Nikon Coolpix S800c is an Android camera for snaps and apps
Powered by Android, the Nikon Coolpix S800c 16-megapixel camera also gives you apps and games and social networking.
The Nikon Coolpix S800c isn't just a 16-megapixel camera that fits in your pocket -- powered by Android, it also gives you apps and games and social networking. Aw, it thinks it's a phone!
Boasting Android version 2.3 Gingerbread, the S800c connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi to download any application from Google Play. That means you can grab photo apps for special effects on your pictures, social media apps for sharing snaps with your buddies, locker apps to automatically backup all your photos online, and even games to play between shooting.
Tap on the 3.5-in OLED touchscreen to control the camera and apps just like you do on your phone. Tappity-tap to send snaps zapping off to Facebook or Twitter for your friends to peruse, or send them via email. You can also send pictures to Nikon's photo-sharing site myPicturetown, if that's your bag.
The Wi-Fi connects to other devices as well as to the Internet. So if you haven't got an Internet connection, you can slip your picture to your smart phone or tablet, then upload it to the Web over your phone or tablet's 3G connection.
There's GPS on board too, so while you're out and about you can get directions to your next photo shoot, as well as information about the local area. And pictures can be geotagged, so when you get back you can see your adventures on a map.
On the camera front, the S800c has a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor and 10x optical zoom, equivalent to 25–250mm. Under the bonnet is an Expeed C2 image processor capable of snapping up to 8.1 frames per second.
The S800c also shoots video, in glorious 1080p high definition.
This isn't the first Android-powered camera: Polaroid makes a camera with Google's software on board. And why not? Android can take charge of just about anything, even a microwave.
If anything, the S800c doesn't go far enough -- as I've argued before (and in the video below), cameras should have phones in them.
Is this the start of Android powering every kind of device, or should Android stick to phones? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
