FoxNews.com – 8 Products for the High-Tech Camper

About the size of a shoebox, the $150 Rukus Solar has two small speakers that sound crisp but without a heavy, thumping bass. An elastic strap on the back holds your gadget in place.

Popular Mechanics – 10 Gadgets to Make Your Deck Nicer Than Your House

Keep your extension cord inside! The Eton Rukus Solar speaker uses built-in solar cells to get its beat-busting juice from the sun. The speaker uses Bluetooth to stream songs from your phone, laptop, or tablet.

What songs are on your next outdoor party playlist?

The FRX Series was developed based on feedback from Etón’s passionate customers. Each radio in the FRX Series is self-powered, utilizing hand-turbine energy to re-charge the internal Ni-MH lithium ion battery. The hand-turbine was re-engineered to be more efficient, with less cranking yielding more power. The aesthetics of each radio is in line with all of Etón’s product collections, reflecting a sleek and contemporary design. Elements like a new glow in the dark feature provide added convenience.

Leading the FRX Series is the FRX 3, featuring an AM/FM/WB digital radio and display with NOAA weather alert. With both a solar panel and hand turbine for recharging – the device ensures you always have power when you need it most. The FRX 3 features direct power transfer technology, allowing the internal battery to charge other mobile devices when they are connected via the integrated USB port. Other features include a bright LED flashlight, glow-in-the-dark indicator for easy location, AC and DC input, headphone jack and digital alarm.

The second product in the line, the FRX 2, boasts an AM/FM/WB analog radio and both a solar panel and hand-turbine for re-charging the internal battery. The direct power transfer technology is also found in the FRX 2, charging other mobile devices when connected via the USB port. Other features include an LED flashlight, glow-in-the-dark indicator, DC input and headphone jack.

The most compact radio in the series, the FRX 1, utilizes the power of a hand-turbine for re-charging the internal battery and also houses an LED flashlight. Other features include a glow-in-the-dark indicator and DC input, offering the essential components in a small device.

For more information on Etón Corporation and its products, visit www.etoncorp.com.

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Of course, all that changed with the mobile phone—but how did our mobile devices of today come to be?

This excellent infographic from companionlink.com highlights the mobile turn of events from the 1970s until today.

Infographic credit: companionlink.com.

Coolest trivia from the mobile history round-up:

• The first public cell phone trials were in 1977 with 2000 customers.
• In 1992, Apple coined the term “Personal Digital Assistant,” or PDA.
• Can you imagine a world without texting? 1996 saw the first QWERTY keyboard on a cell phone.
• The first commercially-available camera phone was the Sony Ericsson T68i in 2000.
• 2007: the iPhone’s birthday, a momentous day in mobile history.
• Just one year after the iPhone, in 2008, the Android is released.
• Smartphones equal 26% of the whole world’s phone market. 50% of phones purchased in the U.S. are smartphones.

Mobile phones have risen from nonexistence to world domination fast— just six years ago, the iPhone didn’t even exist! And, today, we have future-forward gadgets like solar-powered iPhone chargers and cell-phone cameras with higher resolution than digital cameras used to have. With these advances in technology happening so rapidly, imagine the smartphone technology that’ll be available in another six years. We’re looking forward to what happens next.

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You don’t have to wait until then to soak up the sounds. We’ve compiled a playlist of some of the top artist that you’ll see at this year’s music festival. Queue up this list on your iPhone or iPad, grab a portable speaker dock, and enjoy. If you’re headed to the shows, use this as a chance to brush up on the acts. If you’re not, use this playlist to stage your own concert!

Motion City Soundtrack – The Future Freaks Me Out

SKRILLEX – Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites

Bon Jovi – It’s My Life

Incubus – Adolescents

Never Shout Never – Can’t Stand It

He is We – Fall

Kreayshawn – Gucci Gucci

Which Bamboozle act are you most excited about?

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To help you hold yourself accountable, we created an Etón Safety Pledge. To take the pledge, and get your own pledge card, simply fill out this form:

After pledging to be safe, share your safety stories with us! Do you take special precautions during pool time? Have you created your own child-proofing gadgets in your home? Whatever you do to be safe, share it with us. Leave a comment with your story.

• Bluetooth, allowing you to wirelessly stream music from any Bluetooth-enabled device
• Enhanced monocrystal solar panel that harvests the sun’s energy for power (six hours in direct sunlight for a full charge)
• E Ink display that you can read even in direct sunlight
• Two full-range speaker drivers, delivering booming lows and crystal-clear highs
• Ability to charge via the AC adapter when not in the sun
• An integrated USB port that can charge mobile devices (smartphone, tablet, mp3 players, etc.) when on-the-go

Our CEO, Esmail Hozour, had this to say about Rukus: “The unique blend of Bluetooth technology and solar power truly makes Rukus Solar the only sound system that will never run of out power. With design features like an E Ink display, multiple charging options and portability, Rukus Solar will surely cause a ruckus wherever it goes, from backyard barbeques to the beach.”

