PANASONIC X300 CAMERAPHONE

Engadget via InfoSync World reports on this really cool cameraphone from Panasonic the the X300, with a screen that pops out for taking pictures and recording video clips. It should launch this Fall.

Click here to view photo.

Hong Kong No plan to limit camera phone use

The government of Hong Kong has no plan to enact a law that would ban people from taking mobile phones with built-in cameras into public swimming pools or changing rooms, according to Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho, as "Such a law would cause inconvenience to the majority of law-abiding users of leisure facilities and would be extremely difficult to enforce", reports The Standard via Alan Reiter's Camera Phone Report.

"Ho said the police had received 12 complaints of clandestine photography last year. On average, there is one such offence every month and there is no sign of an upward trend,'' he said.

Camera Phone Culture on the Web

In an interview with Marc Brown, co-founder of moblogging community buzznet, The LA Times describes photoblogging and the rise of camera phone culture.

"So far, the site has 10,000 registered users — and has been growing at a rate of 50% to 100% per month, according to Marc Brown, one of Buzznet's two founders. Buzznet and other sites like it have tapped into the phenomenon of moblogging (short for mobile phone web logging), in which cellphone technology has fully collided with blog culture.

Quotes

"In the photo blogging universe, trading pictures is now almost as important as taking pictures," says Adam Fisher, a senior editor at Wired magazine. "It's a very different culture from regular blogging, where posting is paramount."

To Brown, "the emerging camera phone culture has the ability to shed new light on events, such as political rallies, parties and music concerts."

Buzznet is not just about playing paparazzi. There is also an ethos of the everyday that gives it mass appeal, and for every celebrity shot there are countless baby photos of ordinary folk. "There's only so many photos of babies that people really want to look at," Brown says. He equipped the site with private galleries, viewable only by proud grandparents, for instance, to spare the rest of us.

BenQ releases camera phone in India with image "morphing" software

BenQ has introduced a VGA camera phone (S670C) in India that features face "morphing" software enabling users to edit photos to create 12 different expressions, such as happy, angry and goofy, reports Cameraphone Report.

"The software also features five "magnitude" settings according to the article, but it doesn't say what that means.

The business manager for mobile for BenQ India, G Prasanna, says this type of 3D image processing and 3D engine will be a core technology enbedded into the company's cellular phones".

Land-line phones imitate cameraphones

The first ever home phone with fixed-line Multimedia Messaging Service was launched today by Siemens Mobile, accroding to Mobilemag.

"The SL740 combines a high-resolution colour display and an integrated digital camera. Send a picture of baby's first smile to Dad's mobile phone when he is away from home, to make sure he doesn't miss out. Or go further and record baby's first giggle and send a sound clip with the image and if you really want to get your excitement across, the 640 character SMS feature might just be the answer."

With fixed-line phones losing market share, it looks like handset manufacturers are waking up and integrating some new features to entice consumers. Some recent examples: Just last month, a rringtone service was launched for land-line phones in Germany and a few days ago, Australian Telstra's introduced Talking Text Messaging to fixed phone lines.

And interesting, a related article last November, on how European operators are reinventing home phones to compete with mobiles.

The Next Picture Messaging Boom

Penelope Patsuris for Forbes describes how U.S. users still can't send pictures to phones from one network to another, but expects the volume of pictures sent wirelessly to explode when interoperability becomes mass market.

"Month after month, carriers have said publicly that they are working on picture messaging interoperability, but it has yet to materialize. The current conventional wisdom is that U.S. consumers will be able to send photos between networks by the end of the second quarter. But regardless of when this functionality actually does hit the market, it will mean big business for the multimedia clearinghouses".

Korean Phonecam Smartmobbing

Howard Rheingold for Smart Mobs [via Ohmynews] reports on the differences between Japanese and Korean mobile phone behavior -- and commentary on recent Korean smartmobbing around the impeachment of President Roh.

Samsung's new two megapixel cameraphone

Nokia and Sony Ericsson are coming out with one megapixel cameraphones, but Samsung and Pantech & Curitel say they'll have a two megapixel model on the market by July. Samsung and Pantech & Curitel say they'll have a two megapixel model on the market by July. [Engadget and Reiter's Camera Phone Report]

"And better yet, their two megapixel cameraphone will have a 2x optical zoom lens (which are virtually non-existent in cameraphones) and a built-in MP3 player".

Nokia introduces 'megapixel' mobile

Nokia introduced its first megapixel camera phone today which also features the company's latest in a long line of bizarre keypad layouts, according to The Register.

Excerpts

"Like the 6600, it features Bluetooth and Kodak's photo printing application. E-mail is integrated into the handset's Messaging app, and the phone provides a Web browser and an MP3/AAC music player, too.

More interesting is Movie Director, which allows video footage to be stitched together into sequences lasting up to ten minutes - thanks to the 72MB of memory

Nokia is also including Lifeblog, which is a kind of digital diary that sits on your phone or PC rather than a web site".

