Cameraphones
”Cellphone Cameras to Go to 8 Megapixels with OmniVision's BSI Sensor?
OmniVision is already the the largest supplier of CMOS image sensors in the world, and now its new OmniBSITM chip design promises the world's first consumer 8-megapixel cellphone camera. The new chip uses a technique that's been around for a while, called backside illumination, that allows more light to reach each pixel. And that allows the chip to use a small 1.4-micron pixel that's better than current larger versions.More »
Giz's Memorial Day Cameraphone Photo Contest
This weekend is Memorial Day, so you know what that means: an extra day off from work, grilling meats and getting drunk in the early afternoon. Yes, the beginning of summer is a beautiful, beautiful thing. But we want to give you a little challenge for this weekend, which looks set up to provide pretty great weather over much of the country. We're going to have a little photo contest, challenging you to take the best outdoor/summer shots you can using only your cameraphone.
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Lightning Review: Sony Ericsson K850i CyberShot Phone (Verdict: Almost Usable, But Not Quite)
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Cameraphones Becoming Integral To Teen Dating...Because They're Used to Swap Naked Pics
Did you know your teens are swapping naked pictures of themselves with their dates? We've got a few questions about how widespread this is—mainstream news sites love to take a few cases of anything and pretend it's an epidemic—but it is an interesting enough topic for us to look into. You know, teen nakedness.
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STMicroelectronics Camera Sensor is 1/5 Inch, Smallest Available
STMicroelectronics new VD6725 single-chip camera sensor is so small, it could theoretically fit in a cameraphone module as small as .2"x.2".15". The sensor is two megapixels and is capable of shooting VGA video at 30 fps or UXGA video at 15 fps. Kodak's new CMOS sensor may be small for a 5-megapixel array, but STMicroelectronics' is just small. [PR Newswire via MobileWhack]
cellphones
Cellphone Flasher Gets Small Fine, Large Public Humiliation
Wondering what actually would happen if you took a picture of your junk with your cameraphone and texted it to some unsuspecting lady? You'd get fined for "distributing pornographic material," at least if you do it in Germany, where one such exposure case closed just yesterday. The actual cost was around $220. But the humiliation—especially when the judge said of the 21-year-old perp's unit shot, "We all had a bit of a laugh when we saw the thing"—that was priceless. Let this be a lesson to all you would-be porno distributors out there. [Reuters]
peripherals
Send Photos From Phone to Web With Belkin Kodak Bluetooth USB Adapter
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]
peripherals
Sony Ericsson IPK100: Make your Amateur Cameraphone Pics Look Less, well, Amateur
Sony Ericsson's IPK-100 phone kit includes a micro-tripod with flexible legs and friction feet for its Cyber-shot range of camerphones. Also in the kit is a branded protective case for your phone that can be attached to your belt (always a good look, I feel). No pricing as yet, but it should be onsale in the next quarter. More »
cellphones
NYC 911 to Start Accepting Picturemail
NYC's Mayor Bloomberg announced during his state of the city address yesterday that he wants to encourage people to report crimes using their cameraphones. The system isn't set up yet, but Bloomie forsees that "if you see a crime in progress or a dangerous building condition, you'll be able to transmit images to 911 or online to nyc.gov." More »
cellphones
Samsung Puts Cameraphones on a Diet with New Image Sensor
Samsung is sending cameraphones across the globe to fat camp. They've developed a new 3-megapixel CMOS image sensor that's 30% smaller than the ones being used today. Basically that means next year's cameraphones will take better pictures and come in slimmer sizes. Anything to minimize that awkward cell phone bulge in my front pocket is good news to me. More »
cellphones
Criminals use Cameraphones to Assist in Robbing
Gang members in Port Elizbeth, South Africa are using cameraphones for a different purpose. In the past we have heard of criminals being caught by cameraphoning bystanders, but this is a whole new ballgame. The criminals are photographing possible victims inside of banks who withdraw a lot of money. They are then sending the photo to another gang member outside who will stalk the person and eventually rob them. The police officials are urging banks to enforce a no cellphone policy. More »
cellphones
The Gang Who Couldn't Not Get Shot By a Cameraphone
OK, so that headline was a bit rough, but it's true! Four men from Birmingham, England robbed about $139,852.50 from a bank in Newport, south Wales. Nosy shoppers shot the team with their cameraphones as they loaded up their booty and hauled away. Luckily, they got enough footage to put the entire behind bars, where they might be able to carve a beautiful cellphone out of a bar of soap. More »
cellphones
Invensense Cellphone Image Stabilization
In the beginning days of image stabilization, you had to spend $15,000 for a Steadicam, and hire a specially-trained operator to run it. But now, Invensense has invented a camera phone image stabilization device with what it calls the world's smallest dual axis gyroscope, boiling it down into a wafer-thin chip. The company says it's five times smaller than piezo-type technology image stabilization currently used in many digital cameras, and will easily fit into even the smallest camera phone. More »
digital cameras
Legal Matters: Photographing People
Wired has a rundown some of the legal issues that could be encountered by snapping a photo of someone unknowingly to them. More »
gadgets
Phlash Universal Cameraphone Flash Reviewed (Verdict: Pricey)
OhGizmo's Andrew Liszewski took the Phlash Universal Cameraphone Flash for a spin, using it to add flash capabilities to his Motorola RAZR. He says it works as promised, illuminating a meter outwards so you can do things like photograph your NES in a dark room (what he did, before and after above) or drunkenly take photos of your equally drunk friends in a dimly-lit bar (what we'd do, in theory). More »
portable media
Nokia's Vanjoki Expects Total Domination
Anssi Vanjoki, head of Nokia's multimedia division, recently did an interview with the Financial Times in which he expressed the belief that the ubiquity of multimedia cellphones would soon sound a death knell for music device and camcorder manufacturers, much as they have helped herald the end of the photo industry as we know it. More »
cellphones








