.

The Solio looks like a solar powered popellor but it is in fact a solar powered charger for your iPod, so provided there is a bit of sun you can charge your iPod outside and be environmentally friendly at the same time.

You can get the Solio Charger from Firebox for just shy of 50 pounds (though was on pre-order last time we looked).

As the summer is right round the corner, we’ll all be gabbing a little more on our mobiles – avoid the dead phone scenario by picking up a Solar Mobile Phone Charger. This nifty little charger is equipped with adapters for Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and Samsung phones.

The charger can recharge a battery in just 3 hours when exposed to bright sunlight. It’s ideal for the sun-worshipping holiday maker who wants to avoid buying a gazillion international power adapters for their mobile.

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If it’s a hot summer and comfort is more important to you than style you may be interested in this Solar-Powered Cooling Pith Helmet.

Not only is the Pith Helmet (AKA a hat) a good sun shield it also incorporates a fan to keep your head cool. Fan is operated by solar power in the day and batteries at night. I suppose if you wear one at this you’ll be cool in one form .

Available from Hammacher.

Update: The Solar Powered Coolith Pith Helmet is no longer available at Hammacher.

This is another one of those really life changing gadgets, the solar powered hearing aid.

The company Godisa is behind the solar powered hearing aids and are aiming by help of donations to make them available free to those who need them. I think it’s a great idea and use of technology, gadgets are often pretty frivolous but these can really help people.

If you’d like to help out you can always send them a donation.

[Godisa found via MedGadget]

“Geek” and “Hardy outdoor adventurer” are not two phrases that usually share a paragraph. Nevertheless these rucksacks from Voltaic are practical as well as being cool and high tech so I can see them being bought by both groups.

Nah – who am I kidding, they’re a geek toy through and through! The idea is simple: Tech toys eat power, and we have lots of them. So… put some solar panels on a rucksack and voila, no charging worries.

The bags aren’t man enough to power a laptop but Voltaic claim it’ll recharge your GPS, PDA, phone, MP3 player and doubtless many other small electronic devices. Oh, and they’ll hold a change of clothes too if you really want…

The bags come with adapters for just about everything you can imagine: various makes of phone, GPS, PDA and also AC adapters to charge the bag(!) from a car or other power source when you’re not in the sun.

More information from Voltaic Systems.