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BioLite’s HeadLamp 330 is listed at its lowest price yet, $40
It isn't just laptops and phones that are getting marked down for Black Friday. Some of our favorite outdoor gear will be discounted, too.
Google is putting the Pixel 4 and Stadia on sale for Black Friday
Black Friday is just around the corner, and Google is sharing a sneak peek of the sales it will offer. We've rounded up the tech deals to look out for. Most start on November 28th, but a few sales will go live on November 24th.
Philips introduces its first outdoor Hue lights (updated)
Philips Hue is a popular smart home lighting system, so it was only a matter of time before the company extended to the outdoors. Today, Philips announced its new outdoor range, which extends the light bulb system's smart features from within the home to its exterior.
Philips Hue lights will sync with music and games on your PC
Philips' team-up with Razer is just the start of Hue-to-PC syncing. The lighting behemoth is preparing to launch a Hue Sync app that will let you sync games, movies and music on any Windows 10 PC or High Sierra-equipped Mac. While the exact functionality is under wraps, it's easy to imagine turning the room blood red when you play death metal, or dimming the lights when you settle in for a Netflix marathon.
Nest's outdoor Cam IQ brings facial recognition to your backyard
Nest's latest media event could be big news if you're interested in spotting burglars before they break into your home. It's introducing the Nest Cam IQ outdoor, a rugged take on the regular IQ that's designed to watch over your yard. As you might guess, it applies the same facial recognition technology to a weather-resistant (IP66-rated) and tamper-resistant body that's always plugged in. In theory, it won't raise an alert if it sees your kids playing in the back, or a locked-out spouse frantically looking for a way in. The camera can automatically zoom in and follow people as well. And the speaker is 15 times louder than on the indoor model, so you can shout at trespassers if you catch them in the act.
How about a drone to help you catch fish?
If you're looking to improve the quality of your catch, or just terrorize the local fish, you should check out AguaDrone. As the name implies, it's a drone that's been specifically designed to operate on water for those fishy and outdoorsy types in your friend circle. As well as being fully waterproof, the device can land on and take off from bodies of both fresh and salt water. But AguaDrone's real strength is that it can carries a series of swappable pods that'll enable you to hunt down, film and catch those prized fish who aren't so easy to find.
Netgear security camera is wireless, ultra-wide and weatherproof
Look, we know -- it's hard to get excited about home security cameras. However, Netgear is determined to stand out with a camera that ticks virtually every checkbox on the list. Its new Arlo Pro is not only wireless (with the option of plugging in), but touts an ultra-wide 130-degree viewing angle and weatherproofing. Yes, you can stick this on a tree with the knowledge that it could easily spot an intruder in the pouring rain. That includes at night, too, thanks to night vision and an infrared motion sensor.
Nest is reportedly working on an outdoor security camera
In a letter to employees posted by The Verge yesterday, new Nest CEO Marwan Fawaz reassured employees that the company wasn't for sale and stated that the focus should be on delivering new products currently in the works. Although a specific reference to a new gadget was redacted in the letter, Tech Insider reports that one of the new items mentioned is an outdoor version of the Nest Cam.
Contour returns to the action camera market with some familiar gear
Contour quietly shut down last year, leaving outdoor explorers little choice but to pick up action cameras from GoPro and other rivals. The company found new ownership during that downtime, however, and it's back in business this week with a renewed sense of purpose. For now, the firm is only selling the cameras it had before the lights went out. You can buy the entry-level ROAM2 camera for $200, while the flagship Contour+2 is available for $300. The firm won't lean on its past glories for long, mind you -- it's promising new models later this year. It's too early to say whether Contour can reclaim its place in the point-of-view camera industry that it helped create, but it's good to see renewed competition in a field where the choices have been rapidly shrinking.
Samsung's SmartCam HD DIY security cameras do 1080p video indoors or outdoors
Just in case the NSA isn't keeping a close enough watch over everything, you can use Samsung Techwin's latest SmartCams (previously seen in 2012 and 2013) to do your own surveillance. The SmartCam separates from its competitors by recording 1080p video to an internal SD card, and has a version designed to work outside. That means that unlike Dropcam, for example, it's not constantly uploading video to a remote server for storage and doesn't require an add-on subscription to work. While that cuts out some of the cloud-based security Dropcam can offer, it combines with Samsung's compression tech to enable these to use about 30 percent of the bandwidth other cameras require, and still lets owners tap in remotely for a peek whenever they like. Both connect over WiFi, and can be configured from Android or iOS devices using the SmartCam app and WiFi Direct. Both claim excellent low-light video quality, and while the indoor version has a range of about 16 feet, the outdoor version extends to 50 feet. Beyond its extra viewing range, the outdoor version is ruggedized for the elements, and comes in two parts, keeping the power and WiFi module securely inside your home, connected to the camera outside via a network cable. The SmartCam HD and SmartCam HD Outdoor should hit shelves around March for $179 and $229, respectively. Dana Wollman contributed to this report.
