Gadgets

LuminAID
Conceived as an
emergency light as part of the relief effort for post-earthquake Haiti, the LuminAID's inventors are showing business smarts too by going consumer with it. A true lightbulb moment, the idea is simple and clever. A solar panel charges the Lithium battery which powers LEDs inside an inflatable pillow. The pillow's translucent opacity diffuses the light to give a soft, steady lantern-like glow. The LuminAID packs flat at a virtually weightless 85gm (about 3oz). A full charge gives out 35 lumens for 6 hours, more than enough to get your campsite dinner sorted

. LuminAID $19 , from
luminaidlab.com (or $27 and you donate one to the developing world too)

SoloShot
You can either see this as the perfect camera
accessory for the independent spirit or reflect that it's all a bit Johnny-No-Mates. The SoloShot automatically pans a camera head to track action at a distance by following an armband transmitter worn by the soloist. Intended for go-it-alone snowboarding, skiing or surfing, you set up your tripod, press record and the camera will rotate on the SoloShot base, following your run. So that's you on your own. Filming yourself. SoloShot $479 from soloshot.c om (not including camera)

Oakley 3D Gascan Glasses
With Hollywood pushing them for artistic reasons, ie extra filthy lucre, 3D movies seem set to stay for a while longer. Enter Oakley with these high-definition optics (HDO) in a curved 3D lens. They wrap around, for an immersive experience without the ghosting and glare often present with the standard issue 3D specs. Suitable for passive, RealD 3D. But not as shades. Oakley 3D Gascan Glasses $120 from oakley.com

Tom Kelly
betweenideas.blogspot.ie