This Snickers-size Bluetooth transceiver is "the world's most innovative communication tool," says Michael Frank at Outside magazine. It enables texting and location sharing when there's no cell service or Wi-Fi. Used by search-and-rescue teams, it also rainproof. Buy it at Amazon.
Great for long hikes and crowded concerts, Beartooth turns your smartphone into a high-tech walkie-talkie. It works like goTenna, but has a wider range and enables phone calls in addition to texting and group mapping. Buy it at Beartooth.
"One of the fastest, easiest-to-use, and most attractive routers available," the Amplifi will eliminate all Wi-Fi dead spots in your house — and maybe your whole block — with its pair of network-extending antennae, says Alex Cranz at Gizmodo. Buy it at Amazon.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Charge a phone or tablet off the grid with this lightweight, foldable USB solar panel, the best of 70 models tested for their charging speed, size, and price. It lacks only a battery, and thus can't store energy. Buy it at Amazon.
Now you can go anywhere without leaving behind any of your gadgets — or tying up your hands. This lightweight jacket has 29 pockets, some large enough to hold and protect a laptop or tablet. Buy it at Amazon.
Editor's note: Every week The Week's editors survey product reviews and articles in websites, newspapers, and magazines, to find cool and useful new items we think you'll like. We're now making it easier to purchase these selections through affiliate partnerships with certain retailers. The Week may get a share of the revenue from these purchases.
Book reviews: 'The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World’s Most Coveted Microchip' and 'Who Is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service'
Mario Vargas Llosa: The novelist who lectured Latin America
How to see the Lyrid meteor shower
