Gadling Gear Review: SunVolt Solar Charger

by Kraig Becker on

Advances in photovoltaic cell technology in recent years have helped to make solar chargers a viable option for travelers, particularly those visiting destinations that fall off the grid. Smaller, lighter and more efficient solar panels have made it possible for us to keep our favorite gadgets and tech gear charged while on the go. Despite those improvements, however, solar charging isn’t always as reliable as we’d like and there are still some challenges to overcome.

Gomadic, a company that specializes in unique charging solutions and other technology options for travelers, is hoping to take a step forward in this expanding market. Their new SunVolt solar charger promises improved charging times and more efficient use of the sun when compared to similar systems from competitors. In fact, if you believe the marketing hype, the SunVolt can deliver similar charging speeds to a standard wall outlet, quickly powering our electronic equipment using nothing more than clean energy from the sun.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention and that seems to hold true with the SunVolt as well. The charging system was designed and built by Don Cayelli, who was looking for a way to charge his iPad while out on his boat. Cayelli found that most solar chargers incorporated a battery pack, and the suns rays are directed to energizing that battery, which then in turn charges our gadgets. Cayelli’s idea was to remove the battery pack and focus on making an efficient solar panel that is strong enough to charge our devices directly, without the need for any intervening technology.It is evident that a lot of thought went into the design of the SunVolt. For instance, the photovoltaic cells are built directly into a custom carrying case that makes it a breeze to carry the system and all of its included cables with you at all times. Inside the case is a rigid shell that not only protects the panels from harm but also holds it in place when it is ready to capture the light of the sun. The case also allows the panel to be set at a variety of angles to maximize the amount of light that the cells can capture. And when you’re ready to pack up and hit the road, you can collect the whole system in just a matter of seconds.

Like all solar chargers of this type, the SunVolt’s performance is a bit of a mixed bag. In direct sunlight it does indeed generate plenty of power and is capable of quickly and efficiently charging two devices at once. In fact, when it’s working at peak levels, the SunVolt just might be the fastest portable solar charger that I’ve come across. But throw in a little cloud cover, or anything less than direct sunlight, and suddenly charging times slow to a crawl. That is when you’ll wish you had that built-in battery pack, as it would store a charge for when it is most needed, allowing you to charge your gadgets even when there isn’t much sun at all.

Fortunately, the SunVolt does have the ability to use a battery pack as an optional add-on and my test unit had one included. The high-capacity battery was a nice addition, allowing my charger to collect power all day long, then charge my smartphone or camera later in the day. Without the battery, you’ll need to leave your devices plugged into the SunVolt during the brightest part of the day, which may not always be the best time to be without them. The Solar Cache battery pack is an additional $40 expense, but it is well worth the investment for anyone considering the SunVolt as an option.

The SunVolt is clearly a high-quality product, and when it is working at full capacity it is an impressive solar charger to say the least. That said, there are still a few improvements that could be made to future versions. For instance, I would have preferred two built-in USB ports as opposed to the proprietary cable that adds those ports. Extra cables are easy to lose and add unnecessary complexity to a product that should be as simple and straight forward as possible. The SunVolt comes with a variety of other cables as well, including standard, mini and micro USB, plus a 30-pin iPhone/iPad cable. Owners of newer Apple devices will need to bring their own Lightning cable. All of those cables are nice to have on hand, but can start to add up after awhile. Fortunately the SunVolt’s case does make it easier to organize and store them.

The SunVolt is also a bit on the heavy side, which doesn’t exactly make it the best option for all types of travel. For instance, Don Cayelli designed the product for use while sailing and that seems like the perfect activity to carry one of these devices. Campers will find it useful as well and it would be great to have along on a trip to a mountain cabin or any other escape to a remote destination without power. But anyone who likes to travel light, such as backpackers or trekkers, will be disappointed by the weight and bulk of this charging system. For those types of travelers there are other lightweight options available, even if they aren’t as fast and efficient as the SunVolt.

The standard SunVolt model is capable of generating as much as 10w of power and carries a price tag of just $99.95. That’s actually an affordable price point for a product like this one, although as mentioned above the Solar Cache battery pack could add to the cost. A second model, the SunVolt MAX, can crank out an impressive 15w of energy and can actually charge three devices at once, including an iPad. It runs $129.95.

