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iON reveals Adventure and Air Pro 2 sports cameras, we go hands on

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

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Shoot and Share All the Action with New iON Air Pro 2 Wearable, Wi-Fi-enabled and Waterproof POV Camera


iON Worldwide's Second-Generation Camera Provides Superior User Experience Including Higher Resolution Images, Wider-Angle Lens and Longer Battery Life

LAS VEGAS (CES 2013), January 7, 2013 - iON Worldwide, the global consumer electronics company that has brought Shoot/ShareTM Wi-Fi connectivity to point-of-view (POV) cameras, today upped the ante with the unveiling of its second-generation iON Air Pro wearable, high-definition (HD) video camera. The new iON Air Pro 2 offers powerful, new features designed to make it easy for skiers, bikers, boarders, skaters and other sports enthusiasts to capture and share high quality video images, while retaining the compact size, light weight, fully waterproof design, Wi-Fi connectivity and ease-of-use benefits that have made the original Air Pro camera so popular.

The Air Pro 2 is one of three cameras iON is unveiling at CES 2013 in its quest to deliver a full line of cameras tailored to meet the diverse needs of a broad range of pro and consumer users. Also being announced are the GPS-equipped iON Adventure, designed for travelers and adventure-seekers, and the iON Speed Pro for motor and marine sports and racing.

Boasting a 14-megapixel sensor, the iON Air Pro 2 leapfrogs the competition in still resolution, delivering superior image quality than most POV cameras currently on the market. The iON Air Pro 2 captures up to 60 frames per second HID video. Like the original Air Pro, the new camera vibrates when recording stops or starts so it is virtually impossible to miss capturing the "big moment," whether in the surf, on the mountain or at the local amusement park.

A new, 180-degree lens provides the widest field of view, letting users capture more of a scene, and its standard battery provides up to 2.5 hours recording time, ensuring the camera remains fully functional to capture any and every moment.
ioncamera.com

iON has added a microphone-in jack to the Air Pro 2, enabling the use of accessory microphones for pro-quality audio recording.
With the addition of the accessory Wi-Fi PODZTM, iON Air Pro 2 users can easily upload their videos to social sites via iON's iOS or Android apps for smartphones and tablets. The iON app enables use of an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch or late-model Android phone or tablet to stop and start recording, change all camera shooting modes, trip the shutter for still images, check battery life, and more.
"The POV category is crowded, and we aim to set ourselves apart by offering a wide range of options that meet the diverse needs of our customers. iON Air Pro 2 provides a higher level performance, designed to satisfy those who seek top-quality video and audio – all within a cohesive ecosystem that provides a superior user experience," said Giovanni Tomaselli, CEO, iON Worldwide.

Two different packages will be available as of March 2013:
 ION AIR PRO 2 (MSRP: $249.99) – the HD sports video camera that comes with a
mini tripod, helmet mount, travel power adapter, USB cable, and pouch.
 ION AIR PRO 2 Wi-Fi (MSRP: $299.99) – the iON Air Pro 2 package plus the Wi-Fi
PODZ to allow for instant connectivity to the iON app.

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New iON Adventure Brings GPS and Non-Stop Recording to iON POV Camera Series
HD Video Camera Allows Users to Easily Document Once-in-a-Lifetime Moments – and Where They Happen

LAS VEGAS (CES 2013), January 7, 2013 - iON Worldwide, the global consumer electronics company known for bringing Shoot/ShareTM Wi-Fi connectivity to point-of-view (POV) cameras, today announced the iON AdventureTM, the latest addition to its iON line of action cameras. The iON Adventure re-invents the POV camera for long-distance and long- timespan activities, with GPS functionality, a unique loop recording mode and dual SD-card storage to ensure there is ample storage space available for wildlife seekers, climbers, hikers, travelers and other adventurers to effectively document and share their biggest moments, whether they involve summiting Mount Everest or reeling in a 200-pound Marlin.
The iON Adventure is one of three cameras iON is unveiling at CES 2013 in its quest to deliver a full line of cameras tailored to meet the diverse needs of a broad range of pro and consumer users. Also being announced are the iON Air Pro 2-the second-generation of the company's flagship Air Pro line, and the iON Speed Pro for motor and marine sports and racing.

A built-in GPS receiver, which allows users to add location, speed and altitude data to their videos, makes iON Adventure the ideal accessory for activities that take place over long distances and varied terrain, such as mountain biking, hiking/trekking, climbing, ATV-riding, deep-sea fishing, hunting and long-distance racing. The addition of GPS data also allows users to analyze their performance; for example, mountain climbers can use it to study how altitude changes affect their ascent.

Users whose adventures span hours, and even days, will especially appreciate the loop recording mode that allows for continuous, non-stop recording between two memory cards, eliminating the hassle of manually restarting recording and swapping out memory cards.
ioncamera.com

The camera also incorporates a vibration sensor that automatically starts and stops recording when it senses motion. These features ensure that users won't miss the ―big moment.‖

A new iON body design-with a side-mounted lens-enables the camera to be comfortably strapped across a user's chest. A new, ultra-sensitive image sensor is capable of capturing full 1080p HD video even in difficult lighting conditions. Like the iON Air Pro series, the iON Adventure is ultra-lightweight, weighing in at just 4.2 ounces, and fully compatible with the iON PODZTM accessory system. When iON Adventure is used with the Wi-Fi PODZ and the iON app for iOS and Android, users can transform their smartphone or tablet into a powerful remote for the iON Adventure as well as instantly share their moments via YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, email and the iON CloudTM service.

iON will be building an eco-system of value-added products and services around iON Adventure, including a partnership with Kinomap, which offers the first online video/map- sharing platform. Kinomap apps enable users to view a pre-recorded, geo-located outdoor route, measure their own performance and view progress on an accompanying map.

―The iON Adventure embodies our company vision to build a complete POV camera ecosystem that makes sharing and shooting equally important parts of the user experience,‖ said Giovanni Tomaselli, CEO, iON Worldwide. ―We recognize that active camera users have a range of specialized needs, and the general ̳action camera' doesn't necessarily fulfill all needs. iON Adventure addresses the unique needs associated with trekking, traveling, climbing and other activities where knowing your location, speed and altitude can be beneficial.‖

The iON Adventure will be available online in March 2013 for $349.99 at ioncamera.com and select sports and consumer electronics retailers.
More information and details about iON cameras, mounting kits and accessories for iON cameras can be found at www.ioncamera.com.