Camera Phones Hit 1 Megapixel

ATLANTA -- Camera phones are moving from novelties to viable digital cameras, with the introduction of several new models that shoot images at 1 megapixel or even higher resolution.

Several cell phone manufacturers unveiled new handsets at this week's Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association trade show here. Most of the products will be available later this year, with pricing announced upon release.

Many of the new models are medium-size, clamshell-style phones with big screens measuring up to 2 inches diagonally. Photos produced on a 1-megapixel camera phone promise to yield a good 3-by-5-inch print.

But if users send an image from their camera phone via MMS or e-mail, the photo is reduced in quality--transmitted images are downgraded to a lower resolution--because today's wireless networks limit attachments to only 100KB.

To print the original 1-megapixel picture, users should be able to transfer the file through an infrared, Bluetooth, or USB connection. Some photo kiosks (including those of Fujifilm and Kodak) support IR and Bluetooth. For USB, users need an adapter to connect to a PC. Some camera phones include removable media storage, another way to transfer an image to a PC.

Camera-Centric Design

What a no-brainer: Redesign a camera phone to resemble a point-and-shoot digital camera. As a phone, the handset is held vertically; as a camera, it's held horizontally (though it can also be turned vertically).

A prime example is Sony Ericsson's S700i, in which the company borrows the camera design from the Sony Cyber-shot. Viewed from the back, the S700i handset is a carbon copy of a low-end Cyber-shot digital camera, complete with a tiny lens, a mini flash, and a small right-hand grip.

The side panel houses a camera button for snapping pictures and a Memory Stick Duo slot for additional storage (memory cards are optional). The front of the phone has navigation buttons and a large LCD that swivels to reveal the number pad.

The S700i is equipped with a 1.3-megapixel camera, an MP3 player, 16MB of internal memory, and Bluetooth support. Sony Ericsson plans to ship the handset by the second half of the year.

Like the S700i, Kyocera's Koi--the company's first camera phone--sports a clamshell design and a large, 262,000-color LCD that swivels to the right at 180 degrees, revealing the phone's keypad.

The Koi features a 1.2-megapixel camera, a tiny flash, and a 5X digital zoom. With 16MB of on-board memory, Kyocera says, the device can store up to 40 images in its highest resolution setting.

The Kyocera phone also plays and records 15-second videos in MPEG-4 format. It has the company's new pinwheel user interface, and it supports the CDMA network, BREW 2.1, and WAP 2.0. Kyocera plans to ship the phone this summer.

If you prefer a nonswiveling phone, there's the 1-megapixel Nokia 7610. It has a reasonably good-sized LCD and an unconventional number pad with left-curving keys.

The back of the phone has a lens; the side has a camera button. The unit comes with 8MB of integrated memory and a 64MB MultiMediaCard (located under the battery) that can store images or MP3 music.

In addition to playing MP3s, the 7610 records and plays video. Nokia says users can capture up to 10 minutes of 176-by-208-resolution video; but for videos sent via MMS, Nokia says most networks will be limited to transferring 10-second clips. The 7610 supports GSM networks and is expected to be available around July.

Camera Phone Supports Fast Network

When wireless carriers roll out their fast cellular networks (such as Evolution Data Only through Verizon Wireless and Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems through AT&T Wireless) nationwide, camera phones will be available to support them, including LG's 8000 handset.

The 8000 supports 1X EvDO and CDMA networks, and is equipped with a 1.3-megapixel camera, a flash, and a fairly large 262,000-color LCD. The camera features macro mode, night mode, and 10X digital zoom. The 8000 also records 15-second videos and supports WAP 2.0. It is expected to ship by this fall.

Motorola announced the A845, a VGA (640 by 480) resolution camera phone that supports UMTS. The company says the handset has videophone capabilities, so users will be able to chat live with other A845 users on the same network. The A845 is equipped with an MP3 player and supports Bluetooth and GPS, which is useful for location-based services and navigation.

Camera Phone With Tiny Removable Memory Card

In addition, Motorola is upgrading its camera phone line with the introduction of two 1-megapixel handsets. The A840 and V710 sport a clamshell design and come with an extremely small new memory card format called Removable TransFlash from SanDisk.

The card is about the size of a fingernail and comes in capacities of 32MB to 128MB, with prices ranging from $14 to $39. SanDisk says Motorola phones will probably ship with 32MB TransFlash media. When purchased separately, SanDisk says, the media will likely come with a Secure Digital memory card adapter so that users will be able to read a TransFlash card in existing SD-enabled card readers.

The A840 and V710 handsets both feature a 1.2-megapixel camera, short-range flash, 4X digital zoom, MPEG-4 video capture and playback, an MP3 player, 16MB of internal memory, and independent voice dialing that doesn't require prerecorded voice tags.

Both phones support Bluetooth, BREW, and WAP 2.0. The A840 has a large 2.2-inch LCD and supports both CDMA and GSM networks, which means it can be used worldwide (though exactly where depends on the carrier). The A840 and V710 will be available by the second half of the year.

More Clamshell Camera Phones

Another vendor joining the 1-megapixel camera phone mix is Audiovox, offering the CDM-8930 and CDM-8920. These two clamshell-style handsets are equipped with a 1.3-megapixel camera, macro mode, and a built-in flash. The phones record and store up to 10 minutes of MPEG-4 video. Both support Java, BREW, and GPS.

The main difference between the two Audivox phones is in their screens: The 8930 has a swiveling 2-inch, 262,000-color LCD, while the 8920 has both an internal display and a small external one. The two devices will be available by the third quarter.