Black Diamond Apollo Review

The innovative design blew us away. Its appearance is more reminiscent of a NASA space contraption than classic lanterns of the past. It's a fantastic all-around product; we found the Apollo to be the most versatile, durable, and easy to use for a range of activities.

Brightness

Coming in at 250 lumens, the Black Diamond Apollo is excellent for efficiently lighting up an area without being overpowering as was the case with some of the other models tested. BD's unique design reflects an LED light off the inner roof of the lantern. This evenly disperses the light, preventing direct eye contact with the LED light bulb as well as radiating a very nice non-glaring light. Surrounding the light is clouded plastic, which improves the light quality as well. If you want the light to be less bright for battery conservation for activities like reading, you are able to dim the light to your desired brightness level.

Looking for the stadium light effect? Check out the COLEMAN LANTERN

Ease of Use

We gave the Black Diamond Apollo a 10/10 in this category for its outstanding yet simple design. All of its amazing features also made it easier to use than other contenders. Pulling up on the top exposes the on/off button, which when pushed once turns it on, and when held down it dims. Using lanterns in areas without tree coverage can be frustrating. Your options are to place them on the ground or balance them on a rock, table, or car. Black Diamond solves this problem by creating a design with legs. The Apollo's three rubber-tipped legs create a flexible tripod, great for uneven surfaces (particularly rocks) and they are very easy to put down. When closing it back up the legs snap securely into place, are not loose, and don't fall open accidentally. On the top small metal, hooks flip up and allow it to be hung onto branches or through loops inside of your tent. Because it features two opposing hooks instead of just one, a piece of cord or webbing can be put through the clasps like a small handle, allowing it to be securely hung on just about anything. When not in use, the Apollo can be compressed into a compact cylinder, great for traveling and storage.

Durability

Despite multiple camping trips along the West Coast, our Apollo still looks brand new. After years of use we could foresee the sliding mechanism that opens it up getting a bit sticky, but overall the Apollo is sturdy and well made. The metal hooks and metal legs feel strong although over time their springiness will probably decrease. To get the most battery life, we recommend using the lower brightness settings whenever possible. The bottom of the base has nice rubberized foot pads that make it stable on smooth surfaces even when the metal legs are up. 

Features

For 2017, BD added an internal 2600 mA battery. This lets you charge your phone or other small electronics by a USB out port. It also lets you run the lantern off the internal battery, and only run off the AA batteries once you run out. At max brightness, the lantern runs for 6 hours off an internal battery and then automatically switches to the AA batteries and runs for another 18 hours. This is the best of all worlds as, if diligent charging, you will likely not have to use the AA batteries much. But they are there in case you need them.

The Apollo also features three small LED lights that disclose the remaining battery life of both the internal battery and the AA batteries. This lantern is also the only one of those we tested that has legs, which help a lot when positioning it. The hooks on the top are probably the best of all the models we tested as well.

Weight / Size

The Apollo weighs less than a half pound (without AA batteries) and folds up nice and compactly. When compacted it is 5" high, 3" in diameter at the top and the base is 2 1/4". When open it is 9.5" tall, has a 3" diameter on the top and a 5.3" footprint. 

Best Applications

The Apollo is great at just about everything, but we would recommend it for camping endeavors more than for emergency situations. It does a great job of lighting up any campsite for groups of fewer than 10 people. It's light enough to also take backpacking

Chargers I recommended

• Delkin Devices DD/AA-QKCHGR (2007).  A travel charger with four independent channels, but at $45 this is way more than the one I recommend.
• Duracell:
• Value Charger CEF14DX4 (2008).  Not smart, shuts off after a certain amount of time.  See "Smart vs. Dumb Chargers" for why this is bad.
• Mini CEF-20 (2007).  Smart charger, 100-240V AC, but charges only 2 cells at a time...slowly (280mA each for AA, 110mA each for AAA).
• Mobile CEF23 (2008).  A good charger, but for a travel charger there are much cheaper, and for a workhouse charger there are much better, and this model was discontinued anyway.  A nice feature was that it powers USB devices, in three different ways (from the AC adapter, inserted batteries, or the car adapter).  It's smart, charges 1-4 batteries independently (each with its own status LED), and takes 100-240V input.
• Go Mobile CEF26 (2009).  Universal AC, charges in pairs only.
• Energizer Value Charger (2010).  Not smart, and requires charging in pairs.  The older version was manual, and the newer one is timer-based.
• GP Recyko Value Charger (2010).  Dumb charger (charges forever until you remove the batteries).  Must charge in pairs.  
• Kodak K6200 (2001). Smart, 4-cell, 4-channel travel charger, with 100-240V input.  But it's been discontinued, and its replacement the K6600, charges only in pairs, natch.
• Panasonic BQ-390 (?).  Smart cutoff, independent channels, but only 1 status LED.  100-240V input.  No longer available.
• Rayovac Easy Charger (2010).  Confusingly, there are two different chargers sold with this name.  One is dumb, and will try to charge the batteries forever (damaging them).  Both models charge only in pairs.
• Sanyo Eneloop Chargers:
• MDR02 (2003).  Smart charger, charges each cell separately, but accepts only 2 batteries at a time (not 4).  100-240V input voltage.
• NC-MQN04U.  Charges only in pairs.
• NC-MQN05U.  Charges 1-4 batteries individually (smart).  Discontinued.
• NC-MQN06U & MQN06W (2009).  Charges only in pairs, and charges slowly.  The -06U has a fold-down plug and the -06W uses an AC cable.
• See all the Sanyo Eneloop chargers 
• Sony Cycle Energy BCG34HLD4KN (2003).  Smart, charges each cell separately, 100-240V, but pricey at $24.
• Targus Digital TG-LCD2700 (2003).  A good, smart, 4-cell, 4-channel travel charger, with 100-240V input and 12V input via a car adapter.  But it's been discontinued.

