Panasonic has announced a unique Android offering headed for Softbank, a Japanese carrier, officially unveiling the Lumix Phone 101P today.

The Lumix Phone looks almost exactly like a pocket-sized digital camera, except for its 4" touch screen and Android 2.3 software. Under its surprisingly slender frame, it houses some interesting specs:

  • 4-inch QHD LCD screen with 960×540 resolution
  • 13.2MP CMOS Lumix sensor with “Mobile Venus Engine“
  • Waterproof body
  • TI OMAP4430 dual-core CPU (1GHz)
  • Ultra Speed compatibility (Softbank's broadband network)
  • microSD card slot
  • Infrared connection
  • E-wallet function
  • Digital TV tuner
  • A sleek body (64×123×9.8mm)
  • Android 2.3 Gingerbread

There's no word yet on pricing, or whether this phone will make an appearance in other countries, but it seems like a unique fusion between a point-and-shoot camera and a mobile phone, and it will be interesting to see how its 13.2MP sensor performs, especially next to Samsung's newly-announced 16MP sensors.

via TechCrunch