Turn Your Phone or Tablet Into a Wireless Remote for Your DSLR Camera

The CASE Remote

  The device was created by a Chinese startup called Cheering Tech, which managed to raise $38,934 on Indiegogo for a first version of the device (simply called CASE) earlier this year. With the success of that campaign, they decided to take preorders for a second version of the device (now called the CASE Remote), and raised another $39,989 through Indiegogo.

  CASE Remote is compatible with Android and iOS, and is connected to your DSLR via its USB port. Here’s a chart showing current camera compatibility (asterisks means those camera can’t beam live view):

  The companion app then allows you to view, control and adjust things such as live view, image transfer, playback, focus, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance and more. There are also fancier features such as HDR, time-lapse, and focus stacking.

The Whistl Sexual Assault Alarm Phone Case

The Whistl Phone Case

Personal Security System

  A Kickstarter campaign has recently been launched for a new cell phone case called Whistl. The case works in tandem with a smartphone app and is designed to protect users from potential security threats and sexual assaults. The design is simple: if a user feels like they are in danger, they can click two buttons on the case to alert their friends and local authorities. The case also emits a loud noise and displays a flashing L.E.D. light.

  The cases will be available for a July 2015 launch for the iPhone (5C, 5S and 6 models) and Android support may follow in the future. As of press deadline, Whistl had earned $36,775 of their $70,000 funding goal.

Jayon Wang is CEO of Lifeshel, the company behind the case.

  When asked about the implications of perpetuating rape culture through a product that some critics may argue places the onus on women to prevent sexual assault, Wang noted that he sees this product more as an opportunity.

  “It’s not just women who are responsible for protecting themselves when they go out. That’s certainly not what we intend to convey with our product,” said Wang. “What we do want to make sure that if someone is going out and they actively want something to protect them, we need to make sure the market is able to provide them with those solutions. It’s not just a women’s issue, it’s everyone’s issue.”

  Wang noted that although Lifeshel has received outside funding from other investors in Pittsburgh, Kickstarter is a valuable tool to raise awareness for the product. The Kickstarter campaign also ensures that the phone case will be in wide use among early adopters by the time it launches next year.

  A successful trial run for the product has already been conducted at the Wang’s alma matter, Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Plans are also in the works to try out the phone cases at other universities. Wang sees the phone case as an opportunity to further the discussion surrounding sexual assault and to hopefully make college campuses and cities safer places.

Look for the Whistl case in stores in the United States in July 2015 with international expansion to follow.

The AMP Phone Case

The AMP Phone Case

  With all of the new phones on the market and their respective cases, it may be tough to find your perfect fit. Some save your phone from drops while others give you more battery but, they usually leave you wanting more features. Amp is here to fill the void, and your ears, with its incredible speaker system phone case.

  Amp creates custom made audio in a simple snap on phone case. Its innovation begins with the hardware and exceeds with a smart app that learns your preferences and hearing needs. The creators, SoundFocus, wanted to provide an all in one system; Amp delivers high quality audio to enhance your music, conference calls, or even GPS while protecting your phone.

  Users can put the case on their phone and open the app to calibrate their settings. The app has a questionnaire (much like the hearing tests in school) that will give results of your custom audio settings in about a minute. The companion app also picks up the habits of the user for their taste, hearing abilities, and environment.

  The app can help determine what the user would like to hear based on the songs that they’re skipping, repeating, or rating. The initial questionnaire tests the hearing of the user in both ears individually to create a hearing pattern profile for low and high notes.

  Also, the system has Dynamic Noise Reduction; it can detect noise in the user’s environment and adjust the frequency of the audio spectrum accordingly so your conference calls are clear and crisp.

Extended Battery Phone Case by ZeroLemon

ZeroLemon Extended Battery 

Rugged Case for LG G3

  Like any smartphone today, the LG G3 can be a battery guzzler. Manufacturers may promise long battery life but it will always depend on how a person uses a mobile device. As a solution, it’s either you charge the handset twice or thrice a day (sadly) or you bring a power bank with you. Others have extra battery but only a few are really efficient.

  The recently made available LG G3 is getting a power companion in the form of a ZeroLemon Case. It’s an extended battery boasting of 9000mAh, disguised as a rugged black Zero Shock Hybrid Protection Phone Case. We’ve seen similar battery-ala-phone-case already but this looks really tough and good enough to handle drops and rough use by careless hands.

  Features of the ZeroLemon for LG G3 include a Direct Battery discharge design for power efficient to eliminate possible battery waste. The case is a TPU/PC Rugged Case made with Double Corner Technology. It also comes with a Japan PET Screen Protector and a belt clip. To be sure no one can copy this extra battery case, LG has patented the design in the US.

  This isn't the first time ZeroLemon is offering a protective case for popular smartphones. Late last year, a case for the Galaxy Note 3 was introduced. It clocked in with a 10,000 mAh battery, too impressive because the Note 3 was only 3,200 mAh. It's expected the version for LG G3 will be just as great.

  The ZeroLemon LG G3 9000mAh Extended Battery + Rugged Black Zero Shock Hybrid Protection Case is compatible with all LG G3 smartphone models. Item already available on Amazon for $59.99.

DIY Ice Cream Sandwich Phone Case

DIY Ice Cream Sandwich

 Phone Case

Today I'll be showing you have to make a delicious looking phone case! Of course you can always print out a picture and stick it into a transparent case, but this is truly handmade out of Sculpey™ polymer clay. 

Some helpful tips:

~ After baking the clay, wash it off with soap and water to get rid of the cocoa powder, unless you don't mind the scent. 

~ Do NOT bake the clay with the phone case. Bake the clay only, or else your case will melt!

~ Sand iphone case surface so glue and clay will adhere better.

~ Glaze with Varathane for an extra shine!

DIY Solid Wood Phone Sleeve

DIY 

Solid Wood Phone Sleeve 

This excellent video by expert craftsman Jimmy DiResta shows how he creates a one of a kind nearly indestructible phone case from scratch.  This phone case comes complete with a smooth lining to avoid scratches and damage and offers a sleek look and feel for his iPhone.  The video offers no commentary and smoothly glides through the entire production process.