Related
I'm thinking of buying an XDA II soon and I'd like to know what the camera's like
Thanks!
Matt
Re: Can someone post some photos they've taken with an XDA I
thoroughfare said:
I'm thinking of buying an XDA II soon and I'd like to know what the camera's like
Thanks!
Matt
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Matt,
Try these
Matt
Hey thanks! They're not bad... the quality is much better than I expected
Matt
here is a couple more...one in a car on an icy road.
and a client of mine had a odd pet..or three...
i noticed that the corners of some of the pics have the familiar arc shadow; i think it's because of the xda2's case. the hole for the camera shutter sometimes gets in the way; thus creating the arcs on the corners. i normally experience the same. i don't use the xda case which comes with it; i have those pocket pc fold-type cases with compartments. i use it as a wallet as well since i'm used to carrying something in my hand. anyway; going back to the shadow arcs. what i do when i take pics is i take out my xda2 from the case. grip stickers are on the sides which prevent it from being slippery. but overall in my opinon the quality of the pics are great.
2 cents worth
robson
Pictures from XDA II
This is a photo taken in low light without a tripod, using the medium picture size (240 x 320). It will never become a poster, but it doesn't have the arc in the corner.
nice shot, mate. just curious about what you said "without a tripod"...can the xda be mounted on one? i'm missing something here. and on the subject of the xda2's camera; does it have a "timer" sort of app where you can take a pose with the rest of your mates and it'll snap your pix?
cheers
robson
Re: Can someone post some photos they've taken with an XDA I
Some MDA2 pictures...[/img]
Very cool thanks guys!
On another tangent, is the headphone amplifier good too? (Is the sound quality good?)
Thanks!
Matt
Perfect
I use it as an MP3 player, with my B&O headset, and no complaints here.
But there will always be people who do
audio amp
I think the ear phones are complete pants (the cable is very inflexible more so in the current cold snap), there is little volume available through them and the standard on board speaker.
Pete
Like I said
There will always people who do
I took the same photo with and without the polythene cover that that protects the camera when you buy the XDAII, i know lots of people keeping these on their phone cams to protect them so I thought id show people just how much these 'clear' covers do to your pic.
Im pretty depressed with picture quality in general, even my old Nokia 6600 had better pictures than this.
The square in the center has the poly on, I pasted this over the second photo from the first so it was easy to see the difference.
I thought there was somethign wrong with my camera at first, but looking at other peoples pics its the same. Its terrible in low light conditions too.
This is my picture... A realy great car...
BMW X5 4.8is
how do you guy's live with the chunky size of the unit and is the build quality as bad as some reports ?
thank you
i am on my 4th mda
1st: crashed a lot and keyboard not quite set right into the frame - wireless manager button sticks up slightly
2nd: metal top plate offset and scratching my ear
3rd: loud creaky hinge with loud clicks
4th: camera fault - big white dot on photo's
on my 1st exec i have a misaligned keyboard as with mda 1, and minor camera pixel dropouts
i think build quality is pretty awful, and will keep* my exec and get the mda swapped out for a vario or something.
* might take it back and see if I can get a fully functional device from them, after all I paid 99 pounds for it :lol:
I had one MDA Pro and now I have an XDA Exe and both were/are excellent, great quality devices.
About the size - I had all the previous XDAs so I got used to the big phones already. I'm not using any bluetooth headsets, and I always carry it in my jeans back pocket , no problems at all for me.
I am on my first and only Jas Jar - the thing is brilliant- no problems at all. As for size, I always use mine with a BT headset and voice command when making or recieving a call, so no problem there either.
I am on my 3rd Jasjar. First was taken away by my boss. 2nd had an Arabic/English keyboard and did not like it. Now on 3rd unit for over 2 months. All had excellent build quality. No complaints from me whatsoever.
Kind Regards
Mine seems fine so far. Havent noticed any problems and im usually one for spotting things. Was worried about dead pixels but both my wizard and uni are clear as a bell.
i find the entire flimsy plastic body of the MDA Pro to be quite a weak design. I put my first one in my pocket, jumped in the car, drove for an hour, took it out and the phone had been bent in my pocket slightly. No apparent external damage but the screen had a beautiful crack right through the middle.
