If you want to place a camera on a branch, signpost, railing or whatnot, there are already mini tripods with bendy legs that you can use. The Mambapod takes a different and in some ways better ...
When you first get a tripod for a camera, it seems pretty self-explanatory. You attach your camera to the top of the tripod with a mount, and then you unfold its three legs to keep the camera steady.