Jan 13
Sure, the Snow Peak Hozuki Lantern has loads of functional appeal. But what we really love is the gorgeous design, and how it’s so easy on the eyes.
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Dec 13
When shopping for that special someone who loves the great outdoors, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. There are so many companies and so many items with so many different features that it’s hard to know where to start. That’s why we thought we’d kickstart this party with some of our favorite camping gear. We hope H.D. Thoreau would be down.
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Dec 11
Murderer. Slave owner. Celebrated philanderer. These are the words that should come to mind when considering a one Mr. Nicholas "Santa" Claus. Just because you can see through that drunk jolly facade, though, doesn’t mean the rest of the world can. So it’s time to take matters into your own hands. Fortunately, OpticsPlanet has put together a state-of-the-art, high-tech Santa Stakeout Kit for all your hardcore Santa-hunting needs. The guy never stood a chance.
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Dec 10
Technology and nature seem in constant conflict, but they can be better together. And being a tech enthusiast isn’t necessarily mutually exclusive with loving the outdoors, which is why we’ve put together a whole gift guide featuring stuff that scratches that techie itch but also should help you conquer (or live in peaceful harmony with, if that’s what you’re into) nature.
AR Drone 2.0 ($299)
Soon, drones will be everywhere, and we’ll need to retreat to the forests just to escape their interminable whirring. But until then, nature is the perfect harbor for them. The AR Drone 2.0 by Parrot is a smartphone-controlled quadcopter that you’ve probably seen on TV, the web or at a trade show, and it’s a great device for winging around the forest for some easy outdoor aerial photography. Bonus points if you can buzz a deer.
Nike+ Fuelband SE ($149.95)
The woods doesn’t count if you can’t quantify what you did there, and that’s where Nike’s new Fuelband device comes into play. Upgrading with much-improved activity tracking that can distinguish between biking, running, and even tennis and more. The Fuelband SE can also track sleep for you while you’re toughing it out on the cold, hard ground, but it’s only an on/off state, so if you’re more concerned about that, look to something like the Jawbone UP24.
Oru Kayak ($1,095)
An entire kayak that folds up into a convenient suitcase sized carrying package. That’s the only pitch you should need to hear with the Oru Kayak. Made of durable corrugated plastic, it comes with a number of options, including a two-pack for the outdoor-loving couple. It’s well-reviewed by many kayakers, packs up smaller and is in many ways easier to assemble than most other so-called folding kayaks. Plus, as far as kayaks go, it’s not even actually all that expensive.
Olympus TG-2 iHS ($379.99)
If you want a camera ready for the wilderness, the Olympus TG-2 iHS is the best one that will still fit in your pocket. Dust, shock, water and freeze proof, it also offers a very wide maximum aperture and good image quality all around. This is the prevailing leader when it comes to the pocket toughcam market, and you can usually pick it up at a discounted price if you look around a little.
Boombot Rex ($119.99)
You go to nature to enjoy the silence, not rock out to sick beats, but sometimes it’s okay to combine those two. And the Boombot Rex can hold up to adverse weather conditions, including mud and dust, and it doubles as a very capable Bluetooth speakerphone with a long-lasting battery.
Nov 26
Samsung updating Galaxy Gear this week with enhanced notifications and gestures (updated)
Posted in: Today's Chili
When we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch, we were concerned about the lack of third-party notification support. If we received a notification from any app that wasn’t officially made by Samsung, we wouldn’t actually get to read it on the watch; instead, we’d get alerted to the fact that something was waiting on the phone for us, and we’d be given the option to press a button and have that app open up on the phone itself. Fortunately, Samsung has heard our feedback and will be pushing out an update sometime this week that now allows third-party app notifications to show up in full; you’ll now be able to read your incoming Gmail messages, Facebook Messenger pings, Twitter mentions and Google Hangout messages, to name a few.
Samsung is also adding a couple more enhancements to the new update as well: it’s confirmed that the Gear will also receive enhanced Smart Relay functionality which it says will help users “perform actions seamlessly” from their Gear to their phone, as well as an improvement to the lift-and-pause gesture that activates the clock. We imagine there will probably be a few random bug fixes thrown in there as well. Overall, this is a pleasant update to some of the most frustrating aspects of the Gear.
Update: This firmware update has already been available in Europe, and it appears that this new update is for US versions of the device.
Nov 11
![50 Of The Best Movies Ever, Canon M, Das Keyboard, Vonnegut [Deals]](https://i0.wp.com/img.gawkerassets.com/img/19610irdl5c5fjpg/ku-xlarge.jpg?resize=640%2C360)
Build yourself an awesome blu-ray collection in one click. Amazon is offering the Best of Warner Bros. 50 Film Collection for $180, which is over $400 off the original retail price, and quite the bargain for 50 amazing films. The last time we listed this (for more), it was one of the most popular items we’ve ever posted. Includes physical and digital versions.
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Nov 09
Our Favorite Kitchen Gadgets
Posted in: Today's Chili
In case you haven’t noticed, we love gadgets around here. In fact, our list of our favorite kitchen gear quickly became far too long for a single article, so we’re splitting it in half. We present to you our favorite Kitchen Gadgets, and stay tuned in the near future for our favorite Cooking Gear. As always, we can’t wait for you to post links to your own favorites in the comments section.
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Nov 03
The Best Deals And Gear This Week
Posted in: Today's Chili
With November upon us, great discounts abound, and as you’ve hopefully noticed, we’ve been quickly ramping up our product recommendations. Here’s all the best stuff you may have missed this week, or just may want to take a second look at. We look forward to bringing you another week of huge deals, and we’ve also got a ton of great gear coverage in the pipeline.
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Oct 23
Samsung’s new Android 4.3 update will bring Galaxy Gear compatibility to the S3, S4 and Note 2, ins
Posted in: Today's ChiliSamsung’s new Android 4.3 update will bring Galaxy Gear compatibility to the S3, S4 and Note 2, instead of just the Note 3. Good news if you enjoy looking like Inspector Gadget.
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Oct 18
Endurance athlete, polar explorer, and motivational speaker Ben Saunders is on his way to Antarctica. Recreating Robert Scott’s heroic but ultimately doomed "Terra Nova" expedition from 1910-1912, Saunders has launched his own Scott Expedition to reach the South Pole on foot—and, more importantly, to walk back to the coast alive. If successful, this will make him and his co-traveler, Tarka L’Herpiniere, the first human beings ever to have done so.
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