At one of their shops they accused me of damaging the device myself, but fortunately the insurance paid out, even though I had to pay an excess. I have never had any problems with my XDA2 or my MDA3 and for this to happen within 5 days of actually getting the phone, I am not very confident it will last 18 months.
Furthermore I keep discovering pieces of software are not included - Messenger (which is a shame as always good for long journeys on a train) and most of all - Calculator - I can't believe it, not even the old basic one.
I think you should look once again :wink:
There is a calculator in PROGRAMS
and the MSN Messenger is in POCKET MSN, first position from the top
lloydalikes said:
i find the entire flimsy plastic body of the MDA Pro to be quite a weak design. I put my first one in my pocket, jumped in the car, drove for an hour, took it out and the phone had been bent in my pocket slightly. No apparent external damage but the screen had a beautiful crack right through the middle.
At one of their shops they accused me of damaging the device myself, but fortunately the insurance paid out, even though I had to pay an excess. I have never had any problems with my XDA2 or my MDA3 and for this to happen within 5 days of actually getting the phone, I am not very confident it will last 18 months.
Furthermore I keep discovering pieces of software are not included - Messenger (which is a shame as always good for long journeys on a train) and most of all - Calculator - I can't believe it, not even the old basic one.
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No offense but why would you drive for an hour with an MDA Pro in your pocket. Surely glove box, dashboard, passenger seat or a passenger holding it for you would have been preferable.
To be fair you cant blame the design for that. If youve had it in your pocket and obviously bent it in some way, then the screen being damaged isnt beyond reason.
Its no good buying one of these devices and then expecting it to fit in a shirt pocket like it isnt there. Its a big phone, end of !
As ive said before, the design seems ok to me and its everything I have expected it to be so far. Maybe in months to come I might find one or two shortcomings but not so far.
Maybe my opinion will sound odd to most of you, but I really find Wizard much more "bulky" looking than the Universal. This thing is so thick!!! Even if overall in size the Universal is bigger, it's got excellent proportions and it just "looks the bollocks!!" as my friend said :wink: Of course I'm talking about the XDA Exec which for me looks way better than M5000 or MDA Pro...
rottie said:
Of course I'm talking about the XDA Exec which for me looks way better than M5000 or MDA Pro...
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Totally agree with that comment! Just swapped from an MDA Pro to an XDA Exec and it actually seems smaller. I guess what they say about black being more slimming is true
rottie said:
Maybe my opinion will sound odd to most of you, but I really find Wizard much more "bulky" looking than the Universal. This thing is so thick!!! Even if overall in size the Universal is bigger, it's got excellent proportions and it just "looks the bollocks!!" as my friend said :wink: Of course I'm talking about the XDA Exec which for me looks way better than M5000 or MDA Pro...
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Couldn't agree more, I think the Wizard looks FAR bulkier, yet because it's a bit smaller and traditionally-XDA style, people say THAT's the smaller of that and the Exec.
The Wizard is a good phone, admittedly. However, a lot of excess plastic if you ask me.
And black is the ONLY colour for the Universal! hehe
Ant
I have the Universal and the wife has the Wizard, I am costantly amazed at what both devices are capable of. When using my Universal in the car it sits on the dash with the four rubber feet, screen open and on display, works and looks fantastic. I love the larger screen on the Universal and also like the 3g support. As for size I prefer the Wizard, It just feels more comfy to hold and use like a phone, I still feel weird holding the Universal to my ear, I don't use a BT headset yet, keep trying to find a surgery that can give me a bluetooth implant behind my ear :shock: I actually find myself using the keyboard on my Universal less and less now, and opting to leave it screen out and use the onscreen keyboard. The twist is nice but I am sure its is already getting slack. I guess my ideal device would be a hybrid of the two, wishfull thinking and totally over the top but, same size as the wizard, same screen as the universal and with 3g but the screen, imagine opening a wizard with the base being thicker than the screen and as you slide it open the screen tilts up and can rotate so its perpendicular to the keyboard so it looks like the universal, keep going and it ends up facing the keyboard and would close back down screen facing in, no need to twist the screen about a single swivel anymore.
