Black Rucksack – The Gear, The Lifestyle and The Pastimes of Men

Finally, ear buds that are actually comfortable...

Earphones, specifically ear buds, have come a long way in the past few years and recently they’ve taken another big leap. The Logitech Ultimate Ears 700 skillfully blend comfort and performance into one small bundle.

These headphones use silicone ear-cushions to accomplish noise isolation and provide a nice in-ear fit. Most ear buds that claim to be “comfortable” and to “fit well” are just BS’ing for their marketing literature. The Logitech Ultimate Ears 700’s however, really are comfortable.

Unless you’re an audiophile, it can be hard to justify spending more than $50 on any set of headphones. But, if you’re looking for a set worth every penny, then check out the Logitech Ultimate Ears 700.

Super small Shuffle...

After owning each previous version of the iPod Shuffle, the newest third generation shuffle has certainly piqued my interest. The first Shuffle was shaped like a pack of gum and was the first iPod without a screen. The second generation Shuffle shrunk to a clip-shaped design while the capacity increased. Apple has yet again shrunk the Shuffle and increased the capacity, this time to 4GB.

The shape of the third generation iPod Shuffle is essentially a smaller flatter clip. Its dimensions are 1.8″ H x .7″ W x .3″ D and it no longer has buttons on the iPod itself. Instead, the buttons have been relocated to the right earbud cord and Apple’s VoiceOver feature has been built-in. So, by just pressing a button, the iPod will tell you what song is playing and the artist. This interesting move by Apple has prompted a lot of debate though, consumer reception (while critical) seems positive.

Apple iPod Shuffle 3rd Gen, 4GB
$79

Talk to the wrist...

For a long time watch phones have been a thing of fiction. Over the past couple years a few have come to market but, none seem to have really taken hold in the US. Now, there are a couple options…one worthy watch phone was just released. The SpecialOPS by Phenom debuted recently and has what it takes to become a real cell phone option. It includes most of the standard cell phones options today, including MP3 & MP4 player, digital and video camera, micro SD, touchscreen and bluetooth.

Since it is an unlocked GSM cell phone, it is compatible with the AT&T and T-Mobile networks.

Phenom SpecialOPS
$295

Tablet Tableau

My laptop, after two years, has many signs of wear. The case is cracked, the screen is dingier and the power button does not work without some serious brute force applied. I’ve put it through hell and it has survived… but not well enough. I’ve wanted something tougher… and something that isn’t a giant, widescreen clamshell.

Thankfully, Motion Computing has an answer; the semi-rugged Motion LE 1700 Tablet PC. Most other “tablet” are just clamshell laptops with a monitor that will convert to tablet form. This tablet PC absconds from that tradition and is a true mobile tablet PC.  And while it does carry a hefty price tag so far as tablet PC’s are concerned, it is well-worth the coin.

The LE1700 is a touchscreen and has many attachments that make it very versatile, including rugged carrying cases, slick docking solutions and slim extended batteries. It also features a solid state drive (in lieu of the typical hard drive that has weak moving parts) and integrated wi-fi, 3G and Bluetooth.

Motion LE1700 Tablet PC
$2,400

A watch above watches... the Suunto Vector.

Suunto labels their watches as “wristop computers” and while this description is accurate, I don’t think it captures the how damn nice these watches are. After some research on Suunto watches I decided that the Suunto Vector best suited my needs. I’m in the woods a lot so, knowing the temperature, barometric pressure and fluctuations, altitude and having a compass is not only convenient but often times necessary. Most frequently and on a daily basis I use the compass and the thermometer. I will use bearing tracking when hiking and the barometer to detect weather patterns. The standard time features such as the stopwatch, countdown timer, calendar and three daily alarms all function as expected. Oh, and I love the 24hr time setting.