Two Things: HaloRig / Flyboard

Our Two Things spotlight today focuses on a couple of “add-on” products, things that make other things work better, or at least differently.

HaloRig: Video Stabilizer

Anyone who’s tried to shoot video with a small digital camcorder, point-and-shoot camera, or phone knows how hard it is to keep the dang thang steady. The form factor is just too small and light and the slightest irregular motion translates into a noticeably jerky video. That’s the problem that the HaloRig is designed to mitigate.

It’s basically an inexpensive (less than $200; price varies with options) metal ring onto which you can affix multiple cameras, lights, microphones, and other accessories. The ring is large enough to provide a greater chance of smooth motion (I haven’t tried one, so I’m hard-pressed to say that it would completely eliminate jerky movement).

Here’s a short video explaining the device in somewhat more detail.

Flyboard: Your next James Bondian Sporting Device

The following video is making the rounds on the interwebz. If you haven’t yet seen it, it’s worth spending six minutes to watch, and another six seconds to decide how crazy one needs to be to try it.

This is the Flyboard in action. I think the video explains everything you need to know about why the only question about product placement in an upcoming movie is whether the first director to use it will be Michael Bay or Luc Besson.

This review by GizMag touches on a lot of the salient points of the Flyboard, including cost (~$7K, excluding insurance premiums). But, seriously, aren’t our public waterways dangerous enough now without giving inebriated jet skiers yet another injury vector? What happens to the poor soul who tries out that dolphin dive and hits headfirst an actual dolphin (or worse)?

Still, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want one.