I may even knock up a short avi so you can see it in action.
Regards
I am on the whole , pretty happy with my Exec
The only thing that bothers me is that it seems (only very slightly) slower than my old Magician !
I have had to learn how to answer calls on it (i.e if it rings while it is closed then LEAVE IT CLOSED TO ANSWER IT ! ) Which leads me to my only real gripe - No way of seeing who is calling with the clamshell closed
As for the size thing - anyone who buys one of these knows exactly what they are buying into - I personally have no problem with big phones wouldn't want the Exec any smaller
I've probably said it too many times... I love my phone! in spite and despite of...
When you love something that much, you get to love every bit of it.. bulky size and all. I still look sheepish when answering a call with a brick in my ear but I glow when all my officemates jot their notes on a paper while I just type it on my dopod900.
I still go berserk when the ringtone suddenly changes to another despite my change in the registry but I think I can live with going to settings and all..
So there, Im gonna borrow McDonald's slogan and say "Im Lovin' It!"
I do not see any problem with the size and build of the Uni.
I have the first XDA for 3 years or so, and now I use both the Uni and the XDA. Because I have been using the XDA so long, I do not have any problem with the Uni. They are both relatively about the same size and weight and same usage. Nobody laughes at me when I hold the big phone next to my ear, because I have done that for years with my XDA.
I laugh at myself when I noticed how funny its when having a bug (BT headset) in my ear now.
Overall I really like the Uni though it still cannot replace my XDA fully in certain environment where I do not want to take the risk of having the Uni handles the job. But in office and home, Uni is perfect.
Software wise, when the XDA came out, the software loaded were really buggy, it took years before finally everything became really stable, so with that matter of fact, I could accept Uni at its right now with hope it will be close to 100% perfect in the near future.
jasjar with no build or quality problems, and I love everything except the name. (I'm still planning to get around to using that sugar cube.)
I'm pretty impressed by the overal feel of my Qtek. The plastic feels very strong, it doesn't look or feel like a cheap plactic box. The rotating hinge works flawlessly, but when I put my screen in laptop modus, there is a very minimal play. But I guess this is normal? Can anyone confirm!?
The dimensions don't tell me anything neither do photo's. The thing looks huge. I have the kaiser currently and I am interested in the Athena and the kaiser when I hold it from the bottom of my palm it reaches to the middle of my fingers(the middle ridges). How far would it go, and how practice is it to place a call? Any user experiences that are good bad? pros cons to it? I'm not looking at reviews because they are usually just to praise gadgets. I want real peoples experiences with it.
Thanks
~~Tito~~
the athena is about the size of my whole hand from base of palm up until end of pinky
its a huge phone but i love it...
everyone always asks me why i carry that thing around... but to me nothing else beats it
i didnt like using the bluetooth headset all the time and found talking directly into the mic with the volume turned down led to frequent complaints about sound quality. If you dont mind using an earpiece most of the time then this shouldn't concern you -i like talking into phones because i'm old fashoned and because it saves battery AND means i don't have to worry about TWO devices being charged before i go to work.
There is always the wired headset, but i think wires are a bit awkward and scruffy.
The size is huge, and certainly a talking point. Everyone who saw my athena commented on its size - usually in a derogatory manner - and i think i started to become known as the 'Big Phone Man'. I did love texting on my athena and didnt care too much what people thought but in the end it was the call handling that got me: you can have all the bluetooth wristwatches, earpieces and headsets in the world but nothing beats having a phone pressed against your ear for me.
For me, the size of Athena is the most optimal one could ever have. The 5 inches screen makes it practical to run realVGA at 96 dpi. (In 96dpi, the fonts are already very very small, but most people -not all- still find the screen big enough) If it is say 4 inches, I believe 96dpi would be quite impractical to use, and I believe most people would find the screen way too small to be used in 96dpi. It fits into standard size shirt pocket without any problem, and is not heavy enough to pull your shirt down too much. I would not buy it if the screen is say just 3.5 inches.
