You know those ‘Shot On iPhone’ images and videos you see? What they don’t tell you is that they didn’t just use an iPhone to shoot the content, they used an entire ecosystem of rigs, lights, lenses, dongles, microphones, stabilizers, and a bunch of other tech alongside the iPhone. ‘Shot On iPhone’ implies that all someone did was use their phone and nothing else, but the reality is more ‘Shot On iPhone using thousands of dollars worth of other gear’. While most content creators can’t afford that entire setup, one humble power bank hopes to make things easier.
The ‘Creator Beauty’ power bank may sound like a Chinese product name translated rather poorly, but this little device promises to uplift your iPhone’s video and photo capabilities significantly. Most MagSafe power banks snap on and begin charging – this one snaps on and turns your iPhone into a vlogging machine. Aside from giving your iPhone juice while it films, the Creator Beauty power bank packs a swivel-able light-source, and a kickstand that lets you prop your phone either vertically or horizontally, depending on what content you’re creating.
Designer: Max
The entire power bank has a Leica meets retro Polaroid aesthetic. You’ve got a two-tone beige/grey body with a red dot on the corner that you’d think was a Leica logo (but it just has Max written on it, i.e., the designer’s name). Meanwhile, the light itself sits on a swiveling joint, connected by an arm that has Polaroid’s original candy-colored rainbow printed on it. The visual beauty of the light is that, when closed, it sits at the center of the power bank, looking quite literally like a camera. Swivel it out, however, and it becomes an adjustable light source that’s softer-yet-stronger, perfect for filming content without relying on your phone’s flash.
What you see as a fairly novelty-ish light source is, in fact, a true content creator’s dream – because it’s dual-sided. On the outer side, it’s a disc-shaped light, capable of providing a broader wash of light while filming… but look on the other side and you’ve got a ring light, designed to make content creation a breeze without needing to invest in a separate ring light accessory. Buttons on the rim of the light let you toggle between front and rear lights, as well as brightness. The lights draw power from the power bank itself, making the entire arrangement super convenient – and the swiveling design gives you the ability to uniquely position the light source anywhere around the camera to get the right lighting angle or to avoid glare.
The kickstand is icing on the cake. Instead of being one of those flip-out kickstands, this one stays tucked inside the power bank itself, so it isn’t really visible until you need it. Pull it out like you would a drawer in a cabinet and position it at a 90° angle and the kickstand can be used either for docking your phone vertically or horizontally. Together, the three features give the Creator Beauty power bank quite the edge over other power banks. You practically don’t need an extra light or a tripod while recording – just snap the power bank on, swivel the light out, knock out the kickstand, and hit record!
The lives of influencers and content creators can be extremely chaotic and busy. Content creation, capturing engaging moments, creating proposals, attending meetings, and making themselves and their lives seem interesting and entertaining at all times seem like a handful. The pros have got these tasks underway, whereas the newbies are still stumbling through. But it doesn’t matter if you’ve been in the social media game for long or you’re a novice, everyone needs a couple of handy and trusty product designs to help them through their influencer life. So we’ve curated a collection of designs that influencers would swear by! From a battery-free amplifying iSpeaker to DJI’s latest pocketable microphone system – these products will upgrade your content creation routine and even the quality of your content! Because when your process is smooth and hurdle-free, it reflects in your work.
1. The Huawei Mate 50 Pro
Called the Huawei Mate 50 Pro, this smartphone design adopts bold aesthetics, while being quite powerful. It functions as a content creation powerhouse allowing influencers to shoot the content of their dreams. The hardware and looks perfectly complement one another, creating a smartphone that is quite aesthetic to carry around.
Why is it noteworthy?
It adopts a symmetrical design throughout the phone, with a large camera placed in the middle. Four circles are placed in a uniform 2.2 grid, with the cameras enclosed in a Space Ring with an embossed Clous de Paris pattern, which is what we find on luxury watches quite often.
What we like
Features an orange vegan leather which adds a unique touch to the smartphone
It features Kunlun Glass materials which provide 10x better protection to the phone’s screen
What we dislike
The screen brightness isn’t too great in outdoor conditions
There is a shutter lag in challenging conditions, so you may miss the perfect picture-worthy moment
2. Exocope DT1
Called the Excope DT1, this camera system offers photography lovers the ability to take super-telephoto images effortlessly and without any hassle. The Excope DT1 weighs 1.32 pounds, and it is portable and quite easy to use. It is amped with one-touch shooting and recording. The power and shutter buttons are placed on the right side of the grip, ensuring convenient and quick access.
