HOT Gadgets to Keep Your Family COOL this summer
This article is sponsored by Northern California Honda Dealers
Sacramento summers are perfect for hopping in the car and driving to one of many nearby places that offer up tons of summer fun. There's just one problem: It can get pretty hot! Keep yourself and your loved ones cool this summer by taking advantage of state-of-the-art technologies that will allow you to control your own immediate climate.
Yeti 400 energy battery/ solar generator
The Yeti 400 is like having an extra outlet on or off the grid! With this handy battery, you can power anything 400 watts or less. If you plan on doing a ton of camping around the Sacramento River or spending time at a cabin on Collins Lake this summer, this generator can definitely come in handy. It's quiet and portable, so it's great for cabins and car camping. The Yeti 400 can be replenished through its 120 watt charging port through the outlet on the wall in five hours, your car's AC cigarette lighter in 13, or 120 watts of solar panel in 10.
The IcyBreeze Portable air conditioner + cooler
Our pooches like to come on road trips and partake in the summer fun, too, but in the California heat, it's important to ensure they keep cool and get plenty of water. The IcyBreeze is a portable air conditioner and cooler that's perfect for those who plan to travel with pets in an RV or car. Fill it with a minimum of two quarts of water and ice. A pump pulls the chilled water into a radiator and then a fan pulls the chilled air out through the vent or flexi hose for desired aim. The Icy Breeze weighs just 21 pounds and will keep you and family friends and furry pals cool for seven hours on a single charge.
The Cool Box
Commutes and road trips just got cooler for Honda owners. The Cool Box on Honda Odyssey EX-L models and above makes use of the car's ventilation system to keep food or drinks cold. The box is a chilled compartment within easy reach—just below the ash tray—and can hold up to six cans or four 20-ounce bottles. Simply activate the climate control system that controls the Cool Box by pressing the "cool" button. Check out your local NorCal Honda Dealer to see one in person, or maybe take a test drive just to cool down your drink.
Sony 4GB Bluetooth Wearable MP3 Player
Want to get some water aerobics in, or just listen to your favorite tunes or podcasts while you relax in the pool? Sony's first-of-its-kind waterproof MP3 player allows you to splash around while enjoying quality audio without damaging your equipment. This MP3 player can be submerged to 2 meters—that's nearly 19 and a half feet! The submergible Walkman can stream the internet using it's blue tooth capability, so connect it to your smart phone and enjoy. Remember to stick to the pools with this device as it's not submergible in salt water.
Karen Hansen M.S. Earth Sciences, has been writing about earth and the environmental sciences for Examiner.com since May of 2010 in addition to having been an educator and consultant who has facilitated over 200 courses for a private university. Karen loves to learn and write about clean disruptive technology and policies and the people on the planet too. She lives and works in Sacramento, CA. You can find her work at SF Solar Energy Examiner, SF Environmental News Examiner and Environmental News Examiner
