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Tag Archives: iPhone

Picosteady: A SteadyCam For your iPhone

By David Ponce on 07/11/12 • 1 Comment

By David Ponce

Mr. Blurrycam’s first cousin is Mr. Shakycam. They make for a fine pair as together they make up a sizeable portion of the pictures and videos found online. And while the Picosteady pictured above doesn’t help Mr. Blurrycam much (just learn to focus, already), Mr. Shakycam could be out of a job. A SteadyCam is usually an expensive piece of equipment that stabilizes cameras and allows for those smooth, gliding shots you see in movies. It’s not something that you typically use with an iPhone. But if this Kickstarter project is successful, you’ll be able to do just that. It’s got a pivoting handle and a counterweight and accommodates a range of cameras, not just the iPhone. And from sample videos they’ve provided, it seems to do a fine job indeed. It’s smaller than a lot of the higher-end rigs and probably does still require a fair amount of care on the part of the operator, but for the smaller, harder to eliminate vibrations, it’ll do just fine. It’s $139 on pre-order on Kickstarter, after which it’s expected to go up to $179 in retail.

Hit the jump for a video and links.

… Continue Reading

The Spike Is A Case For The iPhone That Comes With A Foldaway Keyboard

By David Ponce on 07/09/12 • 1 Comment

By David Ponce

We’re not big fans of tactile keyboards simply because we learned to trust the iPhone’s autocorrect abilities early on and have become fairly proficient a typing fast on flat glass. But it’s undeniable that a large segment of the market still likes them; it’s kind of one of the only reasons Blackberries are still around. It’s also one of the most requested features on the iPhone, one which is very unlikely to ever make an appearance natively. The Spike case you see above is the best implementation of an add-on keyboard we’ve ever come across. It’s first a protective case for the phone, but there’s a hinge that lets you swivel a tiny keyboard with actual buttons and overlay it on the device’s screen when needed. As soon as you’re done typing, swivel it back and out of the way. You’ll get that tactile feedback you’ve gotten used to, as well as the ability to enjoy the full screen for other applications.

There’s actually three versions of the case. The Spike 1 is the least expensive, but the hinge for the keyboard doesn’t allow it to get tucked back, only flipped out of the way when not needed. To stow it permanently, you have to disassemble the case, turn the bottom part 180 degrees, and reassemble it. The Spike 2 is made with premium materials and a brushed metal accent band around the edge. The Spike 3 is a limited edition case made in Aluminum. Prices while on pre-order on Kickstarter are, respectively: $25, $40 or $150.

[ Project Page ] VIA [ Geeky Gadgets ]

Retro Gaming Is Alive And Well: GameDock Turns iDevice Into NES-like Console

By David Ponce on 07/05/12 • Leave a comment!

By David Ponce

Retro gaming is an area that seems to be doing quite well right now and an entire ecosystem is being developed to support it. Many of you are probably familiar with the iCade, which takes an iPad and turns it into a small, old-school gaming arcade. Well the GameDock pictured above takes a different approach. It allows you to dock your iPhone and play iCade games on any television while using an NES-like controller. The creators felt that it bridged the gap between the too-small screen of the iPhone and the too-large-for-on-screen-controls of the iPad, while giving gamers that genuine old-timey feel of classic controllers. The dock also charges your phone as you play so you can keep going forever.

This is a Kickstarter project that is still well short of its funding goal, but if you want to help make it happen, it’ll cost you either $100 if you get in on the last 3 of the 75 early-bird units, or $150 for one GameDock and one controller. You can expect delivery in December.

[ Project Page ] VIA [ Engadget ]

This Robotic Cockroach Is Controlled With Your iPhone

By David Ponce on 07/04/12 • Leave a comment!

By David Ponce

Japan is well known for its vast array of head scratching products. It’s part of the charm, we’re told. Add to the list the above Roachbot. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a remote controlled toy that resembles a roach. The extra fun thing about it is that it can be fully controlled with your iPhone. You attach the IR controllers and launch the app, and your insect toy’s meanderings are under your fingertips. There’s a fairly extensive set of controls, from simple left/right up/down, to slight trim adjustments. But perhaps more interestingly, you can also use the phone’s accelerometer and do the controlling via tilting.

