If you've got the urge to take a selfie, then there's a number of ways you can go about it. While you could always just yank out your smartphone, options like the selfie stick and snap-happy drones promise to squeeze a little more in shot. Looking to fill another slot in the selfie aficionado's toolkit is the team behind Podo, a small wireless camera that can be slapped on any surface and controlled remotely with your smartphone.
Podo arrived on Kickstarter yesterday and has already attracted more than US$76,000 in funding, cruising past its $50,000 goal with more than six weeks to run on the campaign. Its claim on the selfie market is based on a solution that lets folks capture those precious moments beyond what they can reach with their outstretched arms.
The square camera measures 2 x 2 x 1 in (5.1 x 5.1 x 2.54 cm) and weighs only 1.8 oz (51 g), designed to be slipped into a pocket or backpack for easy carrying. On its backside is a micro-suction pad that according to its developers, allows it to be stuck to basically any solid surface. This backing is joined to the camera body with a hinge which allows the lens angle to be adjusted to make sure nobody's head is chopped from frame.
Shooting photos at 8-megapixels and video at 720p/30 fps, the camera pairs with iOS and Android devices over Bluetooth and is controlled through a companion app. Users can choose from photo mode which includes the ability to take single snaps, double exposure and burst sequences, and also video mode which records 15-second clips, optimized for sharing via Instagram. In addition, there is an Auto mode where Podo can be set to shoot time-lapses and compile the photos as animated GIFs or video. The app also controls the 8 LED flash, which is configured in a ring around the lens.
Podo comes with 4 GB of storage and runs on 600 mAh battery, with the company claiming this to be good for up to two hours of video. Available in red and blue, early pledges of $79 will put you in line for one, with shipping estimated for August 2015 if the campaign runs as planned.
You can check out the promo video below.
Source: Podo
