Camera phones... good idea? (1 Viewer)

[Dave Poehlman]

I am lucky enough to work for a cellular provider and get to play with new gadgets occasionally.

When I heard they were making phones with cameras built-in.. I rolled my eyes and envisioned tiny grainy pictures looking like an old worn out survellance camera.

Well, actually the pictures are better than I expected! See below:



Okay, the lighting in the picture is pretty bad since the phone has no flash and I'm a little back lit.. but you can plainly see I am enjoying some java from my HTF coffee mug and I don't keep a tidy workspace). It's no 3.1 megapixel but, not bad for a phone. Outdoor and well lit pics look better!

Anyway.. I've read an article or two saying cell phones will be banned in locker rooms/changing areas to keep creepy people from taking pictures with them. Personally, I don't care, if someone can stomach seeing me naked... more power to 'em.

But I do see these phones causing all sorts of problems. Suddenly everyone's a member and a victim of public paparazzi.

Just thought I would toss this subject out for discussion.

 

[Craig Robertson]

a relative of mine is in the photo-finishing biz and at a recent trade show heard that the industry expects the camera phones to be big business, at some point taking over from plain digital cameras.

 

[Jay H]

They have recently been banned where I work but then again, all recording devices are banned (security reasons).

Jay

 

[Ryan Wright]

Anyway.. I've read an article or two saying cell phones will be banned in locker rooms/changing areas to keep creepy people from taking pictures with them.

Then they'd better ban watches, too.



I'm like Dave. If you really have to take a picture of me naked, more power to you. I don't know who would want to see it (other than my wife)...

 

[MarkHastings]

I never thought about that. Imagine going to a concert and they wouldn't let you in because you had a cell phone

Or imagine when they develop DV cameras on cell phones (hint hint - Getting a DVD of Lord of the Rings by using your cell phone to film it in the theater )

 

[Dave Poehlman]

I do see the positive side to camera phones.. real estate agents or insurance agents can take pictures and immediately email them to a client or adjuster. Or when I'm trying to install a ceiling fan and I'm not sure what wire goes where.. I can snap a pic and send it to my dad for help.

However.. I can also see the malicious uses. How many divorces will take place because someone snapped a picture of someone's spouse drunk at a bar with a stripper? Or how many people will take incriminating photos of their boss and try to extort money from them? (well, I might find that last one useful)

Todays technologies are amazing. We all have this enormous power to exchange information from pretty much anywhere to anyone at anytime. Sometimes I think the world is too connected.

 

[Scott L]

The joke about parents giving their kids these new picture cell phones is that when the teen says they're at a certain place the parent can ask the kid to take a picture of it.

Of course all the kid has to do is pull out a picture of him/her reading at the 'ol library and have the phone take a picture of that.

 

[Kirk Gunn]

When will "Photoshop for Phones" come out ? I may need some editing ability....

"See honey, I'm at work. No way am I out golfing"

 

[Leila Dougan]

I contemplated getting the Nokia 3650. It can take video, not just still pictures. It accepts MMC (but not SD cards) so it's expandable. You can just put the card into a card reader hooked to your PC or pop it in your PDA. The only thing, the phone is much too big.

My big beef at the moment is the rate cell phone providers charge. T-mobile charges like $2.99 for 1MB of data. If you were sending/recieving pictures a lot, you'd break past 1MB real quick.

 

[Richard Travale]

I was at a "Gentlemen's Club" the other night... OK, the nudie bar, and some dude was trying to take a picture of the dancer with the phone. She was savvy enough to realize what he was doing and told him if he did he would be banned from the bar.

 

[MickeS]

My dad has one of those camera phones and e-mailed me some pictures a while ago, and I too was surprised at the quality of the pictures. I was sceptical about the usefulness of these things, but I can definitely see them becoming very popular