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A couple months into wearing partial dentures, does it really suck?

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Roughly a month into wearing my dentures I sort of got used to them. Even the tediousness of cleaning them. No matter how tired or drunk I am, if I’m still conscious I’d take ’em out and clean them. I know, I know I’m not supposed to sleep with them on but sometimes I just can’t help it, haha. However, I found myself biting harder, gone was the gentle, feeling out the dentures kinda of bite. This is when I started getting a sore spot on the roof of my mouth.

If you want to read about how I got up to this point HERE‘s the post. If you wanna read where I went previously to get the majority of my dental work done, HERE‘s that post.

My theory is that because I was biting things harder, especially foods that break up into hard, smaller bits, like chips, I developed a sore spot on the roof of my mouth where the back edge of the denture’s metal touched the roof of my mouth and the jagged bits sometimes get caught there. Why only there? I have no idea. Anyways, that sore spot soon turned out to be this pimple looking thing. I tried to pop it with a toothpick but it felt hard and didn’t puncture. Great! Luckily, I was heading back to Bangkok to spend Xmas and New Year. In the meantime, I stopped wearing the dentures for a few days to stop the discomfort. Once I couldn’t feel the irritation I put the denture back in and the irritation came back. Maybe I should stop eating Doritos so much, it’s always most irritating when eating those, haha.

I made my appointment (at Bangkok Dental Care) for the first Monday we were there, to coincide with when my dentist would be in and I explained my discomfort to her. She looked puzzled so I showed the her the picture and she said, “ok.” and took the dentures out of my mouth and started sanding/grinding something while telling me that the spot is gone and it doesn’t look injured. Just a bit “more red”, “everything is fine.” After she was finished with the grinding of the metal section of the dentures she assured me that everything would fine and that white spot was just an abscess and shouldn’t happen again. Huh…ok? I guess?! Well that would explain why I only got sore at that one spot.

Well, I have to say, almost a month after her adjustments, nothing weird or uncomfortable has yet to happen and I’ve continued to feast on Doritos! Oh, I almost forgot, I wasn’t charged for services this visit, bonus!

Now to answer the question…Does it suck? For me, wearing them and eating with them on, I’d have to say, “No”, they don’t. Taking care of them, however, I find it tedious and yeah it sucks, lol. I suppose I could use those dissolvable denture cleaner tablet things but that just costs more money, haha.

So the point of this post is to highlight the importance of planning enough time for adjustments after actually using the dentures under a variety of conditions. I guess I lucked out by living close enough to Thailand where dental vacations are still financially feasible even after factoring in airfare and accommodations.

As always, thanks for viewing and best wishes!

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What it’s like wearing my new metal partial dentures

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What a weird topic to post about, right? To coincide with Steemfest I decided to get my dentures done in Bangkok, since I already have accommodations in Bangkok it was cheaper to have my partial dentures done in Bangkok rather than in Chiang Mai where I had all my previous dental work done. Yup, it’s all about cost cutting. Anyways, if you’re interested in a dental holiday, consider coming to Thailand. HERE’s my post about my dental work done in Chiang Mai. My last dental appointment/checkup in Bangkok is next week so the post regarding the clinic will be forthcoming.

Now the point of this post is to try and help anyone who is thinking about or about to get partial dentures but even after reading loads of stuff on Google, is still unsure about what it’s going to be like . . . Here’s my experience, hope it helps!

I’ve never had dentures before and had to Google the pros and cons of partial dentures before deciding to get the metal one as opposed to a fully acrylic one. I know it looks kinda gross, but it’s hard to explain without seeing it.

After agreeing the consultation and my agreeing for service, the dentist started making grooves / attachment points on my existing teeth then makes molds of my upper and lower teeth. So those metal hook looking things are what’s going to ‘clip’ onto my teeth to hold the dentures in place. It doesn’t look very secure but it fits snugly and securely because on the other side the acrylic is molded so your gums sit snugly in the groove. I haven’t had my partial dentures fall out or become dislodged yet and I can’t dislodge them using my tongue.

