Have you ever been camping and decided to go on a long hike, only to discover your walkie-talkie batteries are dead, leaving you without any means of communication? We all know cell phones are pretty much useless anywhere that’s good for hiking, so you’re stuck with a pair of walkie-talkies. Wouldn’t it be great if someone created a set that charged up via a hand crank? Don’t worry, they already have.
If you hate to end up with a dead gadget just because there is no power outlet in the immediate vicinity, then the PowerMonkey Charger might be just what the doctor ordered.
PowerMonkey is a sleek little gadget that provides hours of extra power for portable devices. Think of it as a back-up battery that, once charged, holds its power without leakage for up to a year. Simply plug it into your gizmos and let the juice flow. You’ll never be caught out with a dead battery again. There are two kinds of PowerMonkey, the solar-powered eXplorer and the mains-powered Classic but both models come complete with all kinds of adapters, so you can fire up virtually any device imaginable. The eXplorer even features water-resistant rubberised casing, a folding solar panel and a handy LCD screen that displays remaining charge - ideal for adventurous eco-types who won’t be near an AC socket anytime soon. When you want some more portable power just leave it to soak up a few rays.
The Classic and eXplorer models will retail for £29.95 and £64.95, respectively. Sounds like a pretty sound investment if you travel a whole lot.
There’s a great debate in the Bar-b-que world that meat only tastes better when cooked over an open flame, and even more so when cooked with charcoal (I prefer Applewood, actually). But historically sspeaking, the charcoal grill has been more of an exercise in frustration for backyard warriors only seeking to start the flame, much less cook on it. The 60 second charcoal starter from Hammacher changes all that.
It looks more like a lightsaber than a charcoal lighter (although I bet Luke Skywalker could light one lickety split), but instead of light plasma, it uses hot air heated to nearly 1300 degrees Fahrenheit. The wand is buryed inside the pile of coal to heat until the briquettes begin to spark. Then, the wand is removed and continues to heat the pile until the fire starts. The result is a cleaner flame that doesn’t rely on the dangers of BBQ gas that can be overused and start a serious fire.
The 60 second charcoal starter is powered by 110 AC, so the wand won’t be used on any backpacking trips anytime soon. But road warriors with an RV or generator with an electrical outlet will be able to enjoy fire for cooking as long as they have a decent extension cord.
Cost is is around $80 from Hammacher.
Hat Tip: DVIce.
I don’t know if anyone carries a pocket calculator anymore (most cell phones should have one, really), but they were all the rage back in the eighties when they figured out how to make them smaller and cheaper. Most of them became solar at that point, but there was nothing like the Water Powered Calculator.
As its name suggests, the Water Powered Calculator uses water or any other type of electrolytic liquid for power. I am assuming that Gatorade would probably work just as well. Anyway, the liquid creates a chemical reaction in the fuel cell with a zinc anode and cathode. This somehow makes an electrical current that is good for a month’s worth of power.
So the next time you are taking a math test, and your calculator runs out, you don’t have to replace the battery. All you need to do is make a trip to the water fountain.
It’s been a while since I’ve used bar soap in the shower. No, I bathe on a regular basis and all, but I’ve found it much easier to just use a liquid soap, as you don’t really worry about dropping it, and it always seems to get a better lather. Sure, I could get a soap-on-a-rope, but I’d still have the lathering issue (and a lot of spare rope). Here’s a concept that would make it much easier to keep your soap off the ground, while making sure that you get lots of suds to clean with.
A door is a door is a door, or is it? Fluxxlab from New York is working on their Revolution Doors that comes with a turbine powered by folks who pass through it whenever they enter or exit the building - sounds like the perfect door to install in all those glitzy casinos in Las Vegas considering the sheer amount of human traffic there. Taking cues from the idea of how water passes through a turbine and powering it, the Revolution Door boasts a redesigned central core that is capable of converting the motion of a spinning door into electricity efficiently. I wonder just how much in power bills can the building management save each month with this implemented.
Source: OhGizmo!
These days people seem to be taking more notice of the amount of energy their gadgets use. I’m not talking about how long their batteries last, but rather they are being more conscious about their impact on the environment. The easiest “green” power source that can be incorporated into many gadgets is from our sun. I’ve seen few practical solar designs for recharging phones, however, this latest product from Strap-Ya may be something worth looking into.
If you think that getting a waterproof digital camera case for your precious photo-snapping device might be a bit over the top, why not settle for the Hydrophobia 300 - 600? This is touted to be the first rain cover that was meant to be pre-mounted for quick deployment. Perfect for those who work in the field and don’t want the unpredictable weather to spoil not only the shot but equipment, it can be deployed quickly and without hassle. The Hydrophobia is capable of fitting over a 300 f2.8, 400 f2.8, 500 f4, and 600 f4 lenses, ideally pitting it in the sports and nature photography markets. The fabric used claims to be 10 times more waterproof than standard fabric, relying on a “film” on the underside instead of a “spray” coating. Waterproof tape is applied to all seams to create a seemingly and thoroughly waterproof cover. No idea on how much it costs though.
Source: Let’s Go Digital
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