gadget suggestions for my little brother?
First off...wow, I had no idea posting to slashdot would get the reaction it does. I mean, telling people to "RTFA" is pretty common on the net...but, wow...I mean, really...
Anyway, yeah. I'm of the opinion that 500 years from now, people are going to be reading about what Scott is about to go be a part of. So, I thought I'd help him save a bit of that, by getting him a video camera. Easy enough, except...he's going to be forward recon, which means he'll be away from any base camp for days (week? more?) at a time. One doesn't make a day trip to areas that US troops haven't been to yet - which is where he's heading. Batteries are expensive, heavy, and hard to get. There's lots and lots of sun for solar, though.
Alternatively, he could hand-crank power...problem is, I can't imagine something mechanical like that lasting for a year in a desert combat situation...not without being huge. Whatever he takes has to be very small, very rugged, light, and functional. Which means...it will be expensive.
Anyway, anyone have any suggestions for rugged small solar power, a ruggedized video camera, and such? Might also grab him something like this but it looks huge and heavy. Alternatively, might see if Marines (and their Corpsmen!) can somehow tap into the power of the vehicle they're using...?
So, as of a week from now he'll be here (well, near here...) for a few months, for the last bit of pre-deployment training. Pretty stoked to see him, while also a bit concerned and all. He'll be, as the dude in Tropical Thunder said, "in the shit."
Anyway, yeah. I'm of the opinion that 500 years from now, people are going to be reading about what Scott is about to go be a part of. So, I thought I'd help him save a bit of that, by getting him a video camera. Easy enough, except...he's going to be forward recon, which means he'll be away from any base camp for days (week? more?) at a time. One doesn't make a day trip to areas that US troops haven't been to yet - which is where he's heading. Batteries are expensive, heavy, and hard to get. There's lots and lots of sun for solar, though.
Alternatively, he could hand-crank power...problem is, I can't imagine something mechanical like that lasting for a year in a desert combat situation...not without being huge. Whatever he takes has to be very small, very rugged, light, and functional. Which means...it will be expensive.
Anyway, anyone have any suggestions for rugged small solar power, a ruggedized video camera, and such? Might also grab him something like this but it looks huge and heavy. Alternatively, might see if Marines (and their Corpsmen!) can somehow tap into the power of the vehicle they're using...?
So, as of a week from now he'll be here (well, near here...) for a few months, for the last bit of pre-deployment training. Pretty stoked to see him, while also a bit concerned and all. He'll be, as the dude in Tropical Thunder said, "in the shit."