Comments on: HandCam Offers Camera and Webcam

Targus Inc. has officially announced the HandCam digital camera Springboard module that it was showing off at Comdex a few weeks ago. It acts as both a still camera and a webcam. It can take pictures at 640 by 480 and 24-bit color. It has 2 MB of on-board memory and weighs just 1.4 ounces. It will be available later this week for $100 from Targus and other retailers and webstores.

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2 MB?

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 9:07:49 AM #

With companies almost paying us to take RAM off their hands, why only 2 megs? (Then you have people like me who can't wait for the 512 MB and 1 GB Memory Sticks to come out.)

RE: 2 MB?

huggy @ 11/28/2001 10:00:39 AM #

1 GB memory sticks? really? when?

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*-- I accept language corrections --*
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RE: 2 MB?

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 10:31:36 AM #

Its a camera first and foremost not memory expansion you dolt....

Second, its two megs of FLASH memory, which is generally the priciest about.... course 16 megs would have been better, but 2 megs is enough for a fair few pictures.

RE: 2 MB?

skoty @ 11/28/2001 11:31:05 AM #

Well, this is a step in the right direction. I believe the Eyemodule didn't have any memory in it, it just used your visors memory. Although, 2MB isn't very much, and it shouldn't be that expensive to double or triple that.

I can't beleive that this is starting at $100. That makes it the cheapest PDA camera available before it even ships. I'm going to wait for the first sale/discount/rebate on this thing and get one.

RE: 2 MB?

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 12:46:49 PM #

> Its a camera first and foremost not memory
> expansion you dolt....

My, my, my.

Obviously your vocabulary is from reading too many comic books using words like "dolt". Prithee, I shall call thee a TWIT. Nay I shall call thee a "Toady Cretin" !!!

Isn't it obvious TOADY CRETIN that a camera needs extra memory as it is a springboard module? The original issue was the measly 2 MB of memory when flash memory is cheap. How cheap? Well, I bought 256 Megabytes of compact flash for $70 from Dell. Well, if that make your TOADY CRETIN mind think, then there is hope for you as you are a BRILLIANT product of modern EDU-MA-CATION.

RE: 2 MB?

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 12:53:07 PM #

Correction:

...Well, if that doesn't make your TOADY CRETIN mind think, then there is NO hope for you as you are a BRILLIANT example of modern EDU-MA-CATION.

RE: 2 MB?

james_sorenson @ 11/28/2001 2:14:10 PM #

Oh, for the love of...<sigh> Anyway...

For some reason Flash memory is quite a bit more expensive than compact flash cards. Look at the price of Visor memory-expansion modules versus a Memplug module with a CF card. None the less, I do agree that 2MB is only good enough for a couple shots. I suppose you could transfer the pictures to your Visor memory, then use a Memplug to store the pictures on your choice of media. I'm not a big fan of springboard-swapping, though.

I think it's time to consider memory-expansion as a standard feature. Much as I love my Memplug CF, I think Handspring needs to come out with a "power-user" Visor that has memory expansion built-in. This would solve a lot of the module-swapping that occurs. Imagine GPS/Mapping, MP3, and Camera modules that simply use VFS memory. They would be cheaper to make, and you wouldn't have to sacrifice your memory every time you plugged a module in.

But, getting back on subject, I think this beats the EyeModule hands-down. A good piece of work for the price.

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James Sorenson

RE: 2 MB?

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 3:02:51 PM #

Actually, 2MB is good enough for 12-15 images. So that is quite a bit of memory for Standard VGA images.

Jason

RE: 2 MB?

skoty @ 11/28/2001 3:15:21 PM #

How much memory does the Sony Memory Stick camera come with?

RE: 2 MB?

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/29/2001 3:37:46 AM #

To the person mocking my use of the word "dolt", may I point out that while in America perhaps use of the word is uncommon, here in Britain, dolt, twit and a host of other "comic book" phrases are in common usage.

Perhaps you require "edumacation" to extend your horizons somewhat beyond the borders of America? The world doesn't stop at Cape Hatteras in the east and San Francisco in the west.

Apologies to all Americans whose perspectives go beyond those of our erstwhile troll.

Movies? Mac Support...?

C @ 11/29/2001 12:12:45 AM #

Again I feel left out...I don't hear that this thing supports Mac Os...could someone please comment on this?

RE: Movies? Mac Support...?

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/29/2001 11:54:36 AM #

when are you gonna get a clue and ditch the mac? It's a dead-end paltform held on to by a few neo-anti-microsoft rejects. Do us a favor, and go buy a real machine.

RE: Movies? Mac Support...?

james_sorenson @ 11/29/2001 12:59:49 PM #

Ignore the troll.
If it uses the standard web-cam protocol, it will probably run fine. I don't know how it is with these dual-purpose devices though.
Mac-support will seem a little sparse for the next couple months. It is pointless to put any effort into MacOS 9 drivers, for even Apple views it as a dead OS. However, you won't see a massive following to MacOS X until the following is covered:
1) Palm finally release the new Palm Desktop. They claim they will do this before the end of the year. One month to go, guys.
2) MacOS X becomes the DEFAULT operating system of all Macs. This will occur by March.

Most developers that I've talked to are waiting for these things. Just give it some time.

To the troll: Many of us are not "anti-microsoft." I like MS Excel very much and use it every day. Office is rather nice. But I still think Windows is under-powered compared to MacOS X. As for the whole dead-end thing, you may want to look up Wired News. Apple is gaining, not losing, it's user-base percentage. Somehow, I doubt this will phase you from your endless troll-hopping, though.

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James Sorenson

RE: Movies? Mac Support...?

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/29/2001 3:22:33 PM #

> Do us a favor, and go buy a real machine.

I doubt Linux support is going to be any better than the Mac in this case.

Yess Maam

Coyote67 @ 11/29/2001 11:12:59 AM #

2 Things.
1) 2 megs onboard is great, look at how much built in flash memory costs. Putting in 2 megs, best pda camera, and an ability to use it as a standard webcam into one product for $99 is great innovation imho. Much better then the sony cam which is 320x320 (Some one please verify) and has a half-arse zoom. Since no Visor comes with less then 8 megs, thats plenty of space. 12-15 onboard, 12-15 on visor memory. If its 24 pictures total, and it'll be higher, thats pretty damn good. I think the reason we don't see expansion inside the modules is that the Springboard doesn't have enough power to handle the digi cam and say...a smartmedia slot or whatever your chosen flavor of memory is. But to contradict myself, the innogear mp3 player does have 2 mmc slots. Anyway, maybe handcam 2 will have its own removable memory, that would be great.
2) This idea of dual functionality is really great. 2 products in one is a great idea. Even when soundsgood rlsed their energy clip for their mp3 player, it made a big difference with people on whether they got the soundsgood player over the innogear.

Personally, I'm getting this baby. This and the sprintpcs visorphone, I'm getting myself nice early christmas gifts this year :)

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When you find yourself in the company of a halfling and an ill-tempered Dragon, remember, you do not have to outrun the Dragon...you just have to outrun the halfling.

Movie Clips

Rob @ 11/30/2001 6:42:38 AM #

The Targus reps at Comdex were saying that it will do video clips. If you go to VisorCentral.com and look for the Comdex report you will find a link to a video of Darren Lee from Targus. Twice during the video he says "video clip". He does say that the amount of video is limited to the amount of memory available. He also talks about the ability to manually focus on macro settings. I'm very much looking forward to this product.