It's all too common to see a sea of smartphones, at-attention and up in the air, at a live event. Whether a concert, or sports game, or protest, many attendees are now using the devices at their fingertips to record the events in front of them for later viewing and sharing. You wouldn't expect the latest recording and livestreaming technology to come from Ubiquiti Labs, a division of Ubiquiti Networks, which mostly makes Wi-Fi mesh products—but it does. The new $399 FrontRow camera made by Ubiquiti Labs is part-lifestyle, part-action cam that you can tote in multiple ways to capture everything going on in front of you.

Specs at a glance: FrontRow camera Display 1.96-inch LTPS round color touchscreen, 640×572, 327ppi Dimensions 2,354 x 2.768 x 0.476 inches (59.8 x 70.3 x 12.1 mm) Weight 2.08 ounces (59 grams) RAM 2GB Storage 32GB Lens Main: 8MP, F2.2; Rear: 5MP, F2.0 Video Resolution 2688 x 1512 max Max Frame Rate 30 fps Ports one USB Type-C Sensors accelerometer, gyroscope

The small, disk-like device can be worn on your clothes using a clip attachment, on your neck with an included chain, or on other accessories like a dashboard mount. With its two cameras, an 8MP rear and 5MP front-facing, you can record video, take photos, and livestream to social media accounts with a press of a button. There's also an interesting Story mode that takes a photo every few seconds and strings the best of those photos together to make a quick, montage-like video.

Arguably the most striking part of the FrontRow camera is its 2-inch circular display on the back of the device, just below the front-facing camera. The device is Android-based, so it has an operating system and a UI you can interact with. It's almost like a primitive smartphone, with no cellular features, in an almost futuristic package. In addition to reviewing footage directly on the device's display, you can also swipe through apps and settings and initiate livestreams on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube once you've linked your accounts.

FrontRow is quirky, to say the least. It's certainly a more convenient way to capture POV video footage and, in some ways, less conspicuous than holding up an iPhone in the middle of a crowd. However, $399 is a lot to ask for that experience—especially one you can replicate with a device you already have in your pocket. Check out the video above to see my overall impressions of the FrontRow camera and some footage from the camera, too.

Valentina Palladino

Valentina Palladino

Valentina Palladino

Valentina Palladino

Listing image by Valentina Palladino