It’s $37 although international orders are not possible. Maybe an importer somewhere will have it in stock. If you’re curious what it looks like in action, watch the below video. For some reason they’ve chosen to portray the Roachbot in a variety of fails: falling off a table, tipping over, etc.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ NewLaunches ]

ViewMaster-Like Device Lets You Watch Youtube Vids In 3D

By David Ponce on 06/29/12 • 1 Comment

By David Ponce

To say that it “lets you watch” YouTube videos in 3D might be an overexageration, since it won’t actually convert regular videos to 3D. What the above device by Sanwa does is make it easier to watch YT videos that are already in 3D. What, you didn’t know such a thing existed? Well yes, there’s been 3D vids on there since 2009 and several devices exist to enable you to see them. This is another one of those, albeit one that yields a brighter and larger viewing area than some of the other options out there. You simply insert your iPhone in the slot and you’re good to go; each eye only sees the image its meant to see, resulting in the 3D effect. It’s 1,980 yen or roughly $25 in today’s money.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Engadget ]

Eco Amp Is A Very Green iPhone “Amplifier”

By David Ponce on 06/28/12 • Leave a comment!

By David Ponce

We’re putting the word amplifier between quotation marks because what you see above isn’t technically an amplifier but more like a horn. Although we do suppose it amplifies the sounds coming from the phone, so we’re just being a little pedantic. Whichever way you feel about the use of the word, one thing is certain: the Eco Amp is green. It’s completely made from FSC Certified 100% Post Consumer paper. You simply fold along some creases and in no time you have a little horn that fits right over the mouth of your phone and boosts sounds levels up by about 30dB. Unlike other iPhone amplifiers we’ve written about before, this one is very portable, very eco conscious and maybe even more importantly, very cheap: $8.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Gizmag ]

The Kick Is A Full-Spectrum Camera Light That You Control With Your iPhone

By David Ponce on 06/18/12 • Leave a comment!

By David Ponce

Taking good pictures, moving or otherwise, involves more than having an eye for composition and timing. It helps to have good equipment, and high on the list is proper lighting. The Kick is a small, full-spectrum light that is made to work specifically with your iPhone. So while you might not have the lens, sensor, steady cam, jib or anything else that good photography often calls for, being able to control the light in the way that The Kick allows will go a long way to making those iPhone shots look great. The application lets you pick any color you want and The Kick will reproduce it. And what’s even more impressive is that it can also do animated light. You can pick from some presets like Lightning, Fire or Cannon shots, or (and this is really cool) open up a video, pick a sampling spot on that video and The Kick will reproduce the light from that part of the video.

Of course you’re not limited to using The Kick with the iPhone; you’re free to bring out the professional rig and simply use the iPhone as a remote control for the light. It’s fairly small, about the size of an iPhone and normal use will drain the batter in 4 to 5 hours. There are two versions up for pre-order on Kickstarter, The Kick Plus at $149, and The Kick Basic at $99. The cheaper version lacks WiFi connectivity, and thus iPhone control.

[ Project Page ] VIA [ UberGizmo ]

Grove Skatebacks Repurpose Skateboard Material With Style

By David Ponce on 06/07/12 • 3 Comments

By David Ponce

Recycling is usually a pretty boring business, one where newspapers will be turned into “70% post-consumer recycled toilet paper rolls.” Fun. But sometimes it can be pretty in an unexpected manner. The above iPhone back cover is made from leftover material from industrial skateboard manufacturing. Allegedly, the waste material from just one such factory can fill up to one city bus each week. Grove, a Portland, OR company takes some of that waste and carves and hand-finishes each back cover, ensuring that no two are exactly alike. It sticks to your iPhone 4/4S with 3M double-sided tape and will give your phone an eco-friendly technicolor vibe while protecting it from damage. It’s $50 a pop and ships in 2 to 4 weeks.

[ Product Page ]

The Twig Is A Small iPhone Cable That Doubles As A Tripod

By David Ponce on 05/30/12 • Leave a comment!

By David Ponce

Cables. We hate them. We believe everyone does. But they’re still a necessity and until that changes, we might as well try to make them as usual as possible. The Twig is a small replacement for your iPhone’s charging cable. It features a dock connector on one end, a USB on the other along with two bendable prongs. These prongs turn it into a tripod when it’s not charging, and its diminutive stature make it easy to carry around with you. It’s a smart design, and maybe just as important, it’s a decent $18 to own. Yet another Kickstarter project, the Twig is almost halfway to its $50,000 goal and should be fully funded with no problem. Delivery is sometime in September. Oh and hurry up because the $18 price is only for the next 200 or so orders; after that it’s $20.

[ Project Page ] VIA [ Engadget ]

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