Reiter's Camera Phone Report

ColorZip employs Korean technology for 2D color barcodes

From picturephoning I found out about ColorZip Media that offers QR barcodes in color that can use different shapes and symbols (see below).

ColorZip employs technology from South Korea.  The company says it is focusing on two areas:  Ubiquitous computing and mobile business. 

"Starting with the development of U-Campus and U-City, we are working on establishing a code culture for the age of ubiquitous computing and provide users with a convenient Internet interface environment for mobile content development and mobile marketing."

More work required

I've written before about the value of barcodes for camera phones.  Barcode use with cellular phones is still very esoteric in the United States.  Barcodes can be used not just as an easier way to obtain information but also as a way to enhance a company's branding.

But as I've also written, it's often easier said than done.  Traditional barcodes (e.g., UPC codes) aren't designed for the optics of camera phones.  Barcodes designed specifically for camera phones aren't standard.

Travelocity U.K. to offer MMS postcards via InAMobile platform

Travelocity in the U.K. is offering InAMobile-based MMS postcards for 1.50 pounds ($2.87) enbabling camera phone users to take a photo, include a text message and have it sent as a postcard, according to the press release.

The press release says, "Just take a picture, add your message and send a MMS to e-mail protected from spam bots.  You will receive a SMS text message prompting you to reply to it with the postal address.  Once you have responded the postcard is on its way."

Postcards sent before 3:00 p.m. U.K. time will be mailed, first class, the same day.

Great idea

I think it's a great idea.  The idea isn't new and there are several companies that provide camera phone-based postcards.  I hope the service is successful. 

Sure it's somewhat expensive (the exchange rate notwithstanding) but (1) people will pay for convenience as well as (2) novelty and (3) competition could result in price decreases.

I can see travel-related companies -- hotels, cruise ships, etc. -- promoting the concept...assuming there's something in it for them.

Camera phone photo help saves man bitten by spider

A British chef might have saved his life when he took a photo of an extremely poisonous Brazilian Wandering Spider that bit him twice, according to a news report.

Matthew Stevens was cleaning a freezer in a pub where works when he was bitten by a spider "about as big as the palm of my hand," he says.  The spider, believed to have hitched a ride on a bunch of bananas, was hiding in a cloth.

When Steven squeezed the cloth (not seeing the spider), the spider bit him.  He tried to pick it up and the spider bit him again.  He took a camera phone photo of the spider to commemorate his experience because he assumed his friends wouldn't believe him.

He then went to the hospital because he became dizzy and started shaking.

Poor medical advice

Despite his symptoms, the staff at a local hospital said he should just rest at home.  Bad advice.

Soon after arriving home he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.  Stevens didn't think he would survive.  "My chest was so tight I could hardly breathe.  My blood pressure was going through the roof and my heart was beating so hard I could feel it hitting my chest," he says in the article.

The doctors didn't know what type of spider had bitten him, but Stevens told them about the photo in his camera phone.  The photo was sent to the Bristol Zoo that identified it as one of the deadliest spiders in the world.

The doctors then gave Steven oxygen and flushed the poison out of his system with saline solution.  He was discharged the next day.

Carry a camera phone...save your life!

Carl Zeiss to produce lenses for Nokia camera phones

This is important news:  The world famous lens maker, Carl Zeiss, will produce optics for Nokia camera phones, the Nokia press release says. 

The first phone to incorporate Carl Zeiss components is a new "Nseries" (advanced multimedia capabilities) Nokia N90 Multimedia two megapixel camera phone (see below) that was launched today.

Nseries phones

The N90 is slated to be commercially available in the second quarter of this year.  Nokia says the Nseries features large color displays, HTML browsing and streaming video and is based upon its Series 60 platform.

Nokia launched several Nseries phones in Amsterdam at its "Destination Media" conference.  The other phones are: 

*  N91:  Optimized for music and includes a 4GB hard drive and USB 2.0.  Available at the end of this year.

*  N70:  The smallest Series 60 WCDMA two megapixel camera phone that also includes an FM radio and stereo audio.  Available in the third quarter of this year.

An article in Business Week reports Nokia expects to sell more tha 100 million camera phones this year.  The article also says Nokia this year expects to sell more than 25 million smart phones and more than 40 million phones with MP3 capability.

Zeiss/Dialog collaboration

In September 2004 I wrote that Dialog Semiconductor and Carl Zeiss established a partnership to develop camera phone modules with optics and sensors from Zeiss and microprocessors from Dialog.

In the article I wrote, based upon the press release, that the first product would be a "camera phone module with a high quality image sensor and integrated image processor.  As a result of its three-element lens and extremely aspheric surfaces, the lens is extremely small, with dimensions smaller than the size of a pea, and producing a very high image quality."

