Summer of tech
Your top 4 must have gadgets
Logan Krupa
Tech Columnist
It might be tough to imagine now, but soon exams will be over and we’ll all be outside in our shorts. A summer of adventures and fun awaits us! Here are five tech items that should make for a great summer!
Droning on and on
Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Power Edition Quadricopter
Price: $469.99
Flying drones is a ton of fun, and Parrot is one of the leading manufacturers of easy to fly models. One of the most unique features of the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Power Edition is that it is controlled with compatible Android or iOS tablets and smartphones. The drone is equipped with a 720p camera that can automatically send videos and photos to the controlling device and the Power Edition comes with two extended batteries that are good for up to 18 minutes of flying time per battery.
Greater than the sun of its parts
Instapark Mercury 10M Solar Panel Portable Solar Charger
Price: $89.99
Weighing less than one pound, the Instapark Mercury 10M provides an easy portable option to charge your mobile devices. The three-panel solar charger can charge two iOS or standard USB devices at once and Outdoor Gear Lab gave the 10M its Editor’s Choice Award this year for portable solar panels.
Water you going to do when you need an action camera?
Sony Action Cam HDRAZ1 Mini Waterproof HD Camcorder
Price: $279.99
Many of the state-of-the-art action cam models these days offer 4K video, but they also come at a very costly price. For most uses, 1080p video is sufficient, such as that offered by Sony’s HDRAZ1. The camera is waterproof, which is great for summer waterspouts. I like Sony’s Action Cam line because it tends to be smaller and lighter than comparable GoPros.
This coffee is in-tents!
Handpresso Wild Hybrid manual espresso machine
Price: $129.99
If you’re camping this summer, but your refined palate calls for something more than Folger’s instant coffee, give the Handpresso Wild Hybrid manual espresso machine a shot. Handpresso machines work with a small manual air pump to generate the pressure needed for espressos. Simply add ground coffee (or standard ESE coffee pods) and hot water, then give the handle a few pumps, and voila you have it: a perfect shot of espresso in the middle of nowhere!