 For
spur-of-the-moment snapshots, it doesn't get much easier than
the PalmPix digital camera for the Palm m100 handheld. Just snap
the camera--the size and weight of a small candy bar--into the
sync port at the bottom of your handheld.
Tap the PalmPix icon with your stylus, then press the menu
button. The camera's preview function is immediately activated,
capturing images as you pan around the room. When you see the
picture you want, press the menu button again to take the photo
and save it onto the Palm.
At this point, you can view a list of the photos stored in the
Palm, along with the time and date they were shot, and you can
give each photo a unique name. You can also change the settings
for higher (640 x 480 pixels) or lower resolution (320 x 240
pixels). The top resolution of pixels is far higher than similar
digital-camera modules for handhelds, and it shows in the good
clarity and depth.
We did find that lighting was a bit of an issue--the PalmPix
lacks a flash and ordinary indoor lighting often results in
muddy images. We also found that using the PalmPix in glaring
sunlight outside or near a window made the high-resolution
images come out with too much contrast. Making sure our subject
was close to a good source of indoor lighting seemed to be the
best solution.
 The camera can also be awkward to position. The PalmPix lens is
on the bottom left of the handheld's underside, and we found
ourselves flipping the m100 around quite a bit at first trying
figure out the correct orientation.
Once we got the hang of it, though, the PalmPix was a fun way to
take pictures at a party or meeting. And transferring it to our
desktop PC was simple. Within the PalmPix application, we marked
the photos we wanted to upload, then simply performed a HotSync.
The PalmPix software allows you to view your pictures on your
desktop PC in color (images will be seen in grayscale on the
Palm m100), as well as edit, enhance, e-mail to friends, and add
things like special effects, text, and borders. Another nifty
feature for narcissistic types like ourselves was the
self-timer, which gave us 10 seconds to primp before a beep
announces that the photo is about to be taken.
Overall, the PalmPix is a great toy for Palm m100 users--fun for
perking up a slow day at the office, e-mailing snapshots to your
friends, or capturing charts and graphs for later viewing. --L.E.
Klein
Pros:
-
Good
image capture, especially in high-resolution mode
-
Light
and easy to install
-
Smooth
interface with Palm and desktop PC
Cons:
Description :
Turn your Palm m100 into a digital camera
with Kodak's latest PalmPix expansion. This new PalmPix is
compact and lightweight, and lets you frame, take, view, and
transfer pictures to your Palm. You can then transfer images to
your desktop or laptop using the HotSync cradle or beam pictures
to another handheld user via infrared port.
Although pictures from the PalmPix camera are in full color,
they are viewed on the Palm m100 LCD screen as grayscale images.
To transfer images, use the Palm's HotSync cradle. The pictures
are then stored as standard JPEG or BMP files on your PC (JPEG
or PICT for Macintosh). They can be accessed as full-color VGA
(640 by 480) pictures, then manipulated, e-mailed, printed,
and/or saved.
The camera features a fixed-focus lens with a
36-inch-to-infinity focus range, 2x digital zoom, and auto white
balance. Until images are transferred to a computer, they are
stored in the Palm handheld computer as VGA files requiring
approximately 100 KB of memory per image.
Included in the box are one Kodak AAA alkaline battery, a user's
manual, and software for the user interface and host. The
PalmPix is compatible with Windows 95, 95B, 98, 98SE, NT 4.0,
and 2000; and Macintosh 7.5.5 to 9.0.4.
This
camera comes with a one-year warranty.
Features:
-
Digital
camera for Palm m100 handheld--snap the PalmPix to the
bottom of handheld
-
640
x 480 resolution
-
2x
digital zoom
-
Images
stored in JPEG, BMP, or PICT format--Mac and PC compatible
-
Transfer
images to your desktop PC or laptop using HotSync cradle
Technical
data:
-
Memory
(internal): 100 KB
-
PDA
compatibility: Palm m100 handheld
-
Imager:
Color VGA CMOS sensor
-
Image
resolutions: 640 x 480 (better),
320 x 240 (good)
-
Image
quality settings: Better, good
-
Optical
viewfinder: Preview video mode on
the handheld LCD, greater than 3 frames per second refresh
(review mode 16-level grayscale)
-
Lens:
Fixed focus
-
Zoom:
2x
-
Lens
focal length: 6.1mm
-
F-stop:
f/2.0
-
Focus
range: 36 inches to infinity
-
Exposure:
Auto, auto white balance
-
Shutter
speed: 1/15 to 1/500 seconds
-
Picture
transfer: HotSync dock
-
Self
timer: 10 seconds
-
ISO
equivalent: 100
-
File
formats: BMP/JPEG for Windows,
JPEG/PICT for Mac
-
Interface:
Serial or IrDA connection on the
Palm
-
PC
compatible: Yes
-
Mac
compatible: Yes
-
PC
system requirements: 80486 or
higher processor; Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT 4.0 or Me; 16 MB
RAM; 20 MB hard disk space; CD-ROM drive; color monitor with
256 colors (16-bit color recommended)
-
Mac
system requirements: Power Mac,
System 7.5.5 to Mac OS 9.0.4, 16 MB RAM, 20 MB hard disk
space, CD-ROM drive, available USB port, PalmConnect kit,
color monitor with 256 colors (16-bit color recommended)
-
Power:
1 AAA Kodak alkaline battery
(included)
-
In
the box: 1 AAA battery, software
on CD-ROM, documentation kit, accessory brochure
-
Software:
Kodak PalmPix for Windows, Presto!
Mr. Photo, Image Carousel
-
Width:
1.9 inches
-
Depth:
0.9 inches
-
Height:
3.3 inches
-
Weight:
1.6 ounces (without batteries)
-
Certifications:
FCC, ICES-003 class B, CE, C-Tick,
VCCI
-
Warranty
(parts): 1 year
-
Warranty
(service): 1 year
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