At first glance, the Cycloramic app in action may make you think that He Who Shall Not Be Named is somewhere nearby, manipulating your iPhone through dark magic.
In reality, it’s simply an app that controls the vibrators in your phone to the exact frequency needed to make it balance on a table and spin at the same time. Meanwhile, you (or the Woz) can film a 360-degree video.
But the folks behind the app have decided to take it to another level with the Cycloramic v 2.0 update.
Along with the ability to take a video, the app will now let you take a high-def panoramic photo as well. iPhone 5 users can do this hands-free, just like with video mode, while iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users can use panoramic mode manually. The app offers a sound and vibration-guided experience, meaning the phone notifies you if you drop too low or go too fast.
Considering that users who’ve upgraded to iOS 6 already have Panorama mode on their phones, this one really only comes in handy for iPhone 5 users who can balance their phone on a flat surface to get a perfect panorama. Unless, of course, you’re an iPhone 4S owner who sucks at taking panoramic photos, in which case that special sound and vibration guide may help.
The team has also made a few minor tweaks, such as the ability to share on Facebook, control over video quality, and control over the speed at which the phone spins in video mode. Users can also choose whether or not to use a flash for panoramic mode, as well as manually control exposure, and panoramic angle up to 360 degrees.
The update to Cycloramic is available this morning for $.99 in the App Store, and is compatible with the iPhone 4/4S/5 as well as the 4th-generation iPod touch and the iPad 2.