Essential camping gadgets to level-up your next outdoor experience

With travel to far-off destinations still out of reach for most Hongkongers, ever more residents have taken to exploring the city’s hidden corners with overnight camping trips as a means of escaping the confines of home. For these intrepid outdoor enthusiasts, take a careful peruse through our favourite camping gadgets that ensure your next stay under the stars is seamlessly easy. 

gafencu camping gadgets for outdoors biolite camper stove charger
Image: BioLite

A portable two-in-one camp stove charging station
Meal time in the wilderness is made particularly easy with this electricity generating camp stove. Designed by BioLite, it elevates self-sufficiency to another level with its award-winning CampStove 2+ designed to burn anything from to wood scraps as fuel to not only cook your meals, but also charge your gears and phone at the same time. It uses 3W of power and can boil up to a litre of water in just 4.5 mins.
How much: HK$1,164

gafencu camping gadgets for outdoors larq sanitising water bottle
Image: Larq

A sanitising water bottle 
In an era of hyper-hygienic, pathogen-eliminating practices, the habitual sanitation of all things in one’s possession makes for a reassuring safeguard against viral infections such as the ongoing pandemic. And while in the wild, keeping an such an item as the Larq Movement Water Bottle might just be the protection you seek. Equipped with internal UV-C lights, it sanitises its interios and contents regularly, discarding the usual distasteful metallic flavours of tin water bottles. It even serves as a sanitising canister for your utensils, offering peace of mind while in the wild.
How much: HK$750

gafencu camping gadgets for outdoors portable projector
Image: Hachi

A portable smart projector for an outdoor cinema
Though the days of campfire stories may be long gone, with wireless entertainment becoming increasingly more portable, the perfect way to gather loved ones for your next outdoor staycation may be best done with an evening of Netflix and smores – an experience made possible by miniature portable projectors that eschews the need for cables and oversized screens. The Hachi Infinite M1 Projector, in particular, boasts a full Android tablet system built in for app downloads like Netflix and Hulu — replacing the need for USB and HDMI connectivity. It also features a holographic touch-screen tablet for easy navigation. Simply place it facing your tent and tap on your latest binge-worthy flick and enjoy a holographic cinema experience in the wild
How much: HK$7,761

gafencu camping gadgets for outdoors vespera telescope camera
Image: Vaonis

A compact telescope-camera
Enjoying the evening under a blanket of stars might be a highlight that most campers long to share, but if you never posted it on social media, did it even really happen? Thankfully Vaonis’ latest cutting-edge technology delivers an ultra portable telescope-camera that lets any star gazing enthusiast get a taste of being an astrophotographer. The Vespera is a two-in-one device highlighted by its advance telescoping technology  designed to deliver impressively clear images in low light, and uses a GPS system to locate and track any star, galaxy or nebulae automatically. The gadget is lightweight device that is compact enough to fit in a backpack and connects to a Smartphone via Blutooth to take pictures and share online.
How much: HK$11,646

Helpful gadgets to get sound sleep

Sleep is a natural recurring state for the human body and mind. It is the body’s natural way of healing and recovery, which also helps retain information and counter depressive symptoms. Despite a sound sleep’s benefits to health and a happy life, many people experience difficulties getting a good night’s rest, especially in a city like Hong Kong with a hectic pace of life. Poor sleep can lead to depression, memory loss and even high blood pressure and other serious ailments. These health issues underscore the need to remedy the causes of poor sleep quality.

 

Minimise sleeping difficulties with these helpful gadgets:

Helpful gadgets to get sound gafencu magazinesleep lighting

Smart lighting

The body’s circadian rhythm, also known as the body clock, is a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and is often the part of the body that is affected most when using smart devices at night or when jet lagged.

Because the body typically associates sunlight with activity and night with sleep, new lighting technology, notably the Philips Hue White, recreates the rise and setting of the sun. It fades out and turns on to signal the body when it is time to go to sleep or when to wake up. This device synchronizes the mind and body to wake up or rest at the appropriate time.

