Versatile Compass camera full of innovation

The Compass camera from London-based Drift Innovation doesn’t have the best quality, but it is one of the most versatile I’ve seen in the rugged, wearable category.

It takes 8 megapixel still images, video up to 1080p at 30 frames per second and 720p at 60 frames per second, and it has a time-lapse feature.

You’ll get about two hours recording at 1080p before the battery needs a USB charge or up to 50 days on a single charge in the time-lapse feature.

The camera also has WiFi for remote control recording, live streaming of events, playback and sharing to social media with the free Drift Life app (iOS and Android). The app also controls the camera’s settings. The compass comes with 10GB of free cloud storage.

Live streaming can also be done with controls to make your content live or public. The camera has a microSD card slot for using the removable media up to 32GB.

The compass mount kit (sold separately) is a handy system enabling the camera to be mounted and used almost anywhere. The kit includes a magnetic silicone skin (which also protects the camera from drops, dents and scratches) that can be attached to the tripod adapter, clip, 3M adhesive and a carrying case.

If you just want to just wear it around your neck, a lanyard can be attached.

The camera measures 43 millimeters squared and just 19 millimeters thick and weighs just an ounce. A front facing button turns the camera on or off and lets you toggle between mode settings for still images, video or time lapse. A side button controls the WiFi connection.

A recent firmware update also allows for another way to hit record. Now you can also press the Drift logo button instead of relying on the g-sensor to double tap for recording.

driftinnovation.com, $129.99

PHONE-CHARGER CABLES

Smartphones are far more than just phones, with the average person using it for exercise tracking, still images and videos, while some people go old school and store documents. There’s probably a better than average chance that less than half of you back up your phone’s data.

The MEEM Memory is a phone-charger cable with innovative technology that puts internal memory into the cable. This allows your phone (iPhone or Android) to charge the battery like any other cable while also backing up the personal data onto the cable itself.

Backups occur every time a device is connected, guaranteeing the most recent files will get backed up. First, install the MEEM app, which controls the backup and which files you want backed up. Then connect the two to an AC power source and put in your four-digit pass code. Backups can be done automatically or manually. The app will tell you how much memory is left in the cable.

Everything is stored on memory built into the cable. So there’s no storage, cloud or transfer fees, just the price of the cable. According to MEEM, the data transfer speed is 3 to 4 megabits per second (depending on the phone operating system and hardware) and it will take up to six minutes to transfer 1GB of data. Like any other backup system, the initial backup takes the longest.

The MEEM cable is FCC and has been made For iPhone approved.

meemmemory.com, 16GB Android model $49.99, 32GB iPhone model $69.99

When I put “smartphone charging cable” in the Amazon search, 126,925 choices came up. If you don’t want to go through each one, here’s a recommendation: the Paracable microUSB and Lightning cables. They work fine for charging, but what makes one cable stand out is the construction and durability to work after winding it up for storage in a backpack or back pocket.

The cables are wrapped in 32 bit paracord fabric and feature sleek and durable aluminum end housing, which translates into a durable product. They come in a variety of sizes and colors depending on the connection.

paracable.com, $23.95 for the 5-foot Lightning, $17.95 for the 5-foot microUSB

This story was originally published August 24, 2016 at 10:34 AM with the headline "Versatile Compass camera full of innovation."