READER PAUL MUSIC recommends this solar charger for iPhones, cellphones, etc. Well, if you’re anticipating a lengthy power outage, it might come in handy.

UPDATE: Reader Douglas Appelt writes: “Just thought I’d point out that this appears to be an extremely useful device, even if you’re not ‘anticipating a lengthly power outage.’ You can now bring your iPhone on a backpacking trip, and assuming you can get a phone signal in the wilderness (a big if, but you often can if you’re on top of a mountain with a clear line of sight to the nearest tower) you can have a device for emergency communication, and that can be used as a GPS locator, and can store maps of the vicinity where you’ll be, not to mention looking up that interesting bug or plant on the web.”