swivl

Swivl pan-and-tilt platform makes room for iPads, dSLRs

The original Swivl was basically a motorized platform for your iPhone that tracked your movement. Turn on the camera and you could easily record video of yourself or make FaceTime calls without worrying about drifting out of the picture.

Since its launch earlier this year, the device's creator, Satarii, has been getting a steady stream of requests for a model that supports an iPad, digital SLRs, or Android devices.

The new Swivl is basically the same thing as the original, but with expanded capabilities thanks to a redesigned base and built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It can now support all … Read more

Hey, over here! The challenge for startups at CES

LAS VEGAS--The startup scene at CES this year was vibrant--although it was sometimes hard to tell.

The Consumer Electronics Association gave startups their own area this time around, called Eureka Park. It spanned two big rooms in The Venetian, far away from the main convention center and from most of the exhibitors. The goal was to let fledgling businesses participate in the massive show without getting lost amid the big boys.

In that sense, Eureka Park was a success. The booths, 10 feet by 10 feet, cost $1,000, a quarter the price for the same space in the main … Read more

Hands-on: Swivl, with which your iPhone becomes your cameraman

LAS VEGAS--You move, so does your iPhone. And it's taking a video of you. Crazy, right?

This is the much-talked-about Swivl, and I got to play with it at CES.

It's simple to use. You stick your iPhone or iPod Touch in the dock, and then hang the marker around your neck and off it goes. It works with infra-red light and radio frequency.

The product is the brainchild of Brian Lamb, who a year ago ran a crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo, a rival to Kickstarter.

He quickly raised $25,000, selling enough preorders to pay for 250 … Read more

Swivl turns your smartphone into a personal cameraman

The ability to shoot video and conduct video chats on your smartphone is pretty great, but trying to film yourself or holding the phone steady while on a video call isn't so easy. That is, until now.

Belmont, Calif.-based company Satarii will soon be launching an accessory called the Swivl that allows you to mount your smartphone or point-and-shoot camera to a motorized stand and have it track your every movement so you can shoot video and chat hands-free.

The product consists of two pieces: the aforementioned motorized mount and a small marker that you can clip to your body or any other object that you want to capture on film. Using sensors embedded in the base of the stand and on the wearable accessory, the mount will then follow the movements of the marker, as your phone or camera records all the action. In addition to swiveling left and right, the mount can tilt your device up or down. … Read more