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  • Your music festival, upgraded

    by 
    James Trew
    James Trew
    08.08.2014

    24 tallboys and 12 packs of ramen might seem like smart packing before a festival, but once you're lost in a field, sunburnt and in the dark, those noodles become nothing more than primitive bartering currency. The primary pillars of any gadget-lover's field-based rocking are light and power. We've got some solutions for that, and a few other festy-tech goodies. You won't need all of this to see you through a weekend -- even we're not this paranoid about running out of juice. But, if you want to make sure your festival is fully upgraded, technology can help. What follows is a selection of gadgets and apps we'd be reaching for if we were heading out into the wild (or at least, TomorrowWorld).

  • Eton's rukus Xtreme and rukus II solar-powered speakers see the light of day

    by 
    Brian Heater
    Brian Heater
    01.06.2014

    That pair of new solar-powered speakers from Eton that we told you about today just had their public unveiling at CES Unveiled, here at Vegas. So, you're no doubt asking, what makes the Xtreme so Xtreme? Ruggedness, of course. The speaker is water-resistant and can be dropped from a height of 3.3 feet. The wedged-shaped speaker is a pretty nice-looking thing and feels solid in-hand, even with those rubberized edges. As for sound, well, quality seems halfway decent, though the speaker doesn't get particularly loud. In this crowded room, we had to get pretty close to hear things clearly. If the sun's not doing it for you, you can charge it up via USB. There's speakerphone functionality built-in, as well as NFC pairing for phones that support it -- no auxiliary out here, however. The smaller rukus II, meanwhile, also has NFC pairing and a new speakerphone feature, along with Bluetooth 4.0. That one will run you $130, with the Xtreme coming in at $100 more. Nicole Lee contributed to this report.

  • Eton's rukus Xtreme is a solar-powered Bluetooth speaker that loves the outdoors

    by 
    James Trew
    James Trew
    01.05.2014

    Eton has a bit of a thing for music plus solar power. We're not complaining though. Its latest eco-powered music machine is the rukus Xtreme, and brings potentially non-stop daytime jams to the great outdoors. The Bluetooth (4.0) device has five speakers (two main, and the rest for "bass radiating") and has a built-in 6,600mAh battery than can be charged either by Mother Nature (in around five hours), or a good, old outlet (in three). Either way, you can use that juice for prolonged listening, or use that battery to power up your phone/tablet -- so it's effectively a solar charger too. There's NFC for easy pairing, and you can even link up two units for, well, we imagine, Xtreme loudness. The IPX4 water-resistance rating also makes it good for those who like to dance in the rain, and frankly, who doesn't? The rukus Xtreme will be ready to soak up those rays come springtime, costing $230. There's also a rugged rukus II model for $130, if you don't need quite so much onboard battery (1,600mAh instead).

  • Etón Rugged Rukus: Solid solar sound

    by 
    Steve Sande
    Steve Sande
    05.22.2013

    TUAW has covered the alternative energy accessories from Etón before: the BoostTurbine is an excellent way to charge up an iPhone or iPad when the power is out, while the FRX3 acts as an emergency radio and has both solar cells and a hand crank for providing a charge to your iPhone when you need it. And the Mobius solar case for iPhone is a smart way to top off your phone. Now the company has announced the Rugged Rukus (US$99.99), an "all-terrain, solar-powered, wireless speaker." Designed to work with any of your Bluetooth-equipped goodies, the wedge-shaped Rugged Rukus sports a 20-square-inch photovoltaic cell on one side that charges the internal lithium battery (it can also be charged by plugging into any USB port). In full sunlight, that battery can go from empty to full in five hours, and when the lights go out the Rugged Rukus can operate for up to 8 hours blasting your tunes. A USB charge takes only about 2.5 hours. Note that you can also use the battery in the Rugged Rukus to charge your iPhone. Don't be concerned about babying the Rugged Rukus if you're at the beach or camping in a rainstorm, as it has an IPX-4 splashproof rating and it's also drop-proof from one meter (3.3 feet). The Rugged Rukus will be available soon on Amazon and at Apple and REI stores.