So it’s been 5 days since I’ve had my partial dentures fitted and frankly, it kinda sucks. The first day it was just a weird feeling and I found myself speaking a bit weird although everyone said they didn’t notice any speech impairment. It was neither painful nor uncomfortable putting in the partial dentures nor taking them out. The first thing I did after I left the dental clinic was find something to eat. My dentist (as well as everything I read on Google) recommends starting out with soft food so I figured rice with some thinly sliced beef should be ok. Just my luck, I was passing a Japanese restaurant so I ordered a beef don. My dentures wiggled a bit and see sawed if I only chewed on one side. Food seemed to be everywhere in my mouth. Even after swallowing the mouth full of food, it still feels like there’s food everywhere, much like sand in your swim suit. I think it’s because food catches on the ridges of the acrylic (top of the groove) as well as between the metal and the roof of your mouth. Having a glass of water on hand is helpful to rinse your mouth but for me nothing but a full on gargle gets the bits out.  Not something I’d recommend doing in a restaurant. I remember thinking, this feels so weird but at least it’s not painful. Later on, I decided to have McDonald’s for my “midnight snack,” I couldn’t even eat a fry, it was really painful to chew on both sides. So I waited until I got home to eat. After taking out the dentures, I ate my upsized meal without any issues, no soreness or pain anywhere. Weird, right?

Day two…putting on the dentures sucked. There was a slight pinch of pain when the clamps clamp on one particular tooth and I could feel the soreness around that tooth but it quickly went away. Chewing hurts and the pain is contingent on how much bite force I use. I’m pretty sure my denture is not sitting on my gums because with no food in my mouth I can bite down and there’s no pain at all but even biting a Pringles chip causes discomfort depending on how hard I bite. It’s been days now and still the same so I’ve pretty much resigned my self to eating noodles cuz those are the least painful (udon is the best, it’s thick but soft and there’s enough resistance so you can feel the bite and adjust). If I can’t find any noodles then it’s rice.

Having the dentures in my mouth doesn’t feel awkward or unnatural. For me, it’s only the metal bar across the roof of my mouth that I can feel and since the plate is narrow and slim it doesn’t feel like it taking up space. I suppose over time, I wouldn’t even notice it’s there. Does my partial denture make me feel like gagging? No. Although once, on the first day, right after I left the clinic and was waiting for my food, I was using my tongue to ‘fidget’ with the dentures and that brought on a gag reflex. Needless to say, I don’t do that anymore.

The wiggling around of the dentures while chewing can feel disconcerting which is probably why there’s denture glue? At the moment I’ve found that taking smaller bites than normal and trying to chew evenly, as in have food on both sides of my mouth to even out the pressure helps prevent my dentures from wiggling to the point where I wonder if they are going to get displaced. Smaller bites also helps me to remember not to bite so hard. I don’t notice any temperature difference of the metal (or acrylic) when I’m eating hot or cold foods either.

The care and cleaning of my partial dentures is what gives me the most problems, my dentist said, “just soak in water when you take out at night and brush them (regular toothpaste is fine) before you put them back in, in the morning. Also best to take them out and rinse them after each meal.” Yeah, I’m not taking them out after each meal when I’m out but honestly there has been times when I really felt like I needed to. A few discreet gargles solved that problem. There’s so many conflicting info on how to “properly” clean dentures, that I gave up reading and just did what I feel like. My routine is so far is, I take them out, rinse them off with water, (it’s really amazing how much “stuff” I can rinse off. It’s pretty gross, haha). I then brush them (as part of the 2 minute per quarter cycle of my electric toothbrush) then dip them mouthwash (Listerine) for a bit then rinse and store with plain water. In the morning I take them out, rinse with water, then mouthwash, then brush them. Oh I usually use alcohol free mouthwash but I bought the wrong one this time and I don’t really know how big a difference that makes.

Anyways, I figured I’d add my 2 cents in on this topic since I can relate to the apprehension, even though I read up on it and had gotten solid advice from my bro, who’s a dentist. He recommends that I just use the partial dentures but it’s such a pain, literally but it is nice to have a fuller set of teeth though. Anyways, I’m hoping I’ll get used to the pain soon or the the pain will go away, if not, I’m not entirely sure I won’t stop using them.

