The brand-new webcam technology from Panomax turns guests into sales partners.
For many years, webcams have been an essential communication tool for the tourism industry. They are a common feature on websites and cause significant increases in one’s website visitor numbers. At the same time, the term ‘webcam’ became synonymous with being a small picture with bad resolution. Up until now, webcams were used to show a live picture of a region but they didn’t really add value to the design of the website.
Panomax, a company from Austria, is taking this opportunity and has created a brand-new way to approach the topic of webcams.
In comparison
The best webcam available on cruise ships at the moment is HD-ready with 1,280×720 pixels. This results in a one-megapixel picture. Panomax delivers pictures with a resolution of 63,500×7,500 pixels. Those photos have a resolution of 470 megapixels and, on top of that, are 360°.
The high quality and superior colour of this brand-new technology developed by Panomax creates a whole new user experience:
- Panomax allows live interactivity within the photo: turn, rotate, zoom, search the history, and much more
- the easy-to-use Panomax Player is user friendly
- the Panomax Player is compatible with all existing browsers (PC, tablet, mobile) and all of that without having to install any extra software.
But what is the USP of Panomax?
Everybody has been there. You enjoy a certain view or you run around on a cruise ship trying to capture the perfect shot on your camera to keep the memory. What would you say if you were told that there is a photo from every moment at any time in 360° available? A dream come true for every marketing manager.
The scenario above is made possible with the software provided by Panomax. The software produces high-resolution, 360° panoramas with 470 megapixels and automatically saves them on the internet – for the whole trip. It is not only the picture that is saved but also the GPS coordinates too, so you can easily find the picture you are looking for.
The easiest comparison for Panomax for ships is a ‘live Google street view’ in dramatically better quality. This results in the opportunity for guests to relive their cruise at any place in the world at any time. Guests can already use the tool on board but it gets really interesting once they get back home: they relieve the beautiful moments that they had on the cruise – making them want to return immediately.
Capturing a whole screen in full HD, 4K and more, it is now possible to return to your trip at any time. With this feature, Panomax becomes a companion in the office, at family gatherings or on a night out with friends. Anywhere you have access to the internet, you’ll be able to tell the story of your trip supported by those breathtaking pictures. The zoom activity allows you to experience every little detail all over again. Your guest will be looking forward to having more pictures, more stories and, above all, more trips.
Panomax offers more than just photos in an online archive:
- an online printshop on board or the opportunity for orders to be shipped directly to the guest’s home
- screen-saver for Mac and Windows to see live photos
- automatic time-lapse videos of a whole trip
- the possibility of use on Facebook and Twitter
- automatic blurring of faces to protect privacy
- online webserver on board to present the pictures directly to guests, saving data volume.
With smart data management, Panomax can also fully function with the limited data volume available on board of a cruise ship.
Panomax will be at the Seatrade Cruise Global in Fort Lauderdale, booth GB3700.
