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Canon appeals to internet socialites with PowerShot N Facebook camera
Facebook fanatics have a smartphone to call their own, and now they have a camera, too. Canon's PowerShot N, which first made its debut at CES, just scored a few (relatively minor) tweaks. The point-and-shoot features an unusual square design, so it can be rotated and held in a variety of orientations. There's a 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, DIGIC 5 processor, 28-224mm f/3.0-5.9 8x optical zoom lens and a 2.8-inch capacitive-touch tilting LCD, just as you'll find on the original. In fact, the Facebook branding represents the only significant change here, including a dedicated button on the side to upload images to the site (via built-in WiFi) and a new Facebook upload option in the system menu. It's hardly worth "upgrading" from the original N, but if Facebook is your life, get ready to hand over 300 bucks for this Canon online store exclusive beginning next month.
This week on gdgt: Nokia Lumia 928, Canon PowerShot N, gdgt price alerts
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Canon PowerShot N hands-on (video)
What's square and rounded with white all over? That'd be Canon's new PowerShot N -- a point-and-shoot that can be held in any which way. At first glance, it's a bit of a strange proposition -- the camera's square shape is admittedly a bit bizarre, and it does't look like it'd be terribly comfortable to use. So, did Canon get it all wrong with the boxy N? Not exactly. It's surely not going to be a first choice for everyone, but we do see what the device's design team was thinking here. The idea is that you can hold the camera any way you like, thanks to a shutter release and zoom trigger positioned around the lens itself. So, if you want to flip it upside down, that's perfectly fine. In fact, doing so will let you take advantage of the 2.8-inch flip-up LCD in order to snag some overhead shots, while keeping it in a more traditional orientation will enable below-the-waist captures. The camera seems a bit thick because of the small square design, but it's still compact enough to fit in a jeans pocket, or to be dangled from a wrist strap. And, because there's no shutter release at the top right corner, it's a solid fit for lefties, too. The white version we saw was incredibly glossy, and paired with the unconventional design, it's sure to attract a fair amount of attention on the streets. All in all, it's designed for fun -- the Creative Shot mode lets you add in a bit of color, while the built-in WiFi and direct connect button enable instant sharing on social media sites, via your smartphone. Take a closer look in our hands-on video after the break, or you can pick one up for yourself for $300 in April. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Canon reinvents the point-and-shoot with ambidextrous PowerShot N
No, you're not holding it wrong -- in fact, with Canon's new PowerShot N, any and every orientation is correct, thanks to a unique square design with key controls mounted around the center-positioned lens. In this case, a picture (of the camera body) tells far more than a thousand words -- this radical build is a bit tricky to explain, but we'll do our best. The idea here is that there's no one top or bottom, left or right side to the camera. Instead, those positions change based on how you've opted to orient the point-and-shoot. At 1.1 inches deep, the camera is very thin, yet it still packs an 8x 28mm f/3-5.9 lens. There's two rings around the barrel, with the first serving as a zoom toggle and the second used as a shutter release. The 2.8-inch, 461k-dot capacitive touchscreen is fixed at a slight angle, making it possible to take overhead and lower-angle shots simply by rotating the entire camera. There's a 12-megapixel CMOS sensor with a DIGIC 5 processor and an ISO range of 80-6400. It can snap 1080p video at 24 frames per second or 720p at 32 fps, and includes a bright LED that serves as an AF-assist lamp, a flash /and/ a video light. Canon opted to use microSD cards here, due to the camera's small size, along with a rechargeable battery that can be replenished through the USB connector -- a new Eco mode will enable an up to 30-percent boost in battery life, with the display powering down after eight seconds, then waking up when the built-in gyro sensor detects movement. There's WiFi connectivity with a dedicated Mobile Device Connect button, for direct access to an ad-hoc sharing mode. You'll also find a few software additions, including a Creative Shot mode that duplicates the image you just captured and applies "Intelligent Scene Analysis," cropping the frame and adjusting color and brightness without overwriting the original file. The PowerShot N is set to ship in April for $300, and will be available in both black and white. Canon also plans to release a handful of accessories, including a few unique concepts for wearing the camera around your neck, playing off of the model's compact form-factor and light weight. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
