By Gregg Ellman
Tribune News Service
The Panoramic Pod has the line “Picture perfect panoramas every time!” on the front of its box and after just one try I can confirm that statement is accurate.
Cell phones produce great images — but only if you hold the phone steady and horizontal for wide shots. The Panoramic Pod takes care of the latter.
It takes 25 seconds to take the image with excellent image quality and just a little longer than that to set it up.
All you do is place the included tripod on a flat surface, attach the pod, attach your phone, and wind the spring-loaded (no batteries required) device.
The pod then rotates taking a perfectly level panoramic image.
With the summer travel season approaching, I consider this a must-have for iPhone-ographers, especially with its compact size of just 8.6 inches long and nearly 2 inches in diameter.
The clamp to hold your smartphone works with most iPhone and Android smartphones that are panoramic compatible.
Details: www.shopmixology.com, $28
Over-Eat Headphones fit the bill
Monster headphones always sound great so it was no surprise when I tried the company’s latest flagship headphones, the DNA Pro 2.0 Over-Ear Headphones, with Pure Monster Sound Technology.
They are built with a great-looking futuristic design that includes comfortable triangular padded earbuds and dual headphone ports.
As I often do, I tried them on a recent flight and I could have kept the headphones playing in my ears for another few hours after landing.
Monster DNA PRO 2.0 is designed to bring out the very best performance for all types of musical genres, from rock to country, pop to classical, hip-hop to alternative and everything in between.
Monster developed an app that allows listeners to personalize the headphone sounds for any music genre. The app has profiles you select that have been “tuned to iconic reference recordings which define the sound signature of a particular era, genre or artist,” according to Monster’s website.
While the app development might have been complicated, using it is simple. Just use the sliders to choose a profile.
The headphones feature dual-port inputs, which allow up to five headphones to be connected simultaneously for music sharing.
Hinges allow the headphones to fold up and store in the included travel pouch along with the coiled (tangle free) audio and Apple ControlTalk cables.
Details: www.monsterproducts.com, $299.95, available in tuxedo white and black
Charge the solar way
Power on-the-go can’t be any more efficient than the 15 W Ravpower foldable dual-port solar charger.
It stores like a book (14.2-by-7.5-by-1.2-inches, 1.5 pounds) and folds out to expose three solar panels.
For charging, plug your device’s USB cable into either of the two USB ports, which have a combined 3 amp output. This enables charging of most any portable electronic gadget, including tablets and smartphones.
Two devices can be charged simultaneously as long as they don’t exceed the 3 amp total.
It’s built with iSmart technology, which allows it to be compatible with almost every device and charge at the fastest possible speeds.
The construction features water- and weather-resistant nylon and a Velcro sealed pouch for storing smaller devices while charging.
Another nice feature are the eyeholes in the design that allow for hanging it while charging.
Details: www.Ravpower.com, $49.99
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