Gadget Guru July 2013

Catching Waves

Invented by Mike Railey of Del Mar, the WaveJet series of patented personal water propulsion boards are the perfect way to catch some waves without pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion. The company’s twin intake system produces 20 pounds of thrust and can be fitted into any of their numerous surfboards, paddleboards, body boards, and more. The WaveJet has a continuous run time of up to 60 minutes (it is rechargeable) and is operated from a wireless wrist controller. Surfers can leisurely glide out past breakers to catch big waves, paddleboarders can ride the currents without the workout, and kayakers have a power source beyond their paddles. The company also points out the added benefit it will bring to lifeguards. Prices vary. wavejet.com

Take Charge

Bringing an old fashioned paperback to the beach is so 2002; these days it’s about iPads. And if your family is iPad crazy, you’ll want to grab the Ten iPad Charging Bay to keep them in top shape. The recent winner of the iF Product Design Award, the charging cabinet was initially designed for companies that utilize iPads for work (in schools, as restaurant menus, etc) but is also sold for home use. Ten USB ports occupy the ten slots for simple charging, and by connecting your computer to the cabinet, you can sync each tablet to all of your master programs (hence the workplace benefit). LEDs indicate the status of each device so you don’t need to pull them out to check, and the cabinet locks with a key should you need it to. It’s compatible with most Apple product such as iPhones, iPads, iPad minis, nanos, etcetera. $899. hammacher.com

Sea View

When you’re done playing on the waves, go beneath them and explore your artistic side with Liquid Image’s Wide Angle Scuba Series HD 1080P combination facemask and video camera. With its hands-free set up, you don’t have to worry about shaky hands or not finding buttons in time for that award-winning shot. Just turn it on and swim around capturing the wonders of undersea life, as far down as 130 feet. The masks come in a variety of sizes and colors to fit your fashion sense. Internally, a 4GB memory card takes up to two hours of video, or you can opt for an upgrade with a 32GB card. If stills are your thing, you can switch it over to the 12-megapixel photo mode. It comes with a 135-degree wide angle lens, with add ons available. The unit runs on AAA batteries and can be ordered through the company’s online store for around $299. liquidimageco.com   Ryan Thomas