Application Turns Photo Phone Into Reporting Tool

More interesting picture phone related news from Steve Outing on E-Media Tidbits, this time about an application from wireless technology company Realeyes3D, "that allows you to use a photo phone to take a picture of a handwritten message, digitize it, manipulate it, and send the handwritten message to others.

Steve Outing sees some nice journalistic applications -- "say, scanning documents while at a government office and phoning them back to your editor in the newsroom. Another: A reporter sitting in a courtroom could scribble notes on a pad of paper, then phone them back to the office. Or a courtroom artist could send in a sketch and have it ready to publish the minute the pencil drawing is complete." How cool is that ?.

For related technology, cf Reporter's Tool: A Cell Phone That Does Photocopies, posted by Larry Larsen.

Thoughts on Columbine and Photo Phones

Media mind and cameraphone advocate Steve Outing for E-Media Tidbits, reflects on a new report published on the Columbine High School murder spree of five years ago. He writes:

"That got me thinking how different things would be if Columbine happened today, when at least some of the students in that school would be carrying photo phones. The public would certainly know a lot more about what went on inside the building that terrible day. Receiving images from the devices might even have helped police responding to the scene to better deal with the situation". Hear, Hear .

Another statewide ban on camera cell phone use in health clubs

Another day, another camera phone ban. And another politician taking a stand on a popular subject.

Assemblyman Scott Stringer (D-Manhattan) said yesterday he will push for a statewide ban on camera cell phone use in health clubs, reports the New York Daily News.

"This technology has the potential to really infringe on the privacy of New Yorkers," Stringer said, standing outside the 63rd St. YMCA, which has banned the phones.

The Colorado state Legislature passed a similar bill on Feb. 20 and New Jersey and Iowa are considering bans.

Because [sigh]:

"Voyeurs can snap photos in dressing rooms and post them on the Internet in less than a minute".

Video phones may change to let cheating spouses off the hook

Makers of new-style video mobile phones said Saturday they are looking at ways of getting errant husbands and wives off the hook if a spouse calls at an awkward time, reports the Manila Bulletin Online.

"If the technology succeeds, a special setting will allow owners of 3G phones to select the background of their choice before answering a call.

The breakthrough might allow a husband who is in a bar to answer the call with a photograph of the office in the background.

Alternatively, a wife who wants her husband to believe she is at home would be able to project an image of the living room as a backdrop at the flick of a switch.

While the foreground image of the phone owner would be live video, the background would remain static - meaning users would have to be careful not to capture any out-of-date calendars in the background image.

Currently, 3g customers have the option of answering calls on ''voice-only'' mode or using a still picture of themselves on screen when they pick up a call, although the use of either option can stir suspicion in an uncertain spouse or partner".

Face Warping for your mobile phone

This is wild. A company called Cognimatics has launched a "Face Warping" technology – the first product on the market with advanced face detection, according to mobilemag.

"You simply take an image and then Face Warping automatically detects all faces in the image. These detected faces can be warped by choosing among 8 different filters. The resulting image can be sent by MMS or e-mail or stored in your photo album."

Encrypted MMS

Silicon Village Mobile, a provider of secure message encryption applications for Symbian phones, announced new versions of it's popular Fortress SMS encryption series of applications, according to a company press release.

The Fortress Suite encryption application is able to send encrypted MMS messages between handsets, independent of operators and mobile to E-mail encrypted MMS and is a good choice for Mobile pathology messaging, Telemedicine, Insurance, Financial, Law Enforcement and Government mobile users.

"For the first time, Professional Camera users can send documents and imagery between handsets and to personal computers, confident their confidential information is encrypted end-to-end."

John Kerry Photoblog

John Kerry CA is a buznnet community photoblog for supporters of John Kerry in the California Primary elections (those are on Tuesday, March 2nd) -- basically documenting events over the next week or so. Anyone in the LA area is welcome to contribute.

The cool thing here is that it is incorporated in the volunteer run KerrySoCal website and that it incorporates a new feature for Buzznet, which is the custom design templates for events.

And buzznet will be featuring next week, the official Photoblog for the M3 Summit.

Official moblogs for trade industries, news documenting or political events is definitely a growing trend we've been following closely on picturephoning (the first I believe was Textamerica's official moblog for the CTIA event held in Las Vegas last October).

Cameraphones and Digital Cameras' Pixel Rate Race

In a sign of the pitfalls resulting from converging technologies, Korea's major handset makers have sped up development of camera phones featuring 2-million-pixel resolution, posing a threat to digital camera makers, according to The Korea Herald.

"Mainstream camera phones come with 300,000-pixel resolution, whose photo quality is poor compared with mainstream digital cameras that offer 2 million to 3 million pixels.

But Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. have already introduced 1-million-pixel camera phones and plan to roll out 2-million-pixel models in the first half of this year, sounding an alarm to digital camera manufacturers such as Sony, Canon, Olympus and Nikon.

