Action cameras are perfect for travel, social media vlogging, and careening around the lake on a jet ski. Upgrade your action camera with one of these great Prime Day deals.

The Sennheiser MKE 200 is a neat, compact directional mic that's perfect for vlogging too.

Action cameras are perfect for travel, social media vlogging, and careening around the lake on a jet ski. Upgrade your action camera with one of these great Prime Day deals.

As a tech journalist, I often travel across the US -- and sometimes out of it -- to attend product launch events, trade shows, and other briefings for news that readers care about. It certainly helps to be based in New York City, where most of the gadgetry madness tends to take place, but when I am out and about (for work or play), there's a bag full of tech that I always lug around with me.My treasure trove of electronics has evolved over recent years, transitioning to newer GaN chargers and more capable yet still portable camera systems. The five picks below are among my current arsenal of travel tech, and if you're traveling soon, I highly encourage packing a few of these items into your carry-on. I'll make this a little more exciting for you by stating the obvious: My phone and a reliable Bluetooth tracker are always with me, so I've opted not to put them on this list. Instead, you'll find products I've personally tested that are useful enough for you to consider for your next adventure. Sony ZV-E10 II Kerry Wan/ZDNET While smartphone cameras have become very capable at capturing life's moments, I still prefer the output of a larger image sensor and portability of a dedicated pocket camera, especially when I'm recording reader-facing shots of product demos and scenery. The camera I've most recently settled on is the Sony ZV-E10, famous for its ability to record up to 4K resolution through a 26-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor. The output I've gotten has been reliable and impressive, both for vertical and horizontal footage, which the touchscreen viewfinder quickly adjusts to as you rotate the camera.Also: I tested Sony's successor to one of its most popular vlogging cameras, and it blew me awayDoes carrying an additional camera feel unnecessary? Not when the quality is noticeably better than a smartphone, and it greatly reduces the battery consumption you'd otherwise put on your handset when recording videos. The best part is the battery life, which is powered by the same Sony NP-FZ100 cartridge found across the brand's more premium cameras. Show more Steam Deck OLED with Dbrand Killswitch case Kerry Wan/ZDNET I don't consider myself a hardcore gamer, but I've found traveling, especially when on long flights, to be the perfect opportunity to get my NBA 2K and Rocket League fix. Lately, my vehicle of choice for gaming has been the Steam Deck, a SteamOS-powered handheld with a punchy HDR OLED display, a fairly sizeable battery (twice that of the original Steam Deck LCD), and a swath of PC games that you can play with the standard analog sticks and gamepad or touchpads.Also: Valve's Steam Deck turned this 40-year-old dad into a gamer againThe Steam Deck OLED isn't the perfect portable gaming console, especially when it weighs a good 1.41 pounds, but it's the most consistent one I've tested, making it ideal for when I'm lounging on the plane or at the airport and want to immerse myself. I've been pairing my Steam Deck with a Dbrand Killswitch case, which greatly improves the grip and ergonomics of the device. There's also the benefit of more protection, for when you're stowing the system in a luggage or backpack full of other gear. Show more View now at Amazon Lenovo Go Wireless Power Bank 10,000mAh Kerry Wan/ZDNET Lenovo's power bank may look unassuming, but trust me when I say there's more to it than what meets the eye. Besides having a 10,000mAh capacity, meaning there's enough juice to power a phone (and other accessories like earbuds) two to three times, a fairly long USB-C cable is built into the battery pack, saving you the hassle of carrying a separate one. Also: The best power banks you can buyHere's the second trick: the Lenovo Go can wirelessly charge Qi-supported devices (though not Qi2) when you place them on top of the accessory, allowing you to charge two devices at once (via wired and wireless) if you're feeling adventurous.While the charge output is capped at 30W, many customers on Lenovo's website have found the power bank adequate for powering phones, tablets, and earbuds, and have been particularly satisfied with the built-in charging cable. Show more View now at Lenovo Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Kerry Wan/ZDNET While the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are fantastic for recording hands-free videos, I've found them more practical as a wearable tour guide. Thanks to recent Meta AI updates, the glasses now even support live translations, broadcasting the translated audio of who you're speaking with as you're conversing. I've