  • Mobile device power shines with Etón's new BoostSolar

    by 
    Michael Rose
    Michael Rose
    05.07.2013

    It may rank closer to the "inconvenience" end on the post-disaster scale of challenges, but a lack of power for mobile devices certainly didn't help matters in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy last year. Innovative devices like the BioLite camp stove made appearances on the streets of New York as residents scoured darkened neighborhoods for a chance to plug in. For accessory manufacturer Etón, which partners with the American Red Cross to co-brand emergency-use chargers, radios and flashlights, flexible charging is a key component of the company's product line. Many Etón products include a handcrank option for quick charging when you're off the grid. The latest member of the Etón family draws its joules from a new, old source: the sun. The $US99.99 BoostSolar charger includes both a conventional, replaceable 5000mAh lithium battery and a solar panel for walkabout charging. You can plug the battery in to any USB port to charge the night before your hike (7 hours to full charge) and then march on with solar charging to top off during the day (16 hours from zero to full on solar alone). With a nod towards outdoor and camping use, the BoostSolar includes corner fastening loops for a carabiner or backpack strap. It's also rated IPX-4 for splash and rain resistance -- it might not survive being dropped in a puddle, but short of that it should be good to go. The BoostSolar can charge both 1A and 2.1A USB devices, so the iPad will fast-charge when connected. A micro-USB input port allows the use of most non-iPhone device chargers to top off the battery, or you can connect a micro-USB cable to almost any iOS device charger and be good to go. If you're shopping for the BoostSolar, it's available -- in black or green -- starting today from Amazon, buygreen.com and REI. Additional lithium battery packs will be available separately.

  • Eton FRX3: Emergency power for your iPhone when you need it the most

    by 
    Steve Sande
    Steve Sande
    01.21.2013

    If there's anything that nature teaches us, it's that our highly technological society is just an extended power outage away from complete chaos. Last fall's Hurricane Sandy left many on the East Coast of the US without power for weeks. No power at the home or office means no power for your iPhone, which means you have no way to talk to relatives, friends or first responders if the mobile network is still up (which it usually is). The Eton FRX3 (US$59.99) is primarily an emergency radio, but it also has power-generating features to keep your iPhone going when the power's down. Design The Eton FRX3 is probably one of the strangest accessories I've ever reviewed, since it's not specifically made for the purpose of working with Apple devices. Design-wise it's a hardy looking little device that does not look like a radio at all. It's a black plastic box about 5.5" wide, 6.5" tall, and about 1.6" thick, with a rather industrial-looking "X" design and a silver and yellow crank on the front. There's also a version in red if you prefer. That crank powers a dynamo ("hand turbine") that is used in concert with a small solar panel on the top of the device to charge an internal NiMH battery pack. You can also power the radio off of three standard AA batteries, or by plugging in an external power source through an included USB to micro-USB cable. That solar panel on top has a glow-in-the-dark bezel around it, helpful for those situations where the power has just gone out and you're trying to find the FRX3. %Gallery-176877% There's a backlit LCD panel that shows the time (this can also be used as an alarm clock), battery status, band (AM/FM/WB) and station frequency. Under the solar cell enhanced handle is a group of buttons used to set the clock and alarm. On the front of the FRX3 are buttons to switch between the dynamo-powered rechargeable batteries and AA batteries, a master power switch, and a slider switch to go between bands. There are two large and easy-to-turn silver knobs that control volume and tuning. Eton includes a wrist strap for carrying the radio, although I think it would be easier just to use the built-in handle. On the right side of the case looking from the front are three LED bulbs -- two provide a bright white emergency flashlight, while the third is a flashing red LED to attract attention. The back of the FRX3 has a niche for an extendable antenna, a door covering an AUX port, a headphone jack, a DC-in micro-USB port, and a USB port for charging your iPhone. There's also a separate door for accessing the rechargeable battery pack and AA batteries (if used). Functionality For iPhone users, the biggest question is going to be how much of a charge you can give your phone using the FRX3. To charge your phone, you'll use your standard iPhone USB to Lightning or USB to 30-pin Dock connector cable, and plug the USB end into the "Cell" port on the back of the FRX3. You then press the CELL button located under the handle to start dumping the charge from the NiMH battery to your iPhone. That battery pack contains 600 mAh of charge, while fully charging an iPhone 5 takes about 1434 mAh. You'll be able to recharge your iPhone less than halfway with the FRX3, but that may be enough to make a call to a worried relative, check on a close friend, or contact first responders. Once the FRX3 battery pack is dead, it's time to recharge it. Unless you want to build up arm muscle mass by turning the crank for a while, you'll most likely want to let the sun do the charging -- if it's sunny outside. Unfortunately, that little solar panel takes about 10 hours to fully charge the FRX3 battery, so if you really need juice quickly, your arms are going to get a workout. On the plus side, that crank turns pretty easily, so it's not going wear you out too badly and it may give bored kids something to do while you're waiting for the power to come back on. You do not want to turn the dynamo crank while your iPhone is attached; instead, you disconnect the phone, charge the FRX3 battery up with the crank and solar panel, and then connect to the iPhone for charging. The radio in the FRX3 works well, if you realize that it's not meant for entertainment purposes. It's designed for listening to news and NWS weather reports. Of the seven weather band channels, you'll need to flick between them until you find the one with the strongest signal. Where I live in the southern suburbs of Denver, only one weather band channel was accessible. You can switch to your local AM and FM stations as well. Listening to music on the FRX3 is almost painful; the sound quality reminds me of the radio that was in my mid-1970s Chevy Vega wagon, and that's not a good memory. But as I said, this is an emergency radio and you're most likely not going to listen to music on it. The radio operates for three to four hours with a full charge and at low volume. In emergency situations, you may want to just turn it on every hour or so to get an update, then turn it back off. The dynamo crank provides about 5 to 7 minutes of radio capability or 20 minutes of flashlight use for every 90 seconds of hand cranking. Calculating, it would take approximately an hour of cranking to get the battery fully charged back up. Conclusion Everyone should have a way to listen to emergency radio reports when the power is out, and in that respect the Eton FRX3 excels by providing multiple ways of recharging the device's NiMH battery pack. However, I would use the FRX3 as an iPhone charger of last resort due to its low capacity. If you're truly concerned about keeping your iPhone up and running in an emergency, you might want to invest in a Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation Pro ($99.95) with a 6000 mAh rechargeable battery that can fully recharge your iPhone about four times. What you really want to buy the FRX3 for is the other emergency preparedness features -- the LED flashlight and the multiband radio. In a severe emergency, those features are probably going to be much more important to you than being able to play Temple Run 2 on your iPhone.