More powerful camera phones are prompting digital camera manufacturers to forge new strategies. While a majority of digital camera users opt for 2-million to 3-million-pixel models, manufacturers are hurrying to shift the trend toward greater resolution and more photography features.

To find a breakthrough, Canon and other brands are moving this year to focus on 4 million to 5 million pixels for photography-savvy users and 8 million pixels for professionals. "

See also Alan Reiter's's take on the above.

New-Wave Cell Phones Arriving in Europe

Laurence Frost for the AP reports on the industry's thinking at the 3GSM World Congress industry show in Cannes on what services users will pay for, such as game playing and content.

He gave an interesting example of what 3G operator 3 is already doing, selling downloads of Premiership football highlights to British fans. The same operator has also been streaming live 24-hour coverage of "Big Brother" to its Swedish subscribers since last month, selling 60,000 sessions in the first two weeks.

Can you dig it? Is a mobile picture worth a thousand words?

In an interesting article, it-analysis weighs the pricing issues facing operators in transmitting picture messaging over their network:

"The problem is, whilst it's easy to capture images, the cost of sharing them often outweighs the value. This creates a dilemma for operators. If they reduce the cost to send an image to make it really appealing, usage could spiral and the cost to their infrastructure could have an impact on their ability to deliver other services. The alternative is to keep the cost high, but that narrows the customer segment willing to spend more to share an image."

Doctors should think twice before diagnosing based on a camphone shot

The Medical Defence Union has advised doctors to think twice before using picture mobile phones to take and send digital pictures to assist in the diagnosis and management of a patient's condition, reports E-Health-Media

"The new  guidance followed press reports on doctors already using mobile phone picture technology to aid diagnosis. These have included reports that A&E doctors in one hospital are reviewing images sent by fire fighters to decide whether to assist at the scene or prepare the hospital for dealing with serious trauma; and another where doctors were reported to be sending x-rays by mobile phone."

MDU medico-legal adviser, Dr Nicholas Norwell, warned that doctors needed to be aware of some of the medico-legal pitfalls, particularly around the security of such images, the issues around patient consent and potential to inadvertently send an image to the wrong person".

See related articles:

- Firefighters are testing an emergency photo messaging scheme to help save more lives

- Doctors use picture phones

On a more positivie side, a recent study found "that dermatology waiting times were reduced when GPs took a Polaroid picture of their patient's visible symptoms and included them in referral letters to dermatologists. In future, GPs could be using picture messaging, rather than instant cameras, in schemes such as this".

Cell Phone with Camera = Scanner

Slashdot reports on a new technology developed by NEC and the Nara Institute of Science and Technology, that lets people use their cellular phones with cameras as scanners.

"It says all you have to do is move your phone over the surface of the piece of paper while recording a movie, and the technology (some sort of software I presume) will construct a high resolution image from the individual frames of the video."

Camera phone a thief's new tool

Here we go, yet another article on camera phones posing a threat while you whip out your credit card, this time from the Chicago Suburban Daily Herald.

"Criminals just got a cleaner alternative to Dumpster diving for credit card numbers - courtesy of those pesky camera cell phones.

Law enforcement and consumer advocate groups have begun warning that the little lenses threaten to take "shoulder surfing" to a whole new level.

Now, with a simple snap, criminals can capture credit card information and send it anywhere in the world."

North Aurora police officer Randy Voss actually ran an experiment. "He simulated a checkout line, with one person pulling out a credit card to pay, and another a camera phone to catch the number.

The old-model phone couldn't quite display the vital information, but Voss and others believe that's not far off."

Bottom line? File these stories away with the "bans in locker room" drawer.

Related articles:

- Third article about camera phones and identity theft

- Phones are criminal's paradise

Cellphone snapshot exposes flasher

Lisa Johnson, helping a lost motorist was shocked to see the man expose himself. He offered her money and asked her to get into the vehicle, she told the police.
 
Startled, she pretended to miss a call on her cellphone, then used it to snap two pictures. Johnson then printed the photos and gave them to police along with the car's tag number, which she had written down, according The Atlanta Journal Constitution via Smart Mobs.

"For Gwinnett County police, obtaining evidence in such a fashion was groundbreaking.

See related articles on arrests made thanks to camera phones:

- Teen abduction foiled thanks to camera phone

- Italian Robbers caught on cell phone camera

- Young Swedish robber caught on cell phone camera

- Pictures from camera phones used as evidence to catch criminals

Vodafone reassures adult content sector over opt-in

Vodafone UK has revealed a raft of measures to help safeguard the adult mobile content sector, while warning that the mobile content industry must act now to protect the sector, reports Moco News via New Media Zero.

