Hate when your ipod runs out of juice while you’re driving, jogging or sitting in the park catching some rays? Soon you may not have to worry about your favorite playlist stopping mid-lyric as your batteries die. All you’ll have to do is point your ipod skyward.

As of May 26th, Apple has patented the technology to integrate LCD screens with solar panels, causing a stir among many industry experts. Currently you can buy an external solar charger for your mp3 player, but at $100-200 a pop and a rather unwieldy size, it hasn’t been an attractive option for most consumers. Apple’s patent indicates that the need for a solar charger may disappear, as the panels will be fitted onto the portable device itself. But the question of a 100% solar-powered ipod, Macbook or iphone, that powers up just by sitting on your dashboard or out on the porch, remains a controversial one.

We haven’t seen solar panels on our laptops or mp3 players as of yet because these devices simply need too much electricity to run—unlike the relatively undemanding technology of watches and calculators. There hasn’t been an efficient way to implement solar technology without making the gadget virtually unusable (i.e., solar panels taking over the whole thing). Apple’s patent, however, is for solar panels that fit behind the LCD screen, thereby nixing the need to change ipod’s current recognizable shape.

But this has experts scratching their heads. Putting a panel behind a screen blocks light, and this seems counterproductive—don’t we need the panels to get as much light as possible? Also, how often do we use our ipods, iphones and Macbooks in broad daylight? Sure, there are kinks and logical loopholes to work out, and of course filing a patent does not necessarily mean Apple will do anything with it. It may be that Apple is only looking for a way to boost battery life with solar power rather than a solely-solar ipod. But hey, with the energy crisis in full swing, who can complain about a few extra minutes of music in the sun?