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Emergency Gadgets Reviewed

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the powerless-to-resist dept.

Carl Bialik writes "When power lines go down, hand-cranked radios and standalone cellphone chargers could come in handy. Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg reviews emergency gadgets, including a $50 radio that picks up TV audio and gets 35 minutes of power from a 30-second crank. Of course, Mossberg also offers the caveat that these gadgets could be rendered useless 'should the communications infrastructure itself go down.'"

6 of 422 comments (clear)

  1. My Mossberg emergency item... by east+coast · · Score: 5, Funny

    It doesn't have a handcrank but it has a pump and a trigger.

    --
    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
    1. Re:My Mossberg emergency item... by TykeClone · · Score: 5, Funny

      And a point & click interface!

      --
      A fine is a tax you pay for doing wrong and a tax is a fine you pay for doing all right.
  2. That's revolutionary! by garcia · · Score: 5, Funny

    After thirty seconds of cranking I'm usually asleep for thirty-five minutes!

    Sorry, I couldn't resist ;)

  3. The least problem by salzbrot · · Score: 5, Funny

    [...]these gadgets could be rendered useless 'should the communications infrastructure itself go down.'

    If you can no longer get shortwave signals on your radio because the communications infrastructure itself went down, listening to the latest news is the least of your problems. You should be looking for the stone ax and the closest cave to move into.

  4. sounds like me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can get 35 minutes of pleasure from a 30 second crank.

  5. Re:Limited Usefulness Lifespan by Chairboy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Breaking news: Some of the other emergency supplies you purchase (food, medicine, batteries) may also become unusable sometime in the future because of a limited shelflife.

    Because of this, I recommend holding off on purchases of emergency supplies until a few days before the emergency happens, that way freshness and technological protocol compliance can be assured. Alternately, don't schedule any emergencies until after a digital television compliant emergency radio is available for purchase.

    (PS, the radio also picks up... radio.)