End User

Hands-Free Mobile Video Recording with Your Cell Phone

One of the features that you find on just about any mobile phone these days is the ability to capture video (as well as still images). However, you have to think about wanting to record something, open up the camera, and then point and start shooting--which can make you less of a participant in the action that's going on around you. What if your mobile videography could be even simpler?

Enter the Looxcie (pronounced "look-see"), a video camera that's been affixed to an earpiece that resembles a Bluetooth headset. And you don't even have to worry about starting and stopping video recording. Just put it on your ear, press the start button, and the Looxcie will continuously record all the action that you see for up to 5 hours. When it reaches the end of its video capacity, it will automatically purge the oldest material. And when you come across specific moments that you know you'll want to save, you can press an Instant Clip button on the bottom of the camera to save a clip that lasts up to 30 seconds.

You can transfer the video stored on the Looxcie over to your PC or Mac for editing longer clips from the complete footage (it's encoded in MP4 format), so you're not wholly reliant on the 30-second clip function.

And using the Looxcie's Bluetooth connectivity (yes, it does have it), you can connect to a Looxcie app available for select Android OS smartphones, which provides a live viewfinder (also good for optimizing the positioning of the earpiece) and allows you to create clips from stored video. Additionally, you can then share clips via e-mail or uploading to social networking sites and YouTube.

Speaking of Bluetooth, the Looxcie does indeed communicate with your phone as a communication headset (via the embedded hands-free profile), and it includes dual microphones for noise cancellation capabilities (i.e., you'll sound better to the callers on the other end). And the Bluetooth communication capability is available even as you're capturing video.

Here's a good demonstration of what you can do with a Looxcie from a video posted over at TechCrunch:

The Android app is currently supported by the following phones (with more to come throughout the fall):

HTC Aria (AT&T) HTC Droid Incredible (Verizon) HTC EVO 4G (Sprint) LG Ally (Verizon) Motorola DROID (Verizon)

Motorola DROID X (Verizon) Motorola DROID 2 (Verizon) Nexus One Samsung Captivate (AT&T)

Looxcie also promises similar apps to be available for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Nokia phones down the line.

The Looxcie is currently available exclusively from Amazon, and it's ready for pre-ordering.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

New From Flip Video

FlipBlog Shoot and Share pioneer, Flip Video recently unveiled their new line of camcorders for their Mino HD and Ultra HD lines. These  new Flips are slimmer devices, at more affordable price points.

Several of the new Flips come equipped with enhanced image stabilization for better video quality in an otherwise shaky situation.

         

These cool new camcorders are available now.

--Brandon M. Baker

New Picsio Camcorders from JVC

JVC just announced two new Picsio camcorders for easy video capture and quick upload to your favorite website. The new GC-FM2 and waterproof GC-WP10 both record in full 1080p HD video, improved low-light performance and a three-inch touch screen for easy operation.


The new Picsios allow you to record in Apple's iFrame video format for easy editing in relatively small files. These new camcorders also function as a digital camera. The Picsios' CMOS image sensor captures stills at up to five MP images.

The Picsios' touchscreen handles all of the camcorders functions and even works while wearing gloves for fun in almost any situation.

Both new camcorders will be available in September 2010, but are now available for pre-order.

--Brandon M. Baker

Introducing the Panasonic TA-1

Technology innovator Panasonic enters the Shoot-and-Share Video segment with their newest camcorder, the TA-1. Shoot-and-Share camcorders are compact, easy-to-use devices that allow for quick video capture and upload to online sharing sites like YouTube and Facebook. Panasonic enters this space with a slick new camcorder that offers new features and capabilities unseen in competitors.

The Panasonic TA-1 is the first shoot and share camcorder to utilize Apple's iFrame video format to allow for compact recording of high quality video. The TA-1 features an LED illuminator to help out in low light situations because often image quality suffers because your subjects are only partially visible.  Another image capture benefit is resolution, the TA-1 records in full 1080P HD video and can also snap 8 MP still images.

Along with great capture technology, the TA-1 also allows for enhanced capabilities for users. The TA-1 has the essential of other shoot-and-share camcorders, like easy connectivity and video upload, but it also has the additional functionality to work as a webcam and microphone. You can use the TA-1 directly with Skype for face to face communication with friends and family anywhere with a data connection.

Panasonic's TA-1 combines a legacy of imaging expertise in a compact device you can take with you easily.

--Brandon M. Baker

Shoot And Show

Flip Video is at it again.  Their new SlideHD delivers awesome new capabilities for shoot and share shoppers.

One of the most noticeable features is the 3-inch touchscreen back.  The traditional big red button and other control buttons of a Flip are still there when you record. But now, when you want to replay footage you need only slide up the screen, scroll through video thumbnails on the camcorder’s slide strip and touch the screen to play footage. Along with better viewing, the new SlideHD allows for better listening. The camcorder features stereo speakers and a headphone jack for private viewing in noisy settings.

Like the UltraHD and 2nd gen MinoHD Flip camcorders, the SlideHD allows for direct connectivity to your HDTV via a mini-HDMI port. With the SlideHD you are able to record more than ever before, it can capture up to four hours of HD footage.

All Flip camcorders come equipped with FlipShare software to install on your home computer for sharing to Facebook or other sites, capturing still images and more. Specifically with the SlideHD, FlipShare software can save footage to Flip’s Space Saver format, allowing you to store up to 12 hours of video. This means you can share more Flip video footage than ever before with family and friends in a sleek compact device.

