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.

Let’s start with what it can do. The Hero4 Session shoots video up to 1080p at 60 frames per second (fps). It also has many of the modes existing GoPro users will be accustomed to: 1440p (4:3) at 30 fps, 720p at 100 fps, 960p (4:3) and so on. The full list (there are many more variations) is not as exhaustive as the Hero4 Silver or Black, but all the most used slow-motion and 4:3 perspectives (good for point of view shots) are there. There is, of course, a notable absence of any 4K, or even 2.7K modes that we see on the Silver and Black edition Hero4 cameras. As for photos, the Session shoots in 8-megapixel wide angle, or 5-megapixel medium, with time lapse and burst modes (up to 10 photos per second).

With that new design, GoPro’s pulled off a bit of a magic trick. It’s about 50-percent smaller than a Hero4 Black in its waterproof housing, and around 40-percent lighter. The trick is that the Hero4 Session is submersible to 33ft (10 meters) without needing a case. Inside that waterproof cube is a non-removable battery, a microSD card slot and — hurrah — a micro-USB port (rather than GoPro’s traditional mini USB). The Hero4 Session also introduces a dual microphone set-up that auto switches between the two when one detects too much wind or noise, a first on any GoPro. This configuration also means audio shouldn’t be as muffled, which is often a problem when inside a case. The Hero4 Session’s not the first square camera, but as this patent reveals, GoPro’s been working on this design for some years now.

The smaller footprint isn’t just about reducing size and weight (though many will appreciate that), GoPro’s hoping it’ll open up new mount locations previously not possible. The Hero4 Session will get into nooks and crannies that other GoPro’s cannot, it also just makes it more manageable. There’s less drag or weight when mounting on things like helmets, paddles and, say, competitive road bikes. If you though this would be ideal for quadcopters, it looks like there isn’t video out over USB, unlike other Hero4s, so that’s a bit of a show-stopper for the RC crowd.

What about those dreaded “can’ts?” We’ve already ticked off the biggest one — the lack of 4K/2.7K. It’s easy to malign it’s omission, but in boiling down the camera’s size, and keeping the battery-life reasonable (we’re testing GoPro’s claimed two hours use right now), large, power hungry image sensors will be something for a future model. There’s also, perhaps obviously, no touch screen. We’d argue this is unlikely for future models either (though please GoPro, surprise us).

Another casualty of the diminutive design is the smaller front display, which is now a strip of basic info on top of the camera. This, in turn, changes the menu interface. If your fingers have finely-tuned GoPro button muscle-memory, it’s no use here. Controls on the camera are extremely limited. You can start/stop recording or taking photos, tag highlights and put the camera into wireless (Bluetooth and WiFi) connectivity mode. All this to say, with the Hero4 Session you will be getting very familiar with GoPro’s mobile app, or a remote control (not included), as that’s your only way to switch up the video mode or photo settings.

If you’ve used any of the company’s cameras for more than five minutes, you’ll have experienced the “GoPro slouch.” The position you adopt as you navigate the menus, picking what you think/hope is the best mode for whatever you’re about to do. It’s this condition that the Hero4 Session is, in part, designed to eliminate. One press switches the Session on, and starts filming. Press it again and it’ll stop/switch off. If it’s photos you want, it’s the same, just press for three seconds the first time. You can set the default settings for either via the app. By keeping options simple (rather than limited, like the entry-level Hero), the idea is you just mount the camera and go. In our early testing, it takes a little getting used to, but some will likely appreciate the set-and-go format.

This mixture of simple interface, yet semi-advanced features (Protune, for example, remains, even if total video modes are reduced) makes the Hero4 Session something of a dichotomy. I asked a representative if it was a Hero+ LCD in a smaller box and was assured that the Session’s components are definitely more in line with the Silver or Black. Then there’s the price. At $399 (£329), it’s the same price as the Silver, which has a touchscreen and many features the Session does not (such as a touch screen and higher resolution/2.7K recording, basic 4K). GoPro’s banking on there being enough people that want more video modes than the Hero+ LCD ($299) and/or that love the low-profile design. But for many this might feel like a tough sell.

What really seems to be going on, is that the Hero4 Session is an exercise in engineering. It’s small, and with smart features like the dual mic set-up which we’ll likely see trickle up to future flagships. Not least if you were hoping for a touch screen on the next Black, there’s every reason to suspect that space isn’t an issue. There are also new pack-in mounts (including a new ball-joint quick release which is a game-changer), so in many ways, the Hero4 Session feels like the most refined GoPro yet.

In short, the niche it satisfies means the Hero4 Session will either really call out to you, and solve a problem, else it might not make all that much sense right now. If you fall into the latter camp, GoPro does have another four cameras it will happily sell you instead, after all. There’s no doubt, this would be an easier sell if 4K was in the mix, but something tells me that’s already in the works.

The Hero4 Session is available starting July 12.

Filed under: Cameras, Wearables

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Source: GoPro

Uber hires guards to protect drivers from protests in South Africa

Uber has been forced to recruit private security guards to preserve the safety of its drivers in Johannesburg, South Africa. The move was prompted by protests at the city’s Gautrain Station and Sandton City that threatened to break out into violence. According to Eyewitness News, a group of disgruntled taxi drivers tried to intimidate drivers of Uber vehicles, as well as the passengers themselves. In one incident, a driver was held at gunpoint and had their car keys pulled from the ignition. The protesters then turned their attention to the would-be customers, telling them that they were “taking away business from South Africa.”

It if feels like you’ve heard this song before, it’s because it’s getting airplay in almost every country where Uber has set up shop. The company was faced with such enormous violence in France that it had to suspend UberPOP, its amateur ride-sharing service, to protect the safety of its drivers. In addition, that same service has been met with bans in countries like Germany, Spain and Brussels, as well as various government investigations.

