Gizmodo: Camera phones

Man Banned From Owning a Camera Phone After Secretly Filming Woman On the Toilet

Sean Fallon — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:10:00 EDT

A man in Singapore (where else) has been banned from owning a camera phone for a year after being caught secretly filming a woman in an airport bathroom. Actually, "secretly" is probably a strong word when you consider that the perp, 19-year-old Samuel Ong, simply slid his camera phone under the cubicle door to catch a few shots.

Not surprisingly, the woman caught Ong in the act and reported him to the police. In addition to the cellphone ban, he will have to complete 60 hours of community service, undergo psychiatric treatment and observe a curfew as part of his sentence. Seems like he is getting off pretty easy, especially by Singaporean standards.[Reuters]

Send Photos From Phone to Web With Belkin Kodak Bluetooth USB Adapter

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:24:39 EST

It's annoying that so many good (or terrible) photos are stuck inside your cameraphone. Belkin's F8T012 Bluetooth adapter gives your computer Bluetooth 2.0 for all your diabolical purposes, but it also specifically lets you wirelessly drop photos from cellphones, for printing, storing or uploading. This can often be a pain, especially when you're dealing with a phone from a "walled-garden" carrier. The good news is, a cursory glance of the phone compatibility list showed a lot of phones you might not expect, like the LG VX8700. And it gives you 100-meter range for $50, the same cost as Belkin's non-Kodak Bluetooth adapter. [Belkin]

Samsung's Thin 3-Megapixel SCH-u900 FlipShot Camera Phone Hits Verizon

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:30:00 EST

Last time you saw the SCH-u900, it was fugly. Now, gussied up and ready for the holidays, the u900 makes its Verizon Wireless debut in red and black with a new nickname, the FlipShot. The 3.0-megapixel camphone replaces the now defunct a990 with a thinner body and a new rounded-edge look. It's got what you'd expect from a high-end feature phone: EV-DO, GPS with VZ Navigator, and Bluetooth—stereo audio, dial-up networking, serial port and object push for vCard, plus basic print and image profiles. The black version starts selling on Verizon's website today, while the seductive red model will only be available at Best Buy, beginning 11/26. Total cost for this baby will be $200, after you sign your life away for one-fifth of a decade, of course. [Verizon Wireless]

Nokia's Point&Find Technology Both Useful and Creepy

AddyDugdale — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 07:44:03 EDT

Nokia has used its The Way We Live Next show in Finland to reveal the company's Point&Find system. In a nutshell, the cellphone company is developing the technology to allow you to point your Nokia cell at any object — restaurants, cinemas, even that cute girl you see on the bus to work each morning (er, are you sure about this? Ed) — and the information will immediately be downloaded to your phone.

Earlier this year Nokia bought up a Silicon Valley start-up called PIXTO, the creator of the Point&Find technology. Combining specially-designed systems architecture, AI, GPS and image processing, Point&Find works on existing cell phones, provided they are equipped with a camera and internet connection.

Point your mobile at the cinema and it will tell you what's on and when, let you view the trailer, and even buy the tickets; click in front of a restaurant and you'll get the latest reviews. Historical landmarks, travel posters, shop windows, etc, will all become reality hyperlinks. And as for the girl on the bus — well, give Nokia 10 years and, thanks to face recognition, perhaps you'll be able to link directly to her website. [Nokia via Mobile Mentalism]

Camera Phone Zoom Lens Cell Phone Strap

LISA KATAYAMA — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 02:55:36 EST

Don't take any more of those shitty cell phone camera shots that make people look like grainy ants. This 12mm zoom lens cell phone strap is easy to carry around and subtle enough that you can still sneak pics of hot girls walking by—except they'll look bigger and more real.

–Lisa Katayama

A Zoom Lens For Your Camera Phone [TokyoMango]

OKI's Iris Recognition Technology for Phones Goes Great With Tin Foil Hats

www.gizmodo.com — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 16:07:05 EST

If you're really worried about someone stealing your phone and then making loads of calls on your dime, you probably want some security on there. Like a lock code, which basically all phones have.

If that's not good enough for you and you won't feel secure until you can't make a call without sticking your phone up to your face and taking a picture of your eye, good news! OKI of Japan has just created software that locks your phone until your iris is recognized. Look for it to hit the phones of paranoid idiots everywhere come next March. –Adam Frucci

OKI Introduces Japan's First Iris Recognition for Camera-equipped Mobile Phones [Slashphone]

Phlash Adds Flash to Mobile Phones

Charlie White — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 14:26:51 EST

Phlash is a self-contained LED unit powered by coin-shaped lithium batteries that lets you add flash to your mobile phone pictures. You either stick Phlash on your phone with its self-adhesive backing or hang it from your phone with the included strap. Made for close-up photos of three feet or less, it's manually synchronized, meaning that you squeeze the button on Phlash as you take your picture, for what the company says are perfect photos every time. Made to work with all camera phones, it s now available for $29.99.

We'd like to try holding it to the side, up high, or behind the subject for some weird lighting effects.

Product site [via MobileWhack]

Nokia Rolls Out Two Midrange Cellphones

Charlie White — Mon, 13 Feb 2006 14:16:50 EST

Nokia introduced two camera phones, the 6131 and the 6070. The 6131 is a folding design with a 1.3-megapixel camera. Unique features include its one-handed easy-open, and its dual-screen viewfinder, where you can use either the main screen and the outside screen as a viewfinder for the camera. It also has a digital music player and an FM radio, and supports Bluetooth and microSD memory cards. Nokia says it will be available for $329 in the second quarter of this year, with a North American version to be announced later this year.

The 6070 is a lower-end offering from Nokia, and includes push-to-talk, a voice recorder, speakerphone, a camera which Nokia didn't say much about except that it's "basic," and stereo FM radio. It s also expected to be rolled out in the second quarter of this year at a price of $161.

Nokia adds two mid-range handsets [blog.PCNews Technology]