also used the smart glasses to identify unfamiliar landmarks, tell me the most popular food items at a local restaurant, play music from artists from the city that I've traveled to, and more.Review: Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses: The best AI-powered AR glasses to buy right nowThe general sentiment toward the Ray-Bans has been mostly positive, with friends and family members praising the ease of use, comfort, and various capturing capabilities. The price point of the glasses, starting at $299, is fairly competitive as well. (Pro tip: You can also use your vision insurance to buy them.) Show more Nomad 65W Slim Power Adapter Kerry Wan/ZDNET Besides carrying a portable battery pack, I also travel with Nomad's 65W Slim Power Adapter, which features two USB-C ports to charge tablets, phones, earbuds, and even laptops, like my MacBook Air. To help with portability, the prongs are collapsible, the charger is very slim, and it lies flush when plugged into the outlet. Carrying the accessory around is like carrying a pack of mints.Also: Nomad's 130W charger has one unique feature that's game-changing for meCustomers, including ZDNET's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, have expressed satisfaction with Nomad's 65W Slim Power Adapter, appreciating the speedy power delivery and support for two USB-C inputs. I especially recommend this charging adapter for users with ultraportable devices like lightweight and smaller laptops and iPads. If you require a more powerful charging adapter, Nomad also sells a 100W variant of the same thing now. Show more View now at Nomad Goods Why should you trust me? When I'm not writing about technology, I'm probably working overtime as my family's IT support guy. And when I'm not working at all, I'm likely watching, reading, or consuming some form of content about technology. So when I make product recommendations, I suggest gadgets I've personally tested and have proven to deliver the value (if not more value) that manufacturers promise.My main expertise is mobile, from phones to wearables to accessories, which plays hand-in-hand with the topic of this story. I also travel about 10 times throughout the year, including from New York to California, so I've developed an understanding of which gadgets are essential and which are optional. Show more How do you pack electronics for traveling? When traveling, storing any devices with lithium-ion batteries, such as laptops, tablets, and power banks, in your carry-on baggage is best. If my gadgets aren't already stored in a tech pouch or cushioned bag, I'll surround them with clothing to prevent any damage during travel. Show more Other travel-friendly tech we think you'd love ZDNET Recommends

Sony announced a new version of its multi-function shooting grip and compact tripod that puts its wireless controls on a removable remote. Previous versions featured controls that could operate basic functions of an attached camera while holding onto the grip. The new GP-VPT3 makes them even more useful for solo content creators who can now operate a camera while standing in frame in front of it.Sony still sells the older version for $139.99, but the added functionality of the new GP-VPT3 Multi-Function Shooting Grip comes with a small price bump to $159.99. The bundled remote, which Sony calls the RMT-VP2 Wireless Remote Commander, is sold separately for $89.99 for those who don’t need the grip or don’t want to replace their existing one.The GP-VPT3 is compatible with Sony’s Alpha Series cameras and smaller vlogging cameras like last year’s ZV-E10 II. It can support up to 3.3 pounds, which means you can potentially use it with larger lenses too, as long as they don’t protrude too far off the camera and shift its center of balance.The wireless controls on Sony’s new GP-VPT3 multi-function grip can now be removed and used over 30 feet away. Image: SonyThe RMT-VP2 remote connects to Sony’s cameras over Bluetooth and has a range of about 33 feet. It includes a shutter button, a dedicated movie record button, a rocker that can be used to control zoom or focus, a button for turning autofocus on and off, and a C1 button that can be customized to control other functions.As with previous versions of the grip, the new GP-VPT3 connects to a camera using its tripod mount and has a flexible head allowing an attached device to tilt forwards and back and swivel 360 degrees. It can function as an ergonomic handle, putting the most important camera controls at finger’s reach when shooting one-handed. It also unfolds and becomes a stubby tripod, making it easier to set the camera up at a specific angle for timelapses, or for filming yourself.See More:

