Hottest Summer Gadgets
Want to make your summer more fun and productive?
CNET Senior Editor Natali Del Conte spotlighted several devices on "The Early Show Saturday Edition" guaranteed to make your life easier, whether you're lounging on the beach, traveling, exercising, or throwing a backyard barbeque.
The cutting-edge technology can, for instance, enable you to listen to your favorite music -- underwater, or double your iPhone's battery power.
The following product descriptions were prepared in whole or part with information provided by the manufacturers:
A frequent complaint about the iPhone is its battery staying-power. The Mophie Juice Pack is a great way to double the IPhone's battery capacity, and is especially handy if you're out at the beach and want to check your e-mails all day:
Mophie Juice Pack
Price: $60-$100
Where to buy: Mophie.com
• iPhone case for any generation of iPhone
• Charges your phone while protecting it
• Comes in white, black, or purple
• Doubles battery life of iPhone
If you're a runner or cyclist or for any workout, Sony has an MP3 player that's compact and eliminates dangling head phone cords if you're engaging in strenuous activity:
Sony NWZ-W202 W-Series Walkman
Price: $60 - $80
Where to buy: Sonystyle.com
• MP3 Player integrated into two modules on the earbuds
• Great for outdoor activity because you don't have to deal with a gadget
• All controls on earpieces
• Comes with handy docking and charging station
Waterproof gadgets are great for summer. Let's say you want to listen to your tunes in the pool. Check this out….a waterproof MP3 player!:
FINIS: SwiMP3
Price: $149.99
Where to Buy: www.finisinc.com
• Patented Bone-Conduction Technology vibrates inner ear creating high quality music underwater
• Sleek design with strap clip allows unit to be attached to swim goggle or snorkeling mask
• Integrated MP3 Panel 10-Hour rechargeable lithium-ion battery charges directly from a USB port
• 256 MB of Storage - approximately 60 songs
• Compatible with Windows and MAC Mp3 or WMA files
This is a little less exotic, but waterproof video cameras are great for families or boaters. This is really handy, especially if you'ree chasing the kids in the surf or teaching the kids to swim in the pool:
Sanyo VPC-WH1 HD Waterproof Flash Memory Camcorder w/ 30x Optical Zoom
Price: $370
Where to buy: Amazon
• Capture HD digital video (720p, 30fps)
• Waterproof up to 3 meters (10 feet)
• 30x optical zoom; 2.5-inch LCD screen
• Face Chaser technology (can detect up to 12 faces for photos and videos)
• Capture video and stills to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Finally, speaker products for summer: A lot of folks travel during this time, so let's say you're in a hotel room or a summer rental without a stereo. Check this out:
Yubz Magnum
Price: $60
Where to buy: www.yubz.com
• Bluetooth wirelessly connects and listens to all music sources
• Act as a hands-free speaker-phone device
• Pre-programmed for all mobile and computer devices with Bluetooth capability (version 2.0 or higher)
• Transmission range up to 30 feet (approx. 10 meters)
• Up to 10 hours battery life with 4xAA batteries (not included)
Or, if you're having a barbecue r summer cocktails on the porch, these speakers are rugged and useful:
Polk Audio AM3385-A Atrium Sat30 Speaker
Price: $150
Where to buy: Amazon
• Weatherproof satellite speaker
• Acoustically matched to other Atrium series speakers
• 3-1/2-inch long-throw midrange driver and a 3/4-inch dome tweeter
• Stainless steel grille and hardware is ideal for outdoor use
• Mount on a deck or wall, drop it from a ceiling with the supplied pendant, or drive a security stake into the ground and angle the speaker where you want the music