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Tag Archives: accessories

Mounting A Smartphone Onto A Tripod Doesn’t Get Much Easier Than This

By David Ponce on 03/06/13 • 1 Comment

jackpod

The camera on many of today’s phones is decent enough that some people feel the need to prop them up on a tripod and use them as semi-serious video/photography tools. There is, obviously, no tripod mount on phones, so the marketplace is dotted with an array of devices meant to remedy this. By far the simplest we’ve seen is the JackPod pictured above. One side screws on to a standard tripod, the other simply plugs into the audio jack present in pretty much any phone out there. Depending on the model of mobile you’ve got however, this may cause orientation issues, as would be the case with any iPhone before the 5. Still, if you have $10 to spare and the device you own has its jack in a place that doesn’t force it upside down when shooting, then head on over to the Kickstarter link for a pledge. If all goes well, it’ll ship by May.

Incidentally… maybe one of our readers can set us straight. If you take a video with, say, an iPhone 4 upside down, and try to play it back on a PC, will the video right itself up? Does the accelerometer in the iPhone orient videos, and does it work on PCs, or just Macs?

In any case, head on over after the break for a couple more pictures and links.

… Continue Reading

Viewfinder Accessory Lets You Take Shots From Awkward Angles

By David Ponce on 02/26/13 • Leave a comment!

Sanko-Electronic-Viewfinder-HDM35EVF

If you’re planning on putting your fancy dSLR on the floor to take a shot, you better have an LCD viewfinder that swivels out. Or a flexible neck. Heck, even if you do have a swivel screen, if it’s really bright it’s not always possible to see what’s on it. The above accessory attaches to your HDMI-equipped Canon camera and lets you see what it sees from a distance. There’s an eye-cup so you’ll see everything even in the brightest environments. It needs power of its own, which it gets from a power adapter or, Canon’s very own LP-E6 battery or equivalent.

It’s $265 (24,800 Japanese Yen).

Sanko-Electronic-Viewfinder-HDM35EVF_3

[ Product Page (Japanese translated) ] VIA [ DamnGeeky ]

A Match Made In Heaven: Toilet Paper Holder With iPad Stand

By David Ponce on 02/11/13 • Leave a comment!

ipad-toilet-paper-stand-holder

Possibly the nicest thing about modern technology is the way it’s changed the way we do #2. No longer do we have to sit on the throne reading the list of ingredients on a bottle of shampoo. Or even reading a book… like a peasant. We have our smartphones instead! Looking at pictures of cats on the Interwebs while pooping is what smart devices are for. So let’s just drop any pretense of class, and embrace the Pedestal Stand with iPad Holder as a natural and long overdue household accessory. Because come on, guys, who wants to put down their iPad in the middle of watching a cool video, just because it’s time to wipe? Huh?

It’s $45.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Gear Diary ]

The Soloshot Keeps You In The Frame, No Matter Where You Are

By David Ponce on 02/05/13 • Leave a comment!

soloshot-2-xl

Some of you may harbor the desire to create videos of yourselves in the process of committing shenanigans of various sorts, and this always implies a certain amount of logistics. For one, whether these are acts of skillful sporting display, or simply running around while flailing your arms, you’ll usually need a second person to pan the camera to keep you in the shot. The Soloshot removes the need for that friend. It’s a robotic camera base on which you can mount any recording device with a tripod mount, and which then follows your movements thanks to a wireless transmitter armband. “It can rotate at speeds of up to 40º per second all the way around, and can track subjects up to 2000 feet away moving at speeds up to 140 mph.”

Replacing your friends with a robotic device doesn’t come cheap. The Soloshot is $480, but has the extra advantage of not judging you every single time you fail that jump.

Keep reading for a video of it in action, as well as links.

… Continue Reading

UpperCup: Because Phones Are Like Cars, And You Can Never Have Too Many Cup-holders

By David Ponce on 01/28/13 • 1 Comment

Really, how much commentary is necessary here? You’re looking at an iPhone case that doubles as a cup holder. Just insert your Starbucks liquid crack in there, and text away without having to find another place to put your drink down on. Is it necessary? No. Is it useful? Marginally. Is it cool? No comment. Will you even be able to hold your phone properly, with the weight of the coffee pulling it forward? The physics department is still in discussions.