Consider following me for updates to find not only my other (usually travel) bloopers, blunders and shenanigans but also photography related news/reviews and the occasional contest entry.

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Funan DigitaLife Mall’s rebirth. What’s the big deal? Something you’ll want to think about.

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A new mall in Singapore, different from the rest

So what’s the big deal? I’ll give you something to ponder further down in the post but first a little bit about why I even know about this mall.

Funan DIgitaLife mall WAS my go to mall (almost the whole mall was geared towards IT stuff) when I wanted anything electronic (computers, console gaming, camera gear etc). It is a far more “upscale” and the shops were less controversial than its’ main rival Sim Lim Square (I do buy pc parts from shops in Sim Lim Square since you’d be hard pressed to find parts or repair shops in Funan and not all shops are shady. Nowadays it’s pretty much cleaned up, I’m still cautious in there though. Funan was demolished in 2016 and just reopened at the end of June 2019. It was slated to open in 2020. So yeah, I was excited to go stomping in my old IT haunt!

Artistically, I found it very impressive . The color palette used is quite obvious, you can see it everywhere, starting from the outside. The earthy tones are nice and fit their theme but too dim for my liking. To break the usual ho hum square-ish mall design, the interior incorporates a lot of angles, quite stylish and interesting to look at. The outside still looks like a boring rectangle with a few angle elements and the use of color and reflections at one entrance make it a bit more interesting. Since the opening, I’ve been to Funan twice, the first to check it out and the second to buy a Macbook. There’s just something here that bugs me, other than my first reaction of, “wow it’s dim in here,” when I first entered the premises. Something more than my saltiness at the sheer number of eateries, non IT shops and clothing shops. Gone is Funan the Digitalife Mall. Damn it, arrrgh! I’m guessing that IT related shops account for less than 1/4 of the shops here. In their defense, they are not marketing the mall as an IT mall anymore. Instead, it is a mall with shops “clustered around six passion themes Tech, Craft, Play, Fit, Chic and Taste.” So what else is in here that wasn’t before? How about a huge gym, movie theaters, a climbing wall, lots more eateries (of which there’s Carl’s Jr. and Little Caesars), a media studio, local brand fashion stores and a shop that sells fold up bicycles. I think those bicycles look pretty cool and on top of that, you can ride your bike through the mall albeit only on the main floor, only between certain times of the day and at a max speed of 10km/h. Now that’s gotta be a first, well it is for me, anyways. Noticeably gone is the local, big name IT retailer, Challenger, I guess it’s because Funan is to “posh” now for the likes of the budget friendly, general IT shops like Challenger. Near the center, on the main floor, is a flight of stairs that has areas for people to sit and hang out on, which I found weird and interesting at the same time. Hopefully this will free up tables in the multitude of eateries in the building.

I gotta admit, I got so bothered by this new mall in Singapore that I had to Google it and found some interesting yet concerning things. First things first, I’m going to express my opinions and what I’ve experienced, I’m in no way condoning or trash talking anyone or any organization. The words in quotes are from Funan’s Press Release pdf. Here are the links to the Funan’s website: www.funan.com.sg and the press release pdf that I came across in my search for info: https://www.capitaland.com/content/dam/capitaland-newsroom/International/2019/jun/capitaland-unveils-reimagined-funan/190628_News%20Release_CapitaLand%20unveils%20reimagined%20Funan.pdf

The really cool things I found in the pdf but didn’t see or get to use in the mall are:
1) VR pods for movies and games
2) 24h drive through to support the online shoppers
3) E-paying service at the food court accepting cryptocurrencies (this may not be so cool after reading the points in the “NOT COOL” section below)
4) Food ordering through Facebook Messenger
5) “Using one of the about 40 smart directories in Funan, shoppers can browse and search for trending merchandise before mapping the shortest route possible to reach a store with the wayfinding system”
6) “By year-end, shoppers can expect a robot-enabled handsfree shopping and 24/7 click-and-collect drive-through service”
7) The handful of parking spots you can reserve via the mall’s app.
8) Roof top urban farm
9) “Unmanned futsal facility”
10) “Dedicated Bicycle Hub with end-of-trip amenities”

