Touring Google's Crazy MWC Booth

Just like last year at Mobile World Congress here in Barcelona, Google’s booth is a playground. The search behemoth behind the Android mobile operating system is using its share of expensive tradeshow floor square footage as a place for OS and app developers along with enthusiasts to hang out, do business, get nourished, and have fun. More importantly, the company is showing off its dominance as the unquestionable number-one smartphone operating system provider. (For now, at least, of course.)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 ($799.99 direct with 14-42mm lens) is the camera that many people wanted the Lumix DMC-GF3 ($599.99, 3.5 stars) to be—a compact Micro Four Thirds body with plenty of physical controls, an accessory port, and a hot shoe. The 16-megapixel camera does a better job in lower light than other Micro Four Thirds bodies, but not as well as mirrorless cameras with large APS-C sensors such as the Samsung NX200 ($899.99, 3.5 stars) or our Editors' Choice Sony Alpha NEX-C3 ($649.95, 4.5 stars), and its kit lens can't match the sharpness of the one included with a competing Micro Four Thirds camera, the Olympus E-PL3 ($699.99, 3.5 stars)—of course, there's nothing stopping you from using the Olympus lens on the Panasonic camera, thanks to the interoperability of the Micro Four Thirds system.

How to Buy a Point-and-Shoot Digital Camera

By far the largest segment of the digital camera market, point-and-shoot models are compact, easy to use, and typically take great pictures with minimal effort. You simply press the shutter button, and the camera automatically adjusts shutter speed, aperture, focus, and light sensitivity to capture a clear image with optimal color. Unlike Digital SLRs which offer larger image sensors, more manual control and interchangeable lenses, point-and-shoot cameras can often slip into a pocket, and are typically less expensive.

Google Releases 'Android Design' Style Guide

Android Design' Style Guide

What makes something an "Ice Cream Sandwich" device? What does it mean to embody the spirit of Android? To help answer these questions, Google on Thursday unveiled Android Design, a guide for how to create the best Android apps and interfaces.

Android Design is "the place to learn about principles, building blocks, and patterns for creating world-class Android user interfaces," Christian Robertson, head of the Android visual design group, said in a blog post. "Whether you're a UI professional or a developer playing that role, these docs show you how to make good design decisions, big and small."

Robertson said Google is "committed to helping you design amazing apps that people love," and promised more in-depth content on Android Design, as well as design-related blog posts and Google+ Hangouts, in the coming months.

Windows 8 Vs. Mac OS X Lion: Feature by Feature

With the Windows 8 Consumer Preview coming the end of this month at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the world will get a more complete look at Microsoft's next big operating system. But thanks to the company being very open about what's in store with Windows 8, we already know a lot about it. The team building the operating system has posted extensively on the Building Windows 8 blog, providing a level of detail that is rarely seen in this world of surprise major tech releases.