[June 27, 2011] Jonathan Takiff: These gadgets get you ready for summer fun Tweet Jun 27, 2011 (Philadelphia Daily News - McClatchy-Tribune News Service via COMTEX) -- THE GIZMO: Having fun now that summer's officially here? Gizmo Guy hopes to get you in the mood with good-to-go gadgets for your outdoor entertainment, recreational and dining pleasure. TV IN MOTION: Much improved over earlier battery-operated models, the 3.5-inch, color-screened RCA DMT336R Pocket Digital TV pulled in most locally broadcast channels in my reception-challenged neighborhood with crystal-clear images and sound (with connected headphones). A nonglare screen allows for outdoor viewing in indirect sunlight. Better still, this future-proof "hybrid" model also tunes the new breed of Mobile Digital TV channels, a standard-definition-only version of digital TV customized to play on small sets in moving vehicles. The DMT336R nabs FM radio stations, too. The battery delivers three hours of video play per charge. A kick stand holds the thing upright on a tabletop. $159 at RCAPortableTV.com. TAKING THE MUSIC WITH YOU: Have lots of music stored (or Web-accessible) on your Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone, iPod or iPad? Now you can easily share the good sounds with friends in the back yard, the front stoop or wherever. Just link that device wirelessly or by audio cable to the punchy, battery-powered SuperTooth Disco amplified speaker system. Small but solid, this slim-line, 2.6-pound Disco blaster boasts a mighty 28-watt amplifier, a backported woofer and cranks to 90 decibels without distorting. The rechargeable battery lasts three to four hours at full volume, 10 hours at a more moderate listening level, and 1,500 hours in standby. Also cool, SuperTooth Disco's control buttons wirelessly trigger basic music playback functions on devices located/beaming as far as 85 feet away! $149 (including carrying case and connector cable) at department, speciality and mobile phone stores, www.SuperTooth.net. Bound for the beach or pool? Stow your music-packed smartphone or dedicated MP3 player safely inside the Eco Extreme Waterproof Speaker Case from Grace Digital Audio. Connect one cable to the device's headphone jack, hit its play button, then lock up the Eco enclosure with two latch seals. The only control you'll now have over the music is via the power/volume knob on the outside of the protective case. But the good news is Eco Extreme's own amplifier and waterproof speaker will hum sweetly for about 30 hours on three AA batteries at 75 decibels. Sealing up this rugged case enhances bass response while guarding your device against spills, sand and water. $49.99 at www.GraceDigitalAudio.com. COOKING WITH GAS: What's the best budget gas barbecue grill of 2011? Both Consumer Reports and Good Housekeeping have put the stamp of the champ on the Brinkman 810-2410-SB. It's packed with features _ four stainless steel burners, porcelain-coated cast-iron cooking grates, a side burner, a warming rack, and a preassembled cart with flip-out accessory rack. Why there's even a bottle opener! $199 at HomeDepot (which often offers free assembly of the whole BBQ package). A similar Brinkman grill, the 810-1415-W, goes for $190 at Walmart. THOSE PARTY LIGHTS: For camping, evening outdoor parties and emergencies, shed some light on the situation with the eGear Dynamo 15 LED Lantern. This pop-up illuminator has two brightness settings _ the lesser is still good enough to read by or play cards. The lantern runs on hand-cranked power. Or its battery can take a serious charge from a 12-volt car socket (cable supplied) or optional AC adapter. There's also a pip-squeak of an alarm you can activate, and the handcrank can power up a connected mobile phone, too. We found this light online, priced from $29 (Sierra Trading Post) to $48 (Sears Marketplace). C.Crane Company is bringing in a newly upgraded model as the CC LED Lantern for $49 that adds a USB power cable. Dress up the patio for a party by draping solar-powered string lights on trees, arbors and railings. Depending on how much daylight strikes the companion solar panel, the glow lasts five to eight hours a night, and the lights are durable enough to leave up year-round. 100 bulb, 35-foot sets go for $30 to $80 from sites such as www.Amazon.com and www.gardeners.com. PIMP THAT RIDE, RUN AND SWIM: Need extra incentive to go running or biking? The popular iMapMy application now works on the iPhone, BlackBerry and Android phones, too, using the communicator's built-in GPS, to track your fitness activities (duration, distance, calories burned, route traveled, etc.). The app, interactive mapping and social network bragging rights are free. But then they get you with a variety of Wahoo-branded device mounts and fitness sensors, starting with the essential plug-in sensor for your phone ($79.95), a Heart Rate Sensor Strap ($49.99), a Foot Pod Sensor ($69.99) and a Speed/Cadence Sensor ($49.99). Details at www.mapmyride.com. Serious lap swimmers usually measure their exercise by time spent in the pool. Now comes the world's first swim performance watch monitor, FINIS:Swimsense. This smart analyzer can differentiate between stroke type, mark stroke count and efficiency, calculate calories burned and more. It also functions as a conventional time keeper and (wait for the gun!) conversation-starter. $199.99 at www.Finisinc.com. _____ E-mail Jonathan Takiff at [email protected]. ___ (c) 2011, Philadelphia Daily News. 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