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Elgato's Cam Link turns your DSLR into a souped-up webcam
Most of the time, I buy cameras for specific purposes. My DSLR exists to capture vacation photos and product shots for Engadget reviews. When I go on hikes or long bike rides, I pull out a GoPro Hero4. For some reason, however, I just can't bring myself to buy a dedicated webcam for Twitch streaming or YouTube vlogs. I already have a handful of great consumer cameras -- shouldn't I be able to use one of those? In reality, that's easier said than done: Most cameras simply aren't designed to push a live feed out to a PC. It's a problem I've spent hours trying to solve, but never did. Then, I heard about the Elgato Cam Link, a USB capture device that can turn any camera with HDMI output into a functional webcam.
GoPro sells the Karma's stabilizer grip by itself for $300
No, you still can't buy GoPro's Karma drone in the wake of the recall, but you can get a taste of the technology that came in the box. GoPro has started selling the Karma Grip, the stabilization wand that takes the jitters out of your Hero5 Black or (with a $30 harness) Hero4 Black/Silver camera footage. Spend $300/£250 and you can capture a bike ride or snowboarding adventure without making your friends motion sick. There's a mounting ring to attach it to wearable accessories, too, so you don't have to give up one of your hands while you use it.
GoPro cuts jobs after a big drop in action camera sales
It's tough times for GoPro's fledgling empire. The action camera maker is cutting the jobs of about 7 percent of its workforce (roughly 105 people) after poor sales during the fourth quarter, particularly in the first half. It doesn't have a detailed explanation for the drop, but it recently slashed the price of the notoriously expensive Hero4 Session -- clearly, it misjudged how much people were willing to pay for the tiny cube cam.
Polaroid sues GoPro for copying a design patent
C&A Marketing Inc., the company that produces the Polaroid Cube, has filed a lawsuit against GoPro for releasing the Hero4 Session camera. On what grounds? Well, the two cameras look almost identical. Both are shaped like a cube with rounded edges, and even though the Session is able to shoot better quality video and is slightly larger than the 1.4-cubic-inch Cube, C&A is insisting that GoPro has infringed on the design patent that it received in May this year, preventing any other camera from copying the Cube's unique look. GoPro had filed a patent related to its square camera's design in March, but that specifically covered the camera's housing.
GoPro wants you to make short videos on your action camera
So you want to put your latest action camera footage on Instagram or Vine, but you'd rather not transfer the entire video to your computer or phone just to produce a seconds-long highlight. What to do? As of today, GoPro has an easy answer. It's rolling out a trimming feature that produces short, share-worthy clips, whether you're editing in the mobile app or on the camera itself -- you could post a video of your mountain bike adventures while you're still taking a breather. You'll need a full-size Hero4 to trim on-camera, but the Hero4 Session and any other WiFi-capable GoPro cam will play nicely with app-based trimming.
Livestream your GoPro adventures with Meerkat
In its ongoing war with Periscope for the hearts and screens of mobile users, Meerkat announced a new feature on Thursday. Users can now livestream their adventures from select GoPro cameras. Right now, only GoPro Hero3's offer the feature. Users will also need an iPhone with a wireless connection to the camera in order for everything to work. Meerkat is reportedly working to add support for both the Hero4 camera series and the Android platform in the near future. This announcement follows the recent Meerkat additions of the "cameo" feature that allows your friends to hop onto broadcasts with you and an embeddable web player.
iFixit Hero4 Session teardown: it's impossible to repair
The new GoPro Hero4 Session is an impressive waterproof camera capable of capturing 1440 video at up to 240 frames per second without the need for a waterproof case. It's also quite expensive, retailing for $400. But is the palm-sized action-cam really worth that much cash, what with its distinct lack of replaceable parts? iFixit recently disassembled one to find out.
Action camera shootout: Which GoPro is best for you?
