Nikon’s New Camera Is Powered By Android

Nikon’s New Camera Is Powered By Android


Think your HTC One X or iPhone 4S can take a pretty picture? You ain’t seen nothing yet. Nikon just announced its new Coolpix models, and within the new range lies the S800c: a 16-megapixel camera that is powered by Android, and comes complete with built-in Wi-Fi and GPS capabilities. The best part is that it is coming to Australia and it’s a few hundred dollars cheaper than those aforementioned smartphones.

The Coolpix S800c is powered by Android 2.3.3, meaning that most apps from the Google Play store (which you’ll have access to) will work on the device. It’s got a 3.5-inch OLED touchscreen that shows off both the Android operating system and the photos you’re taking. It shoots 1080p video with continuous auto-focus so nothing drops out into blur-town and it comes with built-in wind noise reduction, too.

It doesn’t have a 3G radio built-in though, which means you can’t use it like a conventional smartphone, but it’s compatible with a companion app for both Android and iOS that lets you pair with the camera and transfer photos wirelessly for saving, storing or printing.

That Wi-Fi capability in the camera, coupled with access to Google Play, allows you to install apps like Instagram for fast photo sharing. You could even load something like WordPress mobile onto the camera, snap photos from an event and upload them via Wi-Fi hotspot. No computer required.

It goes on sale locally on 27 September. Nikon won’t come clean on an RRP, but we’ve been given an indication that this thing will set you back around $449 t0 $499. Compare that to devices like the HTC One X and the iPhone 4S which both cost around $800-$900 each and you’re coming out ahead with the Nikon. You’ll still have to weigh up what’s more important, though: built-in 3G radio or a nice camera.

This whole proposition stacks up in such a way that the company with the best Android camera phone on the market right now is Nikon. Did anyone see that coming?


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