TomTom goes head-to-head with GoPro, introduces action cam

TomTom of the Netherlands has unveiled its first GPS-enabled digital action camera, said to save users time with its innovative shake-to-edit function.

The company claims its Bandit Action Camera is the first to include a built-in media server that bypasses the step of downloading footage to a computer for editing.

Instead, the creative process is carried out on the camera itself and the companion app using the shake function, after which videos are swiftly ready for sharing.

The Bandit contains built-in motion and GPS sensors that search for and tag exciting footage based on the speed, altitude, G-force and acceleration, but manual tagging is also possible.

With its viewfinder and media server, the companion app enables users to review their footage instantly.

Shake the camera, they say, to shed untagged footage, and the tagged moments will remain and link together for an exciting video that's still possible to change and pepper up with music and overlays of the measurements the device tracks.

'We know that the biggest frustration people have with action cameras today is the time and effort it takes to edit,' says Corinne Vigreux, co-founder and managing director, TomTom Consumer. 'With TomTom Bandit we've cut the editing time down from hours to minutes -- all it takes is a shake!'

What's more, with the additional purchase of a lens cap accessory that makes the camera waterproof up to 50 meters, there's no need to purchase a case.

The camera has a wide-angle lens and long-lasting battery, according to the company.

The camera will be available on the company website and selected retailers in May at a price of €429 and will become available in Asia Pacific and the US later this summer.

A premium pack will be available in June that includes additional accessories, which will also be available to purchase separately, says TomTom.

GoPro has seen a lot of competition crop up in a market it once dominated.

Small enough to be carried anywhere, but intended to capture 360 degrees of HD footage from a stable surface, the Kodak PixPro SP360 Action Cam ($349) could mean the end of wobbly footage that wearable cameras just can't shake.

Its features include motion detection, which allows the camera to start recording upon detecting the motion of a deer in the woods, for example.

It also offers 10 frames-per-second multi-burst shooting and its corresponding app allows users to edit and fine-tune their takes, toggling between viewing options and selecting frames to make still photos.