I like the idea, but would rather see the hardware vendor offer this as an added feature at an added cost. For me, I could care less - and in fact would more often prefer that my phone/ppc NOT have an embedded camera.
The hardware vendors are increasing the cost of something that teenie-boppers would mainly use as opposed to lagre use in the business environment. Yet we, in the business environment, don;t seem to have a choice and have to pay extra for another feature we really don't want or use/need. :?
Back to my rant on why hardware vendors should start looking at the PPC and Smartphone devices like they look at computers - allow the buyer to customize what they want on their device... *sigh* :|
I like cameras in anything I have. But then again, I like shiny techthingys. I'm nothing more than a geeky magpie, who uses his gadgets for end user purposes, nothing business related. And I carry a 2.1 MP digital camera (good enough for 10x15cm pictures) wherever I go, and would be glad to use a good all-in-one, that combines that cam, my phone and a PDA. For those rare occasions where my cameraphone wouldn't be allowed on premises, I do carry an Ericsson T39 as a backup phone. But I agree on one thing: manufacturers who care for the business user are wise to have camera-less devices as well. Not for me, since they simply aren't shiny enough.
A little off subject, but cameras are a no no for me.
That's bang on topic! Companies will produce PPCs with cameras - unless we ask them not to.. Currently the default behaviour seems to be moving more and more to adding them in - especially on the high end ones. We need to make it clear that many of us want this trend to stop.
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....Luddite....
Not wanting embedded cameras is not about being a Luddite, duh! :P It's about wanting to take our PDAs with us everywhere - it's about loving technology!
The hardware vendors are increasing the cost (..) Yet we, in the business environment, don;t seem to have a choice and have to pay extra for another feature we really don't want or use/need. :? (..) allow the buyer to customize what they want on their device... *sigh* :|
Way back when, when I got my first cellphone, it weighed a ton and cost me hundreds of guilders. It had a one line LCD and it could make calls. It didn't have SMS, EMS, WAP, BT, WIFI or whatever.
Today, I can get a phone with great battery life, color screen, wap, internet etc. for less then 50 euros. Even an older phone like a T610 (which has a camera) has great battery life and a ton of features for a great price. And the latest phones can be had for nothing on a contract!
Bjornkeizers, if we as PDA users don't make our voices heard now - we soon won't be able to get decent PPCs without cameras.
I *can't* get a decent phone WITH Bluetooth and WITHOUT a camera. So, I am stuck with my Nokia 8210, unless I buy an expensive unlocked Siemens S55 from Expansys and get a contract and throw away the phone that comes with it. This is not complaining - it's about asking for choice and options. I.e. decent phones and PDAs with no built in cameras.
Currently the default behaviour seems to be moving more and more to adding them in - especially on the high end ones. We need to make it clear that many of us want this trend to stop.
I don't want that trend to stop. IMO that would be a silly thing to do from a sales point of view, since -see the huge sales of camera enabled gadgets - many want it to continue. But I would like it if manufacturers offer two versions: one with, and one without camera.
One other thing that came to mind when I was thinking about this subject is a bit off-topic, yet related: has anyone ever encountered problems with the sound recording ability of their PDA?
You don't even need the poll to get my vote. NO CAMERAS!!!
I have Sprint service and have had it for years. I love the coverage I get in my area. Rarely do I get dropped calls. I have an old Motorola Timeport that I plan on keeping until I see a phone WITHOUT a camera that I like. I went into the Sprintstore this weekend and there was maybe 2 craptacular off-brand phones that didn't have cameras.
For me, I don't want to see my friends and family pop up in low res. everytime they call. I'll bring along a 3 to 4 MP camera to capture the memories. The camera feature on the phone just doesn't cut it.
Sorry to copy a post from an older thread, but i think it is still appropriate:
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Originally Posted by Jonathon Watkins
Quote:
Originally Posted by kzemach
By the way, if you really don't want a camera on your camera phone, just take a dremel tool, dremel out the lens, and fill the hole with epoxy. What's the big deal?
In the UK many/most government departments have bans on camera phones/PDAs, and 'removing' them does cut the mustard.
3 points:
1) If you were going to go to all that trouble trying to trick them into letting in your phone, whats to stop you from bringing in a variety of micro-cameras of even phone camera attachments?
2) As a person living in UK, I am quite concerned by the statement that most government departments are so hellbent on secrecy. What are they trying to hide form us, the people that are paying their salary?
3) As this is a problem that most business people are facing (trying to get a good phone without a camera) why dont the business supply a service to disable the camera easily (e.g. a tamper-evident sticker or permanent paint or epoxy) applied by the security at the department itself? This would be similar to having your access card and photo being taken by security.
Lets see some truimp for common sense, not paranoia.
Companies need to stop thinking about the consumers and think more about big business.
I assume you're kidding, right? This would be a *guaranteed* way for the industry to shoot itself in the foot. There are more than enough cheap "business" phones in the market, there is almost no diferentiation between them and the profit margin is *thin*.
Phones have cameras because people buy them, if the consumers (a.ka. the ones willing to pay cash for our products) want cameras, you give them cameras.
This is a market-driven business, if it becomes difficult enough to own a camera phone (due to restrictions on where you can bring it) then consumers will demand camera-less phones and suppliers will follow. However i woukld bet on consumers continuing to ask for "shiny things"
Bjornkeizers, if we as PDA users don't make our voices heard now - we soon won't be able to get decent PPCs without cameras.
If businesses fear pda's with camera's, they might as well ban pen and paper, or blindfold all their employees and visitors. Just because a very small group wouldn't be allowed to carry such a device doesn't mean all of us have to suffer because of it. If you're not allowed to carry a phone, then don't. If it's your place of business, have the company provide an alternative. I think it's a great trend. Because of trends like this, we now all have phones with color screens and internet! I seriously doubt any OEM would not put in a camera or offer two models just to satisfy such a small group..
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