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Meet the small 360 camera module that will fit into phones
You're probably not aware of this, but a Chinese company dubbed ProTruly has already released the world's first two "VR smartphones" with a built-in 360 camera last December. Don't worry if you missed the news, because chances are you'd be put off by the devices' sheer bulkiness, but according to Wuhan-based HT Optical, this may no longer be the case with the next release. At MWC Shanghai, I came across this company which appeared to be the 360 camera module supplier of ProTruly, as suggested by the presence of its two phones at the booth. The phones' brands were actually covered with tape, but given their distinct designs, the link between HT Optical and ProTruly was hardly a secret.
Google dives deep to bring underwater photos of the Great Barrier Reef this September
Your next trip to the Great Barrier Reef could be from the comfort of your home now that Google's partnered with Catlin SeaView Survey, the University of Queensland's Global Change Institute and the Underwater Earth organization to document this amazing ecosystem. Equipped with a special underwater camera capable of withstanding depths of 328 feet, the survey aims to photograph 50,000 shots in 360-degree panoramic view and incorporate them into Google Earth and Google Maps. Dubbed "Google SeaView," it seeks to open opportunities for increased conservation as well as a free look for wanna-be world travelers who can't afford a plane ticket down under. As an added perk, the collected data may also be used to help future ship captains navigate through the treachery of the intricate coral highways. Check past the break for more info on the survey and plenty of footage teeming with aquatic wildlife.
Tamaggo 360-imager teams up with your PC or phone to take 360-degree panoramic pictures
There's a lot of ways to capture panoramic photos, from phone attachments for iPhone and Android to throwable camera orbs, and now there's the Tamaggo 360-imager. It's a small, 7 ounce, 14-megapixel camera that can capture fully viewable 360 degree images using built-in panamorph technology -- which allows users to navigate, zoom and crop images as soon as they're snapped. The device is controlled using its 2-inch LCD touchscreen, and charges its Li-polymer battery via mini USB, which it also uses to connect to your PC. Bluetooth's onboard to connect your phone, and WiFi's there to allow for easy photo sharing on email and social networks. The 360-imager will be available in Q2 of 2012 for $200, and stay tuned -- we'll be seeing the thing in person here at CES.
Kogeto's iCONIC for Android brings panoramic video to the masses
The last time we saw a Kogeto panoramic camera attachment, it was but a Kickstarter project looking for funding. Since then, the Kogeto Dot for iPhone has become such a success that it now graces Apple store shelves nationwide. Not content with only an iOS slice of the mobile pie, the company has, naturally, created an Android version to be officially unveiled at CES next week. Dubbed iCONIC for Android -- after the iCONIC lens technology that makes taking 360-degree videos possible -- the attachment will initially be made for the Galaxy Nexus, with more phones to follow. However, the device will only be made for phones that can record in 1080p, so the iPhone 4 will be the final handset capturing panoramic movies in 720p. Of course, the company has also ported the free companion Looker app to Android to dewarp the raw images into viewable video. Pre-orders for iCONIC for Android start in late January on the company website, and you can grab one for $79. We got to speak with Kogeto CEO Jeff Glasse about iCONIC for Android, and he indicated that the company's plans for it (like the attachment itself) differ from the Kogeto Dot. While Kogeto is currently making one version of the device, Glasse told us the company doesn't plan to build an attachment for every eligible Android phone. Instead, the idea is to license the technology to OEMs and let them manufacture iCONIC for the myriad handsets. This is all very good news for moviemaking Android users, but fear not, Kogeto hasn't forgotten you Apple folks. Glasse informed us that a new version of the iOS app is coming soon that'll let users start and stop recording with the volume buttons on their iPhones. We're hoping to give you all a glimpse of iCONIC for Android next week at CES, so stay tuned.
iOS 5's panorama enabled with backup hackery, jailbreak not required
Did you want in on iOS 5's hidden panorama feature, but weren't down with the whole jailbreak shindig? You're in luck, because RedmondPie found a roundabout solution. All interested parties need is an iTunes backup, a little elbow grease and a program called iBackupBot. That last item will allow you to bust open your device backup, where you'll find a preference file that needs an "EnableFirebreak" value changed from "false" to "true." Once that's done, a quick restore is all that stands between you and some epic panoramic vistas, bro. A full step-by-step guide awaits you at the source, just triple check that backup's recent before you obliterate and restore, okay? [Thanks, Brian]
Microsoft demos panoramic cam for RoundTable
If you actually made it all the way through that rather dense post from the other day on what Microsoft is now calling its Unified Communications Platform, then you probably remember us mentioning a new software package called RoundTable that gives users a panoramic view of all the other participants at the remote end of a web-conference. Well now we've spied the first pics of that 360 degree camera which enables this immersive experience -- developed out of a Microsoft project called RingCam -- thanks to a recent demonstration featuring company employees and sitcom stars engaged in a scripted debate over what to order for lunch. As we saw at the mock meeting, users are able to toggle between viewing the entire remote group or just the active speaker, with RoundTable also allowing the speaker to broadcast documents or PowerPoint slides directly to participants' monitors. Like most of the other hardware and software elements that are part of the new platform, both RoundTable and the complementary cam will be available to business-types sometime during the second quarter of next year.
