July 01, 2003
A good Tablet PC camera
Splintercell has his eyes on Apple's new iSight camera for good reason--the camera's quality and speed is impressive. I wonder what its low-light characteristics are like.
I've been using the Veo mobile camera. But I don't recommend it.
Its weaknesses have gotten me thinking about what I'd like to see in a camera for the Tablet PC. First and foremost: good, fast image quality with excellent low-light behavior as well as reasonable performance in outdoor light.
Some other things I'd like to see in a Tablet PC camera:
1. A 180-degree rotatable lens so that the camera can be pointed toward the user, away from the user, or parallel to the Tablet PC case when the Tablet PC is resting horizontally on a table.
2. Cableless USB camera with a built-in connector that plugs right into a USB port.
3. Thin packaging that is no wider than my Tablet PC so that when I lay the Tablet PC flat the camera doesn't get in the way.
4. On the Tablet PC there would need to be USB connectors on the top and side of the case so that the camera can be used equally well in landscape and portrait modes.
In the meaintime, while I'm waiting with Splintercell for a PC version of iSight or a camera like I've outlined here, I'll have to give the Logitech Mobile Pro camera a try.
Posted by Loren at July 1, 2003 01:08 AMTell me how the Logitech MobileCam works out... thinking of getting one myself too!
Posted by: Marauderz on July 1, 2003 08:34 PMI hope it's image quality is better than the Veo.
Posted by: Loren on July 1, 2003 11:01 PMI like the direct USB connect idea. I think the design would need to swivle left and right a few degrees too. That way when the Tablet is flat you can avoid image distortion because of angle....
The Logitech is slightly larger than your Veo. Better megapixels too. The clip method on the Logitech better than most, but I think this semi-direct USB (maybe with a little gap so it can rotate) or direct USB is better yet for Tablets. (Too bad notebooks don't have USB on the top of the LCD panel. Hummmm....)
Now I want even more USB ports :-D
Posted by: Lora on July 2, 2003 10:07 AMI totally agree. what you've drawn reminds me of the sony clies with built in swivel cameras. Tablet users shouldn't have to buy a camera tablet manufacturers need to step up! it makes total sense for a mobile machine, there's still too much reliance on laptops for the mental models from which these guys are designing tablets.
BTW, the isight camera is kinda big. While the bases are nice and you can attach them to your laptop cover. i don't think they had total portability in mind either.
Posted by: marcus kwan on July 2, 2003 11:15 AMI want to look at its internal fitting.
Posted by: Biswas on November 19, 2003 12:40 AMCheck this out:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/tablet_pc_viewpad1000.htm
Posted by: Jeffrey S. Berg on February 17, 2004 07:41 PMWe've tried the Veo with a Dell Axim, but the resolution just didn't work. Any ideas for a camera that has a SDK that is currently available?
This exists. HP made this as an accessory to their 1000 series tablets. They showed it in a Comdex video in 2002 during a presentation of their "Agora" prototype. I am unaware of its current state.
Posted by: Westin on April 29, 2004 10:05 AM