Mobile Technology

Cycloramic app spins your iPhone right round, baby, right round

Cycloramic app spins your iPhone right round, baby, right round
Cycloramic uses the iPhone's vibration motor to spin it in a circle
Cycloramic uses the iPhone's vibration motor to spin it in a circle
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Cycloramic uses the iPhone's vibration motor to spin it in a circle
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Cycloramic uses the iPhone's vibration motor to spin it in a circle
Is the app worthwhile, or just a novelty? (Originals: Shutterstock [1] [2])
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Is the app worthwhile, or just a novelty? (Originals: Shutterstock [1] [2])

Panoramas are all the rage. In the past year, both Apple's iOS 6 and Google's Android 4.2 added panoramic photography. You can even buy accessories that take interactive 360° videos. But a new app called Cycloramic takes a much simpler approach: it shoots panoramic videos by (literally) taking your iPhone 5 for a spin.

Like a record, baby

Cycloramic doesn't require any expensive accessories or complex user know-how. It only requires a US$0.99 download, a smooth surface, and one tap on your screen. After selecting the number of rotations, the app uses the iPhone's built-in vibration motor to twirl around, creating a panoramic clip that Google Street View could envy.In our tests, the app worked as advertised. On a ceramic counter, Cycloramic rotated an iPhone 5 360°, creating a smoothly-panned clip. The app's developers say that it won't work on surfaces like rough wood or fabric, but any smooth, solid and level surface should do the trick.

Practical or parlor trick?

Is the app worthwhile, or just a novelty? (Originals: Shutterstock [1] [2])
Is the app worthwhile, or just a novelty? (Originals: Shutterstock [1] [2])

There are caveats. The developers only recommend Cycloramic for the iPhone 5. Older iPhones' heavier builds and weaker motors prevent them from spinning. The phone will need to be naked too, so you'll want to remove your case before firing it up. The app also doesn't have audio, as the vibrations would overpower all other sound.

Why would anyone would need Cycloramic? There could be niche cases, like unique round-table shots or large group videos. For the most part, though, it's a novelty: amaze your friends with the mysterious spinning iPhone! We suspect that, for many buyers, the resulting video will be an afterthought.

You can see Cycloramic in action below, or take it for a spin yourself at the source link.

Source: App Store ($0.99), via Techcrunch

iPhone 5 automatically rotates using Cycloramic App.

4 comments
4 comments
Fahrenheit 451
Clever, very clever!
Mark A
Agreed, cool ap.
Nitrozzy Seven
3210 did this for free.
Cycloramic
Fahrenheit 451 & Mark A, thanks for your support! Nitrozzy Seven - did the 3210 take video while it spun? :)