Why is it noteworthy?
It is powered by a pretty big, non-removable 3,000 mAh battery which offers fast charging using a Type-C connection, and it functions for 2.5 hours on a full charge. You can connect a power bank for longer shoots, which facilitates extended use without any hassle. The camera also includes a nifty phone holder and a grip to adjust the camera angle and height according to your requirements.
What we like
Equipped with two interchangeable lenses—40mm and 400mm
Quite lightweight for its capabilities
What we dislike
It has a limited focal length range
3. AirPods/AirPods Pro Neck Strap
If you’re out and about creating content, then you will need your AirPods by your side- whether to receive work calls, to match the content visuals with the audio, or to listen to some calming music to relax those creative nerves. And if you’re someone who loses their earbuds while working, then this AirPods/AirPods Pro Neck Strap is the design for you! They keep your precious AirPods close to your heart.
The neck strap includes a cute woven necklace, which you wear around your neck, holding your AirPods close to you. The neck strap is a fine mix of fashion, functionality, and clean aesthetics, resulting in a unique Apple accessory. The accessory features the One-Click Magnetic Lock, keeping your AirPods pretty safe.
What we like
Keeps your AirPods safe and secure, so you never lose them
Doubles up as a simple yet stylish fashion accessory around your neck
What we dislike
The AirPods are attached to a strap, making them exposed to dirt, damage, and weather factors
4. MagSafe Origami Grip Stand
Meet the MagSafe Origami Grip Stand – a sleek and nifty stand inspired by the Japanese art of paper folding. This iPhone accessory can be folded flat and vice versa, completely eliminating the hassle of assembly and disassembly. The stand provides optimum support to your phone, without causing any harm to it. It is great to hold your phone, while you shoot content, and prance about!
The MagSafe Origami Grip Stand is a card-size, lightweight, and thin design. You can quickly attach it to your phone, or slip it into your pocket, without fear of it looking weird or awkward in your pocket. The stand is securely attached to your phone, ensuring it won’t dislocate, even if you move around a lot.
What we like
Inspired by the Japanese art of Origami
It doesn’t separate from your phone at all, it stays securely attached
What we dislike
It only works with iPhone 12 and later models, excluding the iPhone SE, making it a limited product
5. DJI Mic
Dubbed the DJI Mic, this unique design is intended for vlogging, podcasting, and other content creation activities. The microphone system is placed in a wireless charging case, which is in fact quite similar to AirPods or other wireless earbuds available today. This similarity creates a subtle Apple association in our minds.
Why is it noteworthy?
The DJI Mic is compatible with USB-C, Lighting, and even the 3.5mm jack. The mic weighs 30 grams and features a battery life of 5.5 hours. The battery life can be extended to 25 hours, which is truly impressive, so you can use it for long shoots without the constant worry of it dying down.
What we like
It features 8GB of built-in storage, which leads to 14 hours of recording
Has a range of 250 meters in direct line of sight
What we dislike
There is no low-latency monitoring mode
6. Battery-free Amplifying iSpeakers
These are the Battery-Free Amplifying iSpeakers, and they’re essentially portable battery-free iPhone speakers. The speakers are a unique and refreshing version of the conventional no-power smartphone speakers. Crafted from metal, the speakers feature heightened functionality and value. Since they’re battery-free, you can easily carry them around with you, and use them for your shoots.
The iSpeakers are built using duralumin, which is a special kind of aluminum alloy used in aviation and aerospace industries. The alloy has vibration-resistant properties, making it a great choice of material for speakers. You simply need to place your smartphone into the speaker and let the amazing sound flow through.
What we like
Electricity-free design which doesn’t require any power
Has a unique and minimalist aesthetic which is quite soothing to look at
What we dislike
Will not fit with bulky smartphone cases
7. ISHO-X5
Called the ISHO-X5, this all-purpose sling bag can be adapted to meet your demands. The bag is designed to store and organize your work gear – cameras, lenses, drones, gaming tech, and even EDC. Besides providing versatile storage, it also provides versatile access in the form of a clamshell ingress, side access, and an X-Wing divider.
Why is it noteworthy?
The bag has a sling form, which is pretty unique, allowing it to be carried in various ways. You can wear the bag across the front, allowing you to quickly pull out your photography gear. It has a rectangular design which can easily be fit into larger backpacks or travel bags.
