Innovus Designs, maker of the Eclipse Solar Backpack, is offering 10% off of their backpacks if you enter coupon “10OFF” during checkout. These guys make the coolest backpack… it can charge small electronic devices.

There is no information regarding how long the discount will be valid.

Source: Eclipse Solar Gear.

It simply doesn’t get any cooler than this – a solar charging backpack. It’s a backpack, it has a solar panel and a battery, it can charge small electronic devices that you own if they have a car charger attachment!

Have you been putting off that grand hiking trip because you need your musical fix? Wait no longer. You can now hike and camp to your hearts content and still listen to MP3s, make calls, even send emails from your Treo for as long as you like. Well, at least as long as the battery holds out.

‘The Reactor’ Solar Backpack is manufactured by a little company in Round Rock, Texas (near Austin) by the name of Eclipse Solar Gear. They intend to introduce a line of like devices including messenger bags and camera bags. The Reactor retails for $129.00 and has a whole slew of pockets and even has room for your laptop. While I am sure the camping set will get some mileage out of it, I imagine road warriors and students will also garner great benefit from the introduction of this beauty. Some specs:

* Fabric: 1650 Denier Nylon
* Size: 18? x 13? x 8.75?
* Weight: 3.7 pounds without the laptop sleeve; 4.6 with the laptop sleeve
* Capacity: 1850 cubic inches
* Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Product Highlights

* Solar Module providing up to 2.5 Watts of power
* Single 12V charging outlet
* Padded waistbelt
* Water bottle pockets
* Mesh ventilated, padded backpanel
* Contoured and padded shoulder straps
* Reflective features for nightime visibility
* Accessory pockets
* Organizer pockets
* Portal exit for headphones
* Fits laptop computers up to 15″

The company is selling The Reactor on eBay in dribbles with a starting bid of under $100. Have a look –

Or you can purchase direct from their website for $129.00 and free shipping.

Source: Eclipse Solar

This is a cool concept. Build a rocket from a matchstick. All you need is a match, some foil, another match to ignite the matchstick rocket, and some sort of aiming device; perhaps a nice big paperclip. Denny Cronin has a great how-to as well as some amusing photos – one of which indicates the result of a bad design. I thought the catapult watch was the best personal weapon to date but matchstick rockets promise to be slightly more dangerous and certainly more exciting. Wear goggles.

This is great example of the true value of the web. If not for the web and fellow blogger Jeremy Zawodny’s linkblog, I would not have been aware of this very simple and inexpensive personal weapon. While Estes rockets will go farther faster, matchstick rockets sit squarely in that sweet spot of price performance. My calculations show a cost per rocket of approximately $.03. Call the U.S. Army…

Get the instructions to build you own matchstick rockets here.

"it shoots BBs, dried peas, popcorn kernels, lentils and more up to 8 feet across the room!" But do you need one? A catapult watch has to be one of the more unique ideas I have come across lately. Suppose you are in a presentation and you disagree… shoot the presenter. In a class and the prof is acting like a know it all and passing judgement on your beliefs? Shoot the guy!

Bizarre, unique, possibly illegal in some states and on most job sites, the Catapult Watch promises to liven things up. A weapon that keeps time… I could go on and on but I will spare you. The band seems a bit much but it might be just the thing you have been looking for at the low, low price of $49 plus shipping and handling.

Check it out here.