Helpful gadgets to get sound sleep sleep gafencu magazine tracker

Sleep trackers

Waking up in the middle of the night can be extremely frustrating, especially when fatigued. Analyzing sleep patterns can assist in understanding what interrupts one’s sleep.

Sleep trackers such as the Aura Smart Sleep System and the Lavatech Sleep monitor sleep patterns and provide in-depth analysis on what causes disruptions in sleep. A coaching program is also available to offer tips on how to sleep better.

Helpful gadgets to get sound sleep gafencu magazineelectric oil diffuser

Electric Oil Diffusers

Even if the body is very exhausted, the mind is programmed to pick up cues from the environment which is a natural survival instinct. There are many subtle distractions inside the bedroom that make falling asleep difficult. 

Electric oil diffusers like the VITRUVI’s White Stone Diffuser emits aromatic oils, such as lavender, clary sage and chamomile, in the air which prompts the body to relax.

Helpful gadgets to get sound sleep gafecu magazine bed warmer

Body temperature regulator

Changes in room temperature cause discomfort, prompting one to toss and turn in bed as the need to adjust the temperature arises.

It’s a challenge to get the right temperature while sleeping, but experts say this is key to getting a good night’s rest. With smarter technology, sleeping aids are now available, notably gadgets like the Embr Wave Bracelet, a smart bracelet that cools or warms the body or the OOLER Sleep System, a bed warmer which adjusts temperature via a simple phone app.

Helpful gadgets to get sound sleep gafencu magazine feature

Professional advice

Sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, insomnia and restless leg syndrome are symptoms of underlying conditions such as mineral deficiencies, weight problems and other fundamental health issues. In such cases, it is best to seek the professional advice of a doctor or a sleep expert to understand the causes of restless nights.

 

See Also: Healing benefits of essential oils

 

The Latest sports technologies that boost athletic performance

Professional athletes and fitness fanatics always strive to outperform their last best record. So, it’s not surprising for the fitness world to continue bringing forth gadgets, engineered to produce peak performance. The latest sports gadgets facilitate traditional sports training and continuing advance into the modern world of smart technology. New technologies equip athletes with devices that help boost their performance and put them in better control of the situation.

Here are the latest sports gadgets that will assist athletes and sports enthusiasts:

Latest sports technologies that boost athletic performance gafencu magazine gadgets Polar vantage V titan
Polar Vantage V Titan HK$4,580 Up

High-performance multi-feature sports watches

Smartwatches are best to start a discussion on sports gadgets. They are the most common accessory to every sports enthusiast. Aside from time, smartwatches track different types of data and metrics that help athletes analyze their progress.

How it works: Similar to fitness trackers, they are designed to track progress, calorie burns, heart rate, and GPS locations when connected to smartphones. But with more improvements in technology, these high-tech timepieces have been upgraded to enable more features for extreme sports, such as deep water diving.  

Benefits: Information is key to improvements. Knowing your weaknesses, strengths, and progress go a very long way in helping an athlete attain his goals. With easy connectivity via smartphones and Apps, users can gather significant data helpful in tracking progress, including weaknesses.

Latest sports technologies that boost athletic performance gafencu magazine gadgets Polar vantage V titan Garmin TacX cycle
Garmin Tacx Neo Bike Smart Trainer HK$24,801

Smart trainers

From mirrors that double as a functional interactive digital gym to stationery cycles that mimic the high-speed inertia of a professional road bike or even smart technology kettlebells that adjusts its weight magnetically, smart trainers aim to help athletes resolve the shortcomings of traditional training and urban lifestyles, such as road traffic for cyclists and gym closures for weight trainers.  

How it works: Smart technology, often available in digital devices, provide traditional training, including the neuromuscular type that mimics real weights and realistic road bike inertia and offers the conveniences that urban life demands, like customized programs, Bluetooth, and mobile phone connectivity.

