Sep 17
Unless you own a RAZR MAXX
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Jun 20
Hitting the rapids this summer? Consider taking this stuff along with you. We tested suits, shoes, shades — and of course, some waterproof protection to keep your gadgets safe.
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May 28
Etón Corporation has just announced that they have made available recently the Rugged rukus. The name of this particular peripheral sure makes it sound as though it is capable of creating a, well, ruckus, where it comes across as a portable, Bluetooth wireless, solar-powered sound system which should make it a decent candidate for those crazy summer parties that the young folk like to organize. After all, we are talking about the Rugged rukus coming in a durable and IPX4-certified splash-proof design, not to mention being able to play your favorite tunes while simultaneously ensuring that your handheld device remains juiced up and ready for use – as long as the Rugged rukus has not exhausted its battery supplies, that is.
Esmail Hozour, CEO of Etón Corporation, said, “The Rugged rukus is extremely portable and splash-proof, so it’s easy to take your tunes with you anywhere and everywhere. Because you’re able to charge your smartphone and take advantage of its built-tough design, it’s essential gear for any outdoor adventure.”
Coming in a lightweight and compact design, the Rugged rukus would be best described as an all-terrain, solar-powered, wireless speaker which was specially designed so that it can be uncompromising and tough without having to sacrifice awesome stereo sound. It is capable of pairing up with just about any other Bluetooth-compatible device out there, delivering crisp stereo sound thanks to a couple of its highly efficient, full-range speaker drivers.
The 20 square-inch high-efficiency solar panel is an alternative to its USB adapter to juice up its internal lithium battery, ensuring that even when you are in the great outdoors with nary a single power plug in sight, the Rugged rukus is still good to go. Thanks to the built-in USB port, you are able to juice up your smartphone to make sure that the tubthumpin’ party never stops. It takes approximately 5 hours in direct sunlight so that it can be fully charged, or you can opt for the traditional method of plugging it in, and the power outlet would juice up the $99.99 Rugged rukus in about 2 ½ hours.
Press Release
[ Etón announces Rugged rukus availability copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Jan 11
New gadgets take the spotlight at CES. And though we’re occasionally blinded by the bright, shiny things, we know where our loyalties lie. Behind the barrage of posts and sprinting between booths, the real stars of the show are the tried and true bits of gear we’re using behind the scenes. Particularly BorrowLenses.com, who generosity is the reason you get to look at all those pretty pictures. But each of us has our own beloved item—tech or otherwise—that we’ll swear is the only reason we made it out of Vegas alive. Spoiler: There are a lot of batteries mentioned in this post. More »
Jan 06
Etón’s upgraded its Rukus solar-powered portable Bluetooth speaker with a fancy new Tonka-tough, splash-proof outer housing letting you take it camping—or anywhere outside the safety of your home—without having to baby it. And as long as the sun’s shining, the Rugged Rukus may never run out of power. More »
Oct 24
Is your cell phone dead and there’s nary an outlet in sight? It’s not an issue if you’re feeling zesty and also toting a BoostTurbine hand charger, which Eton just announced as part of its new portable charger lineup. The BoostTurbine2000 and 1000 model numbers denote the mAh of the batteries in each device, which can borrow volts from a conventional outlet, then transfer up to a full or half charge (respectively) to most smartphones. In a pinch, though, you can pop out the hand-crank and grab about 30 seconds of call time for each minute of sweat equity, according to the company (depending on your motivation, natch). The BoostTurbine2000 will set you back $59 while the 1000 model will run $49, and both are now available at Eton’s store. The company also outed a new line of regular plug-in portable chargers — it’s all in the PR after the break.
Continue reading Eton announces Boost line, lets you crank your way to a charged phone
Filed under: Misc, Peripherals
Eton announces Boost line, lets you crank your way to a charged phone originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 11:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Oct 23
Eton has made a name for itself with a line of emergency devices—like flashlights and radios—that don’t require an outlet to stay powered. And its new BoostTurbine backup batteries promise to keep your other devices perpetually powered too, as long as you’ve got the energy to crank its built-in folding handle. More »
Aug 16
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we’re using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.
This week in IRL, Jon Fingas takes what could be an unpopular stance, making a case for the HTC One S over the bigger, more lavishly specced One X. Meanwhile, Darren and Dan test some summer-appropriate tech, including a GPS app for outdoor sports and a solar-powered speaker dock.
Continue reading IRL: HTC One S, Columbia GPS Pal and the Eton Rukus Solar
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
IRL: HTC One S, Columbia GPS Pal and the Eton Rukus Solar originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jul 23
The venerable Will Smith said it best, “Summer, summer, summertime. Time to sit back and unwind.” The sun is out and the tunes should be blaring. That’s where the Eton Rukus Solar comes in. This speaker system streams music from your phone via Bluetooth or 3.5mm cable while keeping its battery charged with a massive solar panel array. What’s more, a USB port allows the Rukus Solar to charge your phone, too.
The Rukus Solar is a fantastic outdoor audio system. Well, that is, aside from two curious design decisions.
Build quality
Like most Eton products, the Rukus Solar feels like it’s built to last. It’s constructed out of hard plastic and the front-side buttons are very sturdy. The speakers are protected by solid grills, and there are bits of rubber placed strategically around the system so the plastic shouldn’t get scuffed up.
The front display is of the e-ink variety. As such the screen can be viewed in direct sunlight, and when in use, doesn’t consume as much energy as a traditional LCD screen.
The solar array takes up the majority of the top panel. It’s huge. Eton claims that the solar panel can recharge the device in 6 hours. However, unless there isn’t a cloud in the sky, I found that the panel is best used to keep the Rukus Solar charged during use. It was much easier and quicker to give the speaker a charge with the included AC plug, and then take the unit outside and let the sun maintain the charge. As previously mentioned, a USB port allows the Rukus Solar to recharge a phone, too.
Audio quality
Audio is streamed to the Rukus Solar through Bluetooth. The audio quality is sufficient for the $150 price point, but not extremely impressive overall. The sound is full and sports a bit of bass. The treble is a tad sharp while the mid-range is about right. It falls squarely in the “good enough” category.
Don’t expect the Rukus Solar to pound. It tends to cut out at high volume although I must admit that the speaker system can hold its own against sound docks in the same price range. It’s not a party speaker but is more than adequate for a few tunes while enjoying some sun.
Two curious flaws
The Rukus Solar features a built-in cell phone holder. But it’s on the bottom of the device. And it’s just a piece of elastic. I don’t trust it.
Of course thanks to Bluetooth’s range, owners do not need to use this holder. The connected phone could be safely stashed away in a bag or pocket and the Rukus Solar would still playback the music. But it would be nice if the speaker system had a more secure, beach-friendly holder. A simple tray or drawer would be sufficient, provide more protection and allow the Rukus Solar to live up to its full potential as an outdoor device ready for some ruckus.
The Rukus Solar lacks an FM radio, which as I’ve concluded after reviewing over a dozen audio docks, is a unfortunate sign of the times. FM/AM radio still appeals to me. When you just need some random music, it’s so much easier to simply turn on a radio than finding your phone, loading the app and then finding an album/streaming station.
There was a time when nearly every household object included a radio tuner. You could nearly walk into the kitchen and tune to AM 760 from the toaster. Now, with the Rukus Solar and its thousands of counterparts, audio is only provided by a cell phone or Bluetooth-equipped media player.
Conclusion
In my mind the Rukus Solar is a near-perfect outdoor device. It’s built to last and makes it easy to bring music outside. Even with the two curious oversights it’s a great device and well worth the $150 MSRP (Amazon sells it for $130). The device comes in black, green and white.
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