Verizon Gives a First Look at the Motorola Droid 4

 Although Verizon has yet to officially announce the Motorola Droid 4, that's not stopping the carrier from giving the world a sneak peek at this upcoming high-end Android smartphone.

No specifications were revealed, but the images confirm earlier reports that this device will include a sliding five-row keyboard, and a relatively slim shape that resembles the Motorola Droid RAZR.

 The fact that Verizon is showing off this handset, in even a limited manner, is a strong indication that it is indeed going to launch next week, on Dec. 8, as has been rumored.

Leaked Specifications

Verizon is still keeping quiet about the details of the Droid 4, but that hasn't stopped virtually all of its specifications from leaking out. According to unconfirmed reports, this device will debut with Google's Android OS 2.3 running on a 1.2GHz dual-core processor with 1GB RAM and 16GB of built-in storage.

The LTE-enabled phone will supposedly have a 4-inch qHD (960 x 540) display and will pack an 8MP rear camera with 1080p video capture and an “HD” front-facing webcam. It will also allegedly be equipped with a 1785 mAh battery, a micro HDMI-out port, a micro-USB port, a micro SIM and a microSD slot. The device will also come with DLNA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

Panasonic Lumix FP3 digital camera

 Panasonic's new Lumix camera costs AED 999 in the United Arab Emirates

There's not much you can do to a camera these days that hasn't been done before, so I admire Panasonic Lumix FP3's nuances.

For example, aside from the boring on/off button you can slide down the front lens cover to switch the camera on. It has a generous 3" touchscreen panel that can automatically detect the light around you and change the LCD brightness accordingly. Perfect for when you're outdoors. 

 Perhaps the most useful FP3 feature is the dedicated Intelligent Auto (IA) mode button. Panasonic's IA tech automatically selects settings that match the environment you're trying to capture. It's an all-in-one mode that combines image stabilisation, light sensitivity, face and scene detection and auto focus...and it really works. Even the most novice user will have no problem taking above average shots with IA on the FP3.

But it's the camera's twenty five ‘scene' modes that had me clicking away for hours. There's one for pretty much every situation imaginable - party, food, candlelight, beach, sports... including one specifically for when you want to take aerial shots and one that best suits taking photos of your pet.

Film grain and transform are my favourites scene modes though. Once set on film grain, the camera captures a black and white image but with a traditional grainy twist. It really is quite gorgeous when taking portraits. The transform mode is fun, with you choosing to either ‘stretch' or ‘slim' photo subjects. The results aren't perfect since you have no control over just how much the image is stretched, but the transformation is more than evident.

The FP3 is also capable of HD movie recording, which I found to be good. I tried fast action shots, noticing the same sharp results when I kept the camera steady as well as when I moved the unit around quickly.

What I am not too thrilled about is the colour pickup - I've seen more intensity on cameras from competing brands. And the user interface is great if you're pushing 50 and need the clunky fonts and icons. I expect a classier UI on a camera like this.