CES Offers Worldwide Audience for Local Companies
By Brian M. Westbrook
Twenty20 introduces VholdR wearable camera at CES
It all started four years ago as frustrated students at the University of Washington.
Disenchanted with a lack of cameras for capturing action on the slopes, avid skiers and undergrads Marc Barros and Jason Green set out to make it easier. The result of a UW business plan competition, their first product was a $250 helmet camera connected to a backpack-worn camera.
They sold 7,000 units.
The semi-portable solution wasn't convenient enough (who wants to carry a backpack full of camcorders and cables, anyway?) and had joined with a newfound desire to share videos on the web. With stacks of tapes from winter adventures waiting to be posted online, the always-challenged pair knew they could make the process easer.
A year and much effort later, the VholdR is being shown for the first time here at CES. A rugged camera about the size of a mobile phone, this new gadget easily mounts to handlebars, helmets - just about anywhere. With an integrated recording device, the VholdR requires no camcorder, no backpack, and no cables to operate.
"We've put in one box, for $350 retail, the ability to shoot and share video," said Co-founder and company CEO Marc Burros. "You can go from camera to community in a couple of steps."
When I caught up with founders Marc and Jason on day three of the show, the smile on each of their faces said it all. The collective expression told me they were proud. Years of hard work to get to here paid off and - perhaps just a bit- the long days on the show floor were starting to run their course.
"We hoped that when we showed up here we'd have something different," Green said of pre-show expectations. "The reaction has been a lot of open mouths and big eyes. People are excited about the possibility of a wearable camcorder."
These reactions range from those who who experience the camera range from disbelief (I was in the "can they really do that?" camp myself) to suggestions for new ways to use the product.
The VholdR received an International CES Innovations Honoree Award (an official sort of "best in show" awards) earlier this week and when I personally saw how simple it was to use, I appreciated why.
Capturing video is as simple as sliding a large, oversized on/off switch on the top of the camera. Dual indicator lights display Micro SD-style storage space availability and battery life on the rear. The body rotates 192-degrees and two small lasers on either side of the lens help ensure the camera is level (until, if you're like me on a snowboard, you fall on your bum).
Transferring videos from the camera to the web is doe via. a USB cable and bundled software. Videos are posted on VholdR.com for easy sharing, or can be transferred to other devices (yes, that includes the iPod).
CEO Barros explains of the CES experience, "When you come here, you compete with booths that are half the size of a football field and you have a 10 foot by 20 foot booth. Everybody competes almost at the same level despite your booth size."
It may not be the largest booth here at CES, but they've got the smallest camcorder. And for Seattle's Marc and Jason, plenty to be proud of.
For the tech-savvy: The camera captures 640x480 video and stores as an iPod-friendly MP4 file. The battery lasts about 2 hours and the camera weighs just 4.8 ounces. $350, available online at www.vholdr.com
Twenty20 introduces VholdR wearable camera at CES
It all started four years ago as frustrated students at the University of Washington.
Disenchanted with a lack of cameras for capturing action on the slopes, avid skiers and undergrads Marc Barros and Jason Green set out to make it easier. The result of a UW business plan competition, their first product was a $250 helmet camera connected to a backpack-worn camera.
They sold 7,000 units.
The semi-portable solution wasn't convenient enough (who wants to carry a backpack full of camcorders and cables, anyway?) and had joined with a newfound desire to share videos on the web. With stacks of tapes from winter adventures waiting to be posted online, the always-challenged pair knew they could make the process easer.
A year and much effort later, the VholdR is being shown for the first time here at CES. A rugged camera about the size of a mobile phone, this new gadget easily mounts to handlebars, helmets - just about anywhere. With an integrated recording device, the VholdR requires no camcorder, no backpack, and no cables to operate.
"We've put in one box, for $350 retail, the ability to shoot and share video," said Co-founder and company CEO Marc Burros. "You can go from camera to community in a couple of steps."
When I caught up with founders Marc and Jason on day three of the show, the smile on each of their faces said it all. The collective expression told me they were proud. Years of hard work to get to here paid off and - perhaps just a bit- the long days on the show floor were starting to run their course.
"We hoped that when we showed up here we'd have something different," Green said of pre-show expectations. "The reaction has been a lot of open mouths and big eyes. People are excited about the possibility of a wearable camcorder."
These reactions range from those who who experience the camera range from disbelief (I was in the "can they really do that?" camp myself) to suggestions for new ways to use the product.
The VholdR received an International CES Innovations Honoree Award (an official sort of "best in show" awards) earlier this week and when I personally saw how simple it was to use, I appreciated why.
Capturing video is as simple as sliding a large, oversized on/off switch on the top of the camera. Dual indicator lights display Micro SD-style storage space availability and battery life on the rear. The body rotates 192-degrees and two small lasers on either side of the lens help ensure the camera is level (until, if you're like me on a snowboard, you fall on your bum).
Transferring videos from the camera to the web is doe via. a USB cable and bundled software. Videos are posted on VholdR.com for easy sharing, or can be transferred to other devices (yes, that includes the iPod).
CEO Barros explains of the CES experience, "When you come here, you compete with booths that are half the size of a football field and you have a 10 foot by 20 foot booth. Everybody competes almost at the same level despite your booth size."
It may not be the largest booth here at CES, but they've got the smallest camcorder. And for Seattle's Marc and Jason, plenty to be proud of.
For the tech-savvy: The camera captures 640x480 video and stores as an iPod-friendly MP4 file. The battery lasts about 2 hours and the camera weighs just 4.8 ounces. $350, available online at http://www.vholdr.com