I use the phone as it is without bluetooth, sometimes with wired headset. Sound quality is very good with any wired headset. It is not in the same category of "bigness" as the shift. Athena is truly "body portable", which means you can bring it with you everywhere 27/7. I recommend a good belt pouch for this. I feel that Athena has managed to stay within the very limit of "body portability". Shift, on the other hand, is only "travel friendly" but you would leave it in the hotel once you reach your travel destination, unless you want to carry a backpack or briefcase in your hand all the time.
If you are unsure on how big it is, do what I did before I bought Athena. Measure the dimension and make model of it yourself and hold it to get a feel. (I actually carried the model in my pocket for a few days before acquiring mine). But it is also important not to think of this as a phone. It is a data first, phone second device. The size is superb for GPS, pictures, video playback, internet browsing, spreadsheets, word processing, etc. Smaller screens are just not as useful for these. I would be very very sad if the future model becomes say 4 inches screen only.
I agree with most of your points, though tito stressed call handling and size in his thread and made no mention of data-centic use. I would've disagreed about the Athena's browser capabilities until a few weeks ago but now Netfront 3.5 is here the Athena is a lot more desirable.
I agree about the 'body-portable' statement, though if you're used to very 'pocketable' phones then I wouldn't recommend the Athena, since without a protective case the screen is VERY vulnerable and nigh-on impossible to find a replacement for, even if you can squeeze it in my pocket - which I did, with the occasional scary moment! I like things in my pocket, not in pouches or fanny packs but Tito might be more like you Eaglesteve ;-)
The screen isn't transflective either so not great to view in daylight, though i believe you can buy screen covers to improve this.
I wouldn't disagree that wired headsets work great in terms of sound quality, but I just didn't personally like having wires trailing from my body, nor did i like having an earpiece in at work. I liked the 'feel' of the Athena and thus liked to pick up and hold it when taking calls. This was just my personal preference, and despite having every variation of headset I invariably held the phone to my ear.
The problem was that with both of the Athenas i owned - and indeed my Hermes which has a faulty embedded mic and necessitates loudspeaker use when handling calls - call quality was terrible when holding the device to my head - not from my end but for the other party. Held at the recommended distance as a voice conferencing aid it worked fine, but I didn't want everyone to know what I was saying!
I also disagree about video performance - not great in my experience, but perhaps graphics accelerator support is around the corner which would make a big difference.
If you also intent to use it as an MP3, you would have wired headset if you want the best possible quality sound, so I assume you would carry it with you somehow in your pocket most of the time anyway. (How else do we listen to music on the go?) Actually my version of wired headset is designed such that it hangs like a neckless over me all the time so I simply pick up the earbud and stick it into my ear when needed, and let it hang down like a neckless when not needed. The headset is inside my shirt with only a bit of the earbud wire coming out from the collar. So, it is really quite inconspicuous.
Yes, we do have some very nice browsers coming up. It has made hell of a difference in the past few weeks. It will get even better with Opera Mobile 9.5 and Netfront's final version. Not to mention the Skyfire. We'll be spoilt for choice.
Also, you might want to try Softmaker Office 2008, which is sensational on Athena's big screen. It is available for free download and will be free until end of March. Get it. I just LOVE this on Athena's screen. Read more about softmaker office here: http://www.mobilehornet.com/archives/1078
I do not have any problem with my videos. All my videos play very well. They're mostly download from the net, so they might have been converted already though.
I don't have issue carrying the device in the belt pouch. It is very well protected already as I put the screen facing my body. That's how I carried my past devices as well, and had never had any problem. Athena's is not that fragile. Of course, please don't put it in your back pocket and sit on it.
eaglesteve said:
If you also intent to use it as an MP3, you would have wired headset if you want the best possible quality sound, so I assume you would carry it with you somehow in your pocket most of the time anyway. (How else do we listen to music on the go?) Actually my version of wired headset is designed such that it hangs like a neckless over me all the time so I simply pick up the earbud and stick it into my ear when needed, and let it hang down like a neckless when not needed. The headset is inside my shirt with only a bit of the earbud wire coming out from the collar. So, it is really quite inconspicuous.
Yes, we do have some very nice browsers coming up. It has made hell of a difference in the past few weeks. It will get even better with Opera Mobile 9.5 and Netfront's final version. Not to mention the Skyfire. We'll be spoilt for choice.
