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"   Taking a self-portrait using your arm is risky business: Did you get everyone in the frame? Do you look normal or are you squishing in your chin? According to two enterprising companies, the solution to all your self-portrait problems can be found in telescoping camera extensions. In plain language, these are light, collapsible handheld tripods for point-and-shoot cameras. The Quik Pod and XShot 2.0 both aim for the same objective: to become a natural extension of your arm when you are taking self-portraits in order to get more natural-looking snapshots. And while these two devices performed well, we found some more interesting, off-the-wall uses for them. [Watch hands-on video here; review continues below ...]   The 3.5-ounce Quik Pod ($25) is made of polycarbonate and aluminum components, so it&amp;#039;s super lightweight. It extends to a total of 18.5 in., and closes to a small 7.5 in. The Pro+ kit ($70) comes with a small tripod stand to attach to the bottom of the Quik Pod, making it do double duty as a tripod, albeit a rickety one (but, hey, if you want to carry around a dedicated tripod, you shouldn&amp;#039;t be looking at this thing). While its little built-in self-portrait mirror is a solid idea, it doesn&amp;#039;t really help you align the shot. You can be looking straight into the mirror, but if the camera is mounted at an angle, the mirror won&amp;#039;t indicate that something&amp;#039;s wrong.   In the other corner, we have the XShot 2.0 ($30). This 3.9-ounce telescoping camera extender holds your camera 37 in. away and collapses to just 9 in. long. Its stainless steel build gives it a more sturdy feel than the Quik Pod, which feels light and chintzy in comparison. Although the XShot 2.0 doesn&amp;#039;t come with any accessories, the device is long enough and solid enough to do the job on its own.   The Quik Pod and XShot do virtually the same thing, and when we managed to get our camera&amp;#039;s self-timer working and hold the extender so the pole was out of the frame, we were happy with the results from both devices. Whether it&amp;#039;s actually worth the effort to lug one of these around and use it while on vacation is a totally different story. Here in the PM Lab, we thought of a few other ways to use the gadgets: to take around-the-corner and above-the-crowd shots and to shoot videos\u2014starring yourself, of course\u2014on a point-and-shoot camera. \u2014Erin Scottberg   RELATED STORIES \u2022 PLUS: One Photographer&amp;#039;s DIY Formula for Flickr Fame  \u2022 TECH TEST: Nikon vs. Kodak Low-Light SLR Cameras  \u2022 EARLIER: 5 Tips for Taking Better Digital Photos   "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/a3539/4278396/>