ETÓN FR500 SOLARLINK
This rough-duty radio is powered by the sun—or a hand crank. For emergencies, it also comes with a flashlight, siren and charger (for phones and iPods). etoncorp.com; $80

ASUS EEE PC 900
A handy two-pound laptop with shockproof hard drive, easy-to-use keyboard and simple (Linux or Windows XP) operating system. You’ll love the preloaded Skype software and the built-in webcam with microphone. eeepc.asus.com; $400 at amazon.com

LOGITECH CLEARCHAT
PC Wireless A 2.4-Ghz wireless-radio signal connects this noise canceling microphone headset to your laptop audio, so you can stray as far as 33 feet from your computer while you talk. Skype calls also sound better in uncompressed stereo. logitech.com; $100

PALM CENTRO
The affordable Centro—a smartphone with a comfy keyboard, mobile Facebook, and PC/Mac compatibility that can be used abroad—is now available for Verizon and Sprint users (ideally for “lite” email and web-checkers). palm.com; from $99

NIKON COOLPIX S52c & EYE-FI EXPLORE CARD
A new wireless digicam lets you offload pics to Nikon’s storage area, myPicturetown; its nine-megapixel sensor shoots crisp pictures. nikonusa.com; $280 Or use Eye-Fi’s 2GB Explore SD wireless card to upload and store pictures—free for one year. eye.fi; $130

NOKIA N78
This fancy phone now sports WiFi as well GPS navigation that can find the exact position of any location you shoot with its 3.2-megapixel Zeiss camera. Bonus: It also stores mp3s and can tune in to the radio via internet. nseries.com; $520

NEW DIGITS
Next time you travel abroad, there are better options than the expensive in-room phone or an unreliable calling card. • Buy a local SIM card at your destination, put it in your cellphone and save that number to your free account at rebtel.com. Now friends can call you at your new number for as little as 6 cents a minute if you’re in India, or 2 cents if you’re in China.

• Google’s grandcentral.com, still in beta-testing, gives you one new number that will ring on your cell, work or home phone—or any convenient combination.