Other 8+ SLOT CHARGERS (charges up to 8 batteries unless otherwise noted)

• Lenmar Pro78 (2004).  Timer-based, with a 2000mAh limit.  Requires charging in pairs.
• Maha Powerex MH-C800S (2001).  Smart, eight independent slots, worldwide power supply, LCD shows status of each battery, can choose between soft or fast charge mode, refresh option.
• Tenergy TN157 (2011).  Smart cutoff, eight independent slots, refresh mode.
• Tenergy T-6988 (2008).  Smart, ten independent channels.  Input is 110VAC or 12VDC.  Costs more and charges fewer cells than the one I recommend.
• Titanium MD-1600L (2011, $50).  Charges sixteen (!) batteries at once...independently.  Smart cutoff.  Also charges USB devices.  Can operate with car adapter. 
  The 12-battery model in my recommendation table is a little cheaper, but if you need to charge 16 batteries at a time, this is the charger for you.
•  SUNJACK USB BATTERY CHARGER 

Battery Packs: All You Need to Know

Wrapped up in commitments, work, and deadlines, the only thing coming to our aid are cell phones. It is intriguing how our daily life revolves around our cell phones. These devices keep us going. But what keeps is them going? Yes, batteries!

Battery packs are rapidly gaining the spotlight in the electronic accessories arena. Keeping our gadgets running is getting increasingly difficult owing to the ever-expanding technological advancements in our cell phones and tablets.

Battery packs act as the fuel to our mobile devices. All of them are rechargeable and replaceable.

What happens inside?

Battery packs (for example: GOAL ZERO YETI 1250 SOLAR GENERATOR KIT ) are a collection of discrete cells and batteries. They are sealed in an outer casing. The batteries used in our cell phones have a Lithium ion cell inside. Like any other cell, they have an anode and cathode.

The positive electrode (cathode) is lithium metal oxide, and a negative electrode (anode) is porous carbon. An electrolyte is contained in them which is usually an organic substance.

The movement of lithium ions from the cathode to anode leads to the generation of current. The battery is recharged by forcing a current on these electrodes above its threshold. By doing so, the potential of the ions to traverse from cathode to anode is restored. The electrolyte acts as a conducting medium for the ions to flow.

Type of batteries

Lithium batteries
Lithium ion—These batteries are by far the best in their class. They are extremely light in weight, and a card sized battery can power up a today’s’ massive phones with ease. Since their construction is intricate, this variant is rather expensive, although, they have the highest charge capacity for the size. Moreover, if you keep the charge cycle between 25% and 85% of the total charge capacity, the battery will have a prolonged life as this cycle will not be counted.
Lithium polymer—While the lithium ion batteries are cased in a metal covering, the lithium polymer batteries are cased in lightweight plastic. This makes it the ideal battery to be used in mobile phones and other portable devices. They can hold up to 40-45% more charge compared to other variants having the same physical dimensions. They are user friendly and require minimum care while disposing off. The material of construction is also nontoxic

Nickel batteries
Nickel cadmium batteries—Nickel cadmium batteries were very popular a few years ago. However, these batteries are now obsolete. The materials of construction are hazardous. Above all, they have a memory. Whenever you charge your battery from a level above zero up to a level below 100, this cycle is also counted. Hence this reduces its life greatly. Also, the charge-carrying capacity is relatively low.
Nickel metal hydride—This is a better version of the nickel cadmium battery. However, the materials used are non-toxic and user friendly. The memory effect in them is lower compared to the nickel cadmium battery. They can hold 100% more charge as against Ni-Cd battery. Disposing them off is also less tedious. The lifetime is also 45% higher.

All in all, lithium batteries are the ones used by most of the manufacturers due to their long life and high energy density, and flexible charging cycles.

Internal battery packs
The internal battery packs are rechargeable batteries contained inside the cell phones. They may also be used for other gadgets. Sleek and small, they work great for our smartphones without adding weight to the device. Lithium battery packs are predominantly used here.

