Social Android Imaging: Samsung's Galaxy Camera

The Galaxy Camera has a lot of cool features and functionality that you won’t find on other cameras, such as the ability to run Android apps, surf the web, and edit photos. With the ability to connect to Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network as well as Wi-Fi networks, you can share pictures with friends and family as they are taken. The ability to share images that are better than what you’d get with a smartphone is definitely great, however the camera does require a monthly service fee to support this functionality.

The Galaxy Camera’s size is a bit of a drawback since it isn’t nearly as portable as the tiny point-and-shoot we’d typically carry. The initial price tag of the Galaxy Camera is another sticking point that will likely deter users. While you may be willing to drop $200-$300 on a standard point and shoot camera, we’re guessing many users won’t be too thrilled about the Galaxy Camera’s $549.99 price tag, especially considering the camera requires a monthly service fee on top of the initial purchase price.

Overall, we had a great time using the Galaxy Camera and see a lot of fun scenarios where we would enjoy having a connected camera that also has the ability to take great photos. We appreciate that Samsung didn’t skimp on the features in the Galaxy Camera—it has a 21x optical zoom that works very well along with many automatic picture taking modes and full manual controls.  All in all, the Galaxy Camera is a really fun and cool gadget, but we expect the price and monthly contract will deter many users who would otherwise love to own a connected camera.

Easily share pictures with LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity 21x zoom Many automatic and manual shooting modes Runs any app compatible with Android 4.1 HDMI-out	Price Monthly service fee Larger than your average compact camera