Also, you might want to try Softmaker Office 2008, which is sensational on Athena's big screen. It is available for free download and will be free until end of March. Get it. I just LOVE this on Athena's screen. Read more about softmaker office here: http://www.mobilehornet.com/archives/1078
I do not have any problem with my videos. All my videos play very well. They're mostly download from the net, so they might have been converted already though.
I don't have issue carrying the device in the belt pouch. It is very well protected already as I put the screen facing my body. That's how I carried my past devices as well, and had never had any problem. Athena's is not that fragile. Of course, please don't put it in your back pocket and sit on it.
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I can't fault music playback on the athena - it's really very good, and obviously while listening to music i used my sony bluetooth earbuds which use a necklace design as you describe eaglesteve. I dont think the athena is the most user-friendly mp3 player about though - not for on the move certainly since it is very precarious and fiddly to use the device one-handed. I wish someone would release an iphone thin 5 inch tablet - no keyboard but intelligent autorotate and scroll with a screen just slightly wide.r and just slightly narrorew than the athena. Id get one straightaway, but then nothing's ever perfect is it?? I think if anyone were to make such a device it would be LG
I have an unlimited data plan so data is not a problem. I do not use a case for my kaiser I let it sit naked in my pocket.
Is it faster than the kaiser? Has there been an in depth look to see if it indeed was missing the drivers also? I would like to know this, I would use this as a PC mainly, and my kaiser as an away phone(like using it at school, places where you don't really use the phone that much). How practical is to use data? Does it work well with reception, call quality? How useful is it with games and emu's? How well is it in pockets(naked)? What is the 8gb memory all about, and how is it used?
Please provide some of your experiences and your tips, I would like to know now because I am very reckless with things sometimes. .LOL)
Thanks guys!
~~Tito~~ said:
I have an unlimited data plan so data is not a problem. I do not use a case for my kaiser I let it sit naked in my pocket.
Is it faster than the kaiser? Has there been an in depth look to see if it indeed was missing the drivers also? I would like to know this, I would use this as a PC mainly, and my kaiser as an away phone(like using it at school, places where you don't really use the phone that much). How practical is to use data? Does it work well with reception, call quality? How useful is it with games and emu's? How well is it in pockets(naked)? What is the 8gb memory all about, and how is it used?
Please provide some of your experiences and your tips, I would like to know now because I am very reckless with things sometimes. .LOL)
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know you don't really believe in review, but I've done a post review which is after 10 months of actual use instead of initial impression. These articles might help you to decide:
Athena's storage: http://www.mobilehornet.com/archives/962
Athena's screen: http://www.mobilehornet.com/archives/1011
Athena's keyboard : http://www.mobilehornet.com/archives/1031
Athena as a phone: http://www.mobilehornet.com/archives/1063
More aspects of Athena will be published in due time.
Hopet this helps.
Thanks!! I will look at that!
leoni1980 said:
I can't fault music playback on the athena - it's really very good, and obviously while listening to music i used my sony bluetooth earbuds which use a necklace design as you describe eaglesteve. I dont think the athena is the most user-friendly mp3 player about though - not for on the move certainly since it is very precarious and fiddly to use the device one-handed. I wish someone would release an iphone thin 5 inch tablet - no keyboard but intelligent autorotate and scroll with a screen just slightly wide.r and just slightly narrorew than the athena. Id get one straightaway, but then nothing's ever perfect is it?? I think if anyone were to make such a device it would be LG
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Actually I use the music player very easily. It sits in my pouch while I use it on the road or when doing shopping. I have assigned the joystick to control it. The four joystick direction will allow me to volume up, volume down, next song, previous song. On rare occasion, if I want to jump to other song, I press the OK button to bring up the playlist, then just touch the desired song. So, there's even no question of one handed or two handed operation.
Anyway, I'm very used to operating Athena one handed. I mentioned many times that I have mastered this artform when entering my golf scores with one hand while pushing my golf buggy with the other hand. I have very small hand so most other people should be able to do better than me. How small is my hand? Well, where our hand joints the forearm there is a wrinkled line. From there to the tip of my middle finger my length is 175mm only. Most of my friend's hands are bigger than mine. It is obviously not as easy as a very small phone, but it is still possible, with some practice.
