Hasta La Gadget!

Samsung’s next wearable, the S-Circle, has been spotted crossing the FCC, a new activity tracker that seems likely to lack the curved AMOLED of the Gear Fit in favor of … Continue reading

I like backup batteries – I carry more than a few, and they all get used eventually, especially when I travel. But sometimes I worry: What will happen to my portable backup power in case of the The End of Days? Should the world be buried in a never-ending blizzard, or should a meteor impact block out the sun and bury everything in a three-foot layer of ash, will my juice reserves still be operational?

With the Limefuel IP66 Rugged external battery, the answer is yes. The gadget is being crowdfunded on Kickstarter right now (and has already blown past its $30,000 goal in just a few days), offering up a maximum of 15,000 mAh in reserve power, depending on the configuration you choose. Other backup chargers out there offer up that much spare energy (including a number of low-cost options on Amazon), but none offer it in a case that’s quite so rugged.

The L150XR is waterproof, dirtproof, and crush or shock proof (not just ‘resistant,’ you’ll note), and is IP66-certified. For those who aren’t familiar with the ratings system for rugged devices, IP66 means that the pack is completely sealed against dust, and that it can withstand “powerful water jets” from any direction, for up to three minutes, in addition to submersion. You’ll have to have all the flaps closed to ensure that level of protection, of course, but that’s still very impressive.

Other features of the L150XR include that massive capacity, which is good for probably around 10 charges of your smartphone, as well as two charging ports that work simultaneously, and 2A input for faster charging of the backup battery itself (though it’ll still take between 9 and 15 hours to fill it up). It even has pass-through charging (meaning you can charge it and an attached device simultaneously), which is something people missed in the Mophie Powerstation XL I recently reviewed.

Boulder-based Limefuel was founded in November 2012 and already makes charging gadgets for mobile devices, so it stands a good chance of making its projected May 2014 ship date. Pre-orders start at $50 for a lower capacity, 10,400 mAh version, but the big 15,000 mAh edition starts at $70 (still cheaper than many top-end competitors, however).

You may not need the intense environmental resistance the L150XR provides, but on the other hand, there’s no good reason not to have it, either. And if you do back this, know that the end of time, when your phone is long gone and everyone you know has succumbed to high levels of particulate matter in the air, you’ll still have power left in the bank.

Protective cases, of various shapes, sizes, and gimmicks, are a dime a dozen in the mobile device world but there are a few that rise above the others in design, … Continue reading

Of all the smartphones on the market, you can count on finding accessories for just about every need for the iPhone. A new case has turned up at CES 2014 … Continue reading

If you regularly play FPSes on your big screen TV, then there’s a handy little gizmo out there that you might want to add to your arsenal. It’s called the HipShotDot, and it’s designed to improve your aim when playing FPSes that have a targeting reticle on screen.

Basically, the HipShotDot is a bright red LED attached to a small transparent suction cup. To use it, simply plug one end into an open USB port, then stick the LED directly over the center of the targeting reticle, then drape the remaining skinny cable down the screen and suction cup it in place. When plugged in, the LED provides a bright new point for you to focus on during FPS battles.

In my experience with the gadget, it definitely made it easier to focus on the dead-center point when aiming weapons. It works with any console or PC, and any FPS that has a consistent targeting point on screen. I suppose it would also work with air and space combat games as well. It also works with any display with a smooth surface. It definitely works with LCD, Plasma and CRT screens, though I’m not sure how well it would stick to a projection screen.

There are only a couple of minor drawbacks to the HipShotDot – first, it remains lit as long as you have it plugged into a USB port. This means that it stays on even during cutscenes and times when you’re not aiming. It’s small enough that it’s not too distracting, and its cable is quite slim too. Though I wish that it had a switch on the cord so you could at least turn it off when you shut down your console – since most consoles continue to provide power via USB when in standby mode. Still, the benefits far outweigh the cons if you’re really into FPS gaming like I am. Plus, the LED effect is kind of cool. It almost looks like a laser sight.

You can grab the HipShotDot online direct from Airdrop Gaming or from Amazon now for $29.99(USD).