Related Articles
CNET’s Cheapskate scours the Web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page.
HooToo
I like to travel light — “schlepping” is my nemesis — but it’s really difficult nowadays what with all the gadgetry that’s required: mobile charger, travel router, media hub and so on.
If you’ll pardon this rerun: all-in-ones to the rescue! For a limited time, and while supplies last, Sunvalleytek (via Amazon) has the HooToo TripMate Titan HT-TM05 for $39.99 shipped. That’s after applying coupon code D4EG538B at checkout, and $4 less than the last time I wrote about it.
Speaking of which, Sunvalleytek has apparently interpreted my previous deal post as something akin to a review, hence the all-caps “CNET’S PICK” at the top of their product page. Let me be clear: I haven’t reviewed this product, and that earlier coverage doesn’t meet my definition of “pick.” Then, as now, I relied on the rather staggering number of positive user reviews. More on that below.
The TripMate performs three key functions. For starters, it’s a 10,400mAh mobile charger, impressive given its fairly diminutive dimensions: 1.65 x 1.65 x 3.74 inches. Next, it’s a streaming media hub, able to wirelessly beam music, movies and the like from any attached USB storage (flash drive, hard drive, etc.). That’s a huge plus for phone and tablet users who have limited internal space available. You can even plug in a USB hub (not included) for access to up to four devices at once.
Finally, the TripMate handles any and all networking needs: bridge, access point and router. And thanks to the aforementioned hub capabilities, you can use it as a network attached storage (NAS) server as well. That’s some serious multifunction goodness right there.
This gizmo’s pretty cute, too, a little black-and-red monolith with its ports hidden by rubber covers.
And the reviews! Over 2,700 Amazon buyers rated it 4.4 stars out of 5. I definitely recommend reading them, though, as they address a couple limitations with regard to setup, storage compatibility (no support for ExFAT) and using it with a Chromecast (which you can do, solving a common hotel-room headache!).
If you grabbed one of these last time, hit the comments and share your thoughts with your fellow cheeps!
Bonus deal: Game time, iOS Edition! Winter is coming, but the next season of “Game of Thrones” feels like it’ll never get here. Fortunately, you can while away the hours with this: For a limited time, Telltale Games’ Game of Thrones: Episode 1 (iOS) is free. Regular price: $4.99. The ratings are a bit mixed, but at least now you have nothing to lose by giving it a try.
Bonus deal No. 2: Game time, Android Edition! EA is once again (or maybe still) offering a nice selection of Android games for 10 cents apiece. Dead Space: a dime. Need for Speed Most Wanted: a dime. Contre Jour: you get the idea. And don’t forget the awesome Shaun the Sheep game Fleece Lightning (Psst: dime!).