With every passing day, they are becoming smaller with increased capacity. The only drawback is nowadays these batteries are non-replaceable and it requires professional help for replacement.

External battery packs

External battery packs are nothing but a group of cells/batteries sealed in a case. They can be charged and used later whenever required. They have now become extremely popular on account of huge power requirements. They come in hundreds of sizes and capacities providing innumerable choices for us.

Battery fitness

Due to the high price and short life, we can’t afford to change the battery frequently. Make sure you keep in mind these simple elements of you batteries.

Temperature

Batteries are highly sensitive to temperature. High temperature facilitates the chemical reactions inside it shooting up the rate of current. This damages the battery and cuts short its life span.

Heavy use of the device leads to heating. Also, frequent or long duration of charging may have the same effect. To maintain the battery health, ensure that you keep it cool.

While replacing the battery

If you are using a non-replaceable battery, get professional help while changing it. Attempting to do it yourself might lead to permanent damage. Buy only genuine and original equipment manufacturer’s batteries. If you buy cheap and wrong variants, it can damage not only the battery but also the device you are using it in.

While charging

Use genuine chargers to charge your phone. Use appropriate ampere rating sockets. Higher ampere rating charges up the phone quickly but overdoing it can lead to permanent harm.

Do not let it run dry
Avoid letting the battery go down to 0%. Do not charge it to the full capacity. This will make it last longer and make it work efficiently. Charge in intervals with short charging times. Note that this rule does not apply to the old battery variants.

Make the most of what you have

There are many ways to maintain your battery in good health and extend its life. Apart from maintaining good ambient conditions, you can also regulate your using habits to boost the run time of the battery.

These are simple steps you can take to add those extra hours on the phone
Keep the volume, brightness and backlight time low.
Switch off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and mobile data. Use them only when required.
Refrain from using all the advanced features. Most of them are not required daily and consume a lot of power.
There are many applications out there which help you to increase battery life. Use them.

Conclusion

The truth is, the batteries currently in use are not up to the mark. The gap between the power demand and supply is increasing rapidly. However, there is hope. A lot of research is going on in this domain, and new technologies are set to hit the market soon with staggering battery life and capacity.

5 (not so) Secret SEO Tips for Small Businesses

When you’re a small business, there’s a lot you need to do to get yourself on customers’ radar and make people interested in what you have to offer. Since today’s society is so connected, using technology and the Internet is often a smart and cost-effective method.

Most businesses today know that they need a website in order to generate traffic, but a website will not get you anywhere without strong search engine optimization, or SEO. Check out the following SEO tips for small businesses to help people find your site.

1. Learn the basics.

The first thing you should do is to learn the basics. This involves learning what keywords are and how to use them. Keywords are the words that people use to find websites with information they need. These keywords are then used to provide web links on search engines like Google. So, for example, if someone was looking for blue gym shoes in Chicago, they may type “blue gym shoes in Chicago” in the search field. Websites that have “blue gym shoes in Chicago” on their website will then appear on the results page.

In order to generate traffic, you need to make sure that the content you’re dishing out on the web has keywords that are relevant to your business.

3 Step Process to Sell Your Business without a headache

While it’s important to understand that selling your business is a serious undertaking and will require a lot of work, it doesn’t have to be a stressful headache. If you are not well prepared sling can be very stressful. What’s more, you’ll get less money for your business than you would have if you’d prepared ahead of time. On the other hand if done properly you can not only sell your business faster and for more money, but also you will have less stress throughout the process. Here is a 3 step process we have identified that helps you accomplish just that.

Step 1: Make sure you’re ready emotionally

This will be the shortest section in this article, but it’s one of the most important as well.

Before you can hope to sell your business for what it’s worth, you need to be sure you’re actually comfortable with the idea of leaving it behind in the first place. Once you sell your business, it becomes someone else’s focus and a huge part of your life will change.

5 Biggest Business Mistakes You Must Avoid

As many of us know, over half of all businesses fail before their first birthday. I don’t tell you this to scare you off. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. I use this statistic to encourage you to work even harder at your dream. Only a small percentage of companies survive the early years, and it takes an enormous amount of perseverance.

It also means avoiding some of the biggest mistakes and pitfalls. As a new business owner, you can learn from the mistakes of the past here. While you may be relatively inexperienced, the same mistakes are killing businesses time and time again. Learn them, and you can avoid them.

Mistake #1: Not listening to your customers

No matter what industry you’re in, your customers are the heart of your business. Without them, your profits will dry up, and you’re left for dead. Unfortunately, you can never take their custom for granted. In fact, you must work hard to keep it. That’s why a regular communication is essential. Conduct regular focus groups, and maintain a dialogue over social media. What do you customers want from your company? Most importantly, what are you doing poorly? Trust me, your customers will be the first to tell you!