In two blog posts, the company said that the protests were just a “gathering of a small number of metered taxi drivers.” In addition, it pledged that it would keep talking to the various bodies that represent these taxi drivers in the hope of working with them in the future. Yeah, good luck with that one.

[Image Credit: Getty]

Filed under: Transportation, Internet

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Via: Bloomberg

Source: Eyewitness News, Uber, (2)

Makers of controversial government surveillance software hacked

When you call your enterprise “Hacking Team” you’d like to think you’re pretty on top of that whole, well, hacking thing. Yet here we are, telling you about how the aforementioned organization has just seen 400GB of data pilfered from its servers, and put onto BitTorrent for all to see. Hacking Team is known for its controversial “Da Vinci” software that allows governments and law enforcement agencies to monitor encrypted communications such as email and Skype conversations, and collect evidence on citizens. It’s fair to say it’s not popular with journalists and privacy advocates.

The leaked data are reported to include info such as emails, customer info, internal documents and source code. This puts the agencies or governments using the software at risk, if the source code contains vulnerabilities. Privacy researcher Christopher Soghoian has parsed some of the files, revealing that Hacking Team’s former customers include (among others) South Korea, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Chile, Oman, Lebanon, and Mongolia.

Other documents reportedly show the company told the UN it had no business dealings with Sudan, yet an invoice among the leaked files suggests otherwise. Civil rights groups have repeatedly expressed concern about Hacking Team’s software falling into the hands of oppressive governments, something the firm has stated it takes measures to avoid. The company’s website is currently unreachable, and its Twitter account was hijacked at some point, too (though that looks to have been resolved). Given the amount of info leaked, more revelations are still coming to light. We’ve reached out for comment, but we’re sure the company has a few high profile clients it’ll need to tend to first.

Filed under: Internet

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Via: The Register

Herocraft’s new multiplayer takes to the seas with Pirate Battles: Corsairs Bay

Herocraft, a Top Developer in the Google Play Store, who created titles such as Ice Rage: Hockey and Zombie Derby recently  took to the seas with their new multiplayer turn based strategy game Pirate Battles: Corsairs Bay.

To get started, select the Google Games account you would like to use for the game. Once selected you have the option to connect via Facebook to invite your friends to play along in multiplayer mode.

Gameplay

In Pirate Battles: Corsair Bay you get the opportunity to be the venomous pirate you always wanted to be. The turned based strategy is  engulfed in epic sea battles tactical twists and plentiful treasure hunts where you can collect bling-bling. The game has 4 different battle types, 6 pirate ships and 100 levels not including bonus levels.

“Use all your pirate cunning and strategy to build your own fleet, scuttle your sea-faring enemies and create your own impregnable pirate empire in Booty Bay. “

 When all the thievery and battling has worn you and your shipmates down you can always chillax  in paradise.  Oh, but don’t chill for too long because while you’re relaxing other patch wearing pirates crews are getting stronger wealthier and more than likely will contest you for your land.

Beware of unexpected battles where monsters randomly appear giving you seconds to triumph over the attacks.

Once you opt-in to connect to Facebook, you get an added bonus. The ability to invite your Facebook friends to join your crew or against you as rival pirates. The Facebook multiplayer gives the game a new level of fun and intensity because no one wants to lose their social media bragging rights.

Pirate Battles: Corsairs Bay is rated E for Everyone 10+. This strategy game is for methodical thinkers, planners, pirate lovers and those who enjoy back and forth gaming banter. For those of you who enjoy Android gaming casually, that you can pick up and drop at an instant, this title is not for you. To reap the benefits of this intricate game, you have to devote time in the game building your ships outsmarting  other pirates and serving the smack down to your friends.

After spending hours playing Pirate Battles: Corsairs Bay I enjoyed the level of thought and creativity that the developers devoted to making the game fun, challenging, and unique. The game is similar to titles like Clash of Clans and the multitude of build and defend games. With that being said Pirate lovers, strategists, and those seeking new titles to play with friends might be interested in giving Pirate Battles: Corsairs Bay a try.

The post Herocraft’s new multiplayer takes to the seas with Pirate Battles: Corsairs Bay appeared first on AndroidGuys.

Real life ‘Pac-Man’ satellite will clean up space junk

The Swiss aren’t big on littering, and that philosophy apparently applies to space, too. After the nation’s EPFL Center for Space Engineering launched its first satellites (the tiny SwissCubes) into orbit, the very next mission planned was “CleanSpace One” to get them out of orbit. For one, the researchers didn’t want to add to the reams of existing space garbage threatening other satellites and astronauts at speeds of up to 15,000mph. But mainly, they want to test a practical system for cleaning space junk with relatively small targets. After considering various systems, the EPFL has settled on a “Pac-Man” solution that will trap the satellites with a conical net.

The operation will be tricky, because just finding the 4×4-inch satellites is going to be difficult. As such, the researchers are developing a high dynamic-range camera and image processing system that can spot bright reflections coming off the SwissCubes as they spin in space. Meanwhile, if the net doesn’t deploy just so, the cubes could bounce off the cleanup satellite and end up in a worse spot than before.

The team rejected several capture options, including articulated arms with claws and a “tentacle” scheme. It settled on a cone-shaped net that unfolds and closes back down, saying “this system is more reliable and offers a larger margin for maneuvering than a claw or an articulated hand.” After the Clean Space One satellite gobbles up all the cubes, it will de-orbit and burn everything up on the way back down to earth. The team has now passed the prototype phase and hopes to develop the first engineering models, with the aim of launching the space junk collection satellite by 2018.

Filed under: Science

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Source: EPFL