HTC RE Camera: A Sleek GoPro Alternative

HTC RE Camera: A Sleek GoPro Alternative

Taiwanese smartphone company HTC has announced something extraordinary by introducing their latest device, a standalone camera named the HTC RE. It has a quite interesting design and at the first glance, it looks like an asthma inhaler, but will it stand out against its competitors like GoPro?

The HTC RE is quite an oddly-shaped camera, but is small and light. It measures 96.7 x 26.5mm and 65.5 grams (2.31 ounces), and it must be easily handled (or more appropriately, grasped) by one hand, as Engadget suggests. It shoots photos of up to 16 megapixels in size, can record 1080p Full HD video and a 4x slow-mo in 720p HD, can take time-lapse videos, and features a GoPro-like 146-degree wide angle lens. It only has two buttons - a shutter button and a slow-mo toggle button.

The device connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. CNET reports that an RE app will be available for iOS and Android, and will initially connect to the device via Wi-Fi Direct. The camera app will also activate some advanced features of the HTC RE including some options for time-lapse mode, taking pictures remotely, and automatic share to networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. When the camera is not in use, the camera keeps connection to the app by switching into Bluetooth mode.

HTC RE can be mounted to a standard ¼-20 tripod mount for taking some group pictures and time-lapse videos. It is also waterproof to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes, so you can take shots at the pool, for example. The camera has an SD card slot and is bundled with an 8GB card, but is expandable to 128GB. Battery life is reported to last more than 1,000 shots, and 90 minutes of video capture, probably when not on WiFi.

The release date will be later this October in the U.S. and November in U.K., and will be priced at $199 and £160-£170 respectively, as InformationWeek says. HTC has planned to have an array of accessories lined up to support the camera, so customization for the device will be provided easily. As with the fact that should it compete with GoPro, it seems that is more suitable as a lifestyle camera, rather than an extreme sports device.

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