ROUGHING IT, THE USB WAY

Remember rubbing two sticks together, or even trying to ignite a fire with a mirror? How about sending messages using smoke signals? Today's campers have some other options—including the new BioLite CampStove, which will burn twigs, pine cones or other renewable outdoorsy debris and produce enough electricity to charge your smartphone through an attached USB port.
The device is about the height of a one-liter water bottle and weighs roughly two pounds. If you keep the fire going for 20 minutes, the company says, your iPhone 4S will get 60 minutes of talk time, which should be more than enough to annoy your fellow campers—or rescue your party if the lot of you gets lost. Of course, the stove will also boil water.