Assuming we make it through the U.S. election on Nov. 8, Christmas will be here in about seven weeks. So will a bunch of other winter holidays celebrated with gift giving and merry-making. Soon, it will be time to stuff your digital stocking with all the cool stuff you need, especially tech bells and whistles to improve the online experience for you and your fans.
Be extra naughty and nice. It’s never too early to start spicing up your contests. Do something extra for big-tipping VIPs and add to the fun in your cam room with sparkly lights and Xmas-themed toys from Adam & Eve, The Screaming O, System JO and Pipedream, among others, on this big list at Gurl.com. Ho, ho, ho!
Now that Snap Inc. (formerly Snapchat) has launched its Spectacles camera glasses, priced at under $200, expect a flood of snappy, compatible peripherals to top Android users’ lists. Like Adonit’s Snap stylus ($34.99, available at Target, Amazon and other retailers), which has nifty features like Bluetooth™ and a super-fine point for more elaborate doodles on your pics.
The stylus is magnetic, so you can stick it on the back of your phone. It also can function as a remote shutter control for your phone’s camera, which could make cool solo selfies much easier to take when you’re on the run. And it works with lots of drawing and note-taking apps.
We have a feeling Google’s Daydream View will be high on everyone’s wish list this year. This VR headset may be a must-have if you have Google’s new Pixel phone. The Daydream View, priced at $79.99, is an entry-level headset and comes in three fabric-covered choices: crimson, slate and snow. It also has a handy remote control that tucks into a sleek storage space in the front of the Goggles.
The goggles will work with any Daydream-equipped phones regardless the size of the screen. Goggle is working with several popular app builders, game developers and digital media outlets like YouTube and Buzzfeed to bring users immersive video, “expanding” users’ experience of movies, games and apps.
In the spirit of Christmas Future, here’s what’s happening right now from Zero Zero Robotics. The Hover Camera Passport is a fully autonomous drone camera with built-in facial and body recognition. About as big as a tablet, you flip the HCP open and it hovers, taking 13MP images or 4K video. Built-in artificial intelligence allows the camera to follow you wherever you may wander and catch amazing action shots you would never get otherwise.
Buh-bye humanoid paparazzi! It’s only a matter of time until KimmyK and all the other K-Girls have flocks of these little buzzers following their every move. At $599, it’s a lot of Xmas cookies, but if you’re into the great outdoors, streaming action, hard-to-get aerial shots and acrobatic POV, you could create some fun production projects for this piece of high-spy equipment.
Days are getting shorter, angels and elves! Not much time left to be good and Santa’s watching, so get him in VIP and get busy!
