so, after finally getting my GoPro back from GoPro for what looks like a design fault but they were happy to replace it. Except the replacement had to go back because it didn't work.
i finally got round to using it this weekend to record a gig we did on Saturday,
so on Sunday I decide to look at the footage on my iPad2.
except you can't any more
because GoPro have updated their App and it will not work with an Ipad2 any more. Note they haven't just removed support for the iPad2, they have removed the old App that would do so, at the same time as introducing the new App.
so if you don't have 20:20 vision, you can't see the tiny screen to control the camera, you can't preview the camera angle, and you can't even see what you have just filmed ! Unless you are lugging a laptop around with you.
So I have a £400 ish camera that in all practicality I cannot now use unless I go and spend £500 on a new iPad or iPhone
so wtach out anyone who has a lovely Amp which is controlled by IOS or Android - you too may find you can't use your amp if you don't keep buying new iPhones and Galaxies
if you think that in itself if very odd "customer service"
the other thing GoPro have done is astonishing.
in order to use the new App to control all your GoPros, they now prevent you from doing so unless you establish an account and login! Which is quite impressive if you are using your GoPro up a mountain where there is no signal. Which wouldn't be so bad as the reason they are doing it - which is to be able to download information of your usage of the camera!!!! Which wouldn't be so bad if it didn't involve using up my data in a foreign country to do so.
so, GoPro don't really care about this - they replied "sorry for any inconvenience" today when I asked them about this. At least I am not relying on my GoPro for business.
They certainly won't be getting any more money from me.
but the key (apart from a much needed rant at GoPro) is how much future use of our equipment do we think we are entitled to when we buy them ? Would you think it acceptable that Blackstar / Line 6 / Marshal, and whoever else lets you control your amp with your phone could at some point prevent stop you using it unless you upgrade your phone ?
Ok, rant over
Keep music (and cameras) analogue I say
maybe I'll report them to that nice Donald Trump man - he seems to have the poor person's views at heart
Comments
I may be getting old at 28 but I can't stand anything that requires another device or apps to work properly...
Hate draining my battery, using data up, or even having to pull a phone out to use a £400 device to its full potential.
Maybe im not very tech savvy, but I bought a £500 panasonic camcorder a few years ago to do some basic youtube vids and filming, and even those are laden with 'features' such as wi-fi and all that, which I didnt want.. id rather they scrapped it and upped the video quality.
Anyway my laptop wasnt powerful enough to edit or handle much so I had to replace that.. which led to all sorts of pc annoyances..
then theres the video editing itself.. more confusions and pains.
Had also been considering a Polaroid-style camera too, but the cost of the film is putting me off swings and roundabouts innit.
For me, I reckon the lower models are where it's at - they're HD, decent quality and tough enough. Cheap enough (ish) that you won't worry too much.
but really frustrating
not least because the Internet of things knows what I've been recording going forward !
i can view - I just put the Sd card in the back of the iMac when I get home
its more the ability to view the camera angle and change settings while on the go
thanks anyway
thanks to FB for letting me rant and finding a solution
happy days
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I agree, I don't like the idea of hardware that's dependent on something like an Ipad - the apple system moves too quickly and doesn't care for backwards compatibility after a certain point - they want people to keep buying their new stuff. Seems inevitable to me that 3rd party hardware tied into that model will be an easy sacrifice for them to make. Just look at how happily they discarded the headphone jack.
For inter-appliance compatibility, the standards need to be supported industry wide and last a long time - like the USB protocol, jack and phono connectors, kettle leads, windows related frameworks like Direct-X, PCI slots... problem with Apple is that they make proprietary connectors for totally closed systems then move on, presumably in the hope that everyone following the hype has got bored of the hardware by that point and won't mind.
Another thing in the same genre is something like Amazon's Echo - a mate at work got one, I thought it'd be great for around the house. But again, it's a closed system that relies on Amazon maintaining functionality at their end. When I buy something like that I like the idea that barring an accident I'll still have it and it'll still be working in 10 years.
Bandcamp
Spotify, Apple et al
for
+ it's compact
+ it's realtively simple to setup and use (though a darn sight easier from the App)
against
- battery life is poor
- overheats in the case if recording indoors
- sound quality is abysmal
Had to buy the frame (rather than the supplied case) to allow cooler operation and access to the SD Card/Usb ports, and an external mini condensor mic.
There are some amazing clones around now (on Amazon) - much cheaper and 4k ready.
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