We’ll tell you this: it’s $25 for the iPhone 4/4S and $5 more for the iPhone 5. And it might not even come to market, unless the IndieGogo campaign reaches $25,000, which it’s very, very far from at the moment.

Will people buy this in droves just because of the novelty, and the ability to walk around looking like a tool? Or will we just snicker a little, tell our roommates “hey, check this out!” and move on?

[ Product Page ] VIA [ BitRebels ]

Somehow, The Cloud Got Behind The Sun In This Egg Mold

By David Ponce on 01/24/13 • 1 Comment

There are many ways to brighten up your morning, and putting your eggs into a cloud shaped mold is as good as any. You can make a pretty landscape on your plate, and think about how much better your life would be if you could be anywhere else in the world but in the frozen tundra that northeastern America has become… Only, we’re not sure how the cloud manages to get, you know, behind the sun. But we suppose that’s one of those pedantic thoughts you’re not supposed to have because they ruin the picture. So, there you have it: the Sunnyside egg mold is $12.

Update: Design by Avihai Shurin for Monkey Business.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Gizmodo ]

3rd Person View Arm Lets You Star In Your Vids GTA-style

By David Ponce on 01/22/13 • Leave a comment!

With the roaring popularity of the GoPro and other rugged action cameras, it’s becoming increasingly common to see videos of people getting into all kinds of sports-y situations. More often than not, what you’ll see is a shot from someone’s helmet, which lets you see roughly what they’re seeing, but doesn’t feature the person in question in the frame at all. The 3rd Person View is a system that lets you mount your camera on an articulated boom arm, and allows you to include your upper body in the shot. It’s a little bit like you’re playing Grand Theft Auto, or any other game with a 3rd person view, only you’re the star.

Created by Dutch film producer Thijs Vrij, the device consists of three parts – a waterproof adjustable waistband with a carbon sandwich backplate; an alloy adjustable camera pole; and, a locking/release mechanism. The whole thing reportedly weighs less than 950 grams (2 lbs) and fits inside a backpack when disassembled.

The boom arm is adjustable, so you don’t have to place the camera directly behind you, which does give you even more viewing angles. However, we’re not sure just how sturdy the waistband is. It would have to be pretty tight if you want to avoid ridiculous amounts of sway and vibration in the shot; just the kind of thing that’s likely to happen in heavy action footage. Still, if you want to give it a go, it’s £135 (US$214) on Kickstarter to get your own.

[ Project Page ] VIA [ Gizmag ]

Quirky Pluck Takes The Yolk Out Of The Egg In A Pinch

By David Ponce on 01/17/13 • Leave a comment!

Egg white omelettes: if you eat these, you’re probably health conscious. And really, what’s not to like about them? Low calorie, low cholesterol, high protein; they’re the perfect health food. Only, extracting the yolk from the white can be a little frustrating sometimes. The Quirky Pluck, alternatively called “Sunny Side Out”, was inspired by a YouTube video that used a compressed water bottle to simply suck the yolk right out of an already broken egg. It’s a simple two-piece plastic/silicone suction device that easily plucks the yolk, and holds it within until you’re ready to spit it back out elsewhere; it’s kind of like a large reverse turkey baster. Getting to those egg whites really couldn’t be much easier, short of buying them pre-separated in a carton. The device is two-piece for easy cleaning, and at $13, makes a no-nonsense addition to anyone’s kitchen, especially that of the health freak.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ TheGreenHead ]

Strap Your Head To A Seat And Finally Sleep On That Plane

By David Ponce on 01/16/13 • 1 Comment

We’ve all been there, nodding off on a plane only to wake up fifteen minutes later with a neck ache, and drool on our chins. It’s not pretty, put we still put up with these indignities in the name of efficient global transportation. Or something. The Relax ALLY Travel Restband tries to offer a simple solution: just strap your head to the seat! It’s a simple strap that can be configured to attach to pretty much any sized seat, and which will hold your head upright as you go to sleep. And it’s not like you have to worry about being restrained in case you need to urgently set yourself free: the thing fastens with a snap button.

It’s $39 and comes in its own carrying case. It’s the early hours of the IndieGogo campaign, but should this be funded, you should get yours next month.

[ Product Page ]

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