Now that you are into your 2025 travel plans, one thing that will always be in your bag is a charger for your essential devices:
Phone, Watch, and Ear Pods.

There have been a bunch out in the past, and I have tried em all! I think.

Anyway, there was a major change in the designs, thanks to the Apple iPhone feature that shows a clock when the phone has not been used in a while, called Nightstand.
You get to choose time , time with weather, full month calendar, etc.,and different fonts. Here is how to set that up.

When you check into a hotel room, setting the clock on the antiquated clock radio is a pain, so using your own device is the way to go.

What has now been incorporated into some of the chargers is a mag safe place for your phone that will show you that cool new screen at an angle.
Plus, if your smart watch has a bracelet instead of a strap, you need to hang it, or lean it on a charger shelf.
Then your ear pods should be able to be charged via mag safe while in the case, on a flat surface within the charger.

All makes sense?

So…
Here are 3 of the best options currently available, and from reputable brands

iWalk, Anker, and Mophie, each with pros and cons.

To start, the Anker 3-1 has a compact cube shape, with all charging stations either popping out, or tilting up.
Pros are the size, quality build, and pop out charger for the watch.

On the Mophie, the main pro is the size. With a slim profile, all features also pop out.
It comes with a carry case, housing the power cord, and room for an Air tag making sure you don’t leave it behind.

Only negative I found was when my Apple 14 Pro had its case on, it was a bit too close to my watch on the charging stand, as you can see here. Even without the case on the phone the watch screen was blocked. Honestly, with the clock on the phone no big deal, just was surprised.

All still charged fine, but the design was a little close for me.

Then we come to the iWalk.

With a cylindrical design, all the charging platforms follow the pop-out for the watch or tilt up for the phone.
I do prefer that pop out for the watch as I always know the watch is seated properly for charging, and if you have ever woken up to find that your watch was not charged, you know what I mean.
This unit also has a trick feature: If you wave your hand over a sensor behind the phone station, it will rotate from vertical to horizontal., with horizontal, being the preferred viewing for the clock feature.
I can see why the feature may be useful when used on a desk, if you are spending your time on TikTok, Stories, etc.

For me that feature will not be getting used.

So here you have 3 units of choice:

Overall, the iWalk wins for build, and price. Only about $56 currently on Amazon.

The Anker wins for great compact design, and watch charging shelf is a plus. It has the weight to be solid on any desktop or bedside table. Now on sale for $104.

The Mophie wins for size, and elegant case for all parts.  Top of the pricing at $150. 

Yes, each one of these uses a charging block, which you will need to bring with you, with each unit include with proper cables, and only the Mophie incorporates into a case.

Goldilocks tried 3 bowls of porridge and ended up on one.
I think each one of these travel chargers has its advantages, so choose the one that has the features you want, and the price point you feel comfortable with.

More real world reviews on the way, as fresh gear is being released in this new year.

Plus we are looking at how the tariff situation will affect your gear purchases.

When Photoinduced first came to be , there were a ton of videos posted on YouTube with product presentations, interviews, and a series I called: “What’s In The Bag?”

This series featured working pros, and gear they used to actually get the shot. Each photo had a few vids in their series, and I think everyone learned a ton! Including me!

The idea was to have a UGC look, and have each photog go through their camera bags  to share what gear they actually used, and why. Yep, most were HD at the time.

All of the vid are still up, and are here.

Video is coming back for 2025, and there will be notices!

Here is Katy Winn, fashion week photographer in one of the first episodes:

Questions/Comments?

Send me a note : damon@photoinduced.com

There are major conferences every year that always inform/teach me. Cannes Lions, SXSW, and CES (consumer electronics show).

At its core, CES is a trade show. Brands and entrepreneurs gather with two main goals: to make sales or to find investors.

After attending CES for 17 years as media, I’ve picked up a thing or two about the show and the tech world in general. First and foremost: 90-95% of the products you see at CES will never make it to market. The ones that do usually end up being first-generation models—great for early adopters but more of a “wait and see” situation for the rest of us.

