My time in Israel last July was a bit stressful as we constantly waited for the next “Red Alert” warning us about an incoming missile. My friends Menachem, Robyn, and I broke the tension (and stayed entertained) by taking selfies. The new GoTech ION Bluetooth Selfie Stick I have for review would have come in quite handy. Let’s take a look.
Menachem, Robyn, and I took selfies in Jerusalem, on the Golan Heights (a missile from Syria landed near our stop about an hour after we left) and before and after various meetings (this was a “business” trip for us.) We even took a selfie at an Israeli gas station/rest stop. (We are nothing if not a classy bunch!) And because we had not planned to take selfies-I actually first met the two of them on the plane ride over- we were wholly unprepared. Yes, our Israel selfies were all taken with the phone held in hand.
The GoTech ION Bluetooth Selfie Stick would have let us take far better pictures and capture more of the background while we did. As the company explains,
“Our NEWEST Selfie Stick! FOLDS to fit easily into your pocket or bag! Includes BUILT IN BLUETOOTH!”
What I like most about this selfie stick is the fact that it is an all-in-one unit that collapses to fit just about anywhere but quickly expands when the desire to snap a selfie strikes. And because the smartphone holder is permanently attached you can simply flip it into position and snap pictures to your heart’s delight.
“Our Selfie Stick expands to 42 ½’’ in length to give you full depth and wider angles to take amazing group pictures and scenic photos. The Selfie Stick retracts to 10’’ in length, allowing you to carry with ease. We offer a velour carrying bag as an option to carry your Selfie Stick.”
Setup was as simple as pressing the camera button on the stick’s handle and then pairing it with my iPhone via Bluetooth in a manner familiar to us all. After that I simply snapped my phone into the holder and angled the phone’s camera in the desired position. So long as the camera app on my phone was open it would snap a picture each time the camera button on the stick was depressed.
Recharging the GoTech ION Bluetooth Selfie Stick is easily done using the included USB-to-micro-USB cable and the microUSB port on the bottom of the handle.
Of course you can simply use the handle and smartphone cradle to take un-Selfies by selecting the camera NOT facing you. When you do this the 42 1/2″ extension provided by the stick is effective at giving you a different perspective than you would get were the smartphone handheld.
The GoTech ION Bluetooth Selfie Stick is a one-trick pony but it does the trick it sets out to do quite nicely. And at under $30 it is a great, inexpensive gift to yourself or a loveone who loves taking selfies. I’m headed back to Israel this summer with Menachem and a number of other rabbinic colleagues and you can be sure this will come along for the ride. You can learn more here.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample of the GoTech ION Bluetooth Selfie Stick
What I Like: Compact; Sets up in seconds; Uses Bluetooth connection to trigger the camera; Phone holder folds safely out of the way when not in use
What Needs Improvement: Nothing but selfie-haters will give you even more angry stares when you use this gadget.