By Gregg Ellman
Tribune News Service
The SXories Weye Feye is a small piece of hardware that makes a whole lot of work simple for DSLR photographers.
It connects to your digital camera and creates its own Wi-Fi network so the camera can be fired wirelessly with a free app (iOS and Android) on a smartphone.
This is one of the few times I recommend reading the instructions, but don’t let that scare you.
It’s really simple and takes just a few minutes. Directions guide you through the steps of what should be connected along with turning power on or off at the right time for proper connections.
It measures 3.2-by-1.7-by-0.6-inches, has a 2000mAh internal lithium polymer battery, which is good for up to 8 hours of use, and is charged via USB. If you didn’t know what it was, you would think it was a pocket-sized Bluetooth speaker.
The Wi-Fi range (802.11n) is rated at about 262 feet, which can vary, depending on conditions, line of sight and what’s in between. Despite that, I got solid results at almost every distance.
I did have the Wi-Fi drop a few times, so obviously I had to reconnect it.
Another great feature that makes this stand out is that it has only 0.2 second latency, which is the time between pressing the app button and when the camera actually fires. If you’re not familiar with anything to compare it to, I’ve tried other apps and they were longer than 0.2 seconds.
If you have your camera set up in a really remote situation it even brings the live view from the camera onto the app.
You’ll also be able to change most of your settings (ISO, shutter speed, aperture, etc.) from the app. So if unexpected clouds arrive or your subject moves faster or slower than expected, you’ll be able to adjust everything right from the app.
Images are captured and saved on the app-loaded smartphone and to the memory card in your camera making them instantly sharable on social media.
Details: www.weye-feye.com, $249.99
Wireless mobile charging device
After seeing the TYLT VU wireless charging car mount in action, it made me think that instead of being concerned about making everything in my home and office wireless, it makes more sense to have a wireless mobile charging device.
It only works with Qi compatible devices, which does not include every smartphone. The device is well made. A micro-gel suction cup keeps everything in place on most any solid surface in a vehicle, including dashboards and windshields.
To mount your phone (up to 6-inch display), press the button at the top of the holder to move the arms on the sides; put your phone on the base and release the button to hold it in place.
To remove your phone, press the same button.
A 12-volt car adapter is also included, which has an addition 1.3amp USB port for charging another device.
The TYLT VU Solo is another wireless charger for Qi charging phones. It gets its power from a powered microUSB you connect to the charger.
With Qi charging, it’s critical that your device and the charger are aligned correctly. This one has a patent pending mobile phone alignment ledge for the proper connection.
Check the TYLT site for a complete list of compatible phones.
Details: www.tylt.com, $79.99 for the car mount, $39.99 for the VU Solo
Apple certified battery power
If you have an iPhone 6 and need a few charges a day, the BuQu Tech PowerArmour case is a must-have.
Inside the case is a 2,800mAh battery, which the company states is the first Apple certified “made for iPhone” battery case.
It’s built with a unibody exterior for protection and unlike many other powered battery cases, it’s not like carrying a brick in your pocket.
To charge the battery, just connect the included microUSB cable.
Details: www.buqutech.com, $79.99
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