Lights, camera, action: PocketCinema

Cinema Electric have announced the launch of its PocketCinema mobile video content offerings in partnership with the operators in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Austria and the Czech Republic, according to Infosync World.

"CinemaElectric owns what is believed to be the world's largest library of formatted multimedia and video content for mobile devices. PocketCinema is a downloadable motion picture that can be played on many Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Siemens and other mobile phone terminals".

Cell phones banned in county bathrooms

One more ban, this time in Westchester, reported by The JournalNews.com.

"County Executive Andrew Spano yesterday banned the use of cell phones and other picture-taking devices from locker rooms, bathrooms and changing areas of Westchester-run facilities."

It is a personal-privacy issue," said Susan Tolchin, Spano's chief adviser. "We don't want people taking pictures of other people in places where they would expect a level of privacy."

Although it was aimed at camera phones, the order bans all cell phones because it is difficult to distinguish regular models from those equipped with cameras, Tolchin said. People who persist in using cell phones, will be "politely escorted from the bathroom."

Good grief. Sometimes I don't believe what I read, "politely escorted from the bathroom" for carrying a cell phone? When will common sense prevail. Out of courtesy you would not phone from a bathroom, and you certainly don't need anyone to enforce such a rule. America is going overboard again.

Thailand to crack down on cell phone porn

Thailand will revoke the licenses of mobile phone providers that provide obscene or pornographic picture services to users, according to the Washington Times.

"Information and Communications Technology Minister Surapong Suebwonglee said a subcommittee would draw up a framework to govern downloading services for mobile phones.

Picture content would be classified and pictures considered obscene would be banned.

He said service providers like Advanced Info Service, DTAC, TA Orange and Hutch agreed with the steps.

The minister threatened the violators with jail and fines, the Bangkok Post reported".

Camphone ban being reviewed after trial period

This sounds like a sensible approach from the sports and leisure centers in Wales.

"A three month trial ban on mobile phones and digital cameras from all sports and leisure centres in Powys is being reviewed and may be partially lifted to let children phone their parents, reports the BBC.

"A review is being carried out by Council members for an appropriate area in each leisure centre where mobile phones can be used," he said.

"We realise that young children have mobile phones to contact their parents to arrange pick-up times.

"And adults may also need to make phone calls when appropriate."

The council will make a final decision on the mobile phone ban next month".

Camera phones catching criminals along with pictures

A recap by Mark Niesse for the AP of the major incidents over the last, whereby citizen have helped to capture or foiled a criminal act, thanks to a cameraphone.

"Cell phones that can take pictures are becoming a more common way for victims and other witnesses to help police capture criminals. Because the phones are so portable and always on, it takes only a moment to photograph the face or license plate of someone in the act of a crime.

Customers slow to use fancy cell phone features 

An article from Reuters that puts a damper on the acceptance and popularity of multimedia enabled cell phones in Europe.

"There are numerous obstacles to the mass uptake of the new handsets and services in Europe. They are expensive, they are hard to use, existing wireless networks are too slow for efficient Web surfing and there are interoperability issues for both handsets and networks.

But perhaps most significant, is that there are few features on offer that help ease the pressures of modern life, such as an integrated garage door opener.

Analysts are saying many Europeans may not flock to the new services for another five years".

Control a robot with a cellphone

South Korea's SK Telecom is planning to launch a home security robot that can be controlled by a mobile phone, reports Cellular News.

"Home Network Service is an upgraded service that lets customers receive, via their cellular phones, text messages or pictures regarding any home emergency situation such as a fire or gas leak.

This service lets customers constantly monitor the entire conditions at their house, on a real-time basis through a moving robot.

For instance, if strangers break into a house the moving robot takes and transmits photos of them in real time".

Worlds' first mobile media satellite launched

South Korea's SK Telecom and Mobile Broadcasting, a Japanese satellite broadcasting company set up by Toshiba, Toyota and others, have jointly launched the world's first satellite dedicated to beaming digital television and radio programmes to mobile terminals, according to FT.com.

"The satellite will allow the two companies to start delivering more than 100 television and radio programmes to mobile devices at much faster speeds than previously possible.

The satellite channels are expected to be offered through existing mobile phone operators and the project has received the backing of more than 200 companies".

Sexually explicit SMS ads spark alarm

Bangkok' The Nation reports that sexually explicit images sent via text messaging are becoming more common in Thailand with flyers advertising such services being handed out in front of department stores and schools.

"A few weeks ago we found that someone had been handing out pamphlets in front of the institute that gave instructions on how to download sexually explicit images," said Ratthapong Punyanuwat, an assistant professor at Suansunantha Ratchapatra Institute.

"There was a group of students from a popular school nearby, laughing while checking out those obscene image," he said.

"This is becoming a really big problem. I'd like to recommend that parents look after their children, warning them not to become involved with this sort of thing."

Julian Gallo on the use of camera phones

Julian Gallo has photoblogged his two week training course to the two journalists of the Argentinean radio talk show “La Cornisa” (cf Radio show launches photoblog), in the use of the cameras in their cellular telephones, allowing for instant publication on-line of the photographs during the program.

