FCC expands Lifeline to help low-income Americans afford internet

Today the FCC voted 3-2 to approve expanding its Lifeline program that has subsidized phone and prepaid wireless access for low-income Americans since the 80s, so that now it covers internet access too. The $9.25 household subsidy is paid directly to...

Revl Arc Action Camera Packs Built-In Stabilization

Revl Arc 4K Action Camera with Built-in Stabilization

Touted as the world’s smartest 4K camera, the Revl Arc is the first action cam to feature built-in stabilization. Considering that this could only be achieved with external gimbals, it’s a pretty major step forward.

Even though most sports aren’t characterized by fluid movements, that doesn’t mean that the video recordings have to be that way, too. Thanks to the Revl Arc, the world’s first action camera with built-in image stabilization, you can say goodbye to shaky footage of you and your friends skydiving, rollerskating or water-skiing. The Arc isn’t the first sports camera to take on GoPro, but the ION Air Pro and the Contour, two of cameras that tried doing that, have been long since forgotten. Of course, those two didn’t pack an ace up the sleeve, like the Arc does.

The Arc has a tube-shaped design and the end of which it features a motorized gimbal based on magnets and a motor that bring stabilization to the camera. Basically, the back of the Arc moves in tandem with whatever the camera is attached to, while the front remains level.

Eric Sanchez, Revl’s founder, pointed out that the whole thing started out as a stabilized GoPro case, until the company realized that integrating the technology into an action cam would be a far better choice.

The 12-megapixel image sensor made by Sony is one of the details that make the Arc stand out even if you take built-in stabilization out of the equation. In terms of video resolutions and framerates, the Arc can record 4K footage at 30 fps, 1080p videos at up to 120 fps and 720p clips at up to 240 fps. That’s great for shooting slow-motion videos, which should make the footage even more spectacular.

Revl’s Arc can even be attached to a selfie-stick, in case you don’t want to mount it on a helmet or on a chest strap. As seen in the following video, footage shot while using a selfie stick looks particularly great, as long as you don’t suffer from motion sickness. Beside that, the following clip features some of the situations that bring out the benefits of built-in image and video stabilization.

The Arc action cam is currently the subject of a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. Revl has set a funding goal of $50,000, but that has long been surpassed, and there still are 16 more days till the campaign ends. The camera will retail for $500 when it will hit the market, but early birds can get it for as little as $379. To get the King of the Air bundle, which as its name suggests, includes a bunch of accessories for skydiving enthusiasts, you’d have to pay $479, which is still less than what the camera will retail for. Bear in mind that these prices don’t include shipping.

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[via The Verge]

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