But what really draws me in year after year are the keynotes. They give a peek into the future of these companies—their vision, their plans, and the next generation of tech.
I still remember Bill Gates, at the tail end of his time at Microsoft, delivering a keynote in 2008. He showed off a phone that could scan your surroundings with the camera and overlay clickable business options in real-time. If you pointed the phone at a street, it would highlight all the nearby restaurants, with options to get more info. Mind-blowing. Fast forward to today, and I think we’re getting close to that kind of augmented reality in our hands, but back then, it felt like a glimpse into a very sci-fi future. Not quite flying cars type of future, but very cool useable tech.

The big keynote standouts this year were NVidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, whose presentation honestly broke my brain. The tools introduced for AI were powerful, and can’t wait to see them come to market. Here he is showing off a new super computer coming soon.

And then there was the Delta presentation at the Sphere with Ed Bastien, just because it was the first time anything like that had been done—and it was capped off by a 30-minute performance from Lenny Kravitz.

Also memorable was Linda Yaccarino’s talk,

along with Accenture’s CEO, Julie Sweet, both of which are available on YouTube now, and included here.

Oh, and Sony’s always a crowd favorite, especially this year when they finally allowed pre-orders for a car they had been teasing for years in cooperation with Honda.
It felt like a big moment. The most tech I’ve ever seen in a car. Would you brag to your friends that you’re driving a Sony?

But let’s be real—walking the show floor is always the most fun part. It’s where you encounter all those innovative products that you might not otherwise come across.

As media, we also get to attend three key events before the show officially opens: Pepcom, Showstoppers, and CES Unveiled. These events are my personal favorites because they give us the chance to handle and experience the products up close, and let’s be honest, get fed (always a bonus). Over the years, I’ve discovered some truly game-changing products at these events—things I use daily now.

Then there’s the C Space, the marketing section. It’s where the ad folks hang out, and while the discussions are always interesting, I feel like most of those conversations would be more productive if they were happening on the show floor, engaging with the actual products their clients are creating. Sure, it’s great to catch up with people, but nothing beats seeing and understanding the product and its vision firsthand.

Looking back, it’s funny to think about how things have changed since my first CES. Back then, we bloggers were treated like the red-headed stepchildren of the media world. We were shoved into a room with plastic-wrapped sandwiches and a pile of swag. But it didn’t take long for people to realize that bloggers had no corporate filter. We weren’t beholden to editors or PR teams. If something was great, we’d shout it from the rooftops; if it was awful, we’d call it out. That raw, unfiltered approach eventually led to bloggers being treated as real journalists. And it was then that the press room got an upgrade: quiet spaces for interviews, great Wi-Fi, more swag… and yes, more food.

As an ad guy, the insights I’ve gathered over the years at CES are invaluable. It’s not just about the tech. It’s about building relationships, understanding where industries are heading, and sometimes, just having fun with friends old and new. The trip’s a grind: two days of press events, a day and a half on the floor, and then it’s back home. But every year, I leave feeling inspired and energized for the year ahead.

Was there an AI presence? Of course there was! Especially in the NVidia presentation. It was presented as the tool that it is, and when you listen to the CEO of Accenture, Julie Sweet, you may get a clearer picture of how it may affect the workforce.

Here’s to CES #18 in 2026—can’t wait to see what’s next.

If you take a minute to look closely at the world around us, you’ll notice that it’s the things we don’t immediately see that actually hold some of the most fascinating stories about our universe. I’m talking about the tiny, hidden world of the smallest creatures that live all around us, which Disney+, and National Geographic have brought to life in the second series about these little inhabitants.

Yep, I’m talking about A Real Bug’s Life, Season 2, premiering Jan 15th on Disney+: check out the trailer here:

Sure, we’ve all seen the animated Bug Lifes movies before, but this time, you get to get real close to the actual bugs.