  • Eton launches a pair of ZoneGuard weather radios to rouse you with disaster warnings (hands-on)

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    01.06.2013

    Eton's range of disaster-ready hardware is growing with a pair of ZoneGuard weather alarms that'll keep you informed should the worst threaten to happen. Hooked up to a variety of early-warning systems, traffic light-style LEDs will keep you informed of the danger levels with help from specific-area message encoding data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In real-life at CES, they're pretty unassuming, and should blend into any quiet corner of your home -- the devices are both wall-mountable. As usual, the company has partnered with the American Red Cross, which will get a share of the profits when you buy a co-branded unit. It'll be available from Q1, with the ZoneGuard priced at $40 and the ZoneGuard Plus costing $80, and while this model comes with a pair of AAA-battery powered warning modules, you can also pick up additional units for $30 a pop. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.

  • Eton adds BoostSolar to its charging lineup, instantly pleases George Harrison (hands-on)

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    01.06.2013

    If it's been a long, cold, lonely winter, then the return of the springtime sun is good news both for your mood and your collection of mobile devices. Eton's adding a portable solar panel to its lineup of portable chargers that'll keep your gear juiced when you're out and about. We took hold of it here at CES and it's surprisingly thin, although the battery adds a bit of weight. The solar panel is a fingerprint magnet, but if you're taking this outdoors that's unlikely to affect your purchase decision -- it feels pretty rugged and should take some outdoor beating. The BoostSolar will easily strap to a backpack and once its own 5,000mAh lithium-ion battery is charged, will let you snap on additional units for unlimited power, which you can then push out via its microUSB port. The luxury of not needing an outlet when you're in the woods will cost $99.99, and the unit will be available early in Q2 this year. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.

  • Eton adds two more solar-powered Bluetooth sound systems to its Rukus lineup (hands-on)

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    01.06.2013

    For those about to rock out (in direct sunlight, at least), Eton won't just salute you, but offer you more options for your environmentally friendly moshing. At this year's CES, it's launching two more solar-powered Bluetooth boomboxes to complement the Rukus that arrived at 2012's show. The Rugged Rukus offers the same hardware as the flagship, but wrapped in a sturdy IPX-4 shell that'll keep it safe from knocks and splashes. It's also trotting out the Rukus XL, a not-too-distant cousin of the old Soulra XL iPod dock, which ditches the e-ink display in favor of a chunky, triangular body, flip-out solar panel and six more speaker drivers. We took a quick look at these two eco-friendly music machines at CES, and were impressed by their solid build and smart appearance. The Rugged model is suitably compact and lightweight, and the XL has a handy mobile device storage area hidden behind the front panel though its 72-square-inch solar panel is quite massive in person. The Rugged Rukus will arrive in Q1 and will cost $99.99, and the Rukus XL setting you back $199.99 when it arrives in Q2. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.

