Reiter's Camera Phone Report

Palm, Microsoft, Verizon announcing Treo 700 now

I'm at the Palm, Microsoft, Verizon Wireless press conference about the Treo 700 that will be available "early next year."  Bill Gates of Microsoft, Ed Colligan of Palm and Denny Strigl of Verizon are on the state.

Here's the official press release.

Here are my notes...

Verizon is the exclusive distributor -- for now -- of the new handset.  Verizon will have an exclusive until some time in the middle of next year.

Denny Strigl of Verizon says the 1xEV-DO network is "lightning fast."  Well, not quite.  I like 1xEV-DO a lot, but I usually find it's about 250 Mbps.  I know many people get faster speeds,  but that's the typical speed I get

There aren't many details except that is it has an Intel processor, and the people on the stage don't want to say much.  The panelists don't even want to say what the Treo will be branded so it might not be the "Treo 700."

Bill Gates of Microsoft says many Windows Mobile users will want to switch to the Treo 700.  The big challenge is keeping the product in stock, he says.

Colligan says he has been the handset for a couple of months and it's his main phone.  He says it's working very well although there still have to be certifications over the Verizon network.

"We really have this on the fast track," says Strigl.  Strigl and Gates just got their handsets this morning.

"You feel like you're in Outlook" with the new Treo, says Colligan.  The Treo works, obviously, with Microsoft Exchange.

Brad Smith, a reporter at Wireless Week, just asked about whether Palm would consider incorporating another operating system, such as Symbian or Linux.  Colligan said, "No!"

Colligan says it's possible to "immediately" include WiFi in the Treo's Secure Digital card.

Newsweek’s “Periscope” section discusses the citizen journalist trend and a nascent trend of selling camera phone photos through photo agencies such as Scoopt, Cell Journalist (see below) and Spy Media.

Scoopt has been in operation for a few months, Cell Journalist debuted last week and Spy Media is starting on October 3.

Newsweek says Scoopt has sold only three photos so far.  "Few editors are eager to reward amateur voyeurism, especially when they get plenty of pics free of charge.

"'People simply want to join our newsgathering process,’ says the BBC's Pete Clifton.   For [Tom] Quinn [head of Spy Media], though, it's only a matter of time. 'When people find out they can cash in, they'll come to us, he says.

"'It's the American way."

Sell or not?

I spoke to the Newsweek reporter when he was researching the article.   My view is that a camera phone user who gets a unique photo or video and gets it fast will be able to sell it.

Kodak to offer WiFi-enabled EasyShare-One digital camera in October

Nine months after Kodak first announced it would offer the four megapixel EasyShare-One digital camera with WiFi capabilities for uploading photos (see below) the camera will finally be available in October, according to the company's press release today.

Kodak has teamed with T-Mobile to offer complimentary hotspot access -- to EasyShare-One users only -- at its WiFi locations across the country.  Kodak also is working with other hotspots providers in other markets.

Kodak's press release says, "All EASYSHARE-ONE camera purchasers receive a complementary, camera-specific trial service in conjunction with major hotspot providers.  In addition to service from T-Mobile USA, with more than 6,000 T-Mobile HotSpots across the United States, EASYSHARE-ONE camera owners will also be able to enjoy public connections in other key world markets.

"Kodak plans to announce further market-specific service providers, as well as retailers that will sell the EASYSHARE-ONE camera, in the coming weeks.

Swivel, touch screen

The EasyShare-One features 256MB of internal memory, a 3x optical zoom lens and a three-inch swivel touch screen that seems to make it easy to organize photos by using the stylus (see left).  You're able to create photo albums within the camera using Macromedia Flash software

I wonder how good the LCD looks in bright sunlight.

Perhaps I'll get a chance to see it during the CTIA's Wireless IT & Entertainment 2005 conference in San Francisco at the end of this month, although I don't see Kodak listed as an exhibitor.  I'm the so-called "master of ceremonies" for the "personalization" mini-track on September 28.