Benefits: Smart trainers enable serious athletes and casual sports enthusiasts to overcome urban life obstacles in busy cities by making workouts personalized and convenient to users with the myriad of digital features and connectivity that don’t fall short from traditional training.

Latest sports technologies that boost athletic performance gafencu magazine gadgets FORM smart swim goggle
FORM Smart Swim Goggles HK$1,542

Fitness trackers

Apart from waterproof smartwatches and heart rate monitors, other sport-specific fitness trackers such as the FORM Smart Swim Goggles, Nike Air Vapor Max Shoes, and the Tangram Smartrope LED showcase technology with the most functional features that every serious athlete needs in training for better performance. 

How it works: When connected to the app, users track anything from calories burned to distance traveled. Sensors are embedded into the devices to collect data on how much distance was covered and how much calories were burned. 

Benefits: Convenient as wearable fitness trackers that enable athletes to easily and accurately collect data of their training and progress without carrying any bulky accessories with them.

Latest sports technologies that boost athletic performance gafencu magazine gadgets Polar vantage V titan Hyperice Vyper 2.0
Hyperice Vyper 2.0 HK$1,542

Muscle recovery accessories

Muscle recovery is probably the most underestimated contribution of high-tech gadgets to physical performance for those unfamiliar with competitive sports training. Proper recovery is essential to any fitness program and is detrimental to fall short in this part of the workout.

How it works: Modern technology has taken traditional forms of muscle recovery and incorporated it into smart devices like the Hyperice Vyper Foam Roller and Powedot 2.0 Uno which allows athletes to save time and recover at home. These devices were engineered to deliver powerful vibrations to target sore muscles and promote blood circulation 

Benefits: Athletes can save time going for sports massages and recover muscle fatigue faster at home with devices that are twice more effective than regular methods, giving them the opportunity to perform at their peak in their next workout. They also relieve soreness and promote blood circulation after workouts.

Latest sports technologies that boost athletic performance gafencu magazine gadgets Polar vantage V titan Skulpt Scanner
Skupt Scanner HK$767 Up

 

Body Scanner

It’s now a well-known fact in the health and fitness world that the number on the scale doesn’t mean much unless the number tells how much fat, water, muscle, and bone the body is made up of.

How it works: Gadgets like the Fitbit Aria 2 smart scale and Skulpt Scanner offer athletes accessible tools to scan their bodies and analyze their body composition. When touched with the skin, these scanners use weak current but high- frequency electrical impulses that travel through the muscle fibers, measuring the level of resistance against the body’s muscle tissue and determining the body’s composition. 

Benefits: Not limited to just athletes, this tool benefits to anyone who wants to lose fat or gain some muscle mass as it gives users a better understanding of their body and highlights the areas that need improvements.

Latest sports technologies that boost athletic performance gafencu magazine gadgets Airofit breathing trainer bluetooth mouthpiece
Airofit Breathing Trainer HK$2,317

Breathing Trainer

Another noteworthy device that can be used for various types of sports training is the Airofit Breathing Trainer Bluetooth mouthpiece.  Active sports can cause the body to tire, especially in competitive sports. A fatigued body affects breathing which can be detrimental to performance.

How it works: When breathing becomes difficult, the muscles get less oxygen, ultimately affecting performance. The device improves users’ breathing techniques and increases lung capacity during training with programs that let you adjust the airflow duration, intensity, and resistance level via pressure sensors to suit every user.

Benefits: This device trains breathing techniques to strengthen the respiratory muscles to get stronger, faster, and more efficient, allowing for better performance.

 

See Also: Smart living: Smart gadgets for your home

Sony’s new Z9G 8K HDR TV redefines the luxury viewing experience

In a world where higher-than-real-life definition and awe-inspiring audio experiences rule the television industry roost, one recently-released model truly stands out – the Masters Series Z9G 8K HDR TV. The brainchild of Japanese electronics giant Sony, it’s the brand’s first-ever 8K TV, and boasts more pixels and definition than any Sony TV to come before it.

