tech

The Mantis “Walking Machine” heralds our insectoid-robot overlords

If you’re anything like us, you’ve been wondering when you’d have a jetpack, a personal robot servant, and meals in pill form since you were a kid. These were all things we were sure would have happened by now (Back to the Future: Part II, you have two years), but they don’t appear to be coming anytime soon, unless you count Roombas (which you shouldn’t).

FlashCharger

Out of juice? USB FlashCharger is a gadget-head travel essential

Smart phones consume a lot of power. So do tablets. It gets worse if you use even a few apps. And, in reality, it’s not always feasible to find an outlet when you get the warning that your gadget is about to die.

Because of this, coming across something like the FlashCharger is serendipitous. Charge up the battery at home, drop it in your bag along with a USB cord, and use it when you’re in a tight spot, electricity-wise. It’s not as versatile or powerful as something like the Goal Zero Yeti, requiring wall charging between uses, but for everyday emergency use, it’s not a bad choice — particularly when you can pick it at for a deeply discounted price ($14 instead of $60) for a limited time.