The Right Equipment to Extend Your Pokémon Go Expeditions

A week after its release, it feels like everybody is playing the new Pokémon Go game, finally realizing their childhood dreams of becoming Pokémon trainers. The augmented reality game spreads its monsters around the world and tasks its users to travel across the land searching for them, which appear in real life through the phone's camera. Local landmarks serve as stops to replenish game supplies or gyms for battling. It's already the most popular mobile game in the country, and catching up or surpassing social apps like Twitter and Snapchat in daily usage.

The most important part of the game is exploration. While you're on your own to stock up on in-game supplies, the need to walk around means there are real life items that you should have in your inventory. Wear comfortable shoes, dress for the weather, wear bright clothing at night, and don't forget to stay hydrated. Once you've got yourself taken care of, make sure to turn your attention to your phone. Pokémon Go is a notorious battery drainer, and you'd hate to have to cut your journey short because your phone no longer works. Come prepared with a spare power bank to keep it running for as long as you are.

Weego Tour 5200 Battery Pack

For USB devices such as Android phones, the Weego rechargeable battery pack fits in your pocket, includes a 2' long USB cord and can recharge your phone as much as three times over before needing recharging itself, extending the length of your trips. Other portable power adapters are available for iPhones. Exploring outdoors increases the chance for accidents, so a phone case is also a must. If you're really crafty, you can combine the two!

Naztech MFi Power Case for iPhone 6/6s

This phone case for the iPhone 6 doubles as a charging unit! This offers extra battery life without the extra device in your pocket. It's another way to lighten your load and prolong your adventure. Good hunting!

The Emergency Charger For Your Phone... And Your Car

Nobody can get anything done with a powerless mobile phone. If the battery dies, so does your productivity. Thankfully, power banks and portable battery packs are now available, offering a way to take a few extra hours of life with you wherever you go.

Weego BP52 Battery Pack

These battery packs are potential life-savers. Smartphones aren't always able to get through the entire day without a recharge, especially if you do a lot of work away from your computer. So it's easy to see the benefit of carrying spare power around. There is another place where extra battery power can make the difference between a productive day and disaster- your car. It doesn't happen as often, but the effects of a dead car battery are expotentially devastating.

Without an auto service or the combination of a helpful friend with jumper cables and the knowhow to use them, you're stuck. Now imagine if supplying your car with emergency power was as easy as charging your phone.

Weego Jump Starter Battery Pack+

That's right, Weego now has battery packs that charge both electronic devices and engines! Not only your car or truck, but also your boat, motorcycle or ATV as well. All three of the Jump Starter models will recharge phones, laptops and tablets, but depending on the engine of the vehicle you want to keep charged, you may need to upgrade beyond the standard pack. This comparison chart will help you determine whether you need the standard, heavy duty or professional pack.

The Smarter Notepad

Smartphones and tablet computers have quickly become a regular part of every facet of life. Many office supplies have responded in kind. New printer models are compatible with apps that allow wireless printing from a phone or tablet. The stylus that worked on older PDA devices but doesn't handle capacitive touchscreens has evolved into a legitimate alternative to poking and swiping with your finger- wonderful news in this weather.

The latest office supply to hop on the smartphone bandwagon? Would you believe the regular old notepad? For all the conveniences smartphones and tablets provide, it still hasn't replaced the classic pen and paper. There are always times when it's easier to jot something down on a Post-It or brainstorm ideas by hand. But what happens when you want to refer to those ideas? The Ampad Shot Note makes written words accessible again.

Ampad Shot Note Notepad

Most people still prefer to take notes by hand, especially in the classroom or in business meetings. The problem is accessing the notes afterwards. The Shot Note uses markings at each corner to frame the sheet for the phone or tablet to scan. This photo is loaded into an app on the phone and can be logged, searched or e-mailed any time. It's great for the office, perfect for the classroom and can even help around the house.

Ampad Shot Note Easel Pad

The Ampad Shot Note is also available as an easel pad, sketch pad or wirebound notebook. For a limited time, buy $35 purchase of Shot Note products and get a $10 Starbucks card!

How To Not Touch Touchscreens

Since the advent of the LCD screen, one of the traditional commandments has always been never to touch the surface. Contact with the screen can distort images, ruin pixels and wear out a pristine monitor quickly. This still applies to standard desktop and laptop monitors, so if you like to take the hands-on approach in your computing affairs, stop reading and get a screen protector pronto.

As we proceed into the age of smartphones and touchpads, those of us used to the “no touching” rule find ourselves in a foreign, backwards world where touching the screen is not only acceptable, it appears to be necessary to use the device. All the new toys use capacitive screens, which require something conductive in order to work... such as a human finger. It's madness, I tell you.

Capacitive screens are protected from the aforementioned dangers, of course, but that doesn't mean it's always pleasant to use fingers to touch them. Screen smudging is an issue, fingers may not always be clean and jobs may demand a stylus for better accuracy. Most PDA styli don't work since they aren't conductive. It's a problem that had gotten so bad that folks in South Korea started using sausages once they discovered, through what had to be some fantastic trial & error experimentation, that they somehow worked. Thankfully, Targus has a conductive stylus on the market now.

Targus Conductive Stylus

Making a conductive stylus is more complex, so they aren't cheap and only recommended for those who either need the accuracy of a stylus or dislike sausage.

3M Screen Protector Film

If you're only worried about screen smudging or just can't stand the thought of making direct contact with an LCD screen, try 3M's Screen Protector Film. It can be cut to the size of your phone and reduces smudging while keeping the device fully functional. You can feel better touching this with your fingers or, if you still prefer, your favorite encased meat.