Goal Zero's Lighthouse250 Lantern, solar panel tent charge your gadgets alfresco
Keeping your USB-powered gear powered up while camping in the woods or hiking the Appalachian Trail can prove quite a challenge. Solar chargers and backup batteries can help, sure, but when you're already hauling dozens of pounds of gear, an integrated solution is where it's at. Goal Zero has a pair of new products to help streamline things a bit. First up, the Lighthouse250 Lantern can provide 48 hours of 250-lumen LED output with a full charge, and it can charge up a gadget via a built-in USB port. If you don't have a solar panel handy, you can use the hand crank to juice up the lantern in the field. The company's also teaming up with Eddie Bauer on a solar panel-equipped tent, the 36-square-foot Katabatic 2 -- you'll need to add your own battery pack to store the energy collected from the 18-watt roof-mounted panel. Eddie Bauer has yet to announce pricing for the tent, which should ship next spring, but you can expect the lantern to retail for about 80 bucks in Q4.
Ask Engadget: best outdoor TV?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from John, who is so baller that he wants a TV for his pool and doesn't end his emails with thank you. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm getting ready to have a pool installed and I need a TV for the back porch. I'm looking for something in the 50-inch range that works outdoors, has good viewing angles and backlighting (for the sun) and can handle whatever the weather throws at it. Any suggestions?" We can imagine it now, you, kicking back watching the Superbowl American Idol finals while submerged in a few feet of water as the sun goes down. So, what device should you go for? For starters, there's SunBrite's 46-inch outdoor TV, which'll set you back $2,795, or a 55-inch model, which costs $5,595. You could also paint a wall white and get set up with an outdoor projector, like Panasonic's PT-AE7000U, which we're informed will work outside perfectly well. But that's just our scratching the surface, what about you all chip in with a suggestion or two of your own?
Sqigle's Earl tablet brings Android to the wilderness with e-paper, solar power
Although there's no dearth of rugged tablets, most are still built on the assumption that civilization is close at hand. Sqigle, however, suggests that its upcoming Earl tablet could work even if there's no civilization left. The new, crowdfunded Android 4.1 slate centers on a light-up, 6-inch e-paper screen that both extends the battery life to 20 hours and makes the 5 hours of solar-powered recharging sound reasonable -- theoretically, Earl never needs to see a wall outlet. It's also built to do as much as possible without leaning on either WiFi or a PC. Along with both analog and digital radio, the design should incorporate ANT+ sensor support and preloaded topographical maps. The project isn't ideally timed for outdoorsy types when it's expected to reach backers in the late summer, but the $249 advance price is low enough that it might justify a camping trip in the fall.
Four new Oregon touchscreen GPS devices pop up on Garmin's website (updated)
As Garmin hasn't made any official announcement, we can't tell you when these sneaky handheld GPS navigators first showed up on the company's website, but say hello to the Oregon 600, 600t, 650 and 650t. Aesthetically, they all look identical, with a 3-inch "transflective color TFT touchscreen" in portrait orientation (240 x 400 resolution). Similarly, they share the overwhelming majority of internal specs, and all track your jaunts into the great outdoors using GPS and GLONASS. The only major differences we can find on the spec sheets are that the t-marked models come with Garmin's "TOPO US 100K maps" preloaded, and that both 650 units boast an 8-megapixel camera. As the Garmin pages note, the models cost between $400 and $550, but they won't be available for purchase until our FCC overlords allow it. Head to the source link if you'd like to know more. Update: The official PR is out and we've embedded it below. Give it a read if you want a thorough overview of the new Oregon handhelds, which are slated for release in Q1 2013.
STMicroelectronics details pressure sensor in your Galaxy S III, can tell when you're mountaineering
If you're the sort to tear down your Galaxy S III, you might have noticed a mysterious STMicroelectronics LSP331AP chip lurking on the motherboard. While we've known that it's a pressure sensor, we now know that it's a new generation -- new enough that ST is just getting to explaining the technology to a mainstream audience. The piezoresistor-equipped MEMS chip tracks altitude through atmospheric pressure with an uncanny knack for precision; it can tell when you've crossing between floors, which could be more than handy for future iterations of indoor navigation. Don't worry if you're an extreme sports junkie that might push the limits, either. The sensor can do its job at the kinds of pressure you'd normally see when 32,800 feet high or 5,900 feet below sea level, which should keep it working even if you're checking your phone during a climb up K2 or a HALO skydive. We don't know if anyone beyond Samsung is lined up to use ST's pressure sensor in their devices, but we wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a mainstay for smartphones and outdoor gear in the near future.
Nokia Lumia screens tout Synaptics tech for gloves-on use, 920 adds outdoor-friendly brightness
Everyone who regularly deals with cold winters knows the pain of using a smartphone in January -- you're usually forced to take your gloves off and risk frostbite if that call just can't wait. Nokia's new Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 phones bring in a Synaptics ClearPad Series 3 sensor whose responsiveness will keep those hands toasty. Super Sensitive Touch, as Nokia calls it, lets the capacitive surface react to more than just direct skin contact: it can recognize input through gloves, as well as from those with long fingernails. You'll want to spring for the Lumia 920 if you envision updating Twitter during a sunny skiing trip, however. On top of that extra-large 1,280 x 768 resolution, the 920's PureMotion HD+ display is reportedly about 25 percent brighter than its next-best rival. We're looking forward to a real field test -- not to mention preserving all the feeling in our fingers.