The show is split into four episodes, Love in the Forrest, Life’s a Beach, Tiny Heroes Down Under, and Once Upon A Pond,  where they take you up close and personal with bugs, creatures, and the different environments they call home. Jumping Spiders, Army Ants, Tiger Beetles, Orcas Bees (check out the drone footage on that one) Damsel Flys, all have a starring role in this series.

And the visuals are all thanks to some seriously talented cinematographers who know how to capture this hidden world in ways we often miss.

The series is narrated by none other than Awkwafina (yes, her!) and she takes you on a journey through the tiny lives of creatures—showing how they travel, build homes, evolve, and go through the cycles of life. As a filmmaker, I’m totally hooked on this show. After watching series like these, I usually do this thing where I try to break down the shots—basically reverse-engineering the whole film.

Lucky for me, I got to chat with Chris Watts,  a BAFTA-nominated cameraman who has worked on many productions ranging from TV to IMAX. He  was the lead cinematographer for the Once Upon A Pond episode.That one is especially interesting because it’s all about the bustling world inside one pond. A single location, with an amazing amount of things going on below the surface.

Director of Photography Chris Watts films common frogs gathering and spawning in a pond during a shoot for the “Once A Pond A Time” episode of “A Real Bug’s Life.” (National Geographic for Disney/Matt Haworth)

The number of creatures in one small area is mind-blowing, and thanks to some incredible camera work, we get to see their separate lives up close. They shot most of the underwater scenes with a Red Gemini camera, which is super sensitive to light—essential when you’re shooting underwater. And when they needed more light, they used Phantom Dragon lights, mounted on magic arms, floating in on a dinghy.

Director of Photography Chris Watts films young actor Menna throwing a sandwich into the pond for the “Once A Pond A Time” episode of “A Real Bug’s Life.” (National Geographic/Matt Haworth)

To make sure they didn’t disturb the water while filming, they also used underwater robots with motion control rigs to capture the action. Plus, they’d sometimes wade waist-deep into the pond and rely on a tech genius on the tam to make sure everything ran smoothly.

But honestly, what makes this series truly amazing isn’t just the tech—it’s the stories of these creatures. Each one has a beginning, middle, and end, just like us. Watching how they move through the world takes real skill and a lot of patience because, let’s be honest, the crew can’t control the creatures. All they can do is anticipate what might happen and work with whatever comes their way.There is one funny moment where they release one of the fastest bugs you’ve ever seen in front of the camera, hoping to capture its speed as it zips across a beach.  They got the shot!

Camera assistant Nick Widdop and camera operator Dale Hudson film during a beach shoot in Kota Kinabalu, Borneo for the “Life’s A Beach” episode of “A Real Bug’s Life.” (National Geographic/Euan Smith)

To be honest, they did recreate some environments to accommodate the cameras and lights needed to get the shot. You just can’t control the bugs.

Assistant producer Euan Smith, animal wrangler Tim Cockerill, and Director of Photography Rob Hollingworth film a praying mantis during a shoot for “The Big City” episode of “A Real Bug’s Life.” (National Geographic/Tom Oldridge)

So, if you’re looking for your next binge watch , dive into the tiny world of a bug’s life and prepare to be amazed. I definitely was!

There is  a lot of new gear coming in for the new year, as we look ahead to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in Jan 2025, and fresh product slates from most of the brands. Will be posting as they come in, and get some real world look at them
It’s true, there were some incredible deals during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and honestly still more on the way before years end. I hope you took advantage for gifts and end of year purchases.
Some great stuff in there!

Personally, I did pick up some extra batteries for my mirrorless, and handy mounts for camera and phone.

There was one solid purchase amidst all of the sale events.

The item I purchased wasn’t on sale, but that’s ok.  The DJI Pocket Osmo 3.

4K, portrait or landscape mode, all of the usual gimbals tracking choices, wireless connects to the DJI MIMO app to view or edit AND an incredible array of customization for picture and audio you will love.

