Tech For Emergencies Via Acumor

Most of us think of technology as a work tool or as something to entertain us. However, some forms of technology can actually help us survive emergencies.

This is something that the writers of the Wirecutter technology blog have recently addressed. In the wake of the devastation brought to the East Coast by Hurricane Sandy, Wirecutter listed some key technology that could help you in case of an emergency.

Here are some of the blog’s suggestions:

NPower PEG Personal Energy Generator

When public transportation goes down—as much of it did in New York City following Sandy—the odds are high that you’ll be doing a lot of walking. The editors at Wireccutter, then, recommended the NPower PEG Person Energy Generator. This tool will use the energy that you generate from walking—or from, say, biking—to charge your cell phone.

You can also charge the device by shaking it vigorously. According to Wirecutter, if you shake it for 10 minutes, you’ll create enough power to make a short cell phone call.

Eton BoostTurbine1000

The TurbineBoost1000 is a backup battery pack that can provide a charge of 50 percent to a smartphone that’s run out of battery life. It also comes with a hand-cranked generator that can recharge the BootTurbine1000′s battery.

According to Wirecutter, one minute of hand cranking will create enough energy to make a 30-second cell phone call or send and receive a few text messages.

Solar Joos USB gadget charger

The Solar Joos USB gadget charger is waterproof and can charge a cell phone either from its battery or from the solar panel’s power. It can also recharge itself either in the sun—in less than a day—or faster through a USB port.

The device also comes with adaptors for a wide variety of cell phones and USB ports.

Of course, this is just a small list of technology that might be able to help you survive long power outages. It’s nice, though, to realize that technology isn’t only about letting us watch Breaking Bad on our smart phones. Sometimes, technology can help keep us safe and in contact with our loved ones during emergencies.

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Acumor delivers proactive maintenance services through our flat-rate IT Support Service. Designed to reduce your costs, increase your profits and mitigate your business risks, we partner with you as your Virtual CIO and IT Department, allowing you to focus on running your business, not your technology.

Read additional Acumor articles in their January Newsletter .

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(Image Credit – Acumor)

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