My GPS Camera Phone

I never post video on this site, but this T-Mobile ad is an exception. Check it out.

I doubt it, but one representative from New York would like to see it. Pete King, R-N.Y., has introduced a bill that proposes making the annoying click sound a required feature on all camera phones. The ability to switch it off would be disabled. Enter a whole new realm of phone hacks. From the E-Week article:

Designed to protect children and adolescents who “have been exploited by photographs taken in dressing rooms and public places with the use of a camera phone,” the bill requires any camera phone manufactured in the United States to “sound a tone or other sound audible within a reasonable radius of the phone whenever a photograph is taken.”

If it passes, any mobile phone or handset manufactured a year after the bill passes would be required to have a clicking sound. Any silencing option would go the way of the dinosaurs: Extinction.

Yet another micromanaging bill written under the guise of child protection. While I am hardly condoning misconduct against children, I think this bill is way out of line. Will this really prevent crimes from occurring? No. What about digital cameras? Would they be silenced as well? What if I witness a murder and have a clear shot at the perpetrator, but the sound of my camera phone gives me away? What if I’m trying to photograph wildlife? One shot and they’re gone.

I certainly hope this bill is dumped for something more worthwhile. If child protection is really the issue, then silencing camera phones is not going to improve anything. Stiffer penalties for abusers might be a better place to start.

Camera Phone Predator Alert Act (HR 414)

You may or may not have wondered why there’s been such sporadic activity here lately. Some of that is due to holiday hangover, but a lot of it is due to a new social network that I’ve been helping to create. After months of preparation, I can finally say that Dad Blogs is here!

From the press release:

Dad Blogs, a new social networking site for dads and dad bloggers, launched today, providing dads and dad bloggers a place to share ideas among their peers. Through dad-related groups, forum threads and blog posts, Dad Blogs aims to provide a community and blog directory for dads looking to break traditional stereotypes while holding onto the best of what makes dads unique.

That pretty much sums it up. We are not exclusive, though, to only dads. We anticipate some traffic from the moms as well, since they are what make up a large portion of who the dads are. Without moms, there wouldn’t be dads. So if you’re a dad or a mom from expecting to grandparent, head over to http://dad-blogs.com and register!Don’t forget to check out The Dad Blog while you’re there.

Many thanks to my wife, who has tolerated my dadly stubbornness to the point of insanity all while guiding me in the right direction; my two daughters, who teach me something new every day; Joeprah, with whom I share credit for this brainchild; my friend Fred, who has inspired me to pursue the things that most people usually relegate to realm of dreams (even though he probably doesn’t really know it).

One of the biggest issues with camera phones is the rigidity of the lens. In some cases (like the Nokia 5610), you can get a mechanical zoom or macro, but that’s about it. Well, here’s some good news for the iPhone and G1 photographers.

I found a great feature on Gadget Venue that discusses magnetic camera phone lenses! Seriously, this is huge for photo enthusiasts like myself. Choose from wide-angle, fish-eye and telephoto lenses. The best part is that you can get this incredible upgrade for under $20.

You can save your money and try using some binoculars, but I wouldn’t recommend it. How do I know? You’ll have to come back later and find out the rest of the story.

USB Fever.com lens catalog

I’ll file this under “extreme endurance testing.” These guys in Russia put an iPhone through a rigorous battery of tests that include freezing, tumbling in a dryer, dunking in beer, dropping and more. The site is in Russian, but the marvel that is Google Translate makes the read worthwhile. For example:

The aluminum lid compartment nutrition allowed to stand the test of honor fall to the asphalt. We threw smartphone flat and at an angle. Before the asphalt was a mini-training on grass, where the phone was left unhurt, even if dropped from two meters, the same situation with the office and carpeting in it. Asphalt is left to the body of a vanishing ink. In addition, the cap has become a bit of waste, has a slight backlash. But it should be noted that other elements are not affected. With pleasure, the screen is not only remained operational, but very slightly scratched.

Can the iPhone withstand the “test of honor?” What about abuse like being rolled over by a car? Watch the video and find out.

I wonder if the Nokia folks would be upset if I tried this with the 6650?

Apples for the masses
So the news of Apple selling the iPhone at Wal-Mart is being hyped as unbelievable. I mean, really, Wal-Mart? Apple? What is this, the Beverly Hillbillies? You know, I don’t think I would have ever guessed that any schmoe on the street could walk into their local Wal-Mart and buy a 12-pack of Old Milwaukee and an iPhone in the same visit. Really, the huge display of iPods in my local Wal-Mart never made the thought cross my mind. Completely blind-sided I tell you. Contrary to rumor, “everyday low prices” does not apply here. Apple would never stoop THAT low.

Androids will rule…maybe, someday
Google’s method of market-testing beta releases seems to be carrying over into the physical world with news coming out from HTC saying that they expect over 1 million phones to be sold by the end of the 2008. While these numbers pale in comparison to the iPhone (especially since you can now get one at Wal-Mart), the groundswell is growing and it won’t be too long before the market sees an influx of Android-powered devices. Other devices are on the way from other manufacturers and HTC is rumored to be releasing the G2 phone sometime, so we’ll see what happens.

Gas-free zone
Everyone likes lists, so here’s Gizmodo’s take on the best Android apps of 2008. I don’t care how cool those apps are, they still don’t have iFart. Move along, Android.

Photo credit: MShades via Flickr

And I’m not talking politics.

My GPS Camera Phone has been going strong for well over a year now, much to my satisfaction. I’ve been able to exercise my right brain with photography while feeding my left brain with website management. While this worked for most of the time, I’ve noticed that my mind is looking for more. What started as a hobby has slowly become something bigger, causing both sides of my brain to look ahead for the next big thing. What that big thing is will be revealed in time, but maybe not on this blog.

Given this, I’ll be posting more mobile-related news and events, turning more to industry news, while keeping the original personality of the site intact. In other words, I’ll continue to post photos, albeit more selectively, while posting sarcasm-laden news about iPhones being sold at Wal-Mart. You get the picture. (Wow, a pun! Move along, nothing to see here…)

What does this mean to you? Well, it means that you might notice a little less of a personal feeling, but that’s about it. Even if My GPS Camera Phone did go all corporate, I’d still strive to keep it real. Anyway, look for more changes in the months ahead.

I welcome suggestions and guest posts (in the realm of mobile technology), so if you have something interesting you would like to share, just let me know and we’ll talk. Aside from that, I’d just like to thank everyone for helping me achieve something that I’ll never forget about, no matter what becomes of it.