I've written previously whether/when camera phone manufacturers might work with major camera vendors, such as Canon or Nikon, to produce dual-branded handsets.  Although Nokia can't advertise "Canon Inside" for photo-taking cognoscenti, advertising "Carl Zeiss Inside" could be a big deal for people who know the name.

I certainly hope the quality of the camera phone photos will be worthy of the legendary German lens manufacturer.

Nokia multimedia expert blogs

Christian Lindholm, a well known Nokia multimedia expert (creator of the Nokia Navi-key interface, Series 60 interface and Lifeblog software; read his blog article about Lifeblog and "life-caching"), blogs about the Nseries phones and the N90 in particular.

It's well worth reading his blog article, so I'm publishing most of it below.  The link above takes you to the entire article, including comments from readers.

"It is the first integrating a Tessar lens from Zeiss having autofocus and 2M pixels.  It takes amazing pictures.  In my mind it is not anymore a Camera phone, but an example of an emering dominant design:  a Transformer.

"A Transformer is a device which through user action can be transformed into three or more optimal shapes for different functions.  In the case of N90 there are four key optimized shapes: 1. Close clamshell for carrying. 2. Open clamshell for talking, browsing – big keyboard, big display.  3. Turn and twist for photographs.  4. Open and twist for video or imaging.

"The first reaction from people will be: - it is too big.  The second reaction will be: - only 2M pixels. 

"I had the same reactions, but when using it and particularly the camera and the video camera and experiencing the amazing screen (416 x 352 pixels) using Lifeblog in landscape with 9 thumbnails on the screen or the superbly big keys.

"My worries left me and now I feel this is going to be an icon, a device we will look back at and saying this started something new.  So I decided that this is a Nokia device worth blogging about.

"I believe these kind of Transformers will become new dominant designs, they are an evolution of clamshells and we have seen preludes of them in Japan and Korea for some time.

"Dominant designs can be defined as a common way to assemble a product which users accept through their purchace behaviour.  There are currently three key dominant design in the mobile phone industry.  Monoblocks, Clamshells, Slidephones.

"What makes Transformers unique are the extremely sophisticated hinges, which have in the past 3 years advanced very rapidly.

"Seeing users transforming and hearing 'Click-Clack' creates a spontaneous wow and as a demo effect it is great.

"I have been using a beta device for some time and it will become my new Liferecorder.  Like something really new, it will require some user learning. Figuring out how to grip the device for the most optimal transformation.  That in my mind is not an example of bad usability or poor ergonomics.

"It is a sign of something truly new.

"I have shot some stunning pictures for example the picture of the Rembrant picture in my Timeline.  The video camera in it takes 30fps video at 352 x 288 pixels, that is rougly the quality of VHS."

Great, but...

The N90 looks like a great device.  Personally, I don't mind large cellular phones if they serve my needs -- advanced data functionality with access to hundreds, thousands of applications.  That's why I like the Treo 650 with the Palm OS.

However, the N90 lacks an important feature for me:  A keyboard.  Despite all the workarounds -- voice recognition, handwriting recognition, whatever -- the keypad is an ergonomic disaster for entering text.

I'm not satisfied with writing a few words or even a sentence or two.  I want to write paragraphs, pages of information.  I can't do that with a keypad.  That's one reason I carry a Research in Motion BlackBerry (with the complete QWERTY keyboard), arguably the best wireless e-mail device on the planet with one of the best keyboards of any wireless handset.

Judge must decide whether camera phone photos may be used as evidence

A Superior Court judge in North Carolina has to decide whether camera phones photos retrieved from Sprint PCS by police may be used as evidence in a sexual offense case, Associated Press reports.

A 26-year-old-man has been charged with improperly touching a woman and taking camera phone photos.  The police obtained camera phone photos from Sprint when they received a search warrant.

Todd Fennell, a North Carolina assistant district attorney, says, "There's no case law pertaining to getting information off a cell phone."  Neal Weber, the accused man's lawyer, says, "I think it's just a case where the law has to catch up with the technology."

Photos stored on server

The article doesn't discuss it, but every time a camera phone photo is transmitted via Sprint PCS, a copy is stored on Sprint's server.  I wonder how many Sprint camera phone subscribers know this.

Pornography over camera phones could result in lashes, jail term in Saudi Arabia

A proposed law in Saudi Arabia dealing with distributing pornographic images of women via camera phones could result in the maximum penalty of lashes, 12 years in jail and a fine of 100,000 Saudi riyals ($26,669), according to an article in Arab News. 

