Back in September we noticed this, and James guessed it to be an add-on camera. I thought it would be a selfie-camera of some kind but now we’ve got the full details – it’s called the RE.
Instantly I’m taken back to Religious Education lessons from school, but no – this is a powerful handheld camera which allows you to “naturally capture” those important moments. Oh, and it’s pronounced “ree”.
It’s got a pretty cool cylindrical design which slots into your hand comfortably and perhaps more naturally than your phone. Inside there’s a lot of cleverness too – a grip sensor will activate the RE when you pick it up and there’s one pure shutter button for taking snaps. Press longer for a video.
The RE has a 146 degree wide-angle lens (so you don’t have to worry too much about framing the scene), slow-mo capture, a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor and full HD (1080p). It’s waterproof and has clever stabilisation tech so you don’t get video vibration later. Plus, if you want a bit more protection, there’s a Protection Pack which adds a waterproof-enhancing cap, protective lens cap, and neck and wrist lanyards.
Wait. I can hear you already.
“What about the viewfinder??”
Well, there’s an app that goes along with the camera – the viewfinder is beamed onto your mobile device so that you can see what the RE is pointing at without having to be sat right behind the RE. Imagine holding it over your head at music festivals, attached to a bike, as a webcam etc.
You can also use this app to, of course, look at the shots and the video you’ve taken with the device. HTC are also planning real-time streaming from the RE to YouTube too. That RE App by the way, will be available for all Android devices and iPhones too.
Imagine – with such a wide-angle lens and an unobtrusive, faff-free device, you no longer have to live your best experiences through viewfinders. No more living your life through a screen. Pretty cool. Live in the moment, or capture it? Now you can do both.
Software updates will be rolled out to the RE automatically. As for storage, it’s all capture on microSD with an 8GB card supplied. You can add up to 128GB via a microSD expansion slot too. It has a tripod connector, microUSB connector, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and an 820 mAh rechargeable battery. All of this is good for 1,200 16 megapixel photos or 1 hour 40 minutes of continuous Full HD video recording. It’ll do time-lapse captures too.
The HTC RE will be available from EE, Three and “selected electronics retail stores” from early November. No prices as yet, but head over to recamera.com for more detail on this natty new gadget. It’s well worth giving this 360 degree tour a go too.
HTC ANNOUNCES RE: A REMARKABLE LITTLE CAMERA
Step out from behind the viewfinder and focus on the moment, not on your camera
New York, US / Taipei, Taiwan, October 8 2014, – HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today heralds a new era and exciting new direction for the business, with the introduction of RE. A remarkable little camera, RE applies HTC’s innovative touch and stunning design philosophy to break into a completely new product category and reinvent photography to suit current and future trends.
“HTC has been setting the standard for smartphones for years – today we’re focused on redefining the concept of imaging forever,” said Peter Chou, CEO, HTC. “As a company we don’t stand still and our devotion to innovation has seen us take smart photography in a completely new direction for our business and our customers. Once people get a RE in their hands, they won’t want to put it down. This is everybody’s opportunity to get out from behind the lens and start living in the moment again.”
Live life in full view
With a stunning yet minimalist cylindrical design, RE is made to be held, and fits naturally and comfortably in the palm of your hand. Never worry about missing a moment fumbling between modes, as RE’s built-in grip sensor instantly activates the camera as it’s picked up, eliminating the need for a power button. Its large, tactile shutter button captures photos with a single tap and videos with a longer press, making it fun and super-easy to capture high-quality, creative imagery or video.
For the moments that really matter, you want to be at the heart of the action, not peering through a lens. Thanks to RE and its high-resolution 16MP CMOS sensor, Full HD (1080p) video recording and a 146-degree wide-angle lens, the days of hiding behind a viewfinder whilst your child makes their acting debut in the school play or scores that game-winning goal are over.
RE also allows you to explore your creative side with simple slow-motion and time-lapse recording options. And if you want to capture great shots underwater, we have you covered. RE is waterproof out of the box1, without needing any additional casing or protection. You don’t need to be a professional to use RE – all you need is your imagination.
Share with a click
When photos and videos look this great, they shouldn’t be kept to yourself. RE interacts with your smartphone through the RE application, which syncs photos, videos and time-lapse recordings seamlessly over WiFi – meaning that you can relive and share your experiences at the touch of a button. Available on Android and iOS, there is no need to edit or sync to your PC, as the RE app backs up those precious memories to your phone or the cloud, working in harmony with the Zoe app to instantly create shareable video highlight reels that look professionally edited.
Making it even easier, you can also control the whole device remotely through the app and transform your smartphone into a remote viewfinder.
Limitless opportunities
RE is a new kind of camera – one that opens up a whole world of creative possibilities – and one that will evolve over time. Adding another layer of flexibility and potential, an open API/SDK will also enable HTC’s partners to bring innovative new experiences to the device and to social platforms like Tencent and Instagram.RE will soon offer real-time video streaming to YouTube, allowing you to live in the moment and share it live via your YouTube channel.
RE will be available in the US from late October, with other markets following later. For further information on availability, features, functionality and accessories, visit www.recamera.com.
