Hasta La Ideas

At this point, any observant tech ethnographer knows that no one leaves their home without at least three things: wallet, key and cell phone. But lately, with the kind of short term battery life that smart phones have, I’ve noticed that more people are now adding another essential: some way to charge the phone. That might be a solar generator, an extra battery, a USB battery or even just a USB cord that you can plug into a power source when necessary.

But anyone who’s done fieldwork knows that finding a charge can be difficult. Sure, solar panels can help, but only if it’s sunny. Finding a way to keep your phone charged can mean the difference between having accurate GPS and connectivity in the field and returning to the days of paper notes and navigating by a compass. Which is why I was excited to learn about the FlameStower, which made the rounds a few weeks ago.

(more…)