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This article was published 19/04/2015 (4012 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A great gadget for shutterbugs

THE XSories Weye Feye is a small piece of hardware that makes a whole lot of work simple for DSLR photographers.

It connects to your digital camera and creates its own Wi-Fi network so the camera can be fired wirelessly with a free app (iOS and Android) on a smartphone.

This is one of the few times I recommend reading the instructions, but don’t let that scare you. It’s really simple and takes just a few minutes. Directions guide you through the steps of what should be connected, along with turning the power on or off at the right time for proper connections.

The Weye Feye has a 2000mAh internal lithium polymer battery, which is good for up to eight hours of use and is charged via USB. If you didn’t know what it was, you would think it was a pocket-sized Bluetooth speaker.

The Wi-Fi range is rated at about 80 metres, which can vary depending on conditions, line of sight and what’s in-between. I got good results at almost every distance, although the Wi-Fi dropped a few times.

Another great feature that makes the Weye Feye stand out is it has a latency of only 0.2 seconds, which is the time between pressing the app button and when the camera actually fires. I’ve tried other apps, and they were longer than 0.2 seconds.

If you have your camera set up in a remote situation, it even brings the live view from the camera onto the app. You’ll also be able to change most of your settings (ISO, shutter speed, aperture) from the app. So if unexpected clouds arrive or your subject moves faster or slower than expected, you’ll be able to adjust everything right from the app.

Images are captured and saved on the app-loaded smartphone and to the memory card in your camera, making them instantly sharable on social media.

Details: US$249.99; www.weye-feye.com.

Wireless chargers worth it

AFTER seeing the Tylt Vu wireless charging car mount in action, it made me think that instead of being concerned about making everything in my home and office wireless, it makes more sense to have a wireless mobile charging device.

It only works with Qi-compatible devices, which does not include every smartphone. The device is well-made. A micro-gel suction cup keeps everything in place on most any solid surface in a vehicle, including dashboards and windshields.

To mount your phone (up to a six-inch display), press the button at the top of the holder to move the arms on the sides. Put your phone on the base, and release the button to hold it in place. To remove your phone, press the same button.

A 12-volt car adapter is included, which has an additional 1.3-amp USB port for charging another device.

The Tylt Vu Solo is another wireless charger for Qi-charging phones. It gets its power from a powered micro-USB you connect to the charger.

With Qi charging, it’s critical your device and the charger are aligned correctly. This one has a mobile-phone alignment ledge for the proper connection.

Check the Tylt Vu site for a complete list of compatible phones.

Details: US$79.99 for the car mount; US$39.99 for the Vu Solo; www.tylt.com.

One cool iPhone case

IF you have an iPhone 6 and need a few charges a day, the BuQu Tech PowerArmour case is a must-have.

Inside the case is a 2,800mAh battery, which the company says is the first Apple-certified “made for iPhone” battery case.

It’s built with a unibody exterior for protection, and unlike many other powered battery cases, it’s not like carrying a brick in your pocket.

To charge the battery, just connect the included micro-USB cable.

Details: US$79.99; www.buqutech.com.

Headphones perform perfectly

PERFORMER wireless headphones by 808 Audio make a big impact on the headphone market for good reason: They have great sound, they look great, and the price point is perfect.

What more do you need to know?

They are built with what the company calls Flex Fit ear cup suspension, which translates to a perfect fit for any ear or head. A soft silicon headband connects the speakers together.

A really cool feature is the 90-degree ear-cup rotation for single-ear monitoring. I’m not sure when I’d use it, but I thought it was cool.

One of the cups has the controls for volume, track selection, play, pause or answering calls with the included detachable, 3.5-millimetre in-line microphone cable.

For the Bluetooth wireless feature, you pair the headphones with your smartphone or tablet, and the internal battery will give you about 15 hours before another charge is needed.

Details: US$99.99; available in black and white versions; www.808audio.com.

greggellman@mac.com Twitter: @GreggEllman