Pocket PC Camera poll

[chuck.kahn]

Just wondering whether Pocket PC users consider taking pictures an important multimedia ability, since HP
seems not to think so (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=39487)

[chuck.kahn]

Let me vote first by saying I think it's very important.

Why? Because without accessories like cameras, the Pocket PC is just a glorified address book.

It's the multimedia capabilities that set this PDA platform apart. And chief amongst multimedia capabilities is acquisition -- recording sounds, stills and videos. If we stop supporting that, well... I don't know what will happen, but it's very sad.

[hamishmacdonald]

While I readily acknowledge the limitations of the camera on my Pocket PC (Asus MyPal A730W), it's a nice feature to have, just for grabbing quick snaps.

My trouble with it is the software. Asus has provided a very nice suite of image utilities, but they've bundled them together into a ginormous program that takes a long time to start. This completely defeats the purpose of having a camera which is only suited to taking quick shots.

Does anyone know of a third-party application that can take pictures through the on-board camera? I've seen that WM2005 will have this ability, but Lord knows if Asus will give us an upgrade, or when.

[WyattEarp]

Well for me it's nice but not very important. HP is acutally using a rebranded Veo SD camera (http://www.veoproducts.com/Traveler_130S/default.asp) I believe (correct me if I am wrong but that is the name I saw of the .cab file) or a slightly older model. So if Veo has not updated the drivers to include WM2003SE then there isn't much HP can really do. It's sad when support for a product goes south but with PPCs including built-in camers demand is probable low.

[Kowalski]

you should add another option to the poll: i would prefer devices without camera. any camera built into the pda wont add anything to my life but the device will be smaller withoutf it.

[chuck.kahn]

HP is acutally using a rebranded Veo SD camera (http://www.veoproducts.com/Traveler_130S/default.asp) I believe (correct me if I am wrong but that is the name I saw of the .cab file) or a slightly older model. So if Veo has not updated the drivers to include WM2003SE then there isn't much HP can really do.

And it sucks that I can't get support from VEO because I didn't buy from them. If I had known that it actually was a VEO camera and that HP was going to leave me in the lurch like this, I would have bought from VEO and hoped for more effective support.

And for progress: even though there isn't new camera software, there is an updated version of the HP Image Zone. So I can look at my photos and check the properties to see that the camera EXIF-datestamps them all Sept 1, 2003. The old version of Image Zone couldn't check EXIF properties.

[chuck.kahn]

you should add another option to the poll: i would prefer devices without camera. any camera built into the pda wont add anything to my life but the device will be smaller withoutf it.

That would fall under "Not important at all"

And the poll isn't about support for built-in cameras. Just support for cameras in general. Be they built-in or SDIO accessories. Myself, I prefer the swivel lens and higher resolution of the SDIO unit.

http://photos5.flickr.com/4953022_1db06209bd_m.jpg

[Jacob]

It's not important to me at all really.

I don't think the lack of having a camera specifically makes a pocketpc a "glorified address book" at all - that diminishes all the other things a Pocket PC can do.

Accessories are a good business decision though - depending on demand. If not enough people buy the camera to make it profitable then well, then it's a good decision for HP to discontinue it.

[chuck.kahn]

I don't think the lack of having a camera specifically makes a pocketpc a "glorified address book" at all - that diminishes all the other things a Pocket PC can do.

I don't think the lack of camera support specifically makes it a "glorified address book", but I think removing that support diminishes the potential of the platform, even if a small percentage of users buy them.

Accessories are a good business decision though - depending on demand. If not enough people buy the camera to make it profitable then well, then it's a good decision for HP to discontinue it.

Michael's statement at eXpansys (http://www.expansys.ca/forumthread.asp?code=106396&thread=16) seems to suggest they were profitable:

I think that with the success the HP had with the camera that is very likely that they are working on a new model.

I don't know where he gets his facts, but he seems to be in a better position than I to know these things. Anyone know otherwise?

[jpf]

I will personally avoid the camera option whenever possible, purely on qualitative grounds. When 'built-ins' can take pictures as well as 'stand-alones' then I'll reconsider.
I can only think of one exception and that is for snapping a pic for the insurance company if I was involved in a wreck, but the lousy camera on the phone does just as well in that respect, and I tend to carry the phone and pda at the same time.