Studio Neat is aptly named- it’s makes a “neat” little product called the Glif. It’s a small company of two designers that claim to enjoy making simple things. Well the Glif looks simple but don’t let it fool you by it’s cute-appeal. (Ya see I’m trying to be clever there..kinda sounds like sex-appeal but used cute instead and…oh forget it)
Anyway we had the pleasure of meeting one of the designers/inventors of the Glif, Dan Provost, a few days ago at Macwolrd | iWorld in San Francisco. He was nice enough to give us a Glif + and then described how versatile it was. So after arriving back in NYC we took it out and really gave it a close look and realized that this really could be an iPhone Filmmakers handy dandy portable pocket mount.
The first thing you will notice is the that every detail on this Glif was well thought out -including the packaging. For the environmentally conscious crowd -it’s made from 100% recycled materials and has clear easy directions on how to set up the Glif box itself as an impromptu tripod right on the package-clever.
The mount itself fits the iPhone 4 like a glove. Slides in smoothly and generally feels pretty secure. It’s simple, small and made from a high quality, slightly rubberized plastic. As you can see in the photo is has a standard 1/4′ mount underneath so it attaches easily to industry standard tripods or anything with a 1/4″ screw. One thing to note is that the iPhone won’t fit into the Glif with a case. Naked iPhone 4′s only please.
Now the Glif can be purchased as a package called the Glif+ which is what we were given. The Glif+ package includes the Serif and Ligature. The Ligature is really an added piece, elegantly designed as well, that snaps over the phone to hold it down crazy glue style. It really does give you a sense that the iPhone won’t budge. The guys over at Studio Neat describe it this way “The Serif is an additional piece that is designed to keep your iPhone incredibly secure on the tripod. While the Glif is great for normal use, the Serif will keep your phone safe in more extreme situations. And, when you are not using the Serif, it fits snuggly inside the Glif, making it very compact.”
A cool thing about the Ligature is that it can be used to act as a viewing stand. Just clip it on and you can watch videos or do FaceTime calls hands free. This reminds us of the versatility of Apples Smart iPad Covers that can be set up and used in many different configurations. Well done Studio Neat! We love a product that surprises us with added practical use and the Glif+just keeps on giving.
One thing we would like to see in the next version of the Glif is a 1’4″ mount right on top of the Ligature arm. When mounted on a tripod it would allow for another attachment like a small light or wireless receiver for a lavaliere microphone. However this is more of a nit on a otherwise well thought out product that is sure to be a good accessory to the iPhone Filmmaker. At $30 I don’t think many would be disappointed. Have a look at the Glif in action below and feel free to comment on your own experience or ask a question.