The task of taking a selfie just got easier and a little more expensive with Xiaomi’s new Selfie Stick with remote Bluetooth 3.0 capabilities. This is Xiaomi’s third rendition of their selfie stick, and while it costs twice as much as their plain model, you do receive added benefits. The new model uses an aluminum alloy for the rod that creates a light, but strong design with a non-slip grip. It weighs in at only 155 grams and can be folded so compactly that it can easily be carried in your pocket. It is designed for the mobile phone bracket to rotate 360-degrees and can be used as a tripod, or you can extend the arm. The phone bracket can securely hold a smaller mobile phone to a phablet-sized device with a range of 56 mm to 89 mm. The Bluetooth control pad is removable and makes taking a picture easy and allows for a more stable shot. It comes in Black or White and costs about $13 USD.
Front-facing cameras (FFC) were a mere afterthought on early mobile phones with less than a megapixel sensor, but have now evolved into 5, 8, or even 16-megapixel lenses. Besides taking selfies, front-facing cameras are used for video chatting with friends and family. The selfie stick came about when it was discovered that our arm is not long enough to get several people in the picture. Now they too are evolving into a must have item, especially when you can carry it around in your pocket and quickly pull it out when friends are around to get that perfect shot. Selfies are a popular way to communicate with friends and family, but what was once a fun way to share your picture via social media may well be headed to a means of identification. Sony recently did a study that we reported on, and it seems that there are many ways a selfie could be implemented as a positive form of identification – even taking the place of a password.
The new Bluetooth-enabled selfie stick from Xiaomi is a step in the right direction and will certainly make taking selfies a lot easier, more fun, and with better results. It could be a hot item this year for social media buffs. It is available now on Xiaomi’s website but should show up soon in online stores. It is compatible with Android (4.3+) and iOS (5.0+) devices.