For the latest installment of GPS turned action camera maker, we present TomTom. Last week the company announced Bandit–your standard high resolution HD action camera but with a few creative features thrown in to make it very interesting.
The Bandit splits apart into two units–the Batt-Stick and the lens/external waterproof housing. Featuring a rechargeable 1900 mAh battery, microSD card slot, and a USB 3.0 connector, the Batt-Stick disconnects from the housing to plug into your computer. No extra charging cables required that you always inevitably lose or forget to bring with you anyway. Note–for timelapse videos, there is an external power port but you need to purchase the cable.
A toggle on the top of the action camera, similar to those on TomTom watches, enables you to switch between 4 video modes (Video at 1080p30/1080p60/720p60/720p120, Cinematic at 4k15/2.7k30, Time Lapse at 1080p30/4k30, and Slow Motion at 1080p x2/720P x4/WVGA x6) and two photo modes (Single 16 MP and Burst Photo 16 MP/8 MP), while also editing the settings for each. A small screen displays the settings menus as well as GPS, battery, heart rate, and microSD card status.
As the device houses a number of sensors, including a GPS, accelerometer, gyro, and altimeter, you can overlay data such as speed, location, and altitude on your videos. The Bandit also features Bluetooth Smart so you can pair external sensors to capture further data, as well as a remote control device for recording and capturing highlights.
Arguably the coolest part of the TomTom Bandit is in the software and the ease of video editing. Using the various sensors, the camera identifies key moments or highlights in the action. You can also mark highlights yourself by simply pushing a button at the back of the camera when recording. Connecting to an app on your phone via WiFi, these key moments are then tagged in your videos according to type.
If scrolling through and editing together all of your video footage is too much work for you (it can be a huge pain and time suck), TomTom added a “shake” option–simply shake your phone and the app will go out and find interesting highlight clips from the last few days and piece together a video for you. Done.
The TomTom Bandit comes in two different packs–the Base Pack ($430) with 4 accessories and the Premium Pack ($500) with 9 accessories. Looks like the action camera will be available in Europe first, followed by the rest of the world very soon.
