Live streaming is getting popular enough to warrant dedicated hardware these days, and the new FrontRow Camera from Ubiquiti Networks is a part of that group, but unique among its peers in its form factor and features. The smartwatch-like device can serve as a pendant, brooch, or circlet, and is meant to capture what’s going on from its wearer’s perspective, much like a GoPro. Unlike a GoPro, however, the FrontRow is running a custom version of Android on an unnamed quad-core processor, which may be Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 2100 made for wearables, paired up with 2GB of RAM, and boasts a rather spacious 32GB of internal storage. The small device is capable of live streaming anything you capture on its massive 8-megapixel rear camera, or its 5-megapixel front camera.
Connected through a linked smartphone, the device is capable of livestreaming to Facebook Live, YouTube Live, and Twitter Live at the moment, though more services could come in the future. It can also take advantage of a dedicated app on your smartphone to pass along content that it’s captured in order to free up more space, and allow you to share and upload that content wherever you want. The FrontRow also boasts a Story Mode, shown in the video embedded below. This mode allows you to capture a large amount of footage over a span of time, then turn it into a time-lapse with minimal editing work.
The FrontRow camera is now available to buy in either a black or a rose gold color and is priced at $399. A price that rivals vastly more capable smartphones; you’ll be paying a premium for the convenient form factor, long battery life, and durable, lightweight body. The FrontRow weighs in at only 55 grams, lighter than most smartwatches. This makes it suitable to be placed just about anywhere that it has a good view of the action. A USB Type-C port can quickly charge its battery, providing up to 2 hours of recording, or 50 hours of standby time. Both cameras can record in up to 1080p, at a rate of up to 30 frames per second. Good audio is guaranteed thanks to stereo microphones with beamforming and blind source separation, making the FrontRow a good companion for concertgoers and amateur musicians. It connects via either Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac, or BlueTooth 4.1.
Buy the FrontRow FR Wearable Lifestyle Camera
