egols
Latest
Hands-on with Liquid Image's LTE-capable Ego LS action cam
Liquid Image revealed its 4G LTE Ego LS action cam just hours ago, so we made a dash to take a look for ourselves. In terms of size, the LS is a bit smaller than the popular GoPro cams, but there's no built-in battery and the 1,900mAh cell nearly doubles the thickness of the unit. It's wrapped in a rather dapper matte black soft-touch coating that gives the gadget a nice feel. On the face, there's a display for keeping tabs complete with a red recording light and connectivity indicators. There's a play button up top, with power and connectivity buttons (the cam has both WiFi and Bluetooth options) around to the side. The requisite ports for HDMI, microSD card, USB and connecting to either the aforementioned battery or the 4G LTE module lie on the bottom edge. Meanwhile, Liquid Image has partnered with Verizon for the cellular connectivity bit, which comes at the hands of a clip-in accessory complete with its own 1,900mAh battery to power the streaming. That LTE module will set you back an additional $199 on top of the 200 bones that Ego LS costs on its own and nearly doubles the size (we're talking width here) of the action cam alone. For a look at the whole lot, there's a quick video walkthrough just past the break.
Liquid Image brings LTE to the action cam game with its new Ego LS
Snowy mountaintops and sheer dirt tracks are just a couple of locations fitting for an epic action cam segment, but they're not places you're likely to find a good WiFi connection. Without putting extra hardware at significant risk of destruction, livestreaming just hasn't been possible in many desirable situations. At CES, however, Liquid Image is mixing things up with the introduction of its new Ego LS camera, which we believe is the first to feature LTE connectivity. It's capable of transmitting WQVGA (400 x 240; bummer) video at 30 fps for up to two hours, or still images over 4G. Otherwise, the 8-megapixel cam has WiFi, Bluetooth, and can partner with iOS and Android devices via the Liquid Image app like the outfit's other models. A microSD slot supporting up to 64GB cards keeps you recording at 1080p/30 fps or 720p/60 fps while disconnected, and like other members in the Ego line, it'll be accompanied by various mounts. Two variants of the Ego LS, both with new motion detection and continuous-photo modes, but one with LTE and one without, are slated to launch in June this year with an estimated price tag of $200.
