Snapchat, Facebook Live, Instagram Stories. We’re fast approaching a Truman Show-esque world where everyone will stream every thrilling and mundane moment of their lives to the Internet in real time. The new DETU Twin 360 degree camera is poised to take us one step closer toward that reality.
First debuted at CES 2017, the DETU Twin is now available to the public. The Twin features dual 220-degree fisheye lens cameras mounted back-to-back to provide 360 x 360-degree (because just 360 degrees is no longer disco enough) video in both the horizontal and vertical planes. A single button captures the action and, once linked to your social media accounts, the video can be instantly shared via Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube. Under the hood, the camera combines the two video feeds into a seamless, high-resolution 3K (3,040×1,520 pixel), VR-like feed in MP4 format. The view is user-selectable between Fisheye, Tiny Planet (like viewing it from space), VR, or source mode.
A free companion app available for both iOS and Android automatically stitches the video footage together in real-time. With the iOS app, users can even live-stream via Facebook Live or YouTube. With VR goggles linked to the app, it’s also possible to preview the stream in a completely 360-degree space.
Most of this high-tech gadgetry has been available for years now. But, what sets the DETU Twin apart is its size or, more specifically, the lack of it. It’s all packed into an insanely small form factor. At 120 x 46 x 24mm, it’s smaller than most smartphones and weighs just 0.21 pounds. At that size, it’s an afterthought to pop it into your carry-on or back pocket and forget about it until you need it.
The Twin also supports Micro SD cards up to 64GB and 802.11a/b/G/n Wi-Fi for streaming just about anywhere. On the downside, the meager 1,200mA battery is only good for 1.5 hours of recording time. But, how much of your life in VR do your social media friends really need to see anyway?
Pricing and Availability
The DETU Twin is available now in Yellow/Black for around $225 USD from Amazon or directly from the DETU online store.