If you’re in the market for a portable and versatile solar charging system, the SunVolt is an excellent option. It is fast, efficient and powerful enough to charge multiple devices at once. It may be a bit on the bulky side, but for campers, sailors and similar types of travelers, it is the perfect way to stay powered up, even while off the grid.

Gadling Gear Review: iPad Mini

by Kraig Becker on

Over the past couple of years the demand for tablet computers has gone from nonexistent to one of the hottest segments of the entire consumer electronics market. At the forefront of that demand is the iPad, which not only launched the tablet revolution but has continued to push it forward since its introduction in 2010. The iPad’s dominance has been so complete that competitors have been forced to attempt to carve out a niche with smaller and cheaper tablets, sometimes with solid success. Not one to let a market slip away, Apple released a smaller tablet of their own a few months back, bringing an excellent entry to the growing 7-inch tablet segment.

The iPad Mini was released this past fall and garners its name from the fact that it features a 7.9-inch display as opposed to the 9.7-inch screen found on the full size version. But the size of the screen isn’t the only part of Apple’s tablet that has gotten smaller. The Mini is also considerably thinner and lighter than its larger counterpart, which is probably the thing that is most striking when you first hold one in your hands. The fact that it slims down so nicely and still manages to maintain Apple’s legendary build quality is just icing on the cake. Put simply, the iPad Mini feels great in your hands and makes you think that this is what the iPad should have been the whole time.

Despite its smaller screen, the iPad Mini still runs all of the iPad Apps without a problem. That means that buyers get access to the best tablet apps on the market, while Android owners continue to wait for many of their apps to be optimized for larger screens. Apps look fantastic on the Mini’s bright and vibrant screen as well, although it doesn’t feature the amazing Retina display that is found on the larger, more expensive iPad. It seems logical that the first update to the Mini will be adding some form of the Retina display in a future update, but hopefully not at the expense of added weight or thickness.The Mini provides fast and smooth performance, running Apple’s iOS mobile operating system very well. In fact, I didn’t notice any appreciable difference in how the tablet responded or ran apps when compared to my third generation iPad, which features a much more powerful processor. The device also features two built-in cameras, one on the front and one on the back, which take passable photos and are great for video conferencing.

Travelers will absolutely fall in love with the Mini. Its smaller size and weight makes it a great travel companion, easily slipping inside a carry-on bag or purse without adding any kind of noticeable bulk. Its ten-hour battery life keeps it running for a long time and its vast library of apps provides games, movies, television shows, magazines, music and plenty more diversions for long flights or layovers in the airport. The fact that it is also considerably cheaper (the Mini starts at $329 for a 16GB model) than the regular iPad will make it attractive to new buyers as well.

In a lot of ways the Mini is the best iPad yet and as an owner of the full-size model, I am looking forward to Apple bringing some of the design elements over to the larger tablet. But as someone who actually does work on his iPad, the smaller screen is a compromise that I’m not ready to make just yet. I once wrote a 1000-word story on my iPad while on a flight home from Jordan with no real issues, but I can’t imagine doing the same thing on the smaller screen of the Mini. The smaller tablet is a fantastic option for those who consume media on their mobile devices, but it isn’t the best option for those that want to create content as well.

But the Mini’s competition isn’t just the full-size iPad, as both Google and Amazon have competing products that stack-up well with Apple’s device. Those tablets are smaller and lighter, yet feature higher definition screens and come in at a lower price tag. They also feel less solid in your hands and have a build quality that can best be described as “cheap” when compared to the Mini. Couple that outstanding construction with a larger display and an app store that is unmatched in the number of options designed for tablets and I believe the Mini provides an outstanding bang for the buck.

Just like the larger iPad, Apple offers the Mini with 16, 32 and 64 GB of storage and with options to connect to 4G data networks for Internet access on the go. No other small tablet offers such a wide variety of options in storage and connectivity, albeit at an increased cost as well. And that versatility is appreciated by consumers, particularly in an increasingly connected world. My third generation iPad is a 64GB model with LTE access and I find that to be incredibly useful for staying connected while on the road.

As far as I’m concerned, the iPad Mini is the best tablet on the market for travelers. Its small size and compact shape make it easy to carry with you whether you’re heading across town or across the globe. It is impressively built, powerful and versatile, and it comes with the best app store available for any tablet on the market. If you’ve been reluctant to invest in one of these devices in the past, then you really should take a look at the Mini. It is a fantastic product that will convince many first-time buyers to finally bite the bullet and add a tablet to their travel gear. And if you’re an owner of an older iPad who has been considering an upgrade, you’ll want to take a look too. You may find the Mini’s more svelte design too enticing to pass up, even though you’ll be reducing the size of your screen.

Make no mistake; Apple has more competitors in the tablet market than they have ever had in the past. But they also continue to stay two or three steps ahead of that competition, delivering the best devices in the category at competitive prices. The Mini not only continues that legacy but extends it.

[Photo Credit: Apple]

Track Your Lost Luggage With TrakDot

by Pam Mandel on

Imagine knowing where your bag is even when the airline doesn’t. That’s the idea behind TrakDot, a new tech gadget that combines a $50 device, a $12 subscription and a cellular data plan. Switch the gadget on, pack it in your luggage, and if your checked bag doesn’t appear, you can find it more quickly than the airlines can using GloboTrac’s website.

Via ArsTechnica:

If a bag doesn’t reach its intended destination, “the airlines don’t know where it is,” GlobaTrac CTO Joseph Morgan told Ars at the CES Unveiled event Sunday night. “If it ain’t where it’s supposed to be, they’ve lost it, they don’t know where it is. They will eventually find it, but that doesn’t give you peace of mind.”

A simple question remains unanswered: how do you recover your bag once you know where it is? You’ve still got to navigate the airlines recovery process, but perhaps you’ll sleep better (in your borrowed T-shirt) when you’re able to see exactly where your precious stuff is.

TrakDot goes to market in March. This traveler is sticking with traveling light enough to go carry on only.

[Photo Credit: TrakDot]

Gadling Gear Review: HP EliteBook 2570p Laptop

by Kraig Becker on

Over the past few years the trend in laptops has been to get thinner and lighter, often at the expense of power and features. The result has been a host of ultra-portable notebook computers that are sleek and stylish but don’t necessarily meet the needs of travelers who require a full-featured option when hitting the road. Fortunately, HP hasn’t abandoned those road warriors who require more from their laptops than just a pretty exterior. Their new EliteBook 2570p provides a great combination of performance and functionality in a package that still manages to remain relatively thin and lightweight.

While the EliteBook 2570p doesn’t fall into the category of an ultrabook, I was still very impressed with how thin and lightweight it is for such a full-featured laptop. Most ultrabooks achieve their diminutive stature by making compromises to the internal chipset and by omitting an optical drive altogether. HP hasn’t made those same compromises with this computer, however, delivering a system that includes a DVD drive, 12.5″ widescreen display, 500 GB of internal storage, 4 GB of RAM and an Intel Core i5 processor (i7 available as an upgrade) while still managing to keep the weight and bulk to a minimum. The EliteBook tips the scale at just 3.6 pounds and is a little more than an inch thick, which are pretty impressive dimensions for a computer that includes this much hardware.

Of course, all of that internal technology doesn’t mean much if you don’t have the battery power to keep it up and running for very long. But HP has managed to deliver in that department as well, giving the laptop plenty of juice. Out of the box, the EliteBook 2570p comes with a standard 6-cell battery that delivers more than nine hours of life. The unit I tested came with an extended 9-cell battery, which brought that time up to an astounding 15 hours. That’s enough to keep travelers productive and entertained for an entire trans-Pacific flight without needing a recharge, something that isn’t possible on most ultrabooks.
Built from the ground up to withstand the rigors of the road, the EliteBook 2570p is rugged and durable. It isn’t in the same class as something like the Panasonic Toughbook series of laptops, but then again HP’s offering isn’t nearly as big or as bulky as those machines either. This is a computer that will hold up well to the challenges of travel and you’ll never have to worry that it is too fragile to accompany you on a trip to just about anywhere.

This laptop implements a nice mix of legacy technology and new features. In addition to the aforementioned DVD drive and a fingerprint scanner, it also includes gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, an SD card reader and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. It even has an option for a 56k modem, something that is seldom found on any computer these days. Business users will appreciate the ability to dock the computer while seated at their desks and everyone will enjoy the SRS premium sound package, which provides clear audio for watching videos, listening to music or chatting via Skype.

Since this laptop is aimed primarily at business-oriented travelers, HP has added some impressive levels of security to protect the contents on the hard drive. In addition to the usual password protection that comes standard on any Windows PC, the EliteBook 2570p’s included fingerprint scanner provides a slick way to authenticate as well. But this system also has a third option that combines Bluetooth technology and facial recognition to provide unprecedented protection for those that need it. When the laptop is paired with a mobile phone via Bluetooth it then takes a snapshot of the users face through the built-in webcam. When the computer’s owner attempts to log in using this system, the EliteBook first checks to see if the user’s phone is within range and then activates the camera to compare his or her face with the image on file. If they match, the system grants entry. This security option sounds complicated, but once it is configured, it works flawlessly and provides a measure of protection that goes well beyond what is found on most notebooks.

While overall I found the EliteBook 2570p to be an excellent full-featured laptop for travelers, there were a few areas that I wouldn’t mind seeing improved. For instance, I wasn’t overly impressed with the touch pad, which was smaller, and sometimes less responsive, then I would have liked. The laptop does come with a track stick, however, which helps to mitigate this issue for those that prefer that option. The integrated Intel graphics chip will be a bit disappointing for some as well, although if you don’t play 3D games or edit video, you’ll probably find it adequate for your day to day needs.

HP offers the EliteBook with your choice of either Windows 7 or Windows 8, and my test model came preloaded with the latest version of Microsoft’s iconic operating system. After putting it through its paces for several weeks, I’d have to say that if I were ordering one of these laptops for myself, I would probably prefer Windows 7. That isn’t to say that Windows 8 doesn’t bring some new and interesting things to the table, but its interface seems to work better on a touchscreen device, something that this laptop most assuredly is not. Windows 8 runs flawlessly on the 2570p, but I found it a bit awkward to use at times, especially with the smaller touch pad.

If you’re the kind of traveler that needs to carry a laptop that doesn’t compromise features and performance in favor of a slim design, then the EliteBook 2570p is a great option for you. The computer provides everything that business travelers need to stay connected and productive while on the road, while still managing to remain relatively lightweight and thin. Yes, HP could have pulled out the DVD drive and a few other features to cut weight and bulk, but that would be completely missing the point. Some of us still need those options while on the road, and those are the types of travelers who are going to appreciate what this laptop brings to the table. Those same users are also likely to appreciate the EliteBook’s price tag, which starts at just $949. That’s an excellent price for a computer that delivers this much versatility and performance in such a small package.

[Photo Credit: HP]

Gadling Gear Review: Road ID Dog Tags

by Pam Mandel on

Sometimes I think about it before I step into the ocean with minimal belongings behind me on the beach. I have no ID on me. What if I’m knocked out by a rogue wave? There are lots of awful “what if” scenarios for solo travelers that involve being separated from our belongings and left to roam without identity. It’s a paranoia play, sure, but also a practical one that makes the Road ID tag a good idea.

Road ID makes tags for travelers (or any outdoor adventurers) that will help should you need to be identified. There are a couple of different styles: dog tags, bracelets, shoe tags and a neoprene ankle strap. (You can also get dog tags for your … dog.) The tag has enough space on it for your name, nationality, home city, and a few lines of critical information – contact numbers, medical conditions or allergies.

It’s simple enough to order these things, and they come in the mail a few days later. The basic model, the wrist strap, will set you back $15.99; on the higher end, the FIXX ID (military style dog tag) will cost you $24.99. With that you get a chain and a design on the back of the tag.

You don’t want to need to have this thing on you. But travelers with medical conditions have been wearing Medic Alert tags for eons now. An ID tag of some flavor is a nice, sensible addition to any traveler’s gear – and makes a great gift for the adventure traveler in your life.

[Photo by Road ID]