While smartphones alone are still a great way of staying in touch during an emergency, but still rely on their own batteries and lose much of their utility in rural areas or if nearby cellphone towers are inoperative. Emergency radios not only use a fraction of the power it takes to keep your smartphone running, but can send and receive signals regardless of the current status of your cellular network. Having an emergency radio is absolutely essential for remaining informed during any situation. The adjustable LED flashlight includes variable settings of high, low and blinking, as well as SOS Morse code functionality for situations that turn really dire. Rounding out the feature set is a built-in speaker, built-in clock, stereo headphone output and a 90-minute shut off feature for preserving battery life. It has AM/FM and NOAA band radio support, plus a 130 lumen LED flashlight for nighttime conditions. The included 2000mAh rechargeable lithium battery allows ER210 users to charge portable devices via USB output. If an emergency does happen, the ER210 is prepared with an SOS flashlight beacon flashing Morse code to quickly discover your location. And just 60 seconds of hand cranking provides more than 45 minutes of radio and 30 minutes of flashlight power. Aside from providing you with radio, weather, and emergency alerts, it also works to provide battery backup, featuring a rechargeable power bank to top up your phone or other devices, a solar panel, and hand crank power turbine generator (with Red Cross branding on it). The combination of features and backup power options make it a great addition to any emergency kit. Fortunately, the KA500 feature list doesn’t end there. It also adds a 5V DC USB output port for charging mobile devices, cameras and GPS units, and has a five-LED reading lamp, LED flashlight and red LED SOS beacon light. All the standard radio channel options are available, including AM/FM and NOAA weather bands for staying informed. The Eton also adds an IPX4 water-resistant rating to deal with heavy rain and splashes of water or any accidental drops. The built-in LED flashlight offers 20 feet of visibility, while a bottle opener takes the place of more emergency-based features like a Morse code beacon or siren (because sometimes, you just need to crack a cold one). The RunningSnail can be charged via hand crank, micro USB cable, three AAA batteries or solar power. Additionally, the 2000mAh rechargeable battery can provide up to 12 hours of light or four to six hours of radio time (it can also charge up portable devices such as smartphones and tablets). The FosPower Emergency Radio has access to NOAA emergency weather broadcasts, as well as the typical AM/FM bands. The 2000 MaH battery can be charged via a hand crank, integrated solar cell, or even a trio of AAA batteries if one of these other methods somehow fails. While the capacity may be well below what you’d see in your typical off-the-shelf, power bank, the variety of charging methods ensures you’re never without power for long. More than just a battery, the FosPower Emergency Radio also includes an SOS distress signal, LED flashlight, and a USB port to keep other devices topped off in case of emergency making this radio the perfect companion for an emergency indoors or out.