The NOT COOL things (in my opinion) are:
1) “video analytics to measure and analyse footfall throughout the mall and entering each store”
2) “In-store smart terminals further capture transaction data so that tenants can use the analytics to refine their offerings and enhance customer experiences”
3) “smart directories can also make product recommendations based on the shopper’s demographic profile”

So it sounds to me, like as soon as people are picked up on camera, they are profiled and followed by someone/software and that is stored somewhere accessible by someone(s) so that the data can be shared. Admittedly, shared (in a repackeged form) on a public display and to their tenants as detailed reports on shoppers’ choice of store(s), purchases and movement patterns? So how am I supposed to know that the data that’s been captured of or about me isn’t being shared/sold anywhere else and only used for what they say they’ll use it for? How does the smart directory get my demographic profile in the first place?! This is a lot of surveillance going on which raises privacy issues. If you’re the sort who uses crypto currencies for the anonymity, well, if you use it in Funan, you won’t be so anonymous anymore. Couple all this data with the mandatory finger printing going on when you enter and exit customs/immigration at many airports these days a very detailed report can be compiled very quickly by many people/organizations. I can see the point for surveillance as a security measure but to track people and profile them? That seems excessive and I’m pretty sure the majority of people entering Funan do not know they are being surveilled to this extent.

Yesterday, I went to visit Funan Mall just to get some imagery for this post and to see if I could find any of the surveillance, I mean, video analytics cameras. I couldn’t. I did find the facial recognition devices use to access the other areas of the building like the office towers and serviced apartments though. Maybe I’ve just interpreted things very badly and this may all be just fluff, like “who cares kinda stuff” but I really think that we all should care, or at least give a reasonable amount of consideration to. At least consider our willingness to wantonly give this type of access to our personal habits, to a shopping mall no less. How about you? How would you feel if a mall in your area did this? How would you feel if all malls started doing this?

As I was finishing up this post it occurred to me that I watched how data can be used to get sales. I watch this happen on Harajuku’s main shopping street (in Japan) but without the high tech. As I was standing on a corner waiting for my “girls” to finish shopping at one shop, I watched these guys holding binders with images of their wares (basketball related stuff like shoes, jersey’s etc). There were at least 3 of them walking around within a block or two of their shop. Every now and then they would stop a target that they picked out of the crowd (acquiring visual data etc) and try to peddle their wares and at the same time herding them towards their shop. At times they got grabby too. I just pictured myself walking into Funan and as I pass a shop, a sales rep runs out and tells me of a deal “just for me” or something like that, lol. OR if you have the mall’s app, you’ll start getting a barrage of notifications informing you of deals and discounts. Since it’s so easy here in Singapore to pay using your phone, this could be bad, very bad for impulse buyers like me. Food for thought…

All images used in this post were shot using my Samsung Note 8. Consider following me for updates and to find not only my other travel bloopers, blunders and shenanigans but also photography related news/reviews and the occasional contest entry.

All the photos (unless otherwise noted in the post) were taken by me and are available for sale. If you’re interested in buying an image or three, 😃 please don’t hesitate to contact me for more details. Thanks in advance!

Comments & Critiques are always welcome, as are upvotes and resteems.

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Nintendo Switch not as region unlocked as you might think

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Nintendo Switch Joy con’s in the remote holder accessory

I found out the hard way! So, having done some research and learning that the Nintendo Switch console and games are region free, meaning I could buy a game/console from anywhere and it’ll work. Just in case you’re not a gamer, this is not how it usually works. For example, my Sony PlayStation 2 from the U.S. won’t play games from Japan and vice versa (without having the console modded/hacked, that is). So convenient, right? Actually, although the console and most games are region free/unlocked, that does not mean that the DLC’s are region unlocked too! DLC is short for Down Loadable Content.

So here’s the situation. I bought my Nintendo Switch in Japan because it’s way cheaper than in Singapore. I also bought the official case (which included a screen protector) and a game. Back in Singapore I bought a few more games and downloaded another. Here’s where it gets a bit confusing.

