Tag: selfie

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Connected Objects Imaging

Kiba interactive camera captures fleeting memories, spontaneous selfies

editors-choiceMany people like to capture special moments, but often miss them because some of life’s greatest moments -– like a child’s first steps –- happen unexpectedly. Nowadays, we have a pretty good camera on us at nearly all times. However, even if we happen to be around for moments worth capturing, they can be over before we can fumble with our smartphones.

patent-claimedKiba is a voice-controlled, self-editing, interactive camera that captures joyful memories and unattended selfies. It captures 1080p HD video and 13-megapixel still images. Users can schedule the capture of recurring daily events like playtime activity or one-time events including a birthday party. They can then download the full recording or only 20-second “Smart Memories” that are automatically curated for them by the device. Kiba automatically cuts 90 percent of unwanted footage using patented Joy Ranking technology. The camera sifts through hundreds of interactions and picks the most interesting moments.

Users can interact and control Kiba hands free, using five simple voice commands for all the main functions: “Kiba Selfie” for high-resolution photos; “Kiba Record” for 30-second videos, “Kiba Remember” to capture the last 30 seconds, “Kiba Off” to put the device to sleep, and “Kiba On” to wake it up. Kiba uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy to automatically sync with the user’s connected devices.

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Imaging Networking

U+ flash drive forms a triple threat for storage, charging and selfies

USB flash drives are extremely handy. But there are many of them on the market and the makers of several more of them have recently sought funding via crowdsourcing, including the Reversible USB Adapter.

patent-claimedWhat separates U+ is that the hybrid device serves not only as a wireless USB flash drive, but also a multimedia hub, external charger and a selfie shutter. For the latter functionality, it integrates with Android and iOS smartphone and tablet cameras to create a selfie shutter that activates at the click of a button on the U+. The campaign touts that it’s built with a Qualcomm CPU and Samsung RAM, and supports 1080p video.

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Cell Phone Accessories Imaging

ScopeCam uses your phone’s better camera for selfies

Today’s smartphones put incredible photo taking capabilities in a device that’s always at home in a pocket. Their front-facing cameras have spawned millions of selfies. But the sad secret about these narcissistic snapshots is that the front cameras of almost all smartphones lag significantly behind their rear cameras in terms of resolution even as smartphone companies are steadily improving selfie features.

ScopeCam is a simple phone device that clips on to a smartphone, allowing you to use its rear camera to take forward-facing shots. This gives you the best of both selfie worlds, being able to use the big screen of the phone to frame the photo and the full power of the camera to take the photo — well, almost the full power as there’s no way to turn the flash to the front of the phone.

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Imaging

Gekkopod mount wraps around anything to capture your mounting vanity

With smartphones and cameras allowing us to take more photos than ever, the latest goal seems to be getting a unique angle to capture a selfie or point of view. But the wide range of surfaces in the world make that a challenge, particularly for a portable mount..

patent-claimedGekkopod is a wraparound flexible camera mount that will work with any camera or smartphone, even a GoPro camera. It’s a more minimalist, flexible take on Joby’s Gorillapod camera tripod but with two extra legs to secure it. The design of the new product was based in a lizard’s hand –-hence the allusion to a gecko in its name. Gekkopod is made of 80 percent food grade silicon and 20 percent metal, so it can be bent easily to any shape and will stay in that form.

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Connected Objects Imaging

Step up your selfie game with the connected Podo stick and shoot camera

Walk down any street, waltz into any restaurant, or take up a teaching job in Asia. In each scenario, there will undoubtedly be groups of people taking selfies with oversized smartphones or tablets. The selfie craze has gotten to the point where smartphone makers are specifically touting selfie-friendly features as a way to address what everyone already knows: it can be pretty awkward to take a kick-ass selfie.

Enter the Podo, an 8 megapixel Bluetooth camera designed to be attached and re-attached to most flat surfaces to facilitate easier selfies. Its makers appropriately tout it as a “stick-anywhere camera.” Clearly, versatility is one of its strengths.

The 4GB Podo has three major modes: a photo mode for single shots, double exposures, and burst shots, a video mode capable of recording 720p video at 30fps, and an auto mode that captures content based on custom time intervals for things like time lapse videos. An embedded accelerometer is included which serves to ensure that photo orientation is always correct, thereby making photos social media friendly from the start. The device can be synced up to a companion mobile app with support for both iOS and Android.

An individual Podo costs $89 with an estimated delivery date of August 2015. The campaign is looking for $50,000 in funding by April 20.

Selfies haven’t been the same since the selfie stick, and Podo is poised to shake things up yet again. Not having to rely on the length of an arm or the kindness of a stranger, along with eight LEDs for night shots, really makes the Podo a stand-out in the selfie accessories category.

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Podcasts

The Backerjack Podcast, Episode 9: the lock, the keys, and captures in sticky situations

Steve and Ross start out Episode 9 of the Backerjack Podcast with a quick update on last week’s discussion of the record-breaking Pebble Time campaign before moving on to discussing three impressive projects:

  • Sesame lock, an easy-to-install way to retrofit an existing deadbolt lock and replace your keys with your iPhone
  • Opho Keys, a MIDI keyboard with LED-illuminated keys, gesture control, and even the ability to magnetically attach to other Keys. The keyboard will have support on over 150 apps at launch
  • Podo, a colorful and Bluetooth-connected way to replace the dreaded selfie stick
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Cell Phone Accessories Imaging

SELFIEME will help you capture the perfect social self-portrait

SELFIEMEAs the selfie grows more and more popular, people are looking for new ways to bask in the glory of… well, themselves. The SELFIEME is an iPhone 5 and Galaxy S4 case that comes with two detachable lenses. One is a fish eye lens while the other is a wide angle lens. The case comes in different colors and also has a separate slot for the lenses. It is unclear why this is just for selfies, however, when the lenses attach to the back camera and not the front “selfie” camera. For $49, vain backers can enjoy the SELFIEME with an estimated delivery date of September 2014. This product hopes to raise $21,000 in three weeks on Kickstarter. 

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Tech Accessories

Taptucam is what webcams wear to foil voyeur hackers

taptucamFans of the ABC show Shark Tank may have recently seen a product called Eyebloc. The  small piece of plastic fits over laptops and iPad front-facing cams primarily to thwart those who might spy on you through your camera in order to capture passwords or compromising poses. The Spanish duo behind Taptucam do not shy from the latter in their lewdness-alluding campaign video that shows off the simple clip-like device for keeping your computer from unintentional broadcasting. Of course, a Post-It note or many other inexpensive barriers will also do the trick. But for those who want a touch of style in their stifling can pledge $7 can pick up a five-pack in May 2014.