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Panono hits Indiegogo goal – let’s you create Google Street View-like 108MP spherical panoramic images

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Panono panoramic ball

Okay, so creating 360-degree “spherical” panoramic images isn’t the most original idea on the planet. Even though we’ve seen an attempt with Android’s Photo Sphere, it’s something that’s nearly impossible to pull off flawlessly.

Guess that’s why Panono — an Indiegogo project that kicked off back in October — was successfully able to hit their funding goal and then some. Simply put, Panono is a plastic ball with a 36 tiny cameras housed inside. When tossed in the air, Panono will fire off all its cameras simultaneously, for near-flawless 360-degree x 360-degree panoramic stills — the likes you’re only used to seeing on Google Street View.

The resulting images are a whopping 108MP when stitched together, a process that’s done in the cloud after Panono uploads the images through your smartphone via the Android/iOS app. Panono can actually be used in a few ways — by either chucking it in the air, mounting it on a pole/monopod, or by simply holding it with your hand.

PANONO_app_cloud

Inside, there’s onboard memory capable of holding 400 108MP shots, and an accelerometer for figuring out the optimal time to take a shot when tossed (at the ball’s apex). The ball only weighs about 300g, and charges via USB. The Panono app is already available on Google Play if you’d simply like to view the quality of Panono’s stitched images. We’ll even embed one of our favorites below.

Before you rush off to the Indiegogo page to buy your own, keep in mind tech like this doesn’t come cheap. Even at the early backer pricing, which gets you $100-off, Panono will still run you around $500. Not exactly pocket change.

If that hasn’t scared you away yet, you still have 32 hours left to snag a Panono for yourself, with shipping beginning in September. Me? Well, I suppose I’ll continue using Photo Sphere like an animal.

[Panono on Indiegogo | Download on Google Play: Panono]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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18 Comments

  1. I’M GETTING MINE RIGHT NOW!!!

    jk

  2. Cool. But not worth the dough. Maybe if it were like 99 bucks. Then boooyahh

  3. If the quality of photos improves and the price comes down, I’ll definitely be getting one.

    1. The sample images were taken with five-year-old 2MP camera modules. The new one will have new 3MP modules – also, for shots taken with the handheld stick (ie. not thrown) it will support HDR as well.

  4. Looks like a great toy if I may call it that. Wound be a great tool.to use on a quadracoptor

    1. Good idea :) m.youtube.com/watch?v=KWQD7OudhEA&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKWQD7OudhEA

  5. I’ll stick to photo sphere. It’s not too difficult to get a great shot. I got one in my trip to Pompei and it’s gotten quite a few views online.
    If I could stand in the middle of more arenas or historic theaters I’d be taking photo spheres everywhere, otherwise there’s not many photo sphere friendly areas.

  6. Cool idea, but 500.00 that’s a bit much.

  7. “Well, I suppose I’ll continue using Photo Sphere like an animal.”
    xD

    One question: What can you do with the image? Can you only view it on their website or through embedding it on your own website or can you share it on G+ as a photosphere?
    One more question: How big is it? (Yes I will check the link right-after posting this)

  8. Sounds cool, but those pictures must be huge, wondering there they get stored. 10 shots and the ball is full?

    1. The developers have said the ball itself has enough internal memory for about 400 panos.

      1. Some people don’t read the full article -_-

  9. Great way to get the view you want without all the gyro stabilized flying drone hardware used to point one camera.

  10. I WANT IT!!!! i I love the “dafaq?” O_o faces on some of the people LOL

  11. 500$ only for better photosphere pics?
    And people actually paid for this?

    Faith in humanity-> LOST

  12. Pulling off photospheres flawlessly is impossible? You sound like a noob.

    1. мy вeѕт ғrιeɴd’ѕ нαlғ-ѕιѕтer мαĸeѕ $76 αɴ нoυr oɴ тнe coмpυтer. ѕнe нαѕ вeeɴ ғιred ғor 5 мoɴтнѕ вυт lαѕт мoɴтн нer pαycнecĸ wαѕ $20666 jυѕт worĸιɴɢ oɴ тнe coмpυтer ғor α ғew нoυrѕ. ιмp ѕoυrce fox200&#46com

  13. Ill get one if apple makes it , only trust apple with cameras

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