In the game from Japan, there was a sheet of paper with a download code on either side (it’s in Japanese and I have no idea what it says. All I know is there’s extra characters obtainable using that code). I was not able to redeem what the code was offering because my Switch is set to the “Americas Region”. After some research I found out that to be able to redeem the code, I had to create an account, more accurately an Eshop account for which the region had to be set to Japan (since the game is from Japan) and create another player profile in the Switch and link the two. Sounds easy but not really as you gotta figure out which reason your game is from too. I got it done after a try or two and was able to redeem the codes. The other code was for, what looks to me, like the very first version of the game. Pretty cool! I wasn’t able to find it in the “Americas Region” Eshop either so not all games are available on all Eshops. A good enough reason for diehard fans, like me, to have more than one region’s Eshop on their Switch.

The second issue I have is that from the games I purchased in Singapore, one is from the US and two are from Europe. How this happened, I have no idea and even if I did they’re not region locked, right? Yes, but the DLC’s might be. For example, for the US game, I was able to buy DLC’s (extra characters and stuff) and everything shows up in game. Then I bought a DLC from the game that’s from Europe and I can’t access it at all. I had no idea what region any of the games I bought (in Singapore) were from, the boxes were all in English so I wasn’t too concerned. To tell where your game is from, you have to look at the code on the cartridge, it’s on the front at the bottom edge of the sticker. The last three letter will tell you the region ie USA, EUR, JPN etc. Great way to know when buying used games. For more details you can go to your home screen, highlight the game and click the ‘+’ then click the [Support Information] button. Doing it this way may give you additional compatible countries. So apparently, my game is from Europe and the Eshop I bought the DLC from is “Americas”. So for me to get what I already paid for, I have to buy it again from the Europe Eshop! Apparently Nintendo doesn’t give refunds, I read it somewhere in their FAQ’s which I think is BS since there are no indicators anywhere that DLC’s are subject to region locks. I have been able to get in touch with Nintendo support and they have been very helpful and understanding so far. The service agent forwarded my issue for a refund review and gave me a link with info on the process that included some stern wording that this is a “one time review.” I’ll know the results in a few days. I’ve got my fingers crossed!

Nintendo Switch with Joy Cons sliding on

Anyways, if you want to know how to make multiple Eshops on your switch here’s the details:

First off, you need to make a new user on the switch console, best to have some way of identifying which region when you name this new user account. Go to [settings] then [add user] then [create new user] .Then choose your icon and background color, click [link account] then [create a new account] then [send account creation instructions via email]. Enter the email address you want associated with the account you’re making now and click [ok]. This will now put a box on the screen for you to enter your confirmation code. Leave that on your Switch’s screen and go to your email. Click the link in the email which will take you to Nintendo’s account creation website. Fill in the details there and make sure you input the correct region, the region you’re creating this account for. When you’re done click the [submit] button then click [display confirmation code] button and enter the resulting number into your Switch and click [ok] then click [link] to link them. You’re done. Now you should have two users on your switch with different Eshops. Both accounts can access the games that are on your Switch so you don’t have to worry about which account has which game on it. The only issue is that funds are not shared across Eshops so you’ll have to find a way to buy things from foreign Eshops as some credit cards won’t work in some Eshops. Good Luck!

