Brigada

A lot has changed since our July 2006 item trying to determine which camcorder is best for missions travel and promotion. Mark, a regular Brigada reader, asked if we could refresh the review. (Thanks for asking, Mark!) 

One factor we keep observing is the convergence of high-end pro-sumer digital SLRs and medium-duty camcorders. In other words, [...]

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Our queue is lots longer than the number of items we can publish weekly. We do eventually publish all items, regardless of sponsorship. However, those who pitch in to help cover Brigada’s expenses are treated with special dignity — because they’re helping pay the bills. We bump them directly to the head of the line. [...]

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Check it out. Just head on over to Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com
The lead item will probably be about the Kindle. There’s a 6″ diagonal screen and a 9.7″ screen — and either one will cause your eyes to pop. Keep in mind that these screens aren’t your typical backlit computer LCD. They use a completely different technology [...]

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Looking for a solution for carrying all those assorted items once you reach your destination? Try the $10 Kiva backpack at…
http://www.amazon.com/Kiva-Key-Chain-Pack/dp/B000BNGHJO
My 19-year-old says it folds up really small… and it would be very handy to throw into your luggage… then deploy upon arrival. Can’t beat the price.

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Without a doubt, the Brigada story that seemed to garner the most interest was the series we did on “Cool Tools” for traveling missionaries. See it by clicking “Cool Tools” in the tag cloud on the left side of the page, or just click to:
http://www.brigada.org/search/label/Cool%20Tools
The “Cool Tools” that seemed to draw the most attention were [...]

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Some 200 items dealing with technology (VPNs, for example), Facebook, webinars, another couple of hundred on training, dozens more on software, … the list goes on. The missionary enterprise (and Brigada in particular) seem keen on “gearing up” for missions. In the end, however, we realize the entire process is a work of the Spirit. [...]

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OK… here’s your chance to vote: Which browser are you preferring for general missions use and why? How do you use some special feature… one that perhaps nobody else has thought about? For example, I recently tried out FireFox again and, for a fleeting moment, I thought I’d like the tags. So… vogue. Somehow I [...]

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Check out the new bullet-proof polo shirts at geek.com. (Just go tohttp://www.gizmag.com/bullet-proof-polo-shirt/10187/and search for “polo shirts”.) At first glance, these might seem like the latest fashion-conscience missionary-wear, until you see the price tag.

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Here is an excellent site full of useful information about electronics and communications, especially helpful for those who travel.
http://kropla.com/index.html

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Recently, we featured several “Cool Tools for Travel” that Brigada has highlighted down through the years. It instantly became one of our most popular editions in all of Brigada history. Today we add a new “Cool Tool” to that collection, and while doing so, we encourage you to go back and check out the other [...]

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Lately, I’ve been testing a new 7-ounce device called “Spot Messenger”. Watch the Guided Tour at…
http://www.findmespot.com/
Now let me first clarify — there’s no “affiliate” tag on the end of that URL. (The people who make these devices don’t even know I’m writing this.) So note that there’s no kickback in the works here. I’m referring [...]

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In a word, yes. Of course, there are the normal limitations associated with any GPS/satphone device. Namely, you have to be outside with a clear view of the sky. What’s more, as with any of these class of 406 MHz Personal Locator Beacons, the communication is one-way only. Your friends are going to know exactly [...]

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It takes Spot about 1′ or less to pin down your location. (Tests show about 46 seconds, actually.) That’s assuming you have clear sky though. Inside, I found it to be rather unreliable. In a car, just velcro it to the dashboard in view of the windshield and you’ll be good to go. In one [...]

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There are four simple buttons and four distince modes:*** Alert 9-1-1, a distress alert with location that goes to a emergency control center*** Help, which sends a text message and/or email to up to four individuals to let them know you’re ready for pick-up or whatever you’ve prearranged*** SPOTchecking, which notifies pre-set friends as to [...]

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All these services are subscription-based. Currently you’ll pay $99 for standard service plus an additional $49 per year for SPOTcasting. And … don’t forget to throw in the $8 extra for the helicopter extraction. :-) Oh … and you have to buy the unit itself for about $150 or so. Find it at Amazon or [...]

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The perfect scenario would be a worker who regularly travels out to a remote mission location… say a village or a jungle area, where cell towers are spotty and dangers are many. Turn on your Spot Messenger, velcro it to the dashboard, and watch the wife and kids relax, knowing they will have 10-minute by [...]

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It would be a great help. It’s rated for 30 minutes in up to a meter of water. So basically… if you fall overboard with Spot on your belt or if your motor blows a head gasket or even if the boat capsizes… as long as you’re conscious and afloat, Spot will get you help. [...]

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Think about it… for the cost of a 5-minute satphone call, with this device, you get coverage for helicopter extraction. What local church wouldn’t want to pick up one of these devices for a short-term team headed into a far-flung location. Can you imagine the prayer warriors and family members back home, being able to [...]

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First you order the device. Pick your spot. Do your shopping. If you find it for less than $123.08, buy it there. If, after you search, $123 sounds as good as any place, and if you don’t have a preference, get it from Amazon and they’ll pitch in something like $2 for Brigada:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000YTZV74/teamexpansiononl
If you [...]

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It’s not too late to comment on any of the cool tools. Just click on the permanent link for a particular item, then once you see it on the web, look underneath the item to find a “comment” link and let the world know about how you’ve worked through a similar problem. Or if you [...]

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One of the most often requested “Back Page” editorial “reprints” is the collection we did in 2007, entitled, “Cool Tools for the Road”. In this issue of Brigada, we reprint that list exactly as it appeared in 2007, with the hopes that Brigada participants will help us *refresh* the list with up-to-date offerings, as needed. [...]

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It occurred to me last week, as I was traveling through Bosnia, that more than one person has asked me about some of the tools I use for “the road.” I thought I’d just go ahead and do a series on some of the tools that have become dear to me over the past nearly-30 [...]

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