Kill two camping birds with a single stone thanks to the PowerPot ($125 and up). Using the magic of thermoelectric power generation, the PowerPot uses the heat from your cooking — did we mention it’s a camping-style cooking pot? — to run a 5W generator that can power up to 2-3 USB devices at a time. Food + gadgets — what could be better on your next trip into the wilderness? [Scouted by Peter]
Something about this weather makes us feelng like we want to go back to the outdoors, but a mans gotta eat…
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you can cook up a kitchen-worthy meal when you’re miles away from the nearest outlet thanks to the Coleman outdoor oven/Stove ($250). Powered by a 1lb. propane canister, this portable powerhouse offers two 5,300 BTU burners and 3,000 BTU of cooking power in the oven, which is large enough to hold a 9″x13″ baking pan. Yes, it kind of defeats the purpose behind camping, but if “reconnecting with nature” isn’t your thing, you’ll be glad to reconnect with a frozen pizza. [via] Source:Coleman Outdoor Oven/Stove
We couldn’t be happier to preview one of the more interesting handsets in recent memory – the pico projector-laden Samsung Galaxy Beam. We remember how excited we were in 2009 when we handled the first Samsung phone with built-in projector, the I7410, and the next year when the first Beam made its way to MWC 2010.
The original Beam-er then crushed our hopes and dreams by never venturing outside of Singapore, except to entertain some trapped Chilean miners. Still, those two will stay forever in our hearts as the first phones with integrated projectors, unlike the LG eXpo, which had a pico unit as an accessory to tack on.
Announced at MWC 2012, the Samsung Galaxy Beam now sports a projector module of likely Samsung’s own make that shines with 15 lumen and nHD (640×360) resolution, supposedly enough to create a watchable experience in a low ambient light setting, which can be blown up to 50”.
Compare that to the 6 lumen that the pico projector inside its predecessor was capable of, and you will understand why we were excited to take the Galaxy Beam for a spin. Is it living up to our caged desires to watch CSI while camping in Shenandoah, and annoy the heck out of the wildlife there? Read on our preview to find out…
Design:
Graced with jolly bright orange sides, the Galaxy Beam is sure to attract attention as if it’s your regular flashy teen-oriented phone for the color choice alone. It’s chubby, with a sturdy build, but by no means overly thick at 0.49” (12.5mm), and not at all that heavy at 5.13oz (145g). In fact, it feels and handles very well in the hand, thanks to the ergonomic tapered back with patterned non-slippery back cover made of soft-touch plastic.
If you can’t convince your little diva to venture out on a camping trip, the CristalBubble might help bring her around. It’s a portable self-contained living space that gives you 360-degree views. Show her the pictures of it decorated like a hotel room, just don’t mention that a bear could slash right through the wall like it was a trash bag. $11,000
Bringing a full-size keg isn’t always possible: when you’re camping, for instance, it can take up valuable space in your vehicle. Even at home, a full-size keg may be a tight fit. But the Avanti mini Pub offers an elegant solution for tapping 5-liter mini beer kegs. The mini kegs fit inside the smaller-size beer tapper, letting you cool them down and pour beer anywhere. The beer tapper is a lightweight thermoelectric model that autodefrosts. It runs silently and can use any standard 5-liter mini keg. The exterior is stainless steel.
