Alcatel's 360 camera is the simplest we've seen
BERLIN -- Alongside its standalone VR headset, Alcatel showed us an upcoming 360 camera called (d'oh) the Alcatel 360 Camera.
Unlike similar devices from LG or Samsung, Alcatel's variant does not have a battery or supports Bluetooth. Bear with me, this might be a good thing.
The idea, an Alcatel rep tells me, is that you can actually carry this camera with you without worrying about charging it, ever. When you need it, you just plug it into your phone (right now it only works with Alcatel's Idol, Idol 4S or Pop 4S phones, but it will be available for every phone when Alcatel launches a standalone app) via a micro-USB cable, and you're good to go.
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There's something to be said about never fiddling with Bluetooth connectivity or charging the thing. But it has some potential drawbacks as well -- namely, you need both hands to use it; one to hold the phone, and the other to hold the camera, preferably above your head. I've asked Alcatel how long a cable do they plan to ship the 360 Camera with, but they said they're still working on that one.
The camera will come in two form factors (see image below); there will be a round one and a square variant, but they're both going to be the same, specs-wise, with dual 210-degree fisheye lenses.
Alcatel plans to mainly sell the camera in bundles, when they arrive in China in the last quarter of 2016.
They should hit the U.S. early next year, and the price, while still undefined, should be in the $99 - $109 range. That won't include accessories such as the tripod we've seen, which will be sold separately.
Stan is a Senior Editor at Mashable, where he has worked since 2007. He's got more battery-powered gadgets and band t-shirts than you. He writes about the next groundbreaking thing. Typically, this is a phone, a coin, or a car. His ultimate goal is to know something about everything.
