Bonnie Cha

Recent Posts by Bonnie Cha

Ion Jumps Into Action With New Line of HD Sports Video Cameras

If your idea of fun involves barreling down a mountain on a bike or hurling yourself into massive waves, you might want to take note of a new video camera that will help record all your adrenaline-filled adventures.

Today, Ion Worldwide released a new line of HD sports video cameras called the Ion Air Pro. Available now in three different flavors, the company’s flagship model, the Ion Air Pro Wi-Fi is the first camcorder in its class to offer Wi-Fi connectivity.

With this feature, you’ll be able to wirelessly connect to the complementary Ion iPhone/iPad app (an Android app is also in the works) to instantly view, upload and share your videos with your family, friends and social networks.

In addition, with the purchase of any Ion Air Pro camera, you get eight gigabytes of free cloud-based storage from MiMedia.com, where you can keep and access your videos online.

Another feature that makes the Ion Air Pro different from its competitors GoPro and Contour is its unique pod system. The Wi-Fi radio is integrated into a circular disc that attaches to the back of the camera, adding very little weight to the entire set-up, so you can easily attach it to your helmet, bike, surfboard or other board of choice.

Back in January, GoPro announced an accessory called the Wi-Fi BacPac + Wi-Fi Remote Combo, which adds similar functionality to the company’s Hero sports camera/camcorders, but requires attaching another piece to the camera. It has yet to hit the market.

Ion says it plans to introduce other Ion Podz (as they’re called) in the future, including a microphone pod for recording higher-quality audio, and an extended battery pod.

All the Ion Air Pro camera models feature a compact, tube-shaped design and are wind-resistant and waterproof up to 30 feet. To start recording video, there is a large slider switch, and for still images, there’s a dedicated camera button; both controls vibrate so you know that you got the shot. The five-megapixel camera is capable of capturing photos in single, burst or time-lapse mode, and can record 1080p HD video.

The base model, the Ion Air Pro, costs $229.99 and comes with a mini tripod, a power adapter, USB and AV cables, and a carrying pouch. If you want a mounting system for your helmet and bike, you can upgrade to the Ion Air Pro Plus for $289.99; you can buy the helmet and bike kit separately for $69.99. Meanwhile, the Ion Air Pro Wi-Fi costs $349.99. All three models are available through Ion’s Web site and via Amazon.

GoPro’s latest HD Hero2 cameras cost $299.99, while Contour’s cameras start at $199.99 and run all the way up to $499.99.

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There’s a lot of attention and PR around Marissa, but their product lineup just kind of blows.

— Om Malik on Bloomberg TV, talking about Yahoo, the September issue of Vogue Magazine, and our overdependence on Google