In case you want to know more about the Nintendo Switch. In the box is the console, 2 controllers, a charging dock, AC adapter, HDMI cable, 3 controller accessories. No case and no screen protector. I HIGHLY recommend a screen protector as I scuffed a bit of my screen not even an hour after opening the box. I purchased mine at the airport shop in Narita Airport and decided to open and charge it on the plane. I had the Switch with remotes attached (to charge those too) in the seat pocket. Thankfully I can’t see the scuff marks after I put the screen protector on. Games can be played with the controller pads attached to the console or detached. The console has a built in stand that also acts as a cover for the micro sd card slot (as seen in one of the pics below). You can charge the Switch using the USB-C port on the bottom edge or by putting the Switch in the dock (connected to an AC power source). The dock can also connect to an HDMI capable display, like your tv or computer lcd. The colors of the controllers in the box can vary, so make sure you pick the one you want. I chose the black one, my daughter chose the “default red and blue” when she bought hers but also bought an extra pink and green set thinking she can use the red and pink ones but it’s physically not possible (she bought the wrong set) as they are both right side controllers and they only slide onto the Switch in one direction. So make sure you buy the correct color for the correct side. The switch and joy cons are highly susceptible to smudges from fingers/palms, so be prepared to wipe a lot, or maybe it’s just me, haha. A large capacity microsd card should be on the top your shopping list as there’s only 32gb of storage on the Switch and it can fill up fast. The technology in the Switch can handle the theoretical 2 TB limit so just focus on the largest and fastest microsd card that you can afford. One thing to note, the Nintendo Switch does not have Bluetooth so you can’t use your Bluetooth headphones/speakers without some sort of Bluetooth adapter. Nintendo has a list of compatible Bluetooth headphones which have a USB Bluetooth dongle that you can plug into one of the dock’s three USB ports (one in the back by the hdmi port and 2 on the side). There are third party Bluetooth dongles as well but I haven’t tried any. I’ll stick to my regular wired earbuds for now.

Dock for the Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch built in stand hides the micro SD slot

Nintendo Switch game controllers

Nintendo Switch game controllers in the included accessories

Included accessories in the Nintendo Switch box.

Nintendo Switch game controllers in the included accessories

The case has the Switch logo on one side and the Nintendo logo on the other. There is a folded divider piece attached inside that you can use to prop up your switch. This divider has a mesh pocket as well as 5 slots to hold your games. You can’t really put anything thick in the mesh pockets without feeling the bulge through the hard foam case although I do put my larger than normal ear buds in them with just very slight bulging. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll reply as soon as I can, happy gaming!!

Official Nintendo Switch case

Official Nintendo Switch case

Nintendo Switch in the official case

Hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed making it. Have fun with your games !!!

Consider following me for updates to find not only my other toys and collectibles posts but also my travel bloopers, blunders and shenanigans posts, photography related news/reviews posts and the occasional contest entry.

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ShutterGrip, the missing piece to my cel phone image making dilemma!

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Clip on, bluetooth camera trigger for smart phones.

Thank you, Just Mobile for putting out the ShutterGrip! I haven’t gotten this excited over a gadget since the Nitecore USB camera battery charger for my Canon Cameras! Here’s the review if you’re interested. Like the Nitecore USB charger, I’ve been looking and longing for a better, more efficient way to do things when I’m out in the field. The convenience of using my phone instead of my DSLR’s is a bonus in situations when I don’t have the right lens on camera or in my bag (think minimum focus distance) then there’s the issue of my fingers not being able to reach the shutter button without some insane finger yoga’ing which makes my grip on the phone too precarious for my liking. The solution for me is the ShutterGrip.

First things first, I am not paid by Just Mobile for this review nor did I get the ShutterGrip for free. I saw this product on sale on the web page of one of my favorite camera stores in Singapore, I literally got on the bus to go check it out. Really! The ShutterGrip is a smart phone shutter release handle that clamps onto your phone and connects via Bluetooth. It is available in 3 different colors (black, blue and rose gold), has a threaded hole on the bottom of the main handle so you can attach it to a mini tripod (like a Gorillapod). The battery is the coin type CR2032 (one is included in the box) so pretty easy to find especially in watch stores. The portion of the handle where the button is located slides off so you can remote trigger your phone’s camera and it’s in this portion that the battery compartment is located. Also included is a thin wrist strap that attaches at the bottom of the ShutterGrip, next to the mini tripod mount. It feels like plastic, kinda cheap (but website says it’s got a copper core) and is semi rigid. I won’t be using it so don’t really care. You could attach your own wrist strap if you want to.

