10 High-Tech Survival Items

You'd think that GPS would help, but it may not

(NEWSER) - Technology appears to be making some people a lot stupider when it comes to the great outdoors. Thanks to GPS, cell phones, and emergency devices, more people are heading into the wild ill-equipped…then, at best, wasting rangers’ time with their problems—or, at worst, getting injured or killed. The New York Times explores the phenomenon, with amusing—and irritating—stories about hikers calling rangers to request hot cocoa, or signaling rescue helicopters three times because the water “tasted salty.” More»

(NEWSER) - Backpacker combed through info on outdoor programs and proximity to national forests and parks to find the best cities in the US to raise active, crunchy kids. The results:

• Boulder, Colo.: "Yes, we live here, but Boulder wins on its merits." Close to woods, glaciers, and mountains, the population of 94,673 has been named "Smartest" and "Most Livable" by Forbes.

Single-purpose devices' days are numbered: Manjoo

(NEWSER) - After yesterday's announcement that the iPod Nano now has a video camera, Apple's future direction is clear, writes Farhad Manjoo for Slate. Eventually, every iPod will be what Steve Jobs calls a “general-purpose device,” aka a small computer—a music player/phone/camera/web browser/GPS. Sure, Apple still sells dedicated music players. But its runaway hit is the multipurpose iPhone, the App Store is its most popular feature, and "tech is always getting cheaper and smaller," Manjoo observes. More»

(NEWSER) - The summer solstice is upon us, but for certain enthusiasts, today bears a different name: Naked Hiking Day. “No way to explain it until you experience it,” one fan told the AP. “Traditional” hikers might feel the same upon encountering backpackers in the buff. “It’s just rude,” one Appalachian Trail official said. “People are out there hiking with their kids and families.” More»

(NEWSER) - The purer pleasures of the outdoors don’t seem to be enough for some campers anymore, the New York Times reports. Increasingly, campgrounds are offering amenities like pizza delivery, air-conditioning, kiddie rides, and valet service to the delight of families and owners’ balance sheets. “The objective is to maximize dollars,” one campsite manager said. “If I add an amenity, I can charge $15 more a night.” More»