GoPro, the Q-Tips of action cameras, recognized a problem. People are shooting tons of footage with their cameras, but are then letting it languish away on a dusty old hard drive, unseen and unedited. The California company is hoping to help correct that with new mobile apps and desktop editing software.
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We’re guessing that a few companies have been eyeing GoPro’s position at the top of the action-cam market with envy. That’s why Toshiba is launching the Camileo X-Sports, a boxy action camera that strongly takes after that aforementioned leading brand. The small, 94-gram (3.3-ounce) unit comes with a 2-inch LCD display, a 12-megapixel CMOS sensor and the ability to shoot 60fps video. There’s a 10x digital zoom paired with an ultra-wide angle lens, micro-USB and mini-HDMI ports and the battery promises to last 1.5 hours when shooting 60fps and over two hours at 30fps. It’ll also connect directly over 802.11 b/g/n WiFi to a nearby smartphone or tablet, so you can use the larger device as a viewfinder for your more arty powder shredding montages. The retail package will also come with a bundled waterproof casing, wristband remote control as well as several mounts, and will be available in Europe before Christmas for €250 ($330). %Gallery-slideshow79648%
Filed under: Cameras
Exactly a year ago, Sony dove into the GoPro-like adventure camera market only to leave us wanting a little more
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It takes someone special to turn their company name into a verb. But that’s what GoPro founder and CEO Nicholas Woodman has done. GoPro is now synonymous with action sports. Skateboarders, surfers and overly enthusiastic parents don’t just film their antics anymore. They GoPro them.
The action camera company has made big moves lately, and with a recent investment from Foxconn, proved that hardware can be a viable startup business. I’m excited to have Nicholas Woodman join me for a fireside chat at Disrupt SF. Hopefully he’ll teach me how to surf.
The story goes that Woodman discovered surfers needed an affordable photography option on an around-the-world trip following the failure of an earlier company. Initially financed by selling shell necklaces and camera straps from his van, Woodman went on to found GoPro and eventually receive capital from Steamboat Ventures (affiliated with the Walt Disney Corporation), Riverwood Capital, Sageview Capital, Walden International, and U.S. Venture Partners.
GoPro and Woodman essentially created the action video camera market. Their runaway success spawned countless knock-offs, imitators just trying to capture a bit of the growing market. But despite stiff competition, GoPro has maintained its stance as the market leader. The company now employees around 500 people around the world. Foxconn purchased 8.88% of the company for 200 million dollars in late 2012, setting the market value of the company at 2.25 billion dollars.
Along the way Woodman has stayed true to the mission of creating a camera to capture extreme sports. The company didn’t branch off. It didn’t go downmarket or attempt to compete in other markets. Woodman had found his customer early on and remained dedicated to them.
If anyone can advise hardware companies, it’s Nicholas Woodman. He will kick off the final day of Disrupt, followed by another rockstar founder, Pebble Watch’s Eric Migicovsky.
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Nicholas Woodman
GoPro
Founder, CEO
While the eight-person staff of GoPro was enjoying the success of their first HD HERO camera in 2009, founder and CEO Nick Woodman realized one thing: to support his vision, he was going to need a bigger staff. But before Woodman could think bigger, he had to start out small.
After receiving a degree in Visual Arts from the University of California, San Diego, Woodman founded an online promotions company, Fun Bug. In 2001, Woodman sold Fun Bug and took off surfing and traveling the world. The decision inspired more than the personal – Woodman’s passion for surfing sparked the idea to create the now-popular wearable and gear mountable camera and in 2002, Woodman founded GoPro. After years of research and planning, the company released its first product, the GoPro HERO, a 35mm film-based camera that was worn on the wrist.
Made up of some of Woodman’s friends and family members, the early GoPro team established the company as a true innovator by continually iterating on the product, moving from a film-based camera to a digital still and video camera. A lifetime extreme sports enthusiast, Woodman was learning how to race cars when he was compelled to move the camera from his wrist to the top of his car. This simple idea led to an array of camera mounting devices – for everything from helmets to surfboards, and even dog collars.
Garmin is well known in the GPS and navigation space, but now the company is taking that technology and adding a camera to the mix with its VIRB line of action cameras.
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Garmin’s new Virb action camera enters a crowded market with good options at the top (GoPro Hero3 Black Edition
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Drones are widely considered to be a creation for wreaking havoc in war zones and for clandestine surveillance in remote parts of the world. However those are not the only kind of drones. A restaurant used drones to deliver food to customers’ tables while researchers in Iran are working on a drone that can save lives. One popular drone, which can be bought by anyone, is the Phantom Quadcopter. You might remember it from the 3 minute short film of New York City it was used to create. A photographer decided to use the drone, with a GoPro camera attached to it, for a bridal shoot. Unfortunately he ended up flying the drone straight into the groom’s face.
The photographer tried to get a unique fly-by angle by flying the drone past the couple, he was able to do it the first time around. When he tried to the same maneuver the second time, he underestimated the lift time and the drone hit the groom on the side of the face. This collision resulted in a cut on his cheek and on the side of his head. Fortunately, despite the fact that Phantom Quadcopter is capable of a top vertical speed of over 19 feet per second, no major harm was caused and the incident was laughed off.
Photographer Flies Phantom Quadcopter Drone Straight Into Groom’s Face original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Those nifty Fuelbands and activity trackers can measure pretty much anything you do
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It now takes even less time to show off your mad shredding skills. With the latest update to the GoPro companion app, owners of the popular action cameras can now view, edit and, most importantly, share content from a smartphone or tablet.
The app is simple enough. It connects to GoPro cams through a WiFi signal, giving owners a large set of available tools. The cameras can be viewed and controlled from a smartphone or tablet, for one –this includes adjusting the dozens of available settings on each little guy. Owners can also view, manage and download content from the camera to their phones. From there, it can be shared like any other media. Upload the action to Geocities or FriendFeed like you would any other picture.
This update again shows how GoPro has long maintained its dominance in an increasingly competitive market. From offerings from major brands like Sony to upstarts building options for smartphones, the action camera market is getting awfully crowded. But GoPro has steadily released substantial updates to both its hardware and software to keep the products fresh. Combine that with the very aggressive targeted marketing and it’s clear how GoPro stays on top.
This update is available now and is compatible with the GoPro Hero3 and Hero2 cameras once updated to the latest firmware.
Since launch, the GoPro App has primarily served as a remote control; it hasn’t been much good for reviewing the day’s shooting. That won’t be an issue with the newly launched GoPro App 2.0. Both Android and iOS users can now browse their action camera’s memory card, save and play media on a mobile device, and share any saved clips through email, MMS and social networks like Instagram. Windows Phone users aren’t in line for the update right now, but their Android and iOS counterparts can grab both the new app and corresponding camera firmware upgrades at the source links.
Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Tablets
Source: App Store, Google Play, GoPro
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