Don’t call Kylie Kelce a WAG. The acronym for the “wives and girlfriends” of professional athletes rankles the podcaster, who first rose to fame as the wife of retired Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce. As Kelce explains, the phrase suggests that “your spouse’s profession swallows you up as well.”But many in the media are heralding this moment as a “new era” for WAGs, and Kelce is just one of several famous women who are at the fore of this renaissance: Everyone from TikToker Alix Earle, who is dating Miami Dolphins player Braxton Berrios, to Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles — unquestionably the more famous athlete — who is married to the Chicago Bears’ Jonathan Owens. Then there’s Taylor Swift, one of the most successful musicians on the planet, who, thanks to her relationship with Kylie’s brother-in-law Travis Kelce, has become the ultimate symbol of the new WAG.Meanwhile, a host of lesser-known women are experiencing their first taste of fame through their relationships with tennis players, Formula 1 race-car drivers, and even pole-vaulters. A sizable number have leveraged their romantic lives to receive brand deals, podcasting opportunities, and magazine profiles.By and large, our understanding of WAGs is rapidly evolving to acknowledge their own social and economic power. They’ve transformed from tabloid punching bags to an appealing status symbol. Still, the continued use of the term does raise some complicated questions: Why are we so interested in defining these women, some of whom are independently successful, by their relationships to men? And what does it mean that they might be raking in more attention and financial opportunities than some female athletes? The rise of the new WAG The public’s fascination with WAGs isn’t new. The acronym originated across the pond in the early 2000s to describe the wives and girlfriends of English footballers. British tabloids and football fans alike lambasted women — celebrities in their own right — like former Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham for their partying, extravagant spending, and flashy, maximalist looks. When the England national football team lost the 2006 FIFA World Cup, their partners were blamed in the press for the defeat. In the United States, being a WAG could be an equally dangerous public position. From Jessica Simpson to the Kardashians, they’ve been painted as distractions, attention-seekers, and bearers of bad luck. Over the past two decades, though, a WAG has become less of an involuntary title and more of an identity that some women are willing to cultivate, given that it can come with its own rewards.David and Victoria Beckham at the MOBO Awards on October 6, 1999. Dave Hogan/Getty ImagesThis modern version of WAG-dom can be credited to early 2010s reality shows like WAGS, Basketball Wives, and La La’s Full Court Life. These platforms allowed these women — some anonymous before they entered into relationships with athletes — to craft their own public narratives and become notable personalities on their own. For years now, Ayesha Curry, wife of Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry, has modeled what it means to be a “WAG influencer,” embracing her public relationship with her spouse while building a separate career as a successful cookbook author and host. Since then, WAG-influencers have become a welcome staple of certain sports cultures. Formula 1 has exploded in recent years, with a small part of that popularity owed to the sport’s stylish other halves. Since 2017, female viewership has grown from 8 percent to 40 percent. This has been largely credited to the popular Netflix series Formula 1: Drive to Survive, which put a spotlight on the personal lives of drivers and, naturally, their partners. Lily Herman, who writes the F1 newsletter Engine Failure, says that the current popularity of WAG-influencers in Formula 1 can be credited to the former partners of a few young popular drivers from 2019 to 2022, like Carlos Sainz’s girlfriend Isa Hernáez and Charles Leclerc’s girlfriend Charlotte Sine, who were both featured on Drive to Survive. In 2022, Sine was the first WAG in the sport to explicitly use her access to the F1 circuit as a part of an ad campaign for the skincare brand Sunday Riley.“They were around during an era where the sport saw a lot of growth in its younger fan base, especially among teen girls and younger women, and there was a new wave of interest in these young drivers’ personal lives,” says Herman. These women have inspired fan pages, Tumblr accounts, and subreddits dedicated to their relationships, fashion, and rumored drama. Lately, the organization has fully embraced WAGs as recognizable supporting characters in the F1 universe, featuring them on social media and including them on chyrons during racing broadcasts. Tennis has tried to replicate the WAG-to-influencer pipeline too, although the sport and its fans are still warming up to the presence of outside partners. Morgan Riddle, who’s dating highest-ranked American male player Taylor Fritz, has been making get-ready-with-me videos for tournaments and vlogging about her life on the tennis tour since 2022. Ayan Broomfield, a former college tennis player who’s dating Frances Tiafoe, and influencer Paige Lorenze, who’s dating Tommy Paul, have mimicked the same career path, broadcasting their lives as WAGs on social media. Herman says that WAGs play a role in “adding dimension” to their male partners, contributing to the marketability of both. “Fritz is pretty bland as a public figure without his girlfriend,” says Herman. “She’s done way more in her work as an influencer and content creator to make him seem multidimensional than he has through solo interviews and profiles.”It certainly benefits younger, newer WAGs who are already powerful women. Biles and Swift have joined their ranks and seem to take pride in the role. Beckham, now a successful fashion designer, has also played a role in igniting a nostalgia for WAGs, thanks to the popular 2023 Netflix docuseries Beckham. The business of being a WAG is still very traditional In our current political climate, the WAG boom raises interesting questions. Research shows that some Gen Z-ers are identifying as more conservative than their parents. “Trad wife” content abounds online. Where do WAGs fit in? WAG influencers share some obvious similarities to tradwife influencers, women who’ve created lucrative identities and even businesses by perpetuating conservative ideas of marriage and motherhood. In a Substack essay, sports writer Frankie De La Cretaz argues that WAGs are essentially the tradwives of men’s sports: “No matter how many businesses a WAG starts or how many charities she runs, she still embodies a heteronormative idea of family and a woman’s place in society.” It’s hard to get around the fact that most WAGs are initially famous for their association with a male partner, although they may ultimately transcend that attachment (see Kylie Kelce’s complaint about being called a WAG and consider that her podcast, Not Gonna Lie, briefly dethroned The Joe Rogan Experience when it debuted in 2024).WAGs are gaining visibility while the most talented female athletes are still fighting for wage parity and struggling to land brand deals.But even attempts to define WAGs outside of their relationships come off a bit shallow. Stories about how these women are impacting sports largely focus on their brand deals and follower counts. When we celebrate the influence of WAGs, we’re mostly talking about their ability to turn other women into consumers and spectators, not athletes. Meanwhile, WAGs are gaining visibility while the most talented female athletes are still fighting for wage parity and struggling to land brand deals. Back in March, Australian tennis pro Daria Saville made a TikTok about the lack of sponsorships she and other female pros receive compared to tennis WAGs. “Female tennis players are not getting those brand deals,” she said. “It’s actually tennis WAGs that fit into the ‘aesthetic’ rather than, us, sweaty tennis players.” De la Cretaz tells Vox that the WAG boom echoes the mainstream platforming of tradwives. “It’s an extension of “girlboss” feminism, the idea that promoting women regardless of what that looks like is somehow good for women,” De la Cretaz says. “It’s also this idea that whatever you’re choosing is valid, even though those choices don’t exist in a vacuum.” The most visible WAGs are still predominantly in straight relationships, and a large part of being one still involves affirming a male athlete’s heterosexuality. As journalist Kira Cochrane wrote in a 2010 piece for the Guardian about football WAGs, “consciously or not, the women know their role is to boost their partner’s masculinity.” She added that their often highly feminized presentation “underlines [their] status as possessions, part of the package for footballers.” WAGs, with their new clout and influence, haven’t exactly gotten a total makeover. Rather, their hustle has grown more appealing. After all, they represent all the things women are encouraged to be in a time when mainstream culture is trending more conservative. They’re tradwives. They’re girlbosses. They’re stylish and beautiful. Most of all, they’re sitting on the sidelines. See More:

Posted on : May 19, 2025 By Tech World Times General  Rate this post In the world of YouTube family channels, few names were as recognizable as Ruby Franke. As the face of the now-controversial “8 Passengers” channel, Ruby built an online empire around her family’s daily life. With millions of views and hundreds of thousands of subscribers, the Franks were seen as a model of wholesome family living. But the release of the Ruby Franke Documentary has flipped that image on its head, exposing deeper issues about the ethics and consequences of family vlogging. The Rise of “8 Passengers” Before the controversy, Ruby Franke was a successful family vlogger, creating content centered on parenting, home-schooling, and family routines. The “8 Passengers” channel showcased Ruby, her husband Kevin, and their six children. At its peak, the channel attracted over 2.5 million subscribers and millions of views per video. The formula was simple: share intimate family moments, from morning routines to