REVIEWED: Narrative Clip wearable life-logging camera
This tiny and easy to use clip-on camera takes photos every 30 seconds, but you’ll need to travel with a laptop and access a cloud server to get the most from it
Buy the Narrative Clip wearable life-logging camera
Price as reviewed: US$279
Our compact camera are gathering dust, but it could now be time to leave our smartphones alone, too. But will a new breed of clip-on cameras that automatically photograph entire days catch-on?
Photographic memory
The Narrative Clip is tiny. Measuring a mere 36x36x9mm and weighing 20g, it clips onto a shirt pocket, takes a photo every 30 seconds until its battery runs out – about 10 hours later – and pushes the results into its own smartphone app. As it does it creates your very own searchable photographic memory, which for travellers is something genuinely new.
Secretive device
A much smaller, more secretive device than its main competitor, the much bigger OMG Autographer, the Narrative Clip is available in white, grey and orange. On wearability, it’s an easy win, though we’re not sure just how socially acceptable it is.
Like the OMG Autographer, the Clip takes five megapixel images, but instead of movement sensors, it’s restricted to taking a photo every 30 seconds. Actually it’s a tad more flexible than that; it’s also possible to take a picture whenever you want just by tapping the tiny device. Photos are stored to a 8GB flash drive.
24-hour battery
Battery lasts for 24 hours, after which it needs to be charged-up via microUSB. However, the Clip uploads its contents only to a computer, and then to a remote cloud, where photos are divided into ‘moments’ and then synced with the free smartphone app. It’s a fine app, but this way of doing things rules out the Narrative Clip for all but those who travel with laptops. Plus, the use of a remote cloud incurs a small monthly fee after the first (free) year.
Zero maintenance
Small,portable and with a relatively long battery, the easy to use and zero maintenance Narrative Clip is the wearable camera to take on your next trip – though only if you travel with a laptop. Our only worry is that you’ll lose it. Those with smartphones but no laptop should opt for more expensive and larger OMG Autographer, which is much less fun to use.