"The company is taking the lead among operators by introducing barring and filtering mechanisms called for in the adult code of conduct, but has pledged to help with pre-registered databases, white lists and free shortcodes.

The process will use data mining on contract customers accessing content via the 69 and 89 SMS shortcode ranges to analyse calling patterns, on the basis that adults mainly call adults. This will be filtered to remove those fitting a minor's profile, and by external data sources, such as credit card agencies."

Printer firms focus on camera phones

Hewlett-Packard, Epson and Canon have started a group to promote standards for printing images taken with the increasingly popular camera phones, acccording to News.com.

"The three printer companies plan to implement guidelines for the mobile phone industry to deliver reliable wireless printing options to consumers by the second half of 2004. Existing connectivity standards will be used, the companies said, including Bluetooth wireless technology, printing from memory cards and PictBridge, a wired technology for linking digital still cameras directly to printers."

For more on cell phone printers, see this category in Picturephoning.com.

Give Me Directions, Don't Give Me Video

Rafat Ali for Moco News reports on a Strategy Analytics report saying "that while operators are working on delivering users video clips and worrying about DRM, most users don't care. What they want is turn by turn directions and mobile payment".

According to Senior Analyst Nitesh Patel, "operators continue to miss out on the real revenue potential for location offerings, like step-by-step directions, as they myopically pursue the killer entertainment application."

Another study, this time emanating from Japan, says the complete opposite. Published on Feb 6 by Nepro, asking mobile phone users about services and functions, 40% of the respondents said the most wanted function is a TV, according to Mobile Media Japan via NEAsia.

"In response to a question regarding "functions desirable for future mobile phones" (multiple answers allowed), "TV" (43%), "dictionaries" (35%) and "keys" (29%) were the top three. Functions such as "electronic wallet" (25%) and "TV phone" (24%), which are expected to be integrated in the next-generation mobile phones, did not attract many supporters. In addition, 16% responded "nothing in particular" and did not request any additional functions."

3 Launches Rugby Video News

3, the UK's first video mobile network, announced that rugby fans will be able to follow the 6 Nations rugby tournament on their video mobiles, reports Unstrung.

"With 3's video news, live scores, SMS text alerts, tables and fixtures delivered straight to your video mobile, you won't miss any of the 6 Nations rugby action".

The service will be available starting on the first match-day, this Saturday February 14 and running until March 27.

Oscar Nominees to receive Motorola Camera Phone

The twenty five actors and directors nominated for an Oscar at this year's Academy Awards ceremony, have been offered a Motorola V600 camera phone.

Each handset was packed in a personalized camera-shapped box, with a pre selected ringtone - what else? - "You Oughta Be in Pictures".

The camera phones are equipped with a SIM card so that nominees can take pictures on award night and send them off immediately. [VNUnet (in French), Newsire.

Use of In-Phone Cameras Prompts Bans

Martha Irvine points out that not everyone is a fan of camera phones and as public officials concerned about privacy issues are taking a stand left and right, Irvine has come up with some original bans and security measures:

- A sign at Bazooka's Showgirls, a club with nude dancers in Kansas City ,Mo. , states it clearly: "Fair warning - digital video, picture cell phones will be confiscated and crushed with our sledgehammer!!!"

- Some experts have noticed that a few celebrities are making party guests check their phones (which we've heard before) or batteries (that's a new twist) to prevent photos from going public.

Some new terminology related to camera phones

- Some say it's all part of a trend known as "convergent journalism," allowing anyone to record life's events and share them with the world.

- John Adams, visiting professor of rhetoric and communication at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., calls it "cellphonography." He's been using 20-second video clips taken on his cell phone to make points in class and also sends them to his wife and daughter when he's on business trips.

Deal to allow professional prints of photos from Sprint phones

Sprint PCS Vision customers soon will be able to have their cameraphone photos printed professionally through a partnership announced Tuesday between Sprint Corp. and Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., writes to David Hayes in KansasCity.com.

"The service will allow Sprint customers to send their photos to the Picture Mail Web site, edit them and forward them to a Fujifilm retailer for printing. Customers will be able to select a local retailer where they can pick up the prints in as little as four hours."

Sprint would be the first wireless company to offer the service for cameraphone users.

Sprint customers used cameraphones to send more than 66 million photos in 2003. With cameras included in most new wireless phones on the market, that number is expected to increase in 2004.

How Camera Phones Will Save the Photo World

Eric Lin for TheFeature.com has written an insightful article on one trade group who is welcoming cameraphones with open arms.

Excerpts:

"Guy Kewney took a trip to PaperWorld, the trade show for office and stationary goods of all places, and found that the analog world couldn't be more excited about digital photography, especially cameraphones, generated by the new print stations from Kodak and others that seem to be popping up at stores and tourist attractions everywhere.