  • Eton announces Boost line, lets you crank your way to a charged phone

    by 
    Steve Dent
    Steve Dent
    10.24.2012

    Is your cell phone dead and there's nary an outlet in sight? It's not an issue if you're feeling zesty and also toting a BoostTurbine hand charger, which Eton just announced as part of its new portable charger lineup. The BoostTurbine2000 and 1000 model numbers denote the mAh of the batteries in each device, which can borrow volts from a conventional outlet, then transfer up to a full or half charge (respectively) to most smartphones. In a pinch, though, you can pop out the hand-crank and grab about 30 seconds of call time for each minute of sweat equity, according to the company (depending on your motivation, natch). The BoostTurbine2000 will set you back $59 while the 1000 model will run $49, and both are now available at Eton's store. The company also outed a new line of regular plug-in portable chargers -- it's all in the PR after the break.

  • IRL: HTC One S, Columbia GPS Pal and the Eton Rukus Solar

    by 
    Engadget
    Engadget
    08.16.2012

    Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. This week in IRL, Jon Fingas takes what could be an unpopular stance, making a case for the HTC One S over the bigger, more lavishly specced One X. Meanwhile, Darren and Dan test some summer-appropriate tech, including a GPS app for outdoor sports and a solar-powered speaker dock.

  • Etón Rukus Solar Bluetooth Sound System powers your outdoor life

    by 
    Steve Sande
    Steve Sande
    07.16.2012

    Etón is one of the few Apple accessory manufacturers that seems to be embracing photovoltaic (solar) technology to power its products. Earlier this year I reviewed Etón's Mobius case for the iPhone 4 and 4S, which features an 1800 mAh battery coupled with a solar charging panel to keep your device topped off with power whenever it is illuminated with the sun or indoor lights. Now the company has introduced the Rukus Solar Bluetooth Sound System (US$150.00 MSRP) to give your tunes a boost without the need for a power outlet. Design The Rukus Solar has an unusual design that I found myself liking more and more as I used the device. As the amount of electricity generated by the photovoltaic panel is largely dependent on the area of that panel, Etón chose to separate the Rukus's two cylindrical speaker tubes by about 8.5 inches. The panel covers a little over 39 square inches on the top of the Rukus Solar. Etón does include an AC adapter for cloudy days and indoor use, although I never had to use it. In front of the panel are a number of buttons surrounding a small e-ink display. The display is used to show battery charge level, Bluetooth connectivity, whether or not you're charging an external USB device, and if the speakers are receiving a signal from the AUX port instead of over Bluetooth. The display is, as one would expect, extremely readable in bright sunlight. %Gallery-160480% You can get the Rukus Solar in three colors -- black, green or white. The device supports AVRCP for one-touch Bluetooth pairing and A2DP for high-quality stereo streaming. Two more small but welcome design features -- there's a mesh pocket that will hold your iPhone or other device for charging, and a surprisingly comfortable handle built in that works well for transporting the 3 lb., 8 oz. (1.6 kg) speakers. Functionality One of the first questions I had was how long it takes to fully charge the Rukus Solar in the sun. The company said six hours in direct sunlight, so I decided to test that. Going from empty to fully charged took me about five hours, but I live in a place with pretty intense sunlight. That charge lasted for about 7 hours and 45 minutes of usage. Waiting for the battery to run out of juice, I was able to listen to a lot of tunes. The sound quality of the Rukus is great -- the volume is impressive, there's good separation of stereo channels thanks to the design, and the Rukus not only hits the highs beautifully but also kicks bass. If you feel like the bass is a bit overwhelming, there's a button on the control that you can use to tame it a bit. If you want to use the Rukus Solar to charge another device, you need to take into account that the USB port only puts out 500 milliamps of current. Although the iPhone 4S apparently needs about 1 Amp for charging, the Rukus Solar dutifully charged the device when connected. Surprisingly, when I plugged in a third-generation iPad, it showed that it was being charged by the Rukus Solar. That surprised me since that model requires 2.1 Amps to charge. I did notice that charging the iPad sucked down the battery of the Rukus Solar a bit faster. Conclusion The Etón Rukus Solar Bluetooth Sound System has a lot going for it -- modernistic design, photovoltaic power, good sound, and the ability to charge other devices. Frankly, I think this is one of the best-sounding Bluetooth speakers I've used. Pros Doesn't require an external power source thanks to built-in photovoltaic panel Can be used to charge other devices Impressive volume and sound quality Easy-to-read e-Ink display Logical button layout Cons None to speak of. This is a high-quality product that I'd be happy to spend $150 of my own money on! Who is it for? Outdoorsy types who want to get away from power outlets and still enjoy their music. Couple this with Etón's Mobius solar powered charger for iPhone, and you have a way to spend weeks away from civilization and keep your goodies fully powered up. Giveaway We're doing a little giveaway. Not only will the winner get an Etón Rukus Solar Bluetooth Sound System valued at $150, but we're also throwing in an Etón Mobius Solar Charger for iPhone 4/4S valued at $80. To enter, fill out the form below completely and submit it. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before July 19, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive an Etón Rukus Solar Bluetooth Sound System and an Etón Mobius Solar Charger for iPhone 4/4S. Total value of the giveaway items is $230. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...

