We saw an early version of Swivl a month or so ago and the $159 device is now ready to ship. It’s basically a camera dock with a twist. Instead of holding your camera still, the Swivl will follow you around the room, tracking you as you move around on stage or in front of an audience. Why is it good? Well, it keeps the camera on you at all times and, more important, you can control the swivel speed and tilt using a small hand-held remote, thereby turning you into a one-man (or one-woman) film crew.

Swivl’s utility, while limited to a few specific use cases, is quite impressive. It can, for example, record on-stage presentations with ease, following you from one side of the stage to the other with aplomb. It can also grab tracking shots at multiple speeds, from slow to lightning fast.

The kit is shipping soon and is available for pre-order now. They are working on a number of improvements including a computer controlled system that will allow you to program motions into the Swivl, allowing for clever pans and tilts.

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