Do Go Down in the Cellar: Joby Switchback Lantern Headlamp

What’s going on over at Joby? The all-conquering maker of bendy, magnet-tipped prehensile tripods is slowly turning into a flashlight company. The latest lamp is the Gorillatorch Switchback, a weird combination of lantern and headlamp.

Having brought out a flexible tripod in every possible size, Joby is intent on doing the same for battery-powered lighting. The Switchback starts off as a bright, dim-able lantern whose LEDs glow from 5 to 130-lumens in white or night-vision-preserving red. It’s perfect for telling ghost stories around the campfire.

But then, when you discover that you’re camping in Blair Witch country, you can pop out the headlamp section, stretch its band around your noggin and foolishly head off to explore. Alternate uses are going down to investigate a noise in the cellar, or checking out the suspicious sound in the back yard after all the house lights mysteriously go out.

The Switchback runs on a pair of AA batteries, and will last for up to 72 hours, enough to last until the FBI’s serial-killer unit comes to help you out of the underground pit in which you are now imprisoned. $60, including the vestigial tripod.

Switchback product page [Joby. Thanks, Mark!]

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Source:wired.com

Posted under Gadget Reviews

Gorillapod-Inspired Tripod Looks Like Robot Skeleton

Clearly “inspired” by Joby’s popular Gorillapod, the RM-110 Spide (yeah, we know: spelling fail) from Fotopro is another flexible, ball-jointed camera tripod. Unlike the Gorillapod, the Spide looks like a Terminator’s skeleton.

The Spide has a few other differences. First, the feet are interchangeable. You can choose from spikes, suction cups, magnets and regular soft-stepping rubber. Another addition is locking balls: The Gorillapod hangs on tight enough, but the Spide’s joints can be completely immobilized by clamping them shut with a screwdriver. This is probably less useful than it sounds: one of the best features of the Gorillapod is that it is so quick to deploy.

I wonder, too, about the build quality. A look at Fotopro’s site isn’t exactly confidence-inspiring. Amongst the odd sections (“shooting-sticks” and “working sticks”) you’ll such wonders as the “Charming Red Tripod” and the “Self-Fotor“. If you’re interested, the Spide will make it onto US soil in the last part of the year, for around $60. Those of you who are annoyed by bad spelling might want to save up a few Rs (or even a Y) in the meantime.

Fotopros fully adjustable flexible tripod with interchangeable feet [Gizmag]

Product Site [Fotopro]

Image credit: Gizmag

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Source:wired.com

Posted under Gadget Reviews