Talk about a trend that stems from self-obsession and independence. The selfie stick has been the invention of the year in 2014, and though has a lot of criticism against it, it does serve the purpose of taking pictures of self. There are several varieties of selfie sticks in the market and a new innovation has been the Solocam.
There are quite a few varieties of selfie sticks in the market with a range of prices and features. On the cheaper and simple side is the Looq Selfie stick, it costs only around $20 USD, and is the best for the price. It comes in different colors with a rubberized handle for good grip. The button on it however causes a little shake when it’s pressed resulting in a potentially blurry image. There is no battery, WiFi features to deal with, which makes it the simplest selfie around. The stick extends up to 40inches in length and folds into 8.5 inches which may be difficult to carry around for some people. The phone holder itself can accommodate phones that are 3.35 inches wide. Some of the cons of the Looq stick are the limited Apps that it connects to, it doesn’t Bluetooth connectivity option, has limited warranty and could be more rugged.
When it comes to selfies we want to be able to use our digital cameras too, and while some selfie sticks are targeted for cell phones only, the Quik Pod handheld selfie extendable pole and mini tripod is great for those with cameras. Quik Pod is the first selfie stick brand and one of the leading names in the selfie stick world. This particular product retails at around $ 35USD. The practicality of this product is what makes it stand out; it also works as a tripod, is lightweight and compact, comes with a bad and wrist strap for safety and has a built-in self-image positioning mirror. It is easy to attach your lightweight camera to its standard tripod socket. It doesn’t operate on a battery, or have any connectivity options like Bluetooth, app, it is also not waterproof. In fact it may rust if gotten wet. It extends to maximum 18.5 inches which is maybe the biggest con of the product.
For the more adventurous user is the belfie stick! Let’s break it down: Butt + Selfie = “Belfie.” Yes, this product exists and maybe most of us understand the obsession people have especially if they’re active on Instagram and enjoy taking pictures of themselves from ALL angles. The Belfie stick comes from the makers of ON, works with a wide range of phones. However it is expensive (USD 80), overspecialized in design and may even affect your emotional state of mind in terms of self-obsession.
Perhaps the most productive variant of the selfie stick is the SoloCam. This products is aimed at ‘meeting the needs of individuals who control their own recording experience’ it helps individuals, artists, vloggers, and journalists on the go. It comes with an integrated Bluetooth microphone which brings the audio video recording experience on another level of quality. Priced at $ 49USD, the stick weights 285 grams and can be attached to smartphones, go-pro cameras and other cameras. There is no doubt this product is catering to amateurs and pros alike.
While being self-obsessed may not be your cup of tea, selfie sticks were designed to cater to the growing needs of the consumers to take better pictures of them. Camera phones and social networking sites are driven by visual media and selfie sticks help individuals feel like they can get a good picture of themselves. How we use them depends on our personal choice. This is definitely a product that will live longer in the market and we may see many innovations like the SoloCam that may be focused on practical solutions than just entertainment.
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