Last week, GoPro announced the Hero4 Session, a small, square camera that doesn't need a waterproof housing. The diminutive size and simple controls (one press turns it on and starts it recording) gave the Hero4 Session unique character, but its price -- $400 -- caused a few double-takes. Why? Because that makes this 1080p camera (with 8-megapixel stills) just as expensive as the Hero4 Silver, a camera that shoots in higher resolution (2.7K and low frame rate 4K) has an LCD touchscreen, among other flagship features. Then there's the Hero+ LCD, which costs $100 less than the Session, but has similar shooting modes (1080p at 60fps video, and 8MP stills). You may be wondering exactly where the Hero4 Session fits in, and which one might suit you best. I did a little image comparison to help you with that.
Meet the GoPro Hero4 Session: a tiny camera with big shoes to fill
That camera you see above is the GoPro Hero4 Session, the fifth and newest member to the company's current line-up. You can't have avoided noticing that the Hero4 Session is a small black square, and not the traditional silver matchbox, or gray lump we're used to. It's the most striking update in design we've seen from GoPro for, well, ever. The smaller, lighter form factor is the most obvious talking point, but the feature set is interesting too, for a mix of reasons.
GoPro transmitter puts action cameras on live TV
Your favorite extreme sports events are about to get a little more interesting... or at least, the camera angles will. As promised, GoPro has launched the HEROCast, a wireless transmitter that sends footage from the company's action cameras to broadcast TV. The relatively tiny add-on hooks on to existing mounts and delivers a 1080p, 60 frames per second live feed with a minimum of lag and bulk -- that death-defying jump will hopefully come across without a hitch. You probably won't be buying one yourself when it costs $7,500 before you factor in the necessary Hero3+ Black or Hero4 camera, but it's nice to know that you don't have to settle for distant, uninvolved shots in the future.
Engadget UK giveaway: win a GoPro Hero4 Black Edition courtesy of Tagstr
Alas, our Galaxy Note 4 giveaway has run its course, but don't be too downhearted if you missed out. This week, we've got one of GoPro's new Hero4 Black Edition action cams to offload, and the timing couldn't be better if you've got a shredding adventure planned this ski season. The top-of-the-range GoPro, which can record gorgeous 4K video at 30 fps, has been supplied by our generous friends at Tagstr, the media-centric social network that uses hashtags to blend the photo, video and audio content of users into "shared moments." A few new features have been added since we last caught up with Tagstr, too, including support for multiple file uploads and the ability to import media from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to share on Tagstr. As per usual, UK residents can enter the GoPro giveaway up to three times via the Rafflecopter widget below. After they've read the rules, that is. Winning: congrats to Michael J. from Cambridge!
Engadget Daily: The Meizu MX4 Pro, why GoPro's mid-range camera is its best, and more!
The GoPro Hero4 Black can shoot 4K at 30 fps. So why, then, does James Trew prefer the cheaper and less-equipped Hero4 Silver? Two words: the touchscreen. That's not all we have on deck, though -- read on for the rest of our news highlights from the last 24 hours, including YouTube's latest licensing battle, the Meizu MX4 Pro and Motorola's smart key fob.
Windows 10, the GoPro Hero4 and other stories you might've missed
The weekend is here, and you know what that means? It's time to catch up on all the best tech news from the last seven days -- we went hands-on with Windows 10, explored the world of vape modding, launched our own web series, and more. Oh, and be sure to subscribe to our Flipboard magazine!
Engadget Daily: GoPro Hero4, the gospel of virtual reality and more!
Hey, want to spice up your Monday evening? Check out our news highlights from the last 24 hours, including the GoPro Hero4, everything you need to know about the Bash shell flaw, and more. You know you want to.
GoPro's Hero4 cameras offer 30 fps 4K shooting or touchscreen controls
GoPro started life as a home-brew wrist-mounted 35mm camera, but it's come a long way since. Today we're getting a look at the next installment of that story: The Hero4. The latest cameras from the action sports behemoth bring some anticipated features, along with a few surprises. Most notably, while the Hero4 still comes in three tiers/editions, there are greater differences between them. Black is still the top-specification model (more details of which after the fold), but Silver has a few neat tricks of its own. Finally, the White edition is out; in place is a new camera simply called "Hero." The new family structure is essentially: professionals, prosumer/consumers and entry level -- which isn't that different from before, just this time around it's more pronounced. "Enough already. Tell me about the features," I hear you say. Glad you asked, follow on below for details.