Key Features

3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer, 1″ CMOS Sensor,  Up to 4K120 Resolution, 2″ Rotatable Screen, Smart Horizontal/Vertical Shooting, D-Log M & 10-Bit Support, Active Track 6.0, Up to 166 Minutes of Battery Life, USB-C PD Cable Included, Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Support.

You can buy the unit alone, for about $520, and they offer a creator combo wth a lot of stuff you would be buying anyway, and you’ll save dough.  It is about $140 more. Highly recommend!

Here is what you get in the creator combo. The extra battery, microphone, and carrying bag made the most sense to me as an extra. The wide angle lens, which fits into the case, is not high on my list. you can see by the + sign what additional items you get.

I have added a few things, not in the creator combo that met some of my specific needs. BTW, do not forget one of the things on the list, the screen and lens protector. Only $9 and will give peace of mind as you take the camera in and out of the case. Here is my full personal list of additional things to get.

The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is fast becoming my go-to camera for a variety of things:
On the street interviews:
A non obtrusive 4k video camera, with all the shooting bells and whistles I need, plus the ability to do a Blue Tooth connection to a phone for a larger monitor.
Speaking of the phone, which I prefer not to use in these situations. Why?
Have you ever had a video get interrupted by an incoming call or text?
I know, put it in airplane mode.
The Pocket 3 is a dedicated machine, designed to do what I need, multi format, and yes, have to send it to the phone app OR use a micro sd card reader to input it to your phone or an iPad for editing/upload.
And that’s not all.
Let’s talk about the DJI mic that connects automatically with the Pocket 3 when both are turned on. Plus a small tripod so you can sit it on a table.

It’s pretty great, and the mic has a 32 bit float, which will record the track to the mic itself as well as the Pocket 3. Comes with a fuzzy cat, can be clipped or mag attached. You can also plug in a lav mic if you’d like to be more discreet.
All sounding great right?
However, if you are just interviewing people on the street, maybe you don’t want to put the mic on someone you don’t know.
To solve this problem I added this $19 item that has a cold shoe, perfect for mounting a shotgun mic like a ShiftCam shotgun, which I like because it has a headphone jack on it so you can monitor the recording.
The mic needs a cable that goes from 3.5 TRS to TRRS, and then TRRS to USB-C to plug direct into the Pocket 3. The TRS to TRRS cable comes with the ShiftCam mic. The Apple connector you will need to add.

Here it is mounted: You can also add the extra battery if you’d like a longer handle.

That $19 expansion adapter also has the now classic 2 prong connector used by Go-Pro, so you can attach a ton of things to it, or grip it to another surface.

In the personal list above, I also added Apple in-ear  USB-C wired earphones to monitor recording when not using a shotgun mic like the ShiftCam. Great for private playback audio. You can actually record audio with them as well.

This camera is now in my bag at all times.

There was one other thing I wanted to do with this new workhorse.
How can I attach to my Rodecaster for podcasts so I use the Shure SM7B, have the sweet pre-amps, and also use the jingle pad for my pre-recorded music and sound effects?
I have the 1st version of the Rodecaster and have used it for over 120 podcasts, but 2025 will bring video with it, to enhance the podcast.
Could I attach traditional cameras and then sync everything in edit? Probably. I was looking for an easier solution. I’m a one man band.

After multiple calls with Rode, and hours at BH photo, I was told it couldn’t happen.

It Can!

This week I’ll post about the solution I found, and how it works. And it works like a champ!
Saved money, great video quality, excellent sound, and everything a tracking video gimbal all in one !

With a new feature called Product Showcase, the Pocket 3 will track the product close to the lens, and lock it in even without it being in center. No focus searching, or distracting oscillating.

As you can tell, I’m pretty happy with this purchase!  I also buy just about all of my photo/video gear from BH, because they stand by every product. During the holidays, they are allowing returns up to Feb!

True, I did get their credit card, PayBoo, as it saves me tax on every purchase. you should look into it.