Above: Engadget’s first impressions. Canon USA PowerShot N page.

Digitalcamerainfo’s first impressions: The PowerShot N is Canon’s boldest move toward a future that just won’t come to pass: a future where compact cameras can go toe-to-toe with mobile devices in terms of wireless connectivity. In the (harsh) conclusion they write:

At its core, the N is just a capital-letters Cheap Point-and-Shoot with a wacky design. There is simply no good reason for a camera like this to have wireless connectivity if it can’t handle sharing as seamlessly as a smartphone.

PetaPixel’s first impressions:

The uber-compact body looks and feels nice in the hand, and can easily be carried around in your pocket without causing too much of a bulge. It’s light, and won’t weigh you or your bag down if you carry it around everywhere you go. It’s a camera that’s just as compact as a smartphone, but offers nice advantages: a longer-reaching optical lens and a larger sensor are two of the main ones.

Slashgear’s first impressions:

That’s a healthy amount of features for this little 12-megapixel shooter, but this still has plenty of the features you’d expect. These include low-light performance, ISO up to 6400, and the ability to capture video in 1080p. Canon says the PowerShot N will begin shipping in April 2013 and will come with a price tag of $300, which doesn’t seem too bad.

The PowerShot N, which will cost $299 and be available soon, can be pre-ordered at the following links (along with all the other Canon gear that was announced at CES 2013, click on shopname): B&H | Adorama.

Canon’s promo video for the PowerShot N

12MP, tilting touchscreen, built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, an 8X-optical-zoom lens, 3.09 x 2.37 x 1.15 inches… Canon’s latest fun toy wasn’t expected. Let’s see some of the first hands-ons that showed up on the net. The PowerShot N, which will cost $299 and be available soon, can be pre-ordered at the following links (along with all the other Canon gear that was announced at CES 2013, click on shopname): B&H | Adorama.

Canon PowerShot N availability check for your country: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA (you probably have to wait some time)

Techradar: They found good: Easy to use, One-touch Wi-Fi, Small size, Good sensor, Responsive touch-control. Not so good: Slightly awkward to hold, Little manual control, Restricted LCD movement. More:

The PowerShot N is all about creating images quickly and easily, so naturally all the exposure modes are automatic. Program mode provided the most control, with aspects such as exposure compensation and white balance being adjustable. Alternatively, there are some creative shooting options with filter effect such as Fish-eye Effect, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Toy Camera Effect and Monochrome.

PCWorld:

This little box of a 12-megapixel camera also doesn’t have a traditional shutter button or zoom control. Instead, you trigger the shutter by pressing a ring around the lens, and you operate the zoom lens by rocking a second lens-ring control back and forth with your finger. You can also focus and take a photo by tapping the camera’s 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen, which is definitely responsive

t3.com:

It’s an interesting idea, and perhaps something that will genuinely appeal to the left-handers out there, but we found the camera to be quite uncomfortable to use, and we didn’t really warm to the strange design even after a lengthy play.

Canon USA PowerShot N page

Finally, a video by Whatdigitalcamera: