Take a few punctured bike tubes, and you have a big spaghetti mess. But the folks at Green Guru Gear know how to craft those inner tubes into useful objects such as pannier bags, messenger bags and wallets. Now Green Guru has turned to Kickstarter for the company’s next product: a tablet case sized for an iPad. Continue reading Bike Tube Tablet Sling Case on Kickstarter from Green Guru
Tag: tablet
Rugged Case Needs Not Hide
When out in the wilds you don’t need to hide your tablet device, you need to protect it. The DropTech Hideway rugged case isn’t meant o hide, but it does feature a disappearing stand. The designers are looking to a Kickstarter campaign to bring out this stand, which could be used in a variety of settings all while ensuring that the tablet is truly protected. Video after the jump
RangerX Leads the Way for Tablets
While U.S. Army Rangers may lead the way, and won’t leave a man behind, the RangerX is a tablet you won’t want to leave at home. This is the first table from Xplore Technologies, which has actually been making tablets for 15 years, to feature the Android OS.
The tablet features an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance, as well as an MIL-STD-810G rating that proves it can stand up to the elements and so much more. It can withstand 95 percent humidity and operation at cold and heat extremes that would leave other devices on the sidelines.
Inside it offers an ARM Cortex A9 processor running at 1.5 GHz on an Intel QM57 Express chipset, along with 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and integrated GPS, as well as an FM transfer plus NFC and RFID technology. It offers connections as well, including two USB 2.0 ports, a micros-HDMI out. Video after the jump
Gadgets Get a Showers Pass
It can rain on your parade but with the Showers Pass new line of waterproof cases for the tablets and smartphones it won’t matter. These cases are designed for year-round all-weather use for cyclists and other outdoor activities, as each case offers a slim profile with welded edges to keep out rain, snow, dirt and water but retain touchscreen, phone call and camera functionality in all conditions. These cases offer a dual zip-lock feature keeps every device safe from an accidental splash in the water.
The Cloudcover include a pull-tab for easy opening on-the-go, a side tab to attach to a keychain or mini-carabiner as well as a dual zip-lock for ultra waterproof protection, plus reflective elements for easy location in the dark and welded edges that also help to cushion any falls or blows on the trail. The Cloudcover line includes cases for iPads for $49.99; iPad Minis for $37.50; Kindles for $37.50; smartphones (Samsung Glaxy, etc.) for $24.99; iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 for $24.99; as well as a dry wallet for $19.99.
Durable Device
There are cases that can help protect your tablet while on the go, but with the Durabook TA10 you won’t need it. This device is designed and engineered for those who work in the field, but if you want a tablet ready for adventure this is it.
The high-end industrial tablet meets Military Standard 810G for drop and shock resistance as well as salt and fog protection, and IP65 for dust and water resistance. It features an ultra-high brightness 10.4-inch LCD display with LED backlight that can be seen even when in bright sunny conditions. The resistive multi-touch panel features tempered glass, with a sunlight-readable panel, digitizer with active stylus. Inside the units offers an Intel Ivy Bridge processor, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless connectivity, and two six-cell battery packs. The unit also offers TPM 1.2 data security technology, a Kensington Lock connector, and Intel anti-theft technology (AT) or Computrace asset management and data protection.
For those who want to take the tablet to the ends of the Earth this is the one.
Life Saving Tablet
The iPad might be good for Facetime and Angry Birds, but will it help actually save your life? Is there an app for that? Probably not, especially if there isn’t Wi-Fi, cellular towers and power. The Earl Backcountry Survival Tablet is for those times, and it is designed specifically for use in the wilds.
The 1,024×768 six inch flexible E-Ink screen, which provides visibility in direct sunlight as well as a “Lunar” mode for viewing at night, features a glove friendly infrared touchscreen as well as a gyroscope so it can work in a variety of conditions. The screen can even be used as a lantern during an emergency. Laminated solar panels provide up to 20 hours of battery, and the device can charge in just five hours of direct sun light.
The Earl Backcountry Survival Tablet features an IP67 rating and is waterproof, dust-proof, shock-proof and even mud-proof. It offers an internal weather sensor, a FRS, GMRS and MURS transceiver for use as a two-way radio; plus it offers a built-in AM/FM/SW/LW radio tuner. It includes GPS and Bluetooth 4.0, and it runs on Android 4.1 so yeah, it probably can even play Angry Birds while you wait for rescue.
Concussion Analyzer
Tablets can do many things beyond playing Angry Birds and watching a movie. A team at the University of Notre Dame is developed a tablet-based test that can detect a concussion. Typically concussions, which should be treated as soon as possible, often are difficult to diagnose without a trip to the hospital.
This new software, which could certainly see use in sports, requires that the person recite a variety of words before they start playing and then again once there has been the potential of an injury occurring. The software works by analyzing the differences in how the words are said before-and-after, and looks for key indicators that could suggest a traumatic brain injury. These could include things such as distorted vowels, imprecise consonants even a hyper nasal sound. Unlike just asking an athlete if they are alright, this one can listen to how they say it. Video after the jump
Seriously Rugged Serious Tablet
Most of us will probably never need a tablet that can endure the punishment that the Algiz 10X can withstand, but it is good to know that there is this option. It is designed to withstand the elements, harsh handling and still provide those in the field with a serious machine.
It is IP65-rated and meets stringent MIL-STD-810G military standards so it can tackle dust, water, vibrations, drops, extreme temperatures and even varying altitudes. But it is still just 32mm (1.2-inches) thick and weights just 2.9pounds. Continue reading Seriously Rugged Serious Tablet
Android Tablet That is as Hard as a Stone Tablet
Tablets are great devices for surfing the web, reading an e-book, playing a game – provided you’re careful with the darn things and aren’t actually planning to take them out in the real world. These things are as fragile as a newborn, but Getac doesn’t believe this needs to be the case.
The company has released a rugged Android tablet, the Getac Z701, which can be used in places besides an airport or couch! It features a glove-friendly touchscreen display made of Gorilla Glass, a capacitive touch sensor and LED backlighting. More importantly it was created to MIL-STD 810G/IP65 specs so it can survive a drop from up to six feet, and is certified for resistance against dust and liquid. It can even endure temperatures from -4°F to 122°F. Continue reading Android Tablet That is as Hard as a Stone Tablet
Smart(phone) Way to Fish
With a smartphone you can easily search for a seafood restaurant, or you could use it to go directly to the source. While we’ve seen gizmos such as the Magellan eXplorist line of GPS devices that now include fishing hotspots map, once there you still need to see if the fish are actually there to bite.
For that the Deeper FishFinder might just do the trick. It is a sonar-enable waterproof ball that won’t sink but it will sync with the smartphone. The Bluetooth-enabled device can scan the water and send location information directly to an iOS or Android phone or tablet. It shows the approximate location of fish with a depth chart as well so you can cast off in just the right spot. Continue reading Smart(phone) Way to Fish
Made in America: Timbuk2 Bags
Hewlett-Packard, Mattel, and Apple Computer – what do these companies all have in common? They started in someone’s house or garage and have grown into multi-billion dollar corporations. The bag company, Timbuk2, was also started in a someone’s home, but unlike those other companies, they have chosen to keep the design and manufacturing of a number of their products close to where it all began for them in San Francisco, California. Continue reading Made in America: Timbuk2 Bags
CampFire Pack for iPad
There is nothing like sitting around the campfire, having the stars overhead and the iPad on your lap. That doesn’t sound right, but as more and more people take the iPad to the great outdoors some companies have stepped up to make it a little easier to use.
X-Doria has provided such an accessory, aptly named the CampFire, a padded stand of sorts that helps prop up the tablet. This custom sleeping bag case also doubles as a protector to ensure that the iPad can handle a bit of roughing it as well. And when the time comes to call it a night, the iPad will have its own sleeping bag to bunk down for the night. Additional images after the jump
Power Up While You Hike
Taking your gadgets on the go is easy enough, but keeping them juiced up when far from the grid can be another thing. Then this week we saw the Piggyback Solar Powered Gadgetbag, which as the name suggests can recharge your digital devices while you hike – provided you have sun shining down on you.
It offers two zippered pouches, including one large (8-inch x 12-inch), which is big enough for an iPad, and one small (8-inch x 5-inch) for compact devices including an Amazon Kindle. There are built-in channels for running USB cables between pouches, so devices can get the juice while safely tucked inside.
The solar panels are worn outside the backpack, which features an 800mAh Lithium ion battery pack to soak up excess power, while the device can output about 100mA along the way to devices inside the bag via USB. While the Piggyback Solar Powered Gadgetbag does add weight, and doesn’t exactly come cheap at almost $120, it is a good way to let the sun recharge your devices while you’re on the move.
[Via Ubergizmo: Piggyback Solar Powered Gadgetbag lets you charge your gadgets on the go]