GoPro wifi BacPac Review

GoPro Wi-Fi BacPac + Wi-Fi Remote Combo Kit

I just preordered my GoPro wifi Bacpac and Wi-Fi remote, and I couldn’t be more excited! I wanted to give you a rundown of the features, and how freekin excited I am for the upgrade.

It goes without saying one of the biggest drawbacks of a GoPro camera is the fact that you can’t see what you’re shooting. Sure you can get a GoPro LCD attachment to the back, but that doesn’t come stock with the device, and it’s a tiny screen.

With the new GoPro wifi attachment, you’re able to stream video directly from your device to a smart phone or tablet (Apple or Android). This is freekin sweet. The best part is you don’t actually need to be hooked up to a wifi network. From what I can tell, the GoPro wifi BacPac sprays it’s own wifi signal, so you can view the video/images on your tablet out in the field where wifi hotspots aren’t present.

Another amazing part about the GoPro wifi capabilities is the ability to control play/stop/record/shutter/video/picture modes all from the tablet. You can also control up to 50 cameras from the app….SWEET. Imagine running a whole slew of cameras, and toggling between the shots all from your iPad…Awesome!

The other accessory that comes with the GoPro wifi BacPac is the wifi remote. This is a little wrist attachment that can independently toggle on/off and picture modes itself. I can see this being a great function if you’re a snowboarder and wanting to start the camera right from your wrist. I personally can’t see a huge need for the remote, as I’ll be most likely always streaming/wireless tethering to my iPad, but clearly the GoPro people know what they’re doing, and have decided this is a good idea. Just like the tethering to the app, the remote doesn’t need to be hooked up to a wifi network to run…it will spray it’s own signal up to 600 feet away.

Another cool function is that WITH a wifi hotspot nearby and access to a tablet/smart phone, you can stream and share the video directly to facebook, youtube, or to a live streaming backend where others can log in to a computer and view the footage as it’s happening…imagine the possibilities!

It appears that only the GoPro2 will have functionality with the smart phone/tablet app, but the original GoPro WILL support the wifi remote. At least they’re not isolating older customers, which is a good thing. You will need to do a firmware update to use the new accessories, but I’ve updated the firmware on my GoPro a few times and it’s super simple.

I’ve give a more in-depth review once the darn thing gets to my door, but in the meantime, I totally suggest preordering one now if it’s of any interest. I can see these things being on back order, especially considering how long it’s taken for them to finally come to market. In any event, let me know how you’re enjoying your GoPro wifi BacPac once you get it!

GoPro Wi-Fi BacPac + Wi-Fi Remote Combo Kit