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YI to launch the Pixie – a Spark-like tiny drone with 4K video

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It appears that YI Technology are about to finally release a drone. Although it’s not the one we’ve all been waiting over 18 months for. There’s still no word on what’s happening with the YI Erida, but what is coming is a new tiny Spark-like drone. The Pixie. Unlike the DJI Spark, though, this one will shoot 4K video.

While this is technically a rumour, there is a complete user manual online. It seems unlikely to go to all the trouble of creating that if the drone itself weren’t real. According to specs, it’ll shoot 4K, 1080p and 720p video with timelapse and burst mode 15MP photo features. It operates on 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz WiFi, with a suggested range of 100 metres.

Google unveils a pair of 3D 180° point & shoot VR cameras by YI and Lenovo

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Well, this is pretty cool, a pair of new 3D 180° VR cameras, developed in partnership with Google for their VR180 app. They’re kicking the new VR180 platform with two offerings from Lenovo and YI Technology.  While the hardware is similar to a 360° camera, the configuration makes the final result very different. Instead of having one lens facing forward and one facing back, two stare in the same direction side-by-side.

This setup allows for 180-degree stereoscopic 3D video or stills when viewed back on Google Cardboard or a VR headset. The first camera is the Lenovo Mirage, which has a pair of 13 megapixel fisheye lenses with 4K sensors. Likewise, the YI VR180 also houses a pair of lenses and sensors, but is capable of 16.6MP images and 5.7K video.

YI Lite action camera shoots 4K/15fps video, 4K timelapse and costs $100

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YI is introducing YI Lite, an upgrade to their first generation action camera. It’s light and compact, capable of capturing 1080p/60fps videos and 16MP stills. It shoots 4K videos and timelapse as well, with timelapse at 30fps. However, the 4K video is only available at 15fps. Still, YI Lite has some advantages over the original YI action camera. Sami Luo has made a video review and some sample footage, so check it out, along with the specs.

2 DIY Microphone hacks for the YI Action Camera

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The biggest problem with action cameras, pretty much any action camera, is the microphone. Whether it’s the original YI HD, the YI4K or even a GoPro, their sound just tends to suck pretty badly. But, it’s not really a surprise. The main intent of action cameras is for recording fast sports action with a wide field of view. There’s all kinds of noise going on that makes it virtually impossible to distinguish a voice easily anyway.

But, a lot have started using them for things like vlogging and family trips, because they’re small and lightweight. For these people, sound is important. Here are two videos which show a couple of different hacks to help you get a bit better sound out of your YI Action Camera. The first, by MrCsami swaps out the built in microphone for one with a built in wind guard. The second from shinyside removes the microphone completely, replacing it with a 3.5mm jack to use whatever microphone you wish.

YI CEO: Splitting off from XIAOMI, We are not afraid of crappy counterfeits, China will get bigger

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We are keeping a close eye on YI. initially dubbed as the GoPro killer, YI has been growing. They have a gimbal out, a drone in the planning and a mirrorless camera. I thought it would be very interesting to speak with YI CEO, Mr. Sean Da, about the past, present and future of YI.

It is clear that YI is very technology focused. When we talked with, Mr. Sean Da, he was not telling a lifestyle story about mountain climbing, surfing or parachuting. He was simply saying, we have the best camera in the market. This is a really interesting approach to the market, but I think it is also one of the companies weak spots. A lot of the market is not being sold on tech, it is being sold on stories and I think that YI will have to pivot that was if they want to conquer the market.

How to save your GoPro from drowning for $1

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A while back I was on a family trip and used a GoPro to capture some memories. I put the gopro on the end of a selfie stick and the family took turns taking videos. Suddenly, someone, I am not naming names here, dropped the stick.

Now, the camera (and stick) sunk to the bottom of the lake and we never could find them. I later realized that I should have used a buoy rather than a selfie stick. A buoy makes the camera float when it is in the water. Now, a buoy is not expensive, it is only a few dollars on amazon, or $2 on ebay shipping included, as  noted in the comments. Sadly, I was nowhere near a store where I could buy one.

Now comes the lesson, I should have just repurposed a drinking bottle. That would have made a $1 buoy and saved a $500 camera:

Yi Technology are releasing a handheld gimbal for action cameras?

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I’ve become a fan of Yi Technology’s action cameras since I started using them a couple of months ago. For what they offer, they’re an absolute bargain, and they work very well. A video posted to YouTube today suggests that they’re expanding their range to include stabilisation.

Having recently picked up a gimbal for use with my phone, one soon realises how useful they are for handheld filming. I’ve been thinking about picking up another for using with action cameras, and it looks like the list of options just got a little longer.

Yi Technology’s new Yi 4K “GoPro Killer” now available to buy in the USA

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The Yi 4K Action camera from Yi Technology was launched in China back in May. If buyers in other countries wanted it, they’d have to order from there and deal with often fairly long shipping times. Now, the Yi 4K has been officially launched in the USA and is available on Amazon.

Normally, Chinese action cams don’t tend to be a big deal, but the original Yi HD 1080p action camera proved itself to be a pretty worthy contender which, for the most part, held up well against the GoPro Hero3+ Silver, especially once you started hacking it.

YI Action Cam Launches US Edition Exclusively On Amazon

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In a move that will no doubt make a lot of peoples’ holiday shopping a lot easier, YI has just announced its action camera is now available in a ‘limited release version exclusively for the United States’.

The YI action cam will be sold via Amazon Exclusives, so don’t expect to find it anywhere else in the US.

The demand for the YI camera has been high ever since it was announced back in March, and while many who have been anticipating it will be thrilled it’s finally available in the US, the price is not as lucrative as it was for the Chinese launch.

Yi Action Camera First Reviews and How It Compares to the GoPro

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We recently reported the announcement of Yi’s $64 new action camera, (formally Xiaomi YI) and we’re now bringing you the first hands-on reviews and GoPro comparisons.

Two Chinese reviews, one by pcpop comparing the Yi Action Camera to the flagship GoPro 4 Black and the cheap SJ4000, and another by Geekpark comparing it to the GoPro 3 and 4 Black editions, reveal new details regarding the highly anticipated new kid on the block.

Other than sharing new specs and features, the reviews include video, contrast and low-light shooting comparisons.

One of the concerns with such a cheap camera is that cheap often comes at a cost. Does the low price indicate low quality?

Overall the camera seems to give a rather impressive bang for the buck, but will it work in crowded spaces?

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