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Foxconn Invests $200 Million In GoPro

Posted by timothy on from the best-way-to-document-an-avalanche dept.

MojoKid writes "The initial wearable cameras [GoPro founder Nick] Woodman created to capture action shots as they happened used 35mm film, but his company's cameras have evolved into highly durable, HD vid-cams that are sought after by amateurs and extreme sports stars alike. It turns out Foxconn digs what GoPro has designed as well. The giant Taiwanese manufacturer just bought a significant stake in Woodman Labs, making Nick Woodman a billionaire in the processes. Taiwan-headquartered electronics manufacturer Foxconn (also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co.), purchased an 8.88% stake in Woodman Labs for $200 million, valuing the San Mateo, Calif. company at $2.25 billion."

10 of 83 comments (clear)

  1. FoxPro by game+kid · · Score: 5, Funny

    Foxconn will buy the rest of the company and accept a buyout offer from Microsoft.

    Microsoft's Visual FoxPro cameras will become all the rage.

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    You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
    1. Re:FoxPro by Lord+Maud'Dib · · Score: 3, Insightful

      And randomly corrupt your videos when too many people access them at once?

    2. Re:FoxPro by Runaway1956 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Funny - we know this to be true, yet American continues to export jobs and technology to China. Idiots in CEO suits, idiots in Board of Director suits, idiots in Consultant suits - the whole lot of them have read time and time again about the Chinese stealing IP. But, they decide amongst themselves that it's best to take advantage of all that slave labor in China. All that IP given away, in the quest for free or almost free labor.

      Disclaimer: I'm not in favor of existing IP laws, and I don't see the Chinese as entirely bad, but it makes no sense at all for us to give away all our shit. Hell, my neighbor might be a good guy, but I'm not giving him all my shit. A helping hand now and then, but just GIVE HIM all my stuff? Do I look retarded?

      --
      "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
    3. Re:FoxPro by retroworks · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Taiwan is not stealing American jobs any more than England is. "Idiots in CEO suits, idiot board of directors, idiot consultants, stealing?" What crybaby planet did you grow up on, an in what year? Taiwan designs and invents more than half the stuff they build, and if Nick Woodman had a choice between being trapped in an elevator with a Taipei engineer like Terry Gou or Simon Lin, or a whiner who thinks every global deal is a loss for America, I think he's wise to take the car going up.

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      Gently reply
  2. That's good to hear... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    GoPro cameras would probably make a good case study about not trying to put everything and the kitchen sink into a product. Instead, make it affordable and good for what it'll actually be used for.

    1. Re:That's good to hear... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Apart from the fact that they're fairly overpriced for what they can do, they're really rather ugly and cumbersome (especially when mounted on a helmet, hardly sleek or unobtrusive), and not particularly intuitive to use (tiny buttons, not obvious whether it's recording or not).

      But what do I know, they seem popular. Possibly because they're robust and they've got a few different mount options, but I can't believe there isn't more good-looking and capable competition.

    2. Re:That's good to hear... by NIK282000 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      300-400$ for a camera that will film 1920*1080 at 120 fps and is extreme sports friendly? That's a steal, if you compare the video quality of their latest one to the top consumer camcorders on the market they are right on par and a hell of a lot cheaper. I do wonder what foxcon eventually wants out of this deal though.

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      Dear aunt, let's set so double the killer delete select all
  3. With a Windows 8 interface... by G3ckoG33k · · Score: 3, Funny

    Metro ruined my face

  4. Re:Not a billionaire yet by Sqr(twg) · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Value is value. US dollars is simply one way of storing it.

    The difference is: One billion US dollars can quite easily be converted into other goods. One billion dollars "worth" of stock in a small-cap company cannot. Especially if you're and insider and thus prohibited from selling your stock in secret.

  5. I bought a GoPro for my son ... by Alain+Williams · · Score: 4, Interesting

    who is spending some time in Madagascar. I ordered 3 components on 3rd November, all marked in stock. 3 days later I am told that the camera will be available but a spare battery and bacpak will take 2-4 weeks. The camera is delivered on time. On 18 Dec I am told ''We wanted to let you know that your order will be slightly delayed. We expect to receive the items for shipment to you on Feb/05/2013.". I think that I need a new dictionary with a revised definition of slightly.

    WARNING: do not get one of these things if you need it quickly.

    Part of the reason for the pacpak is to control the camera. You are supposed be able to do this with an Android app; but that does not work properly.

    My son also complains that the camera crashes and it has lost video footage that he has shot. Be careful of these things.