Rylo's 360-degree camera is a tiny package with a lot of promise and cool tricks

Rylo camera review

One of the big new trends in cameras is those that can take 360-degree videos or pictures.

But Rylo, a San Francisco startup that's recently released its own such camera, thinks what's more important than being able to take images and video in a full circle is what you can do with them afterward.

In tandem with its camera, the company has developed a smartphone app that's designed to let users quickly take the 360-degree videos they shoot and turn them into polished, professional-looking clips.

The software automatically steadies shaky video and allows users to track a particular person or object in a scene even as that person — or the camera itself — is moving. The software is also designed to let users easily create both split-screen videos and tracking shots that smoothly pan from one vantage point to another.

Designed by a team of engineers that came from Instagram and Apple, Rylo's camera and software have a lot of potential. Unfortunately, they don't quite live up to their promise.

Here's a look at the new Rylo camera:

Rylo's camera is a small, action-cam style device.

At 2.85 inches by 1.45 inches by 1.7 inches, it's about the size of two flash drives back to back.

The camera feels solid.

Its anodized aluminum case and high-impact plastic sides give it a sturdy feel. But at only 3.8 ounces, it's lightweight.

It's easy to use.

The Rylo 360-degree camera only has three buttons. You use the one on top to turn it on or off, start and stop recording video, and take photos. You use the one on the back, which is next to its screen, to switch between video recording and picture taking modes.

By pressing its third button, which is on the bottom of the device, you can access its removable battery and microSD card.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider