So this is crazy. Monoprice is coming out with a $100 action camera next month. Yeah, the company best known for their ridiculously cheap and awesome HDMI cables sells a bunch of other super high quality gear, like the MHD Action Camera. More »
You may remember iON stepping out onto the action camera market back in spring, when we went hands on with the OG Air Pro. Fast forward to CES, and it’s back with a brace of new cameras to capture your every move. First up is the iON Adventure, a 1080p GPS-enabled helmet cam with a twist, almost literally. The device has the same tubular format as the original, but the lens is actually on one of the longer sides, rather than at the end of the barrel, making it more suitable for chest mounting. The Adventure also has two memory card slots, meaning you can pack in a whole lot more footage, battery willing. For those extended shoots, a new loop recording mode allows continuous, non-stop recording between the two cards — no more swapping out your micro-SD on the move. Other features include a vibrate-to-record function (it starts and stops recording when it detects movement) and a partnership with map / video sharing service Kinomap. The device has a sleek, gloss back finish, weighs just 4.2 ounces, and has a large, easily accessible record button on one end. While we only spent a short time with the camera, the quality of the build felt good, and the demo footage looked impressive. The Adventure will be available starting in March for $349.
The second new family member is the Air Pro 2. As you might have guessed, this is the second iteration of the original we saw back in March. Much of the external design remains the same, with the distinct octagonal accents at either end of the barrel. The main difference being the image sensor upgrade, which can now shoot at 14 megapixels, with 60fps for video and a 180-degree mode for those extra wide shots. Last time we liked the Air Pro, but we’ll be especially keen to see how the follow up performs. With more and more cameras launching into the market, differentiating can be difficult, something apparently not lost on iON, who has clearly tried hard to introduce new and distinct features. The Air Pro 2 also becomes available in March, with two versions — one with WiFi, one without. The wireless enabled one will cost you $299, or $249 if you don’t need the extra functionality.
Sean Cooper contributed to this report
Continue reading iON reveals Adventure and Air Pro 2 sports cameras, we go hands on
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Drift has updated its HD action camera to help you better document your Baumgartner-esque death defying acts. The Drift HD Ghost gets a two-inch LCD screen with a refreshed control setup and chunky, 1,700mAh battery. The company is boasting that audio on this new unit should be greatly improved (something we took issue with last time out) so the world can hear your blood-curdling screams as you plummet through the stratosphere. It’s available to pre-order from today for $399, with the device set to begin shipping from November 19th.
Gallery: Drift HD Ghost Press Gallery
Continue reading Drift HD Ghost helmet cam available to pre-order today for $400 (video)
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Drift HD Ghost helmet cam available to pre-order today for $400 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
When Sony announced their Action Camera, we guessed everyone else was in deep trouble. After all, Sony makes some of the baddest, most darkness-proof image sensors out there. But images speak louder than specs. So we put this little sucker through its paces. More »
Looking to save some coin on your tech purchases? Of course you are! In this round-up, we’ll run down a list of the freshest frugal buys, hand-picked with the help of the folks at Slickdeals. You’ll want to act fast, though, as many of these offerings won’t stick around long.
With the GoPro Hero3 announcement yesterday, the outfit’s HD Hero2 is already seeing a nice discount. The action cam visits today’s round of links alongside a 14-inch Lenovo IdeaPad and two Windows 8 options. Head on past the break to see what else is being offered with handsome savings, and as always, be mindful of those coupon codes and rebate forms should you need ’em. Don’t drag your feet, though, as these deals are likely to disappear quickly.
Filed under: Cameras, Misc, Laptops, Storage, Software
Slickdeals’ best in tech for October 17th: Windows 8 Pro, GoPro HD Hero2 and Lenovo IdeaPad U410 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 12:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
GoPro just revealed its new flagship action camcorder, the Hero3, and we managed to get our mitts on one this evening. First things first, the Hero3 is tiny, particularly when considering that it shoots 4K video (albeit at a paltry 12fps), a resolution usually reserved for much larger, cinematic cameras. Having handled its competition recently — the Action Cam from Sony and the Contour+2 — we can say that the Hero3 feels smaller and lighter than both of them. It’s about the size of a couple of matchboxes stacked together and is quite lightweight, yet still feels sturdy. The textured plastic exterior is finger friendly, and the big round power / mode and record buttons give a reassuring snick with every press. The WiFi remote that comes with the Hero3 Black Edition is similarly solid in its construction, though we wish it had the same textured skin as the camera instead of its smooth exterior. We didn’t get to use the Hero3 for its stated purpose just yet, but we’ll be filming with the thing tomorrow, so stay tuned for all the POV footage. In the meantime, feel free to enjoy a tour of GoPro’s new diminutive hardware and check out its first sample video after the break.
