We're quite used to carrying Motorola gadgets, but this news takes us into unfamiliar territory. As we noted in our Outdoor Retailer 2016 round-up, Motorola is looking to expand its presence in the outdoor market with a new line of electronic gear. The Lumo Hybrid lantern is a versatile little portable that pulls flashlight-lantern double-duty and also serves as a Bluetooth speaker, mosquito repellent, emergency alarm and more.
The Motorola Lumo Hybrid might just be a smarter bet for campers than the Lumo Smart Lantern we covered in the aforementioned round-up. The Smart has a sleeker design and some interesting app-based features, but some of those features look like they'd be more compelling on an indoor lamp than a camping lantern. The Lumo Hybrid is actually designed to camp, and at least some of the available features should come in handy in the rough.
The basic 150-lumen Hybrid is quite similar to other compact lantern-flashlights. It has a collapsible globe for portability and both lantern and flashlight modes for lighting versatility.
Where the Lumo Hybrid goes above and beyond is in its extra features. Its standard base with digital thermometer and compass can be removed for multiple other modules (sold separately). You can slap on the Bluetooth speaker when you're chilling at camp, fire the panic alarm up if you need to send out an audible "help" alert, or use the charger module to refill the battery reserves in external gadgets.
There's also an electric insect repellent, which sounds like it'll work something like Thermacell's line of repellent lanterns – Motorola representatives said the company hadn't finalized all the details on the lantern and modules when we spoke to them earlier this month.
All modules rely on the four AA batteries, so you can pull out the spares if you're relying on the Hybrid for listening to music all day, keeping mosquitoes at bay in the evening and charging your phone overnight.
The Hybrid isn't really breaking any bold, new ground, as there are plenty of other Bluetooth speakers, power banks, sirens, etc. out there. We're not sure we've seen another product with the Hybrid's exact combination of available functions, though, and the modular design leaves open the possibility of more add-ons in the future.
The Lumo Hybrid will hit the market in Northern Hemisphere Spring 2017 for US$29.99. The modules will range in price from $9.99 to $19.99.
Source: Motorola