The Samsung Galaxy Camera

Samsung Galaxy Camera

We all know what a camera phone is...but what about a phone camera?  The new Samsung Galaxy Camera is just that - a point-and-shoot camera combined with a 4G smartphone.  Is it a cool idea? Definitely.
When you think of point-and-shoot cameras, you don't think of something that has impressive quality (such as a DSLR camera).  However, the Galaxy Camera can shoot 16.3 megapixels and offers a 21x optical zoom.  Combine that with an Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) operating system, 4.8-inch LCD screen,  and a quad-core processor and you've got one hell of a point-and-shoot.

Professional photographers might be a little disappointed at the fact that the camera takes a little longer to shoot than a DSLR, but they can appreciate the "expert mode" that allows users to manually adjust aperture and shutter settings.  The only downside is that there is no physical lens attached that would be twisted to change settings on a DSLR camera.  On a positive note, Dropbox is partnering with this new device from Samsung - enabling sync for pictures taken on the device.  Users will never have to worry about not having their pictures on hand.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is set to begin shipping in October.  While a price has not been set on the device, it is going to have to be set strategically in order to compete with Nikon's Android-based camera announced in early August.

Do you think that customers are going to want to purchase a bulky smartphone device that has a point-and-shoot look to it?  Would you feel awkward communicating with people holding a camera to your ear?  I don't know if the powerful camera is worth lugging this device around.  Let me know what you think!