TECH: 5 gadgets you need to have in your car
Jumper cables and a spare tire are a must for your automobile. But these handy gadgets and contraptions won’t do your glove compartment any harm at all – in case of car breakdown or boredom.
Portable Battery
If you have a cellphone – and you probably do – it’s pretty important that you have an external battery charger in your car. Rated in milliamp hours, or mAh, these gadgets work exactly like mobile batter- ies, offering extra hours if your phone is dead and you really need to call for help. The Anker Astro Mini 3200mAh runs with iPhone, iPad and Android and it has a port- able lipstick- sized that promises to guarantee about 7 hours of talk time for some phones and double battery to others.Staples.com, $22.49
Road Angel Gem
This little gadget will help you a lot because it can warn you about the speed limit and let you know about upcoming speed cameras. With an accurate database about the roads, the gizmo also warns you about hazards and accident black spots.And the best part of all is that the Gem provides the user access to the ‘eAssist’, a specialized service with an operator that will help you in case the driver gets in trouble.Roadangelgem.com, $247
LED Lights
Imagine if you’re driving alone and your car gets stuck in some dark and eerie place? You really need to have a good flashlight with you. LED models are the best because they’re small enough to fit inside your glove compartment, more reliable than other lights and bright enough to help you when you’re need – which also means you will avoidbeing in an accident with other vehicles that cannot see you. The Life Gear Eco- friendly LED Emergency Road Flares has a pack with 3 of them that provide 10,000 hour LED technol- ogy and it’s pretty easy to use: just twist on and off.AtAmazon.com, $5.89
Delphi vehicle diagnostics
What about having a mechanic with you all the time? This device works exactly like this: it provides real-time mechanical and troublseshooting data about your car’s health. Because of its accurate diagnostic functions, Delphi is just like a remote control in which you are able to not only have the information, but also operate the lock- ing and unlocking of the doors, check the speed and other features, like start the engine. All of this operates from the comfort of a smartphone app. Verizonwireless.com, from $99 to $199
Handpresso Wild Portable espressoMachine
For those drivers which spend too much time on the road, this caffeine booster pledges to make you avoid accidents and better deal with tiredness. Like any espresso maker, it will brew a freshly-made cup of coffee, but here you can prepare for yourself even during a long trip. According to the manufac- turers, the advice is to pull your car over, have a little rest and thenenjoy a much-needed,stimulating cup ofjoe. Handpresso isnon-electrical andcompatible with allbrands of ESE (EasyServing Espresso) coffee pods.
