Charge me up: an outdoor table that does it all

Credit: courtesy Intelligent Forms Design

It may look like you’re doing nothing poolside while your cabana boy (or significant other) is off scouring the bar for that third strawberry daiquiri you demanded, but in reality you’re doing more than just working on your tan. Nearby, under your sweating—and empty—drink glass, you’re recharging your cellphone, checking email and listening to your iPod—all in an environmentally friendly way.

The SOLo Lounge Table, designed by Intelligent Forms Design Inc., harnesses the power of the sun through silicon solar cells sandwiched between its glass surfaces. Created for casual lounge-type environments on rooftop decks and poolside patios, the sleek, modern table stands at coffee table height and has a built-in audio jack for personal music devices, a Bluetooth module and internal LEDs for gentle mood lighting, says company partner and designer Innes Yates.

Hidden inside a stainless steel drawer are four outlets—two USB 2.0, one 12-volt DC and a 120-volt AC—that power your mobile devices and keep their clutter out of sight. SOLo, which can nab more than 73 kilowatt hours of solar energy a year, is CSA approved and costs $14,000.