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LightMate combines 3 emergency items in one

Gregg Ellman
McClatchy-Tribune News Service

While the Satechi LightMate Emergency LED Flash Light is easy to be considered a flashlight first, it falls into my favorite category of a multi-functional device.

In addition to the light, you get an emergency glass breaker (which I didn't test), but wondered what it would be good for. So, I went to the Satechi site and they suggested it would be helpful if your car gets submerged in water, enabling you to break the glass and get out; so there you have it.

Obviously the LightMate is waterproof and strong with an aluminum and steel alloy body.

Internally, it has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (2,200 mAh), which can be removed if you purchase an additional one.

There's also a built-in USB port for charging other portable electronic gadgets including smartphones, GPS units and cameras.

As for the daylight-friendly LED light, you get 5 different LED lighting modes. The main one is a SOS feature. In a continuous cycle, it produces three short flashes, pauses, three long flashes and keeps repeating this until help arrives.

The other modes include another emergency setting of a flashing strobe, 3 brightness settings and directional lighting.

Details: $29.99;