Low-tech Accessories For High-tech Toys

[Wiley John Wright]

MMi Live @ MacWorld

Macworld Expo is known for showcasing the latest and greatest Mac gear every year. While walking the floor of the show I came across a couple of decidedly low-tech iPhone and iPad accessories. Both are very simple in design, but don’t let that fool you. They are both great pieces of gear in there own right.

Glif ($20) is an iPhone 4 kickstand with a difference, it’s also a tripod mount. With the Glif you can set up an iPhone 4 on a tripod and get level photographs and videos every time. This is a great bit of gear to have if you want to be in the shot as well. It’s well-built and light weight so it fits in any pocket with ease. The only real drawback is the fact that it doesn’t work with an iPhone in a case. Although the iPhone does fit quite snugly, I’m not sure I’d want to do anything to extreme with it. You might want to hold off mounting one on the front of an SUV trying to shoot an indie car chase scene.

The other low tech, highly useful item I saw today at Macworld is called the Pad Bracket ($19.95). Basically, it’s a wall mount for an iPad or iPhone. The Pad Bracket mounts to just about any kind of wall and holds an iDevice quite securely. You might want to use that leveling app that’s been sitting on your iPhone, however, to ensure that it’s mounted to the wall nice and level though. I can see this being quite useful all over the house.





With so many high tech toys and accessories, sometimes it’s the simple things that stand out the most. Neither of these devices have a battery pack or computer chip, but both make devices that do, a little bit easier to use. Both are not too hard on the wallet as well.

[baRRy boRRis]

So it's like this, but LESS practical, and CONSIDERABLY more expensive? Great.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTSDPKktbUk&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

[exNavy]

If I'm going to be lugging around a tripod to get those level shots, I'll be carrying a real camera and not relying on an iphone to take the pictures.

[iSteed]

If I'm going to be lugging around a tripod to get those level shots, I'll be carrying a real camera and not relying on an iphone to take the pictures.

Are you serious? Maybe I get it if into photography and you use an expensive digital slr. I had an 8 megapixel casio solely for picture taking but felt that the iPhone 4 actually took better pictures. So why lug two devices when the phone which is with me wherever I go takes exceptional pictures. I was already in a spot where wish I could have mounted my iPhone to a tripod. I'll take one of those brackets please

[domthebigbomb]

Are you serious? Maybe I get it if into photography and you use an expensive digital slr. I had an 8 megapixel casio solely for picture taking but felt that the iPhone 4 actually took better pictures. So why lug two devices when the phone which is with me wherever I go takes exceptional pictures. I was already in a spot where wish I could have mounted my iPhone to a tripod. I'll take one of those brackets please

get a better camera. dslrs arent even that expensive

[pcuserforever]

i read about ths a few months ago.it's also like a kickstand for your iphone for reading and watching movies. it's very thoughtful, but a little bulky. for $20 it would be nice to have for plane rides.

[Mrteacup]

those are the most useless tools honestly I wouldnt buy any of those things. idevices are supposed to be portable I see no reason why someone would want those. I guess someone may want the tripod but the wall mount is useless under what condition would you need that? oh ya forget it gets tiring to hold a 2 pound device I mean when I watch movies I grab a chair and sit right next to a wall and look at my iPhone or iPad from a few inches away...

[steve-z17]

It would be cool to mount the iPad in your home if it was connected to more things like the TV, lights, sound system, etc.

[LGgeek]

I bought a Glif only problem is it doesn't account for having a bumper on, to use you it you have to take your bumper off.

[thevmax]

so it's like this, but less practical, and considerably more expensive? Great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtsdp...layer_embedded

awesome ...

[EskimoRuler]

So it's like this, but LESS practical, and CONSIDERABLY more expensive? Great.

YouTube - The iPad and Velcro, a Match Made in Heaven [HD]

That is really embarrassing and ugly IMO. I would much rather pay the 20 dollars for this mount then put Velcro on the back of my iPad. Im a person that loves the looks of things, it's why I love apple products. I wouldn't ruin it like this

This reminds me of that post for the cheap car mount that came out on YouTube once