The training was focused on how to use the equipment and the steps they should follow for the images to get to the show's website throughout the broadcast.

Julián Gallo teaches New Media in the joint master degree program of journalism of Universidad de San Andres, the School of Journalism of the University of Columbia and the news group Clarin.

Live Mobloging from Madrid demonstrations

Anil de Mello's Live mobloging from the Madrid demonstration, following Spain's terrorist attack.

E-Media Tidbits Available by RSS Feed

Media mind and camera phone advocate Steve Outing reports that favorite E-Media Tidbits now has an RSS feed. Click here.

Camera-phone voyeur faces jail sentence in Hong Kong

A high-tech "peeping Tom" faces jail in Hong Kong for using his cellphone camera to take a picture up a woman's skirt, according to The Star Online via Cameraphone Report.

Disorderly conduct in Hong Kong can bring up to two years jail time.

Of note in this article, is the Hong Kong police mentioning that cases of men taking indecent pictures with camera-phones have been occuring at the rate of one a month since last year.

A new Mobile Video Platform - MobileVision

Microsoft Corp., TWI Interactive and Vidiator Technology Inc. today announced the launch of MobileVision, an end-to-end solution for the management, creation and delivery of digital video content for mobile users, accordng to Mobilemag.

A seal to cover a camphone lens

Kokoro via Gizmodo reports on a seal to cover a camphone lens made by Japan's AI-Corp, that says "void". It's meant to allay privacy-issue fears.

Really?

Worldwide Camera Phone Sales to Reach Nearly 150 Million in 2004

A new study from InfoTrends Research Group projects that worldwide unit sales of camera phones will reach nearly 150 million in 2004, or just over a quarter of all mobile phone sales, according to a company press release.

Rapid adoption of camera phones worldwide will generate an additional 29 billion digital images captured this year.

InfoTrends' new report entitled "2004 Worldwide Camera Phone and Photo Messaging Forecast" provides market forecasts for North America, Europe, Japan, and the Rest of the World".

Saudi Arabia enforces ban on camera phones

The Saudi government began enforcing Wednesday a ban on the sale of camera-equipped mobile phones, according to menareport via Cameraphone Report.

"The hand-held devices have become synonymous with immorality in the Kingdom, as locals complain that the phones are being used to photograph women on the street.

Local newspaper also reported that a number of female students have been expelled from schools and universities for using the phones to photograph their peers".

Mobile retail outlets across the Kingdom are being searched by representatives from the interior ministry and phones are confiscated if found".

Read also related article Banned Camera Phones Selling Like Hot Cakes in Jeddah's Black Market.

Mobile Video Interface Released As Open Standard

Two companies said Wednesday that they will release as an open standard a new high-speed serial interface that delivers text and graphics to the displays of mobile devices, according to Mobile Pipeline.

"The companies said in a statement that the new serial interface provides a simpler architecture for delivering text and graphics to next-generation mobile phones and other devices and will make it available on a license-free basis to device vendors and even to competing semiconductor manufacturers".

Nokia's «Lifeblogging» software

Following Jeff Jarvis' post yesterday, the BBC reports that Nokia is developing software that will help turn its phones into life loggers.

"The PC software organises information on a timeline and lets people add to the collection with images from other digital still and video cameras.

Eventually the software will let people publish some or all of the information they collect to the web to let them create their own biographical blog".

Art or Indecent Exposure? In the eye of the beholder

In a disturbing article, UK's tabloid The Sun writes that "paedophiles using mobile camera phones snapped full-frontal images of tot Madeleine Schneider in the exhibition by her photographer mum Betsy" - and are bragging about it; “They'll be on the web by the end of the day — 10,000 copies of them.”

Entitled "An Exhibition of Photographs Exploring Childhood", at the The.Spitz Gallery in east London, four artists explore the experience of childhood.

"The gallery removed 189 photos of Madeleine from the age of nine weeks to five years after people were seen copying them. Incredibly, the tot's mum Betsy, 38, had already posted some of the pictures on her own website. She removed them — but was last night considering putting them BACK on the internet."

The story is even more unsettling as in a related article published in The Guardian, Betsy Schneider revealed that she had been arrested after having pictures of a naked Madeleine developed in a laboratory in Soho, but had been released without charge".

Kodak Accuses Sony of Patent Violations on Digital Imaging

In a suit filed Monday in Federal District Court in Rochester, Kodak has charged Sony with infringing on 10 patents that were issued to Kodak from 1987 to 2003, reports The New York Times.

"The patents covered various aspects of capturing, storing and displaying bothstill and moving digital images".

In a statement, Sony say it has "not violated any Kodak patent related to digital imaging and will fully defend any allegations made in this regard'.

According to News.com though, there may be more to this lawsuit than meets the eye as the suit against Sony was filed after three years of negotiations failed to produce an accord.

"Kodak spokesman Gerard Meuchner said that Kodas "Kodak is interested in licensing its technology to companies that may be using its intellectual property" and IDC senior analyst Chris Chute thinks "Kodak is probably looking to get license revenue from other camera makers as well".