For repeat offenders, the punishments could be doubled.  (Note:  The articles seem a bit unclear to me.  The lead says "1,000" lashes but further down in the article the number is 100.)

The proposal requires endorsement from the Saudi Shoura Council.

Ban lifted

As I previously wrote, Saudi Arabia lifted its ban of camera phones in December in large part because it realized most 3G handsets included camera phones.  I think there are two 3G licensees in the country.

Camera phones could compromise prison security in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland officials at Maghaberry prison found three inmates with cellular phones, including one that was a camera phone, according to an article from BBC News.

The Prison Service issued a statement saying it was the first camera phone found in the prison and it could "compromise" the security of the prison and staff.  The statement also said cellular phones are threats to "good order and discipline."

I agree.

New York Times: Camera phones "last year's novelty"

Edward Goto sent me an e-mail pointing to The New York Times calling camera phones "last year's novelty."  The article notes that the wireless industry is "struggling to find the new must-have feature to drive sales," the way camera phones drove sales last year.

The Times references statistics by research firm Ovum that says the success of camera phones resulted in handset sales of 670 million, an increase of 25 percent.  Ovum says sales are expected to increase only eight percent this year.

Hmmm.  That's a bit simplistic.  Camera phones certainly helped increase sales but picture taking isn't the only reason people purchase handsets.  How about better color screens and games and music capabilities?

As for the article dimissing camera phones as a novelty.....last year's novelty is today's -- and will be tomorrow's -- revolutionary communications technology.

MobileBurn reviews Samsung's five megapixel camera phone

From Gizmodo I found MobileBurn's review of Samsung's five megapixel SCH-S250 camera phone.

MobileBurn says the phone is big and heavy, has a great display and an excellent user interface for taking photos.  MobileBurn has a long, detailed analysis of the camera but the one sentence review is:  "It's good, but not on par with a dedicated camera."

The camera can produce very good photos outdoors on a sunny day but under other conditions the photo quality is disappointing, in large part because of the poor white balance (see below).

Don't dismiss high resolution

I suspect some analysts will look at the images of "super high resolution" camera phones (super high resolution being -- what? -- four megapixels and above by today's camera phone standards) and dismiss them as producing photos that are often inferior to a regular digital camera with lower resolution (three megapixels or less).

A few points:

1.  How good do camera phone images have to be for handsets to begin supplementing and replacing point-and-shoot film cameras and low-end digital cameras?  Some of today's camera phones with one megapixels can certainly supplement and even replace in some cases traditional cameras if you just want 4" x 6" snapshots.

2.  There's no doubt, however, that a good "good enough") flash is a big advantage of point-and-shoot film and low-end digital cameras ("low-end" begins -- where? -- two megapixels or less).  An optical zoom can make a big difference, too.

3.  This is just the beginning of the introduction of super high resolution camera phones.  There will be significant improvements in optics that produce better images.

In other words, any analyst who makes fun of these higher resolution camera phones or dimisses them -- without taking into account the dramatic, rapid advances in camera phone performance during the past several years -- should him/herself be dismissed.

Strategy Analytics: 257 million camera phones, 68 million digital cameras shipped in 2004

Strategy Analytics' "2004 Global Camera Phone report" says 257 million camera phones were shipped worldwide last year, comprising 38 percent of handset sales.  In 2003, 84 million camera phones were sold, comprising 16 percent of handset sales.

This compares to 68 million digital cameras that were shipped around the world in 2004.  In 2003, 49 million digital cameras were sold.

The top camera phone handset manufacturers for 2004 were:  Nokia (18 percent), Motorola (17 percent) and Samsung (13 percent).

Digital camera market diminishing

A noteworthy finding of the report is "The digital still camera market is running out of steam," according to Chris Ambrosio, director of Strategy Analytics' global wireless practice.

Ambrosio says, "Vendors such as Kodak, Canon and Fuji will find growth harder to achieve in 2006.  Camera phones will eventually capture 15 percent of the low-end digital still camera market by 2010, while attempts to sell households in developed markets a second or third device will be restricted by the ubiquity of multi-megapixel camera phones."

The report also says, "VGA sensors will still be the sweet spot for camera phones in 2005, but vendors will use pixel counts as a differentiator in higher product tiers.  These 'Pixel Wars' will drive multi-megapixel handset demand to 3 in 10 sales worldwide in 2005.

"Removable memory will be standard issue on camera phones by the end of 2007 but the wireless connectivity landscape for camera phones (e.g., USB, WLAN/WiFi, Infrared, Bluetooth, etc.) will be fragmented, requiring printer and other ecosystem players to support a wide range of solutions based on regional market dynamics."