Gallery: GoPro Hero3 and WiFi remote hands-on
Continue reading GoPro Hero3 action camera hands-on
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GoPro Hero3 action camera hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 02:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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At a San Francisco launch event GoPro has just revealed the next addition to its line of action cameras, the Hero3. The Hero3 claims specs that are 30 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than its predecessor, with a resolution that’s up to 4x higher and it has WiFi included. The top of the line Black Edition (pictured above) is capable of capturing video at up to 4K res — if you’re willing to drop the framerate down to 15fps — however thanks to a processor it says is 2x faster, it has also doubled frame rates at lower resolutions. That means 1080p60, 1440p48 and 720p120 modes are supported for your super slow and still-HD capture needs. The Silver Edition maxes out at 11MP stills and 1080p30 video, while the White Edition drops down to 5MP stills. All three versions include WiFi (no BacPac necessary for remote control via the just-released-on-iOS app) however the Black edition includes a remote that can control up to 50 cameras at once with a 600ft range and is waterproof to 10 feet deep. It will also be available as a $79 accessory for the lesser versions.
As far as pricing, the Black Edition is $399, the Silver is $299 and the White $199. Pre-orders are scheduled to start at 12:01AM PT (3:01AM ET), and there’s a handy counter on the GoPro site if you otherwise might forget. The variety of models and ubiquitous WiFi may help fight off competition at the pricing low end like the new ContourROAM2, among others. Naturally we were in the house and will have hands-on pics and impressions soon, check the gallery for pics of the box and detailed specs.
Update: Our hands-on is live! Check out how tiny the Hero3 really is right here.
Gallery: GoPro Hero3
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Filed under: Cameras
GoPro’s new Hero3 is lighter, faster, higher res and has WiFi, comes in three flavors starting at $199 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 23:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Contour+2 may well be the best digital action camcorder on the market (though Sony and GoPro would beg to differ), but the company knows not everyone wants a $400 shooter to capture their epic runs this ski season. Thus, Contour has introduced the ROAM2, a $199 model that records 1080p 30fps and 720p 60fps video on its included 4GB microSD card. Like the original Roam, it can capture clips up to one meter underwater without an external case, has a 270-degree rotating lens and a laser level to line up your shots. This new Roam, however, sports improved image quality and an aluminum skin of four colors: black, red and blue will be widely available, and green models can be had exclusively from Amazon through the end of the year (other retailers will carry it in 2013). Want one? Best Buy and other retailers will start selling them on October 21st.
Filed under: Cameras
ContourROAM2 debuts in red, blue, green and black garb, shoots 1080p video for $199 on October 21 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 11:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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GoPro owners have had a long wait, but the company’s iOS remote app (Android “coming soon”) is finally available and ready to work for those possessing both an HD Hero2 camera and WiFi BacPac accessory. While the hardware will cost you the app itself is free, and adds capabilities including remote control of all of the camera’s settings, monitoring of battery life and storage space, date / time sync with your mobile device, live remote preview so you can see what you’re shooting in real time and also access to GoPro’s Photo of the Day / Video of the Day channels. Along with the app, GoPro is releasing the Protune firmware update that will let cameras record at a higher 35Mbps bitrate, 24fps and adjust the video for a different cinematic look.
Still, it is a v1 release and while our reader Khena reports it’s stable, it does have some rough edges. Currently you can’t access or view any recordings already stored on the camera or control more than one camera, although GoPro says those features are coming, while other gripes include delay between the camera and the app’s “live” viewfinder that can be as much as five seconds and the inability to preview the ProTune settings while recording. That’s a bit frustrating after the wait for the app to arrive, but in an action camera market suddenly teeming with competition, they may be enough to keep GoPro fans from switching to another any time soon. Check out a quick tutorial video and press release after the break, or hit the link below to grab the app from iTunes (make sure your camera and BacPac are updated to the latest software first.)
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Filed under: Cameras
GoPro iOS app is finally available, adds live viewfinder and remote controls for action cameras originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 06:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Between big guns like GoPro and Contour and big names like Sony, the action camera market is getting pretty full, pretty fast. Back in May, we saw the arrival of the Air Pro WiFi from Ion, an oblong mountable camera with an add-on WiFi module, and now the company’s got another addition to the line, the punnily-named (wait for it) Ion The Game (get it? Eye? Eye-on The Game?). The whole “action” part is far less pronounced here. This sports cam is intended to be more stationary than its predecessor — mounted on a still spot to capture soccer games (don’t let them catch you calling it that here in Europe) and to help you critique your golf swing.
The key differences here — aside from its boxier shape — are the 2.5-inch display and the WiFi, which is built directly into the device, rather than relying on an add-on. The display isn’t much to write home about. It’s small, a bit dull in the color department and a little choppy. It’ll get the job done though, when it comes to monitoring action (or lack of action, we guess) on the fly. The WiFi meanwhile, adheres to the company’s whole “shoot-and-share” motto, letting to send videos directly to Facebook and the like.
The camera looks reasonably rugged, with a plastic protected lens — it’s also water-resistant up to 10 meters. The Game records to SD cards and will be arriving by the end of the year, priced at an admittedly lofty €329 here in Europe.
Gallery: Ion Your Game sports camera
Filed under: Cameras
Ion The Game action cam has built-in WiFi and 2.5-inch display, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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