  • Eton anticipates next natural disaster with self-powered FRX radios

    by 
    Sarah Silbert
    Sarah Silbert
    05.16.2012

    Eton, the name behind solar-powered sound systems and emergency radios, is updating its disaster-preparedness portfolio with the new FRX series of self-powered radios. The FRX 1, FRX 2 and FRX 3 use hand-turbine energy to keep the internal lithium ion battery juiced, and all include a glow-in-the-dark indicator, LED flashlight and DC input. While the FRX 1 offers only the basic components, the FRX 2 and 3 have solar panels for recharging, along with a headphone jack and a USB port for powering other gadgets. The FRX 3 boasts a digital alarm and radio -- as opposed to the analog radio on the FRX 2 -- and a display for receiving NOAA weather alerts. Eton priced the radios at $25, $40 and $60, respectively, and it's currently selling the three options with American Red Cross co-branding at outlets such as Amazon, Best Buy and REI. Realizing your crank-powered Raptor is on its last legs? Check out the PR past the break.

  • Rukus solar-powered Bluetooth sound system hands-on (video)

    by 
    Brian Heater
    Brian Heater
    01.08.2012

    Remember that Rukus solar-powered Bluetooth sound system we just told you about a few minutes ago? Well, we just got a little bit of hands-on time with the thing. The speaker set was plugged in, of course -- there's not a heck of a lot of natural lighting in the Venetian hotel, here in Vegas. Also, for the record, in spite of the model's rather boastful name, the speaker couldn't really get all that loud, sadly -- though that's sort of the curse of the Bluetooth speaker system, we suppose. It also often comes with the territory for portable systems, and the Ruckus, again, in contrast to its name, is reasonably compact and portable. We fiddled with the volume and bass buttons, but the speaker didn't get all that much louder than the roaring crowd around us. The decision to include an e-ink display was a pretty novel one -- its uses aren't quite as broad as an LCD, but it's hard to deny that it was extremely readable, as it no doubt would be in direct sunlight, as the company claims. And let's face it, if you use the solar panel as intended, you're gonna have this thing outside in the sun a lot, right? The Ruckus will run you $150 when it drops in Q2, just in time for you to actually want to go outside again. Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

  • Rukus solar-powered Bluetooth sound system thinks you should rock more in direct sunlight

    by 
    Brian Heater
    Brian Heater
    01.08.2012

    What's got Bluetooth, big solar panels and an e-ink display? Not a heck of a lot of gadgets prior to today's introduction of the Rukus portable sound system from Eton. The solar-power speaker system can stream music wirelessly from your Bluetooth devices, bumping it in style through two full-range speaker drivers. The system is powered by a solar panel (though you can also power it the old fashioned wired way, when the sun's nowhere in sight), but don't worry about reading the screen in the sunshine -- the Rukus has an e-ink display, which also helps the thing conserve a fair amount of power. Eton also says that the player is "virtually indestructible," a claim we're sure some folks will want to put to the test when it drops in Q2 for $150. Update: Check out our hands-on here!

