Geeks are a picky lot–I can admit this without shame because i’m a choosy geek myself. Anything functional should also be aesthetically pleasing, since any real tech-lover will be using the thing, maybe even in public, on a fairly regular basis.

So. Solar-powered bags have been around for a while and for the most part, have not caught much of my attention. Why? Because they’re so damn ugly. Sure, I can charge my phone while I’m away from my car or desk, but if I have to carry around the least attractive accessory in design history to do so, well… I’ll just check my email less often.

Today on Engadget, though, I saw this lovely thing. I don’t hate it. In fact, I think the “solar-sequin” idea is kind of interesting and modern-looking in a good way. And according to the Diffus press release:

At night or in dark surroundings, opening the bag activates optical fibres attached to the inside of the bag that give a diffuse glow and assist in the search for keys, purse or other objects of vital importance.

That’s maybe a bit hyperbolic, since the contents of my purse usually fall between “Why do I have this?” and “Oh, I forgot about that” range, but it is a cool idea for excess stored energy to power an interior light. I do wish the bag were a different shape, since this one smacks of 80s corporate to me, but I think future versions of Diffus’s solar handbags may not suck. I’ll hold out a bit before laying down any cash, but I foresee good things.

What do you think? Yea or nay, Geeks?

[source and image: Engadget]