• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, January 8, 2015

This year’s CES in Las Vegas is overflowing with all kinds of new gadgets that promise to feed our addiction to social media, including cameras. On Thursday HTC announced that its new RE camera will support live streaming of video to YouTube, allowing consumers to share special moments (or mundane ones) with their friends via live online broadcasts.

The camera’s live streaming to YouTube function is enabled by an update to the RE Android app available at the Google PlayStore, with a version for iOS coming later in the first quarter of this year. Users just have to sign into their YouTube channel and activate live streaming, then share the broadcast link via text message or social media; the viewers don’t need to have a YouTube channel to view the live broadcasts, and the live streams can be broadcast in public or private mode.

This kind of functionality would obviously be useful for, say, letting grandparents join in a birthday celebration remotely, or letting your friends enjoy a live concert they couldn’t attend in person (although an entertainment copyright lawyer might have something to say about that). As for the examples offered by HTC -- watch your nephew’s piano recital from afar! -- all I can say is, please God, spare us.

Social cameras are now apparently “a thing,” although the ones I’ve seen recently often have a rather gimmicky feel. On that note, earlier this week at CES Polaroid unveiled a new digital camera, the Socialmatic, designed for social sharing of pictures. This camera is equipped with an Android operating system and wireless connection, and features a touchscreen that allows you to view and edit your pictures, as well as customize them with text, icons, or clip art. You can also print out photos on adhesive-backed paper using “inkless” printing, for on-demand photo stickers.

Of course plenty of cameras come equipped with wireless nowadays, even if they aren’t billed as “social media” devices. According to DP Review, some of the new generation are especially suitable for snapping and sharing, including the Samsung Galaxy 2, using Android and equipped with Wifi, NFC, Bluetooth, and GPS; the Canon PowerShot N100, which includes a nifty rear-facing camera, so the photographer can join in a group photo, as well as a Story Highlights feature ideal for social media; and the Sony Cyber-shot QX30, an interesting hybrid camera which includes a lens that can be attached to tablets or smartphones.