Remember the fiasco when Tap Tap Tap added undisclosed functionality to their wildly popular Camera+ app? Apple learned of this and removed the app from the app store. What was this functionality? The ability to override the volume buttons to use them as a shutter button. It's a great idea, because touching the touchscreen can wiggle the camera ever so slightly, messing up the shot.
Enter Kapok from Canopy. The Kapok is a nice iPhone 4 case in its own right, with the ability to stand on edge vertically or horizontally to line up a shot. But wait, there's more! Serious photographers can get serious with the built-in horizontal tripod mount! But it gets better. The case includes a pair of two stage buttons. Canopy will be releasing their own camera app which can use those hardwired buttons to take a photo. You can even take a photo while filming a movie... without interrupting the video recording!
The case comes in a variety of colors and is indeed blessed by Apple, featuring the "Made for iPhone" label. Have another idea for how you would use a pair of physical buttons? Maybe you want to write a game that could use them? Canopy has a Software Development Kit that they are making available for free! Canopy wants to sell their Kapok cases (at $60 each) and they know that their app alone may not be enough so with third party support, we may finally get physical buttons that work with an assortment of iPhone apps!
