The last time we saw a Kogeto panoramic camera attachment, it was but a Kickstarter project looking for funding. Since then, the Kogeto Dot for iPhone has become such a success that it now graces Apple store shelves nationwide. Not content with only an iOS slice of the mobile pie, the company has, naturally, created an Android version to be officially unveiled at CES next week. Dubbed iCONIC for Android -- after the iCONIC lens technology that makes taking 360-degree videos possible -- the attachment will initially be made for the Galaxy Nexus, with more phones to follow. However, the device will only be made for phones that can record in 1080p, so the iPhone 4 will be the final handset capturing panoramic movies in 720p. Of course, the company has also ported the free companion Looker app to Android to dewarp the raw images into viewable video. Pre-orders for iCONIC for Android start in late January on the company website, and you can grab one for $79.
We got to speak with Kogeto CEO Jeff Glasse about iCONIC for Android, and he indicated that the company's plans for it (like the attachment itself) differ from the Kogeto Dot. While Kogeto is currently making one version of the device, Glasse told us the company doesn't plan to build an attachment for every eligible Android phone. Instead, the idea is to license the technology to OEMs and let them manufacture iCONIC for the myriad handsets. This is all very good news for moviemaking Android users, but fear not, Kogeto hasn't forgotten you Apple folks. Glasse informed us that a new version of the iOS app is coming soon that'll let users start and stop recording with the volume buttons on their iPhones. We're hoping to give you all a glimpse of iCONIC for Android next week at CES, but you'll have to settle for the PR after the break until then. Show full PR text Kogeto, Makers of Dot™, Releases iCONIC™ for Android Smartphones in First Half of 2012
Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone gains compatibility with the leading panoramic video camera accessory, includes corresponding free mobile app Looker for Android
LAS VEGAS – Jan. 10, 2012 – Kogeto today announces that it is bringing the iCONIC optical technology from Dot™, the world's best-selling and smallest panoramic video camera accessory, to Android smartphone users in the first half of 2012. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the first in a line of Android models to be compatible with iCONIC. Kogeto will announce more Android phone models throughout the quarter.
This new way for Android users to capture the world around them and share panoramic video will retail for $79, the same price as the iPhone model. Pre-orders will begin in late January on Kogeto.com and further retail locations will be announced shortly after.
"At Kogeto, we are dedicated to putting mobile, high-quality panoramic video in the hands of the 550,000 Android phones that are activated each day," said Jeff Glasse, CEO of Kogeto. "More importantly, this is a monumental step for panoramic video, as it will now be readily available to nearly all phone carriers, manufacturers and consumers."
iCONIC's compact and durable design makes it the ideal panoramic video accessory for capturing panoramic dotspots™, in addition to sharing with family and friends on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The lens is a simple optical attachment and does not require batteries or external power. iCONIC also features the least obtrusive design, adding no significant weight to the phone.
iCONIC works with the Galaxy's video capabilities to capture full 360-degrees and seamlessly integrates the video into an easy to share format without stitching frames together. Kogeto's proprietary iCONIC™ catadioptric optical system is fully AR-coated for the best color fidelity in mobile panoramic video and offers the highest resolution on the market today.
Similar to Dot for the iPhone 4/4S, iCONIC for Android users will download a free application called Looker™ that processes and de-warps the panoramic images captured directly on the phone.
iCONIC and Dot are designed and manufactured in the U.S.