In a bid to ramp up the oomph factor of the Z9G TV even further, Sony has unveiled two gargantuan iterations of this design – an 85-inch model with a pretty price tag of US$12,999, or an immense 98-inch version that costs an eye-watering US$69,999. While these price tags may cause some consternation, in fact, any cursory glance at its cutting-edge specs immediately reveals one mean, high-performing machine.

Introducing the Sony Masters Series Z9G 8K HDR TV

Equipped with Sony’s much-lauded X1 Ultimate Processor, it is capable of delivering a staggering 33 million pixels in 8K high-definition quality, roughly for times more than any plebian 4K TV. What’s more, it comes equipped with a specially-developed picture processor that can apparently refine and upscale images in real time, which, working in tandem with its Backlight Master Drive produces expansive brightening and dimming options to suit the viewer’s needs.

Sony Masters Series Z9G 8K HDR TV image

Rounding out the Z9G TV’s fully-outfitted features are the four front-facing speakers that are part of its Acoustic Multi-Audio System – two at the top and two along its bottom – that purportedly offer an unrivalled level of accuracy and presence. Add to the mix its convenient voice command-enabled capabilities, and this flagship TV stands as a true statement piece for the future of 8K viewing.

Fromaggio: Craft your own cheeses with this nifty smart home gadget

It seems the hottest trend these days is to create DIY food products within the comforts of your own home. From brewing self-powered espressos to crafting your own home beers, today’s modern urban dweller seems to be shunning mass-market products in favour of that personal touch. Now, the latest product getting that DIY touch is cheese, thanks to an upcoming Fromaggio smart home gadget.

Create your own cheese with Fromaggio

Having completed a successful crowdfunding campaign, the Fromaggio markets itself as the first smart, automatic cheesemaker for home use. The premise is simple. Users select a specific recipe via the companion mobile app, then add the suggested amounts of milk, cultures and rennet to the countertop appliance. The machine then performs the rest of the curing procedure by itself with no additional input necessary.

Fromaggio allows you to make your own cheese

In what is sure to be an attractive feature for several niche segments of society, the Fromaggio’s versatility is not limited to traditional hard/soft and aged/fresh cheese, but is also capable of making lactose-free, kosher and even vegan cheeses, if its promotional material is to be believed.

The Fromaggio launches March 2020

So if you’re a fan of fromage – and someone for whom delayed gratification is not a hindrance – the Fromaggio smart cheesemaker could offer a whole new dimension to both your cheese platter and your home cooking. While first shipments only go out in March 2020, you can still pre-order your own unit by visiting this site.

Hearoes: Nura’s latest ear champion promises a completely personalised sound profile

Nuraphone

You could be forgiven for thinking that there’s very little new in headphone world, at least nothing new that’s vaguely comprehensible to the committed non-audiophile. Upgraded coaxial digital input? Enhanced OTL tube amps? I’ll have a bit of that, squire, as long as it brings out the true majesty of Celine Dion Sings the Hits of John Denver…

Word has it, though, that the Nuraphone, the debut offering from Nura, a three-year-old Melbourne-based high-tech headphone specialist, could actually be genuinely innovative. Kickstarter-funded, personalisation is said to be the key to the unique audio experience the company promises across its array of breathtakingly immodest promotional literature.

Taking as its starting point the fact that no two people ever have quite the same listening experience, the Nuraphone’s core component is a self-learning algorithm. This natty bit of tech is said to study your listening patterns and then adjust its settings based on your responses to low, mid and high tones. After that, a completely personalised and unique sound profile is apparently yours in 60 seconds or less.

In a nod to traditional headphone double-speak, the Nuraphone is also apparently blessed with immersive Inova sonic moulding architecture, which, given its polysyllabic incomprehensibility, just has to be great. Those worried that so much emphasis on high-techery may actually result in a diminished sound quality – it wouldn’t be the first time – can actually rest assured that this is not the case. According to the manufacturer, the headphones are guaranteed to deliver pristine sound quality, with the promise of getting your money back if they don’t.

For more information visit: www.nuraphone.com