I've been quite a bit under the weather for the past several days so I didn't realize Verizon Wireless had introduced its second camera phone -- the Audiovox CDM-8900 -- until I read an entry in MobileTracker.
The Audiovox unit (see below) costs $169.99 but you can get it for $99.99 (with a $70 rebate) if you sign up with a two-year contract by the end of this year.
MobileTracker says the handset "has some neat tricks with its camera: Self-timer, brightness control, mirror." I haven't seen the Audiovox product, but those features don't see particular "neat" to me. The unit (see below) seems similar to Verizon's first camera phone, the LG VX6000, that I wrote about in my wireless data Weblog as well as in this Weblog.
What's so neat?
Verizon is known for having excellent (in the relative sense of cellular) nationwide coverage and good customer support but not for offering many cutting edge phones. Sprint PCS is the leader in offering the largest number of hot phones in the U.S., and the CDM-8900 isn't going to challenge that position.
The Audiovox camera offers a maximum resolution of 640 x 480 (VGA) that's the same as the VX6000. A mirror, for self-portaits, also is available on the VX6000. I believe the VX6000 has a self-timer, just like the CDM-8900.
The Audiovox handset has a speakerphone, which is nice if you think it will be useful.
For the best U.S. camera phones...
If you really want to see the "neatest" camera phones the U.S. has to offer, check out Sprint's selection. Take a look at the new Sanyo VM4500 that features an LED (i.e, weak) flash, 15-second video recording capabilities, two LCDs (internal and external on the cover), a speakerphone and a digital zoom of 4x and 16x (I'm not a fan of digital zoom).
A second external screen is great for taking self-portraits (positioning yourself or yourself with a group), rather than using a mirror, which is a pain. It's also fun because you can see the picture of the person (or any picture you want) calling if that person's number is in your address book and you have assigned a photo.
Alas, the VM4500 only has a VGA camera, but I wouldn't be surprised if the first company to introduce a 1 megapixel camera phone in the United States is Sprint.
No, I don't do any work for Sprint, but I am doing some consulting work for a company that works with them. (I have no knowledge of what phones Sprint will be introducing.)
I recently switched from the Sanyo 8100 to the 4500 - it is quite a nice piece of hardware. A few things I don't like...portrait-only mode for the photos (vertical orientation) and the color balance, its very, very yellow unless there is something white dominating the frame for it to adjust to. Also, no bluetooth-the only way to get pics out of the camera is to mail or upload them.
Likes...size about the same as the 8100 with video! Reception is great (in the DC area). Sprint's picture upload area works as advertised and can be used to send pics from a from a computer.
This is my 3rd camera phone, a sidekick-retired(http://hiptop.bedope.com/index.php?FILTER=xrvgujw@gznvy.pbz), and a new Nokia 3650. For me, the Sanyo is the best phone - the Nokia is an excellent new gen networking device with more power than most average users need.
Posted by: Keith Jenkins | Monday, December 22, 2003 at 02:12 PM
Audiovox is supposed to be coming out with a 1 megapixel cameraphone for both PCS and Verizon sometime this spring (8920/8930). The VGA cameras are still sort of toys, but I think once they get into the megapixel range, people will start to see how useful these cameras can be. There are going to be some killer handsets out by next Christmas :).
BTW....great blog!
Ravi
Posted by: Ravi | Monday, December 15, 2003 at 09:44 AM
The features are neat, because a lot of phones are still coming out with a camera just slapped on (T610 for sure, although that has a quasi-mirror).
Verizon's LG phone is super high-end, even sports an industry leadin 260K color screen, so it should have some nice features :P.
It's good to see that even though Verizon was late to the game, they can still play in the same sandbox.
Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Jon Gales | Sunday, December 14, 2003 at 05:07 PM