A non-solar version of the Rukus is also available that includes many of the same features, minus the solar panel.

Starting today, find Rukus Solar ($150) and Rukus ($100) at Amazon.com, REI, J&R, Brookstone, Frontgate, Crutchfield, Sport Chalet, and our online store. For a limited time, every purchase of a Rukus (solar or non-solar) also includes a three-month subscription to MOG, a music library of over 15 million songs that listeners can stream whenever and wherever they want.

You still have a few days to enter to win a Rukus Solar in our RUKUS-A-Day Giveaway! Simply visit www.StartARukus.com to enter!

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Of course, Bluetooth technology is still new. The history of how it came to be may give you a new appreciation for your Bluetooth-enabled smartphone or music player.

Image credit: macworldme.net

According to Gizmodo, Bluetooth named their company after a Danish King who liked eating blueberries and helping different countries to get along. Bluetooth’s idea was to provide a technology that different companies could all use to improve their product.

The Bluetooth SIG (special interest group) started working on technology in September 1998. They intended to be a wire replacement technology, and it worked. By 2000, the first mobile phone with Bluetooth technology was introduced.

The technology took off, as Bluetooth headsets became popular with mobile users. But Bluetooth is now featured on many products other than cell phones. Since 2000, more than 15,000 companies have developed products with Bluetooth. In 2008, Bluetooth celebrated their 10-year anniversary and 2 billion products during those ten years.

A few of the most unique products with Bluetooth include a mobile glove, a Bluetooth toothbrush, and a communication device for your bicycle.

New potential uses for Bluetooth are endless. At Eton, we’re proud to feature Bluetooth technology in our solar-powered sound system, the Rukus Solar. The Rukus Solar lets you play your music wirelessly through Bluetooth and utilizes the sun’s energy for a totally mobile musical experience that travels with you wherever you go. (Note that through May 20, we’re giving away a Rukus Solar every day at http://startarukus.com.)

What’s your favorite piece of Bluetooth-enabled technology? Did you have a Bluetooth headset in the early 2000s?

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Even better? He gives you another way to win! SoldierKnowsBest is giving away a Rukus Solar—so check out the video, and leave a comment to be entered.

If you haven’t already, you can also enter to win a Rukus Solar at www.StartaRukus.com!

Image credit: www.scholastic.com

However, like most things in life, some ways are greener than others. The Huffington Post, with help from Earth911, compiled a great list of ways to make your shipping a little more green:

1. Go Ground

When it comes to choosing between ground or air, ground tends to be more eco-friendly. While it may take a little longer (overnight is often not an option), it will use less fuel than air.

2. Choose the Familiar

Each shipping service varies. A good rule of thumb, however, is to pay attention to your neighborhood. Is there one service you see in the area more often than the others? If so, it’s a good idea to go with that service, as you know the truck will already be in your area anyway.

3. Reuse Packing Materials

When you’re ready to ship, see what you have around the house before purchasing new packing materials. Reuse old shipping boxes or packing peanuts if you can. Plus, when you receive something, don’t throw away the packaging—check to see which items are recyclable and which you could donate to a local shipping store.

Keep these tips in mind as you’re shopping online and sending gifts to friends and family. Especially if you’re buying green products, it’s important to not outweigh the green of the product by neglecting to think green when shipping.

Are you a green shopper and a green shipper? Share your tips with us!

The New York Times: Boombox Provides Fun in the Sun

The New York Times Gadgetwise blog recommends the Rukus Solar to amp up your party this summer.

“The Rukus can provide hours of entertainment for your outdoor party; you just provide the food and drink.“

Mashable: Power the Party Soundtrack with Sun

Mashable talks about the Rukus Solar’s features that let you rock and roll all night – without outlets or batteries.

“The Etón Rukus Solar (about $150 at Amazon) is extremely light, easy to use and — best of all — solar-powered.”

Wired: Trail Tech: 6 Ways to Stay Wired in the Wilderness

Wired lists six gadgets that help tech-savvy adventurers stay wired on the go, and one of them is the Rukus Solar.

“This Bluetooth-enabled boom box has a rugged, trail-worthy case and a 40-square-inch solar panel. Six hours of direct sun will deliver enough juice for six hours of campfire jams.”

The Rukus Solar is a unanimous choice to bring the tunes to wherever the party takes you. Sound good? Take a look at the Rukus Solar on Amazon. And for a limited time, you can enter to win your own Rukus Solar. From April 13-May 20, Etón is giving away a Rukus a day. Head to http://StartaRukus.com to enter the giveaway, and follow @EtonCorporation on Twitter for daily updates on who won.

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