The scourge of the selfie stick is here to stay, for better or for worse. What truly determines the kind of species we all are is how we deal with it. Some want to do away with them altogether, but let’s face it: they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.
Instead, the team over at the Netherlands-based NEXT took on the challenge of making the universally cringe-inducing selfie stick into something that someone could use without embarrassment. Its NEXT Selfie Stick takes a normal selfie stick and tacks on 1000 lumens of LED lighting for better night shots, a Bluetooth connection for triggering photo taking, and a 2600 mAh power bank that charges most smartphones twice.
It also features a detachable design that can come apart to save room when heading off to the next location for conspicuous vanity shots. When apart, users can take advantage of the suction mount to make shooting flicks easier along with the Bluetooth controller. The NEXT Selfie Stick is going for $73 with an estimated ship date of June 2016. The campaign is seeking about $53,000 by December 29th, 2015.
‘Tis a noble task the folk at NEXT have undertaken, seeking to improve the lot of a gadget laden with a horrid reputations and groups of ill-dressed tourist groups with funny hats. The NEXT Selfie Stick isn’t a revolution but it is much more usable in everyday life. Another product aiming to make selfies—and photos in general—easier is the Podo. It’s its own device with a multitude of shooting modes and the ability to stick everywhere, as well. The NEXT is slightly more versatile, though, so backers will probably find former lacking when it comes to interfacing more productively with a smartphone.