Quik Pod for the take-your-own-photo crowd

The Quik Pod is a one-foot monopod that eliminates you having to hand your baby over to a strange passer-by-er. Just mount your digital camera on top of the telescoping Quik Pod, set that timer, and hold it away.

You will be held hostage by your own shaking hands, so you won’t want to take too many photos in glow-worm caves or other low-light scenarios. You’ll also want to make sure that everybody is ready to smile and hold that “Say Cheese” moment while you whip out the Quik Pod. If your hand happens to shake and the photo that you take is blurry, you’ll have only yourself to blame. The Quik Pod is light, though, just 3.5 ounces, and it may take a bit for you to get that reverse composition instinct in place.

It sells for US$25.