discipline methods. Ruby was praised by some viewers for her strict parenting style and transparency. However, as the channel gained popularity, so did criticism—particularly over what many perceived as invasive and harsh treatment of the children. The Breaking Point: Public Scrutiny and Legal Fallout As the channel grew, so did the backlash. Numerous clips began to circulate on social media showing moments of Ruby disciplining her children in ways that many viewers considered inappropriate. Examples included food deprivation, emotional punishment, and on-camera humiliation. Critics argued that these instances crossed a line, raising questions about children’s rights, consent, and psychological harm. The Ruby Franke Documentary delves deep into these moments, featuring interviews with child psychologists, social media analysts, and even former fans. The documentary chronicles how online criticism grew into widespread concern and ultimately led to intervention by child welfare authorities. In 2023, Ruby was arrested on charges related to child abuse, and her case drew international attention. The documentary not only unpacks the events leading to her legal troubles but also examines how platforms like YouTube can incentivize extreme behavior when attention equals income. The Ethics of Family Vlogging One of the central themes of the Ruby Franke Documentary is the ethical dilemma posed by family vlogging. While countless parents vlog their family lives with good intentions, the genre often blurs the line between entertainment and exploitation. Children, lacking the ability to consent meaningfully, become content—every tantrum, every mistake, and every punishment is broadcast for views. Ruby Franke’s case is not the first to spark these concerns, but it is perhaps the most high-profile example of how far things can go. The documentary raises critical questions: Should children be allowed to be featured prominently in monetized online content? Where should society draw the line between parenting and performance? What responsibility do platforms have in moderating family content? Public Reaction and Fallout Public opinion on Ruby Franke shifted drastically following the release of the documentary and the revelations about her parenting methods. Once a beloved momfluencer, Ruby became a symbol of the darker underbelly of online fame. Her arrest, and the subsequent legal proceedings, were widely covered by both mainstream media and social platforms. Many former fans expressed betrayal and guilt for having supported the channel for years. Others noted that the warning signs had been present for some time but were ignored due to Ruby’s persuasive, polished presentation. The Ruby Franke Documentary includes interviews with viewers, mental health experts, and advocacy groups who now call for stricter regulations on child content online. The Aftermath and Industry Impact The fallout from the Ruby Franke scandal has had ripple effects across the family vlogging industry. Some family influencers have chosen to scale back their content, blur their children’s faces, or even step away from YouTube entirely. Discussions around child labor laws in the digital space have also intensified. Several states in the U.S., inspired in part by cases like Franke’s, are considering legislation that would protect minors featured in monetized online content—potentially requiring permits, earnings disclosures, and limits on what content can be shared. As the Ruby Franke Documentary continues to gain attention, it has sparked a broader movement for ethical family vlogging. It challenges both creators and viewers to consider the consequences of consuming and monetizing a child’s private life. FAQs: Q1: What is the Ruby Franke Documentary about? The documentary explores Ruby Franke’s rise and fall as a popular family vlogger, focusing on ethical concerns, public backlash, and her eventual legal troubles.Q2: Why did Ruby Franke face legal issues? Ruby Franke was arrested in 2023 on charges related to alleged child abuse, which came after years of public scrutiny over her parenting practices shown on YouTube.Q3: What are the main takeaways from the Ruby Franke Documentary? The documentary highlights the ethical issues of family vlogging, including children’s rights, online exploitation, and the influence of monetized digital content on parenting behavior.Q4: How has the family vlogging community reacted? Many vloggers have become more cautious, with some quitting altogether. There is growing support for legal protections for children featured in monetized content.Q5: Can I still watch the 8 Passengers YouTube channel? As of now, the channel’s content has been largely removed or made private, and the family is no longer actively vlogging.Tech World TimesTech World Times (TWT), a global collective focusing on the latest tech news and trends in blockchain, Fintech, Development & Testing, AI and Startups. If you are looking for the guest post then contact at techworldtimes@gmail.com