  • Eton's Soulra XL solar-powered iPod boombox will cost $300, now ready for your pre-orders

    by 
    Sean Hollister
    Sean Hollister
    05.08.2011

    Summer's nearly here, the sun shining bright -- wouldn't you like to share your tunes with friends while basking in the light? That's what Eton's counting on as it prepares to ship the Soulra XL, the solar-powered iPod boombox formerly known as the Soulra 2. As we discovered at CES in January, its set of eight speakers get pretty loud, and Eton claims it charges twice as fast as its predecessor (five hours) thanks to a sizable monocrystal solar panel, and lasts five hours on a charge. It'll juice your phone, too. All told, you'll be schlepping around seven pounds and paying $300 for the privilege of completely cordless mobile sound. Sound like a deal? You'll find Eton ready to shake your hand at our source link.

  • Eton Mobius, Soulra 2 and Road Torq hands-on

    by 
    Sean Hollister
    Sean Hollister
    01.04.2011

    It seems that whole "solar panel" thing is working out pretty well for Eton, because the emergency radio company's got a slew of new products that charge with the sun's rays -- not just the angular Raptor, but also a brand-new wireless iPod boombox and an iPhone 4 external battery pack that use the very same tech. The Eton Mobius crams a monocrystal solar panel and an 1800mAh battery into an package just about 20mm thick, which Eton claims not will not only doubles the iPhone 4's battery life, but lets it run for nearly 20 minutes per hour of direct sunlight exposure. Meanwhile, the Soulra 2 boombox upgrades not only the power of its predecessor with a full eight speakers, but also the rate of charge, with a larger solar panel that lets it juice an internal 2000mAh pack in five hours, and pump out jams for up to eight. Both felt like pretty early prototypes when we gave them a heft, but the Soulra 2 gets fairly loud -- enough to hear music over the din of the CES floor, at least. It's also a heavy one, but comes with a carrying strap and handle. If you're bound and determined to have a hand crank on your emergency tool, though, you might want to give Eton's American Red Cross devices a look -- particularly this Road Torq stand-up beacon designed for car troubles. Flip out the combination flashlight / and red LED signal flare, pull out three reflector feet, and it stands up providing fifteen minutes of light for each minute you crank. PR after the break. %Gallery-112572%

  • Eton Raptor emergency radio trades the crank for solar power, rakish good looks

    by 
    Sean Hollister
    Sean Hollister
    12.21.2010

    If "danger" is your middle name and yet "caution" a favorite word, you've probably already got an ugly old emergency radio buried somewhere in your car. Today, Eton's unveiling a model that you might actually feel comfortable using in public without disaster having to strike first. The solar-powered Eton Raptor boasts a slender, 11-ounce carabiner-like design that seems positively packed with tools, including the typical (AM / FM / WB radio, compass, LED flashlight), the adventurous (altimeter, barometer) and the plain ol' useful (audio line-in, bottle opener). It's also got a USB port for charging gadgets from the internal 1800mAh battery and takes splash-proof cues from the Eton Soulra. No word on price, but we know a few road warriors who might be interested when it hits shelves in the first quarter of next year. PR after the break, images immediately below. %Gallery-111814%

  • Eton Soulra iPod sound system is rugged, splash-proof and solar-powered

    by 
    Donald Melanson
    Donald Melanson
    06.02.2010

    Solar-powered sound systems are certainly nothing new, but Etón has taken things a bit further than most with its new Soulra system, which not only adds an iPhone / iPod dock to the equation, but wraps it in a rugged, splash-proof enclosure. That obviously makes it better suited for the beach or pool-side than some other options, but you'll also naturally get an AC adapter and line-in to use it at home and connect other audio devices. Not much else in the way of technical specs just yet, unfortunately, but it looks like it should be available in the coming days for $199 -- Etón actually says "now," but most retailers seem to be saying otherwise. Full press release is after the break.

  • Eton Sound 101 adds iPod dock to AM/FM, Sirius radio

    by 
    Christopher Grant
    Christopher Grant
    01.07.2007

    Thanks to a snazzy new partnership with Apple's Made for iPod program, Eton's Sound 101 combines the previously announced AM / FM / Sirius satellite-ready clock radio with an iPod dock, instantly making the device infinitely more attractive to iPod owners everywhere -- since those dang dock things are just so hard to track down. Unfortunately, the dock isn't integrated into the unit, giving the whole thing a slightly tacked-on feel. The unit has a 3.5mm line-in for listening to other MP3 players, an admittedly unlikely scenario but we like knowing it's there. The Eton Sound 101 is available in black, silver, and white (duh!) for a suggested price of $250.