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

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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)

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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).

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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

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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?

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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

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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.

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There are literally hundreds of mobile phones available to customers these days with more and more becoming available. You could almost compare mobile phones to computers in terms of obsoleteness. As soon as you leave a store your phone basically becomes obsolete!

So what are the best ways to shop for a mobile phone then? First, decide what you can afford. Mobile phones can range anywhere from $0 to hundreds. The price also depends on whether you plan on signing a contract with your mobile service provider. The longer they chain you up to them, the cheaper a deal you’ll get on your phone!

Second, decide what features you want! If all you want to do is chat and text, go for a basic mobile phone – you’ll save money in both the price of the phone and most likely the plan you choose.

If you love music and want to be able to play it on your phone look for a device with an mp3 player built in. Sony Ericsson makes some great mp3 phones, and there is also the iPhone from Apple.

If you need a personal organizer go for a PDA or Smartphones, great little gadgets to help keep your schedule organized. These phones often have the ability to ‘sync’ information easily from your computer. Check out brands like Blackberry who just released their highly anticipated Blackberry Storm model.

And finally, do a bit of homework! After you’ve decided on price range and features hunt around online for reviews. Mobile phones always come with pros and cons. A simple search can yield tons of helpful tips, advantages and pitfalls of almost any mobile device available!

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No, no, it’s not a box with me in it.

Fellow photog and all-around cool guy Drew has decided to clean out his collection of fun stuff by giving it away to one lucky winner! Here’s a snippet from the supplier of awesome himself:

This is a box of mysterious stuff that I collected, amassed, was given, begged, borrowed and stole. This is a box of Awesome that I am going to give to one lucky reader. I’ll be revealing a few of the items that are in the box in the next few days. There is a lot of stuff in the box. You can already see that there is a T-Shirt in the box. Are there more? What else is there? How can you win?

The answers to these questions can be discovered by simply entering the contest and waiting for the winner to be announced.

Go on now, why are you still here? The Big Box of Awesome awaits!

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As you may have heard, the Google Open Handset Alliance just got bigger, gaining 14 new members. We’re not talking little guys, either. Vodaphone, Garmin International, Sony Ericsson, ARM and others are joining the revolution quiet movement to upend the iPhone from its current position at number one. At the very least, the alliance has the growing potential to open up the touchscreen market and offer a viable alternative to Apple’s sole mobile offering, which is arguably the best phone on the market. (Now if they would just open it up to other carriers…)

At the moment, it appears that Google Android mobile operating system holds the second-place position, a statistic based solely on what I’ve been scanning in the news, though the actual numbers may dictate otherwise. Research in Motion (RIM) touted the new Blackberry Storm as if it were the iPhone’s messiah, but RIM fell flat on its face, making life miserable for thousands of Verizon employees who had to handle the complaints. I commend RIM on trying, but really, you can’t take on the iPhone with a slick marketing campaign. You need a near-flawless product to even come close.

But enough speculation, let’s get down to the nuts and bolts of what this blog is about. I’m talking photos and thanks to Live Crunch, I’ve got some great pics from an Android-powered, HTC G1 for your viewing pleasure. From what I see, the 3.2 mega-pixel camera can take a good photo in the right conditions. I’ve posted three photos from the G1 below that I think are a great representation of the camera quality. And with the G2 coming next year, who knows, maybe they will get even better.

Close up with the G1:

Full-resolution sample of the above photo:

Another close shot:

Keep the home fires burning!

G1 photos courtesy Live Crunch.

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