Ubiquiti Networks beefs up outdoor wireless broadband networks with AirFiber
We won't be satisfied until we live on a planet where wireless internet waves travel at all points where oxygen is readily available, and it sounds as if Ubiquiti Networks is right there with us. The outfit has just rolled out a new outdoor wireless backhaul radio platform dubbed AirFiber, which represents its first proprietary in-house radio design effort that was purpose-built for the Wireless ISP Industry. It hums along in the license-free 24GHz band, and provides optical fiber network performance without the significant capital costs associated with fiber cable network deployment. At $2,995 per link, it's hardly meant for consumer consumption, but but we're hoping it'll bring the world wide web to more of the world when enterprise outfits start deploying 'em later this year.[Thanks, Shawn]
Grace Digital's Eco Terra boombox now available for $149.99, ready to rock the beaches
We're not sure what took Grace Digital this long to release the Eco Terra, but hey, you can now grab one well ahead of the summer season. Priced at $149.99, this IPX7-certified boombox works just fine even when dunked in water -- the two 3-inch speakers will always float upwards to annoy fellow swimmers. There's no iPod dock connector here as the job's done using a 3.5mm jack inside the watertight compartment, but much like many iPhone headsets these days, you can use the buttons at the top to control music playback and volume on supported iPods or iPhones; whereas with other MP3 players you can only change the volume after flipping a switch. Additionally, the Eco Terra comes with an air pressure release valve to allow easy compartment access across different altitudes. We assume this means someone somewhere has a habit of blasting out music while trekking. Of course, you'll need to install four C batteries to get things started, and that'll keep you partying in the wild for around 25 hours -- long enough to play the Baywatch soundtrack CD about 23 times. Hit the source link if you're ready to spend some cash.
AirGo, the ultimate wireless outdoor speaker uses Airport Express inside
The AirGo is a sturdy outdoor speaker designed by Russound, a company with years of experience making quality speakers. While there are a lot of great things about the AirGo, being shown off this week at CES 2012, the most interesting thing to me was that instead of using Bluetooth or cables or even embedded AirPlay for transmitting audio from a music machine, the AirGo instead has a space on the back for inserting your own Airport Express. You buy the speaker, and then put in your own little Wi-Fi unit from Apple, which is where all the audio comes from. There are some distinct advantages to this, one of which is that you can use the Express as a Wi-Fi extender (not to mention that you might already have one lying around your house). But the AirGo has more to it than the novelty of an actual Airport Express inside. The enclosure of the AirGo can best be described as rugged. This unit is designed to live outside. Russound did extensive testing in a variety of harsh conditions to ensure that heat, rain, and all the elements an outdoor speaker might encounter will not affect the unit. And yes, we were assured the Airport Express can withstand some pretty harsh conditions (temperature-wise). The Express is sealed inside a watertight enclosure on the back of the speaker system, and they were smart enough to provide a way to see the status light on the Express without having to open this cover. And if your Express needs an update, that is easily done wirelessly as you would normally do. If the Express dies, you won't need to buy another speaker, either, and Russound specifically designed the form factor with plenty of space, so even if Apple changes the external look of the Airport Express, the new version will probably still fit just fine. Business up front, party in the back The speaker base is largely metal, giving it heft and rigidity. There's a large handle up top for moving the unit around. The speaker itself is incredibly high quality, and I was very impressed with the sound even when relatively quiet, so if you like a little background jazz while sitting on your patio, you'll still hear a very crisp and clear sound at low volumes. Then there's loudness, which was more than adequate. We were in a small room for the demo filled with executives and media types chatting, but we could hear the music quite well. The speaker quickly filled the room when cranked up, drowning all the noise out. From the heavy duty power cord to metal base to metal speaker grille, this thing is designed to last. There's also a power light on the front so you know it is on. The overall design reminded me of an old TV set, mounted on a pivoting armature. Of course, quality doesn't come cheap. The speaker sells for $399 (not including the Airport Express), which some users might balk at, but this is not some cheapo plastic Bluetooth speaker you toss in your backpack. This is a product for people who care about quality and durability, and probably spend a lot of time lounging by the pool or perhaps entertaining outside. Really, I could see some business like a caterer using these to quickly set up ambient music at an event. So if you're looking for a solid product that can withstand any number of tough uses, that price tag makes a lot of sense in the long run. You'll likely be enjoying this speaker for years.
GoPro HD Hero 2 review
GoPro has been in the HD action sports and helmet cam game for some time now, with its Hero line proving a popular sight atop many a daredevil's lid. Now, you can add HD Hero 2 ($300) to the ever growing list of options now, as this is the latest (and they say greatest) incarnation to date. Last time we tested the Hero Original -- as it's now called -- against the Contour HD, but now we're pitting new against old, like for like, side by side. Not only will we discover how the new boy stands up against the camera it effectively usurps, we'll also see how it fares out in the field. Above all, we'll see whether a smattering of new recording options, and a supposedly "two times sharper" image make it worth the extra dollars.%Gallery-141687%
