Walk and jog at night - and be seen.

Here’s a secure way to carry your cell phone, music player, keys, wallet, energy bars and more. It’s the ArmPocket NightHawk. This company makes many different models, but the NightHawk is their first LED version. The ArmPocket is water resistant to protect your electronics and it features a touch-thru window. That means you can still operate your touch-screen digital device by touching the protection window of the NightHawk. Made from recycled material and natural bamboo, there are 3 interior pockets. The Armpocket Nighthawk's newest feature is the added safety benefit of two ultra-bright LED lights. A white light LED can illuminate the path ahead, while the red light makes sure you are visible from behind. You can select steady, or flashing for either of the two LED lights. There are also pass-through holes for your earbuds. The NightHawk fits phones up to 5.3 inches. Right now it’s available in black with a medium strap length. $49.95.

http://www.armpocket.com/products/NightHawk.html

This new device watches your back. Really!

Do you ever wish you could stand straighter so you back wouldn’t hurt so much at the end of the day. Well now there’s an app for that --- and an electronic device too. The object of the LUMOback posture sensor and mobile app is to help you stand taller and feel better. The sensor provides a gentle vibration when you slouch to remind you to sit or stand straight. It is worn on your lower back and designed to be slim, sleek and so comfortable that you barely feel it when you have it on. The LUMOback sensor connects wirelessly to an iPhone 5, 4S, new iPad app (3rd and 4th gen), or new iPod touch (5th gen) which tracks all of your movement data. (Note that it requires iOS6 with the new Bluetooth LE). Your avatar, LUMO, mirrors your daily activities. Anyone can use LUMOback. Its simple and integrates into your daily routine. You don’t have to carry your iPhone, Touch or iPad with you. LUMOback tracks your posture all day long. When you connect it to your iOS6 device at the end of the day it will tell you how many hours you walked and how many hours you sat. It will also tell how many of those hours you had good posture – and bad posture! $149.00

www.lumoback.com

Let there be (solar) light!

The Luci LED inflatable lantern is great for emergencies. Luci Light is both solar-powered and waterproof. It only weighs 3.8 ounces and collapses for travel. It charges via sun or artificial light. Solar charge time is around 6 hours which will produce anywhere from 6 to 12 hours of continuous light. Unlike other solar power products, Luci incorporates the functions of a task light, flashlight and diffused lantern. It has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and is durable and reliable in extreme weather conditions. The three-way switch provides low, high and flashing light. It offers up to 1200 lumens of light from the 10 built-in LED’s. There’s even a built in loop so it can easily be attached to a wall or ceiling. Luci strives for a higher goal too. It was created to empower the developing world through solar power, providing greater equity to those without access to electricity. It was designed to be independent of a power grid. The company says Luci is the solution where light is inaccessible or unaffordable. It’s a clean, low-cost, sustainable energy provider. So it provides a dependable solution where there are unreliable or no electrical services. You can buy one for $15.95 (plus S&H). If you’re interesting in helping people in regions of the world where there is little or no electric, Luci will soon offer a way for you to buy for yourself and pay for one for a person living beyond the power grid. It’s a great sharing idea.

http://www.mpowerd.com/luci-different

A phone case that offers more than just protection.

SmartSound Case is the first smartphone case that provides passive amplification of the sound from the phone’s speakers without a need for an external power source. (No power is required from your phone either.) When you open up the kickstand, the sound is instantly amplified by the stand which acts like a horn speaker. The SmartSound Case is crafted out of durable injection-molded PC, which makes it strong and lightweight. It’s crafted to keeping all ports and buttons of your device easily accessible. The texture of the matte surface of the case is smooth to the touch while providing a solid grip. The case I showed on the air isn’t the final design, which will be along in February or March. I (and a couple of others I did a demo for) found that in the open position, the sound is improved by perhaps 10 or 15%. So it’s not a knock out improvement, but you can hear the difference. Perhaps the final design will improve it even more. SmartCase is certainly worth considering when you consider you’re getting a protective case, a stand for your phone and the horn speaker all for under $40. (As of this writing, 1/21/13) They’ve even put a reflector in the case to make your phone’s flash a little more potent. Cases are phone specific. I have the one for Samsung Galaxy 3. More info at what’s available is at the company website:

http://www.smartsoundcase.com/

Here's a Charge Card That Really Charges!

Charge Card $25. Ever have this happen? I have. You take your phone & your laptop on the road and you go to charge it, you realize you forget the connecting cable! Thanks to the new Charge Card, you’ll have a spare cable in your wallet. Yes, Charge Card looks and feels like a credit card, and it can fit into your wallet. When you find you need that missing cable, you plug one end of the Charge Card into your device (there are three versions) unfold the USB dongle and plug into your computer, or AC adapter. It becomes that missing cable. The Charge Card is available for iPhone 4 or 5 and for Android phones (or any phone) that charge via micro USB. And in case you’re wondering, Charge Card charges and syncs too. This was a Kickstarter project that exceeded its goal by triple digits, so it’s something people want. It ships in February and is available in black or white for $25. There is an offer to Tweet about ChargeCard and get a discount, but I don’t know how long that will last, or how big the discount is. (This was written on 1/21/2013)

www.chargecardproject.com