What we like
Compact design with a spacious 5.5L interior
Space-efficient, and ensures your belongings don’t bump with each other
What we dislike
There seem to be no options for color
8. Earbugs
Dubbed the Earbugs, this unique audio design provides a one-of-a-kind audio experience. The brilliantness of in-ear sound isolation of wireless earbuds is combined with the abilities of bone conduction technology to build a listening experience that is comfortable and premium.
Why is it noteworthy?
The earbuds have pretty dynamic drivers that pair up with bone conduction to create a 3D soundscape that provides a never-before audio delivery. The earbuds are quite ergonomically shaped, and they’re a great option for fitness and outdoor enthusiasts. They also have a decent water-resistant rating.
What we like
Features bone conducting technology, which delivers superior transparency mode
What we dislike
They don’t make a good option for bedtime listening, as they will be uncomfortable to use while sleeping or lying on your side
9. MagStick
Called the MagStick, this unique selfie stick doubles up as a tripod too. It has an innovative feature, which sets it apart from other designs on the market. The MagStick has a MagSafe mount which lets you instantly snap your iPhone in place, helping you get shooting quickly and instantly.
Why is it noteworthy?
The MagStick extends 63.5 inches when it is used as a selfie stick, and in tripod mode, it lets you utilize your iPhone like a professional camera. You simply need to snap your iPhone into place, and snap the shutter button – it just takes two snaps!
What we like
The stick stretches five feet over in length
It has a 3-axis adjustment system that allows you to rotate, swivel, and tilt your phone
What we dislike
Looks a bit flimsy and easily breakable
10. The Chargepuck
The Chargepuck is a unique innovation that serves as a replacement for your wireless charging dock or mat. The little puck can be attached to your iPhone, and it has its own retractable cable which lets you plug it wherever you like. However, the Chargepuck isn’t a battery pack, and it doesn’t have its own battery inside it. It is a charging apparatus that is attached to your iPhone, letting you charge three devices in one go.
Why is it noteworthy?
It functions as a replacement for a wireless charging dock or mat. The little puck is connected to your iPhone and has its own retractable cable. It is easy to use, and also quite easy to carry, so you can take it on all your shoots.
AI has become a powerful and controversial tool that’s being applied to the creation of many things in different industries. The most well-known are, of course, images and text, but these same technologies can also be applied to other fields, even ones that are considered to require more human creativity than others. Music, for example, is believed to be an art that’s hard to master and difficult to quantify in a way that would be of use to AI, but that’s exactly what’s happening here with this “artifact from the future.” That said, the suitcase-sized synthesizer doesn’t completely wrest the act of creation away from your hands but turns it into a creative collaboration between man and machine.
Imagine having to only press a few buttons and you’ll have tunes that are specifically crafted to suit a given mood or genre. Most synthesizers simply give you the raw controls to mix and match to your heart’s content, but you’ll have to draw from your own creativity to actually come up with a pleasing harmony tailored to fit that situation. SPIN, the name for this AI-powered music synthesizer, actually helps you in this creative journey by serving ready-made ingredients to put into your mix without taking anything away from your freedom. It’s like the difference between buying a can of tomato sauce for a recipe versus making your own from scratch.
SPIN has buttons for different moods, genres, and sounds that you can mix and match to your heart’s content. How does happy death-metal disco sound? Why not try some dark jazz opera to really turn heads? Not every combination is going to work, of course, so you’ll still have to step in and fine-tune it to your tastes, no pun intended. And with sliders for BPM or duration and a turntable to scratch, you also have the tools to make your own style shine, with or without AI’s help.
The synth is just as much a work of art as it is a demonstration of the power of AI. A variety of off-the-shelf components are assembled to provide the brains and muscle behind the scenes, almost literally. You won’t see any of these while using SPIN, as all are hidden behind an interface and a design that’s meant to encourage playfulness and experimentation. Even the choice of bright yellow and white colors, unusual for most synth designs, emphasizes that rather jovial character.
Generative AI has been receiving a lot of flak, in no small part thanks to abuse and misuse of the technology rather than anything inherent. SPIN is an attempt to reverse that perception and present AI not only as something approachable but even fun to use. Given how it works, you won’t even have to worry about infringing on anyone’s copyright or intellectual property, leaving you free to explore that harmony between human creativity and machine learning.