The new SlideHD is a cool new addition to Flip’s family of products. Letting you shoot and show your favorite memories for all to see.

--Brandon M. Baker

Eye-Fi Releases New Wireless-N Memory Card

Eye-Fi, maker of Wi-Fi-enabled Secure Digital memory cards, has introduced a new model to its lineup with the Pro X2. An upgrade to the previous Pro model, the new Pro X2 SDHC card doubles the memory to 8 GB and offers top-of-the-line Class 6 speed for fast read/write speed, but the real innovation is the inclusion of the faster Wireless-N standard--previous Eye-Fi cards have only been outfitted with 802.11b/g Wi-Fi connectivity.

In addition to lifetime geotagging, RAW compatibility and selective downloading, the Pro X2 includes a new feature called Endless Memory, which can automatically delete files from the card that have already been uploaded to either your PC or to a sharing site--thus saving you from having to switch cards. Gizmodo also notes that "you can choose how much of a storage buffer you'd like to leave at all times, in case you're away from a Wi-Fi connection for a while."

Additionally, Wi-Fi guru Glenn Fleishman reports that the Pro X2 comes with new software that owners of previous Eye-Fi cards can use:

Until now, Eye-Fi has relied on agent software that creates a local Web server for handling configuration. The new software is a desktop application, which among other features will let you publish photos to multiple online locations simultaneously instead of choosing a single photo or social-media site.

The Eye-Fi Pro X2 is available for pre-order now.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

New MinoHD From Flip Video

Last night Flip Video launched the 2^nd generation of their MinoHD shoot-and-share camcorder. This second iteration delivers what many customers have been hoping for. The new Flip MinoHD has twice the recording time (8 GB) of the previous version. You can now record up to two hours of HD footage. Like with previous Mino’s you can directly connect to your computer via the built-in USB; with this new MinoHD you can also directly connect to your HDTV via the new MinoHD’s mini-HDMI connector.  Along with output enhancements, the camcorder’s display is now larger (2-inch) than previous versions.

 

 

Hardware is not the only improvement with this new Flip camcorder. The pre-loaded FlipShare software has also been improved. With FlipShare’s Magic Movie feature, users can select a series of video clips, and the feature will edit the clips into a movie for uploading to the FlipShare Website (also viewable on your iPhone or iPod Touch with the FlipShare App), YouTube, and Facebook! Yes, Facebook. Within the next 2-3 weeks, FlipShare software will be able to upload directly to Facebook so you can shoot and share with all of your friends and fans. FlipShare will be the only shoot-and-share camcorder software with Facebook integration this holiday season.

--Brandon M. Baker

Non-iPod Apple Video News

Today, Apple announced their new video format, iFrame. According to the Apple site:

The iFrame Video format is designed by Apple to speed up importing and editing by keeping the content in its native recorded format while editing. Based on industry standard technologies such as H.264 and AAC audio, iFrame produces small file sizes and simplifies the process of working with Video recorded with your camera.

It looks like the big win here is the smaller file sizes so that you can upload footage to a computer quicker and that same footage will not take up nearly as much space. Because it is based on H.264, AAC, (therefore MP4 and QuickTime) iFrame files will work on both Mac and PC applications.

So far, only two camcorders shoot directly in iFrame. Both are from Sanyo: the VPC-HD2000A and the VPC-FH1A.

    

Along with the ability to shoot in iFrame, both Sanyo camcorders feature impressive optics, image stabilization, and other enhanced features to give you more control for the footage you shoot. This should allow you to enhance the footage quickly and easily in post-production.

This new video standard from Apple applies primarily to users of iMovie ’09 video software. As this standard grows and more camcorders adopt the new format, expect additional applications to embrace iFrame and take advantage of people shooting more video in a smaller more manageable file size.

--Brandon M. Baker 

The Final Countown?

If you take a look at the Amazon camera store you notice there is brief mention of a new Flip camcorder coming on Wednesday. We will find out soon enough, but feel free to comment on what you would like to see in the next generation of Flip.

 
 --Brandon M. Baker
  
  
  
  

Shoot, Share, Zoom!

Shoot-and-share camcorders are great. These small camcorders let you record quickly from a device that can fit in your pocket or backpack, and you can then upload it straight to YouTube or another site with just the camcorder and a computer: no installation CDs, no extra steps, the USB cable is usually built into the device itself. These camcorders have focused on capturing great images that look great. We finally have an entrant into this space that pays specific attention to audio: The Zoom Q3.

Zoom, best known for their audio recorders and devices for musical instruments, have entered the shoot-and-share camcorder space with a hot little camcorder that is the first to record in true stereo sound. Within the camcorder are two condenser microphones used in Zoom audio recorders to ensure perfect audio capture.  The Q3 even displays the audio levels as you record so you can adjust your position while shooting, so it sounds better when played online or elsewhere.

I wish my roommates in college had a Zoom Q3 the Sunday their band camped out in our basement for a multi-hour jam session. A song like “Infomercial Junkie” should have been captured so it could be reborn on YouTube. It is great to see a champion for audio quality in the camcorder space. I love what I hear on the video examples Zoom is providing for this product.

--Brandon M. Baker