At the camera shop, I got a feel for the ShutterGrip, it feels sturdy and grips my phones tight! The upper and lower jaws have a ridge that prevents the phone from twisting out. I tested out the grip of the ShutterGrip on a Samsung Note 5 without a case and with a generic, thin silicone case as well as on a Samsung Note 8 without a case and with a generic thick, bulgy plastic case. The phone definitely feels more secure in the grip with the cases on. Without the cases on, the ShutterGrip slides and twists pretty easily. It won’t twist off thanks to the ridges but I guess it would be possible that your phone may slide out of the ShutterGrip if you squeezed too hard when holding it in picture taking posture. Not an issue with the cases on unless I went full Hulk on it and squeezed as hard. The plastic feels smooth but even with my oily, slightly sweaty hands, it didn’t feel slippery.

Getting the ShutterGrip onto the phone is a bit weird for me. The bottom jaw is the one that slides down to accommodate the phone so I put the bottom edge of my phone in first and press down. This leads to the shutter button portion (remote) to slide out. Same with taking the phone out, I always manage to slide the remote off. You’d really have to pay attention to how you’re holding the ShutterGrip when putting it on or taking it off, to not slide the remote up and off. Not really a big issue but kinda cumbersome, especially if I’m trying to get off a shot as quickly as possible somewhere where dropping the remote will be an issue. Maybe a button release would have been better than a sliding release. It really doesn’t take much effort to slide the remote off.

So why? Why this product? For me, I don’t like sticking things directly on my phone and I’m leery of the sticking power of products when applied to a phone case (if it’s even possible due to the case’s design). Then there’s plenty of grips that, in my opinion, don’t hold the phone tight enough or don’t alleviate my issue of being able to push the shutter release button without compromising my hold on the phone. With the ShutterGrip the button is at the top of the unit and you can maneuver it to wherever it’s comfortable for your index finger to press. Plus it’s Bluetooth (no cables to worry about) and it can function as a remote shutter release. Another bonus is the mount option on the bottom but in a pinch the ShutterGrip will stand on its own while holding a phone on a flat surface but not so well if you have the hand strap attached.

Clip on, bluetooth camera trigger for smart phones.

Pairing was really easy. Put the supplied battery into the ShutterGrip, press the button and a green LED flashed (it will flash each time you press the button). I then turned on Bluetooth on my phone and ‘ShutterGrip’ appeared on the list of devices, I press it and it paired, on both phones. When the camera app is not launched and active on my phone, the button on the ShutterGrip increases my media volume when pressed. Pressing the button when the phone is locked/sleep will just wake it. When the camera app is active, pressing the buttone takes a photo (there’s no 1/2 press) but if I hold the button down it’ll keep taking photos until I let go or my phones memory buffer is filled. Not sure if that’s the behavior on all phones but that’s how it behaves on both my Samsung phones. Just Mobile’s website does list some incompatible phones so you should check it out before you order one. If you go to a shop you could just test it out there. Other things to note is that it’s really light, website says it weighs 45g, battery life is stated to last 180 days if you press the button 500 times a day (even I’m not that trigger happy, lol). To save battery power the remote auto powers off and auto connects on the next button press (it’s kind of slow though). If your camera app is in video mode, ShutterGrip will start recording when you press the trigger.

Because my thumb is shaped like an inverted drumstick, if I place the ShutterGrip too close to the bottom edge of the phone, the palm portion of my thumb touches the screen or home button or something and that usually gets me out of the camera app so to alleviate that I have to slide the ShutterGrip as far as possible towards the middle of the phone while still being able to press the button with my index finger. This stretches out my hand and gets my thumb off the screen while still holding the phone securely too. Kind of hard to explain, hopefully the photos below will help.

For me, the ShutterGrip is a must buy, even after seeing the price, I still headed down to camera shop to check it out. The $40 (on sale) price tag made me pause and think about it for a minute though. Maybe I’m just too stingy? I think for that price the remote shouldn’t be so easy to slide off. Maybe I’ll just gaff tape it, lol. But you know what, in the end I still bought it knowing it’ll help me get more keeper shots because I have a better, more stable grip on the phone. If you think so too, I would suggest you try to find it in your local shop because it may be cheaper than ordering it online. Mine was the same price, after discount, in my local currency as it was on Just Mobile’s website so I saved on currency exchange as well as shipping. Have fun shooting!!

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