"Once these cameraphones get into the hands of people who don't own computers or printers or digital picture frames, they will need a way to save the snapshots worth keeping. And this is the sector that has the paper industry (as well as film processing giants like Kodak) genuinely excited.

Whether cameras improve or standards are lowered - the industry has heard the complaints from Digerati that the cameras in phones or other devices aren't good enough to print as picture - , people will need a way to save the pictures stored in our phones, and the photo paper industry is looking forward to that day".

Just One Click

All the major English papers are carrying this story today, on children's charity Barnardo's report, entitled Just One Click, calling on governments not to abandon victims of paedophile activity whose "torture is broadcast around the world via the Internet and mobile phones".

"Currently, mobile phones are the new frontier of the child-abuse world, with picture messaging having a large potential for abuse."

Related articles:

- Charity claims net sex abuse up (BBC)

- The Register (The Register)

- The speed of technology is biggest threat (This is London)

Picture messaging phones with images of children being abused were reportedly found by the police in a raid in Central Scotland in April of last year. cf Hardcore Child Porn Peddled by Camera Phone.

Your pictures: A romantic idea

The BBC wants to know how you will be spending Valentine's Day and is requesting your pictures to see how you will be saying "I love you."

Will you be jetting your sweetheart off to Paris for the weekend or treating them to a bungy jump?

If you think you have a photograph worth sharing with the world, send it to BBC News Online or e-mail it to yourpics@bbc.co.uk.

Since last March, the BBC as been publishing photos sent in from their readers from around the globe, to document «their perspective on the world». And just recently, the BBC sollicited pictures from their readers and fans who made the annual pilgrimage to Graceland, in celebration of the King's birthday on January 8th.

Disney to license Microsoft technology for digital content

The Walt Disney Co. and Microsoft Corp. agreed to work together to speed the availability of Disney movies, TV shows and other digital content on cell phones, personal digital assistants and a new generation of portable media players, accord to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Third article about camera phones and identity theft

Alan Reiter is keeping taps on the latest (alarmist) articles warning shoppers that thieves could snap photos of shoppers' credit cards. I agree with Alan when he says "If you've read one article you've read them all. And none of the articles provides any proof that this is easily done. You can take a good enough photo but you have to get close to the card, the lighting has to be bright enough enough and neither the card nor the camera must move to ensure a sufficiently sharp photo".

One of Picturephoning's readers posted a comment after taking a picture of his own credit card and here is what he has to say: "Hah. You can't even tell what BRAND of credit card it is, much less the numbers. Distance was just out of arm distance to the credit card, since I assume I would be standing right behind the rightful owner.

Related article: Phones are criminal's paradise.

MOBS VIDEO, the world's first free mobile video website

Ringtonia reports on an interesting article in San Mateo County Times on Alexander Amosu, dubbed "Lord of the Ring Tones", who was one of the first to tap into the ring tone trend when he founded R 'n' B Ringtones three years ago, but of interest to this column is that Amosu has recently launched MOBS VIDEO, "the world's first free mobile video website, a new and exciting way to receive video content sent to your phone free of charge to most countries around the world".

"We're mostly selling bloopers and comedy images -- things like a monkey picking his nose -- while I try to get the rights to music videos," he said. "You can see the monkey for about $2.75. Mobs video also offers Adult Movies, Animal videos, Cartoons, Comedy, TV Commercials, Education, Movie Trailers, Music Videos, Short Movies and Sports highlights.

"What I really hope to do is find investors to put together a mobile TV channel so that people can subscribe and have access to films, soaps, and other programming, and then watch them on their phones," he said.

When asked whether he really believes people will watch a TV show on their phone, Amosu looked stunned.

"Of course they will," he said, patiently explaining that anyone with time to kill would jump at the chance to catch up on their favorite shows.

Special Valentine postcards with MMS Go live!

A new twist to the MMS postcard services offered in several countries (cf Picturephoning.com): This Valentine's Day, Go Live! Malta is offering a service that enables lovers to select romantic photos from their MMS phones and have them printed as postcards and delivered to their partners' postal address.

Video phone recording reveals extortion plan

For the first time, a videophone played a role in an investigation, when a recording of a woman's demands for payment for sex -- was recorded on a digital camera-cell phone.

According to this article in Pittsburgh Live, an out-of-work flight attendant claimed she had been raped in a Downtown hotel room by five St. John's University basketball players whom she had met at a strip club.

"Major crimes Cmdr. Maurita Bryant said. "We're still not sure how much of the overall incident was recorded, but we heard enough to come to the conclusion that there was an attempt to extract money from the players".

See related Cellular News article entitled Camera phone cited in rape allegation

U.S. Air Force bans camera phones in restricted areas

Alan Reiter comments on a Washington Post article reporting that the U.S. Air Force has issued a press release banning camera phones in restricted areas.

"The U.S. National Security Agency says camera phones "pose an unacceptable security risk to homeland security."