An article by Linda Knapp in The Seattle Times that discusses ways to transfer photos to camera phones notes that Sprint PCS has disabled the "downloads" folder that enables users to find photos transmitted to the phone.
At the same time, though, Sprint began offering a free service enabling subscribers to transfer photos from computers to Sprint photo albums, as I might have been the first to report.
If Sprint has indeed taken away this option, it's a user-hostile move that denies subscribers choices they previously had. I have written to a Sprint executive to obtain the facts to see whether this is indeed the case or whether the reporter was mistaken.
[Update: See comments from Datex Systems/Pics2Phones posted February 21.]
Knapp's experience
Here's what Knapp says:
"Datex Systems Pics2Phones (www.pics2phones.com, $20, Windows) is designed to make it easy to manipulate and transfer photos from a PC, the Internet or the Pics2Phones clip-art library to any mobile device that can download and display images (see below).
"That sounds good to me, so I download the software and select my Sprint PCS cellphone model to receive the photos.
"Next, I browse the photos in my PC's My Pictures folder and choose one to transfer. Pics2Phones automatically converts it to the correct file size and dimensions for the selected cellphone. Of course, that conversion means a 5-megapixel image on a PC will be shrunk to the size of a phonecam image, but I'm hopeful it will look better.
"I push the WAP button to upload the photo to the Pics2Phones Web server where it can be downloaded by the cellphone in the standard WAP format supported by most mobile devices. Pics2Phones then provides a Web address to enter on the cellphone to go to download the photo.
"I could have used the Pics2Phones editing tools to zoom in on the image; crop it; add text; alter the brightness/contrast, hue and saturation; add a frame and more, but I'm in a hurry to send it and see if my cellphone will actually get the picture.
"It displays the photo of my daughter on the Web page, and it looks great, but there's no option to save it in the cellphone gallery, use it as a screensaver or assign it to the phone book. When I download the photo to a different Sprint cellphone, a message says it's saved as wallpaper, but I can't find it anywhere.
"Sigh. I've been hoping to carry a really high-class photo collection on my cellphone.
"A few days later, I discover I can't download to my camera phone because Sprint has disabled the Downloads folder on its phones and (that very day) launched its own free service that enables me to transfer photos from my computer (PC or Mac) to my camera phone. "
Sprint's service works well
The Sprint system works well, Knapp writes. Going to the Sprint picture messaging Web site she says, "Finally, I have a collection of photos on my cellphone that I'm proud to show.
"The transferred images have been reduced and reformatted to fit the cellphone, but they still look a lot better than most I took with the phonecam."
Knapp discusses ways to transfer photos via Verizon Wireless, Cingular Wireless and T-Mobile, too. However, the issue for subscribers is not simply whether it's possible to transfer photos to and from phones but whether it's possible to easily transfer photos (and files, too) without having to use the wireless network and pay airtime charges.
You know that cameras on cell phones have become common place when a person dedicates a portion of their lives to the topic.
Great job and excellent informaiton
Posted by: Robert | Sunday, February 20, 2005 at 11:48 AM