Jonathan Takiff: High-tech gadgets will have you chillin' through the whole summer

THE GIZMO: Looking for some high-tech fun this summer? We've got the gadgets for you.

READING COOL: Here's a theory: Putting reading material on a high-tech device makes the contents more appealing. Try it out on the $20 (discounted) game cartridge called "100 Classic Books," the healthiest distraction of the season for the Nintendo DS portable video game system.

Most titles are staples of summer reading lists - "A Tale of Two Cities," "The Call of The Wild," and the like. An on-screen quiz matches you to a selection. Go online (via the DS Wi-Fi link) and see which titles are most popular with other readers. As with bigger e-Readers, you swipe or tap a DS's dual screens (held vertically, like an open book) with a stylus or finger to fly through the pages, insert an electronic bookmark, or browse titles.

Want a bottomless library? Prices have just dropped for two full-fledged e-Readers: $149 buys a Barnes & Noble Nook with Wi-Fi connectivity to the book store; and $189 nabs an Amazon Kindle with almost-anywhere store connectivity via 3G mobile phone service.

LIVING COOL: Dyson Air Multipliers are expensive, starting at $300. But these bladeless fans are quiet and safe, with no accessible spinning parts that could take a curious kid's finger off.

Air Multipliers have a hidden fan whirling in the enclosed, vented base. Just introduced, $499 floor-standing pedestal and tower models look like works of art.

VIDEO TO GO: EchoStar makes both Dish Network satellite boxes and (through acquisition) those nifty Slingbox Internet streaming devices ($149 and up) used to remotely access live or stored content from your home video sources (cable or satellite TV box, DVR, VCR).

Now EchoStar has fulfilled the dream of integrating both devices into one neat package, the Dish Network ViP 922 SlingLoaded DVR Satellite Receiver.

With the box connected to my modest DSL Internet service at home, I was able to remotely access and enjoy "VHS quality" Dish channels on a laptop at a distant, Wi-Fi connected location. I've also tuned in smaller but sharper-looking Dish-channel images remotely on an iPhone using a Slingbox app ($30, rebated for Dish customers). The 922 delivers the goods to Android phones and some BlackBerrys, too.

Due to bugs in the Slingbox mobile app, I couldn't get the DVR playback function to work. A fix is promised by summer's end.

A ViP 922 can be leased for $200 with a 24-month service agreement or bought for $649 at www.dishnetwork.com.

START ME UP: Dontcha hate how long it takes for the charcoal to get hot enough to barbecue? If you have a Looftlighter, you can get that party started in seconds - and without pouring on the noxious lighter fluid.

This $79.95, Swedish-designed device blows out air so hot it will ignite wood or coal after just 15 seconds. Five more minutes of continued Looftlighter application produces the white coals needed to throw on the goodies.

A Looftlighter works faster than electric starting coils, seems safer and won't displace a coal pile when removed.

Available at amazon.com.

LAWNSIDE MOVIES: To stage an almost instant movie party in the back yard, a $699 Epson Mov-ieMate 60, a compelling DVD and a white wall are all you need.

At the heart of this compact, 9.7-pound MovieMate is an LCD-panel-based video projector with strong (slightly earth-toned) colors, wide-screen 540p line resolution and a bright, 5,000-hour bulb. The device also packs a slot-loaded, progressive scan DVD/CD player, onboard amplifier and side-mount speakers.

With its short-throw (non-zoom) lens, this projector delivers a walloping, 120-inch image from 12 feet. Going even larger is possible, but the image softens and dims some. The MovieMate 60 is not high-definition, though there's an HDMI input for connecting a hi-def video source like a Blu-ray player or game system with noticeably improved picture performance.

Plug in a thumb drive and a microphone for photo-show narration, business presentations, karaoke and more.

MUSIC, MUSIC EVERYWHERE: The compact, battery-operated Digital FM Stereo Transmitter from CCrane.com ($69.95) turns any audio source (with a headphone-style "mini" output jack) into a miniature radio station for reception on all nearby devices equipped with an FM radio tuner. The full-bodied output signal can be adjusted to any open frequency and beams at least 100 feet across the house, yard or beach in all directions.

DIVE IN: The folks at Flip Video have come out with a $50 Underwater Case designed to take the second-generation Flip Ultra and Flip Ultra HD camcorders to depths up to 30 feet.

The most important thing when using this or any underwater camera case? Don't even think of opening it unless you're indoors in a clean, dry environment.

And inspect and clean the case carefully. A single hair or grain of sand on the rubber edge trim breaks the seal, allowing water in. Fortunately, Flip cameras easily hold a battery charge for a week or two. And playback on the Flip screen can be enjoyed without opening the clear-bodied plastic case.

Starting from scratch? Consider the high-definition, waterproof Kodak PlaySport Zx3 camcorder ($129-$149), reasonably rugged and with image stabilization and face-tracking features not found on Flips. Available in several colors and rated for plunging 10 feet into the pool.

iPHONE/iPAD FUN: iPads demand a heavier-duty charger than iPhones. To keep both devices (and iPods) going while you're on a motoring trip, Griffin now offers "2.1 amp powered" chargers ($25-$30) that plug into your car's accessory socket.

The Power Jolt Pluscharger features an extra power outlet for charging two devices simultaneously. The Power Jolt Micro let you swap out the (supplied) Apple-specific charging cable for any other gizmo cable that plugs into a USB jack.

Going camping in the wilds? Just by tugging on a pull cord handle, almost any mobile device can get its mojo back with a YoGen power charger ($50 at www.yogenstore.com). Make sure to get the right tip accessory. And be patient. It took 180 tugs of the line to restore a quarter charge to my iPhone - enough to call in the rescue squad.

An iPhone "app" lets a subscriber tune about 120 Sirius XM channels on the mobile phone. But if you want everything the service has to offer, look into the XM SkyDock ($100 from Crutchfield.com). It's both a satellite radio and iPhone dock/recharger that plugs into a car power outlet.

When it's docked, the Apple product becomes the satellite radio display for selecting stations and viewing what's playing. The entertainment can be delivered via audio input cable or onboard FM transmitter to your car's stereo. A thin wire from the roof antenna connects to SkyDock.

Offering another high-tech way of sharing your music is the brand new Eton Soulra - the first solar-powered sound system for iPhone and iPod touch. The flip-open lid unveils a commercial grade solar panel that will fully recharge this boom box, or the installed Apple product, after it's taken in about 10 hours of direct sunlight.

A Soulra also recharges (more slowly) on a cloudy day - or with an AC power-line connection.

The rugged music maker is splash proof from all angles, shakes off sand and sounds good, too. $199 at www.hammacher.com.

Send e-mail to takiffj@phillynews.com.