I agree that the device could be thinner, and do without the keyboard. But I'm not sure about changing the aspect ratio. I've confirmation from users of such devices that there are software compatibility issues. One users mentioned that the compatiblity issues between 800x480 and 640x480 is more severe than between QVGA and VGA based on his experience. I have not used it myself, so I don't know, but I think it is not so problem free.
What exactly does it come with when you buy it?
Different seller package it differently. In my case (or rather my relative's case as they bought my device as a gift for me), I got a wired head set with the ability to accept phone call and change volume, extra stylus, a 3 in 1 stylus (laser, normal pen, and stylus), screen protector (not very good one though, leaves the gap around the edge), usb cable, VGA out cable, car windscreen holder (for using GPS while driving), leather case (a very nice one, I should say, although I never use it since I don't use the hardware keyboard), CD containing the ROM, CD for a Mapking GPS software with one free map of your choice, CD for Sprite backup, GPRS monitor, WorldCard Mobile (a software that lets you use the camera to automatically capture name card details into your contact database), CE-Star (a chinese input software).
Some other retailer gave away iPod or a 17 inch LCD monitor, but I did'nt manage to get that. Earlier buyers also got a bluetooth headset instead of wired one.
Search "smartphones show 31" on youtube, which has some comparisons between an e90 and htc advantage, along with giving a good idea of the size of the device.
cool, whats so different about the x7501? I mean, what would be the benefits of getting it, is it worth it?
X7501 is cheaper i believe. It was brought out with windows mobile 6 pre-installed and does not have a video conferencing camera on the front as it is designed for the u.s. market. I think that's pretty much the only difference.
leoni1980 said:
X7501 is cheaper i believe. It was brought out with windows mobile 6 pre-installed and does not have a video conferencing camera on the front as it is designed for the u.s. market. I think that's pretty much the only difference.
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Oh, so, its better since I don't need the front camera anyways? I really want it, but I am just narrowing down which version and how it would play out to my standards of a tablet like that( I know what I said, I consider it a tablet because of its size and functionality).
What other perps are there to the device? Other than the screen and camera.
If I live in US, no doubt I'd buy X7501, as I would get local warranty and servicing. It's also cheaper than X7500. It is my understanding from one of the more knowledgeable posters in this forum that Telco in US are not allowed to offer video conferencing services (those in the know might like to confirm this), so it is pointless having 7500. The only issue now is 7501 versus a SSD model that is still unavailable, but may be available in the future in US. Against that, is the possibility that folks here might succeed in finding out how to upgrade X7501/7500 to a SSD drive. Like I said, if it can be done, then the X7501/7500 would certainly be superior to 7510 in my mind because we have all the hardware buttons, which are extremely useful.
Why dont they make a flash tool that plugs into your micro usb port or replaces the battery cover, so we can finally take pictures with a flash?
I dont believe this would be too hard..would it?
Using flash takes away all shades and your pictures will look like 2D drawings. Applies to any camera off course
himalayasplaya said:
I dont believe this would be too hard..would it?
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It would, as the USB port can't give any power.
Just get yourself a keychain flashlight... or even better, a camera.
darfri said:
Using flash takes away all shades and your pictures will look like 2D drawings. Applies to any camera off course
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Uhhhhhhhhhhhh?
darfri said:
Using flash takes away all shades and your pictures will look like 2D drawings. Applies to any camera off course
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That is the biggest crock of S*** I've heard in a while. I guess all of those professional photographers who use flashes are wrong, huh?
bluedragon1971 said:
That is the biggest crock of S*** I've heard in a while. I guess all of those professional photographers who use flashes are wrong, huh?
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Which is better, a less than ideal photo (and I'm not a photographer so cant confirm the effects) or a far to dark/totally black photo?
I know NOTHING of programing these phones, but from a mechanical stand point, I'm not too bad. Is there anyway to trigger something out the USB port when the camera is ready to pop? Something so that the light doesn't have to be on constantly, but can come on only when the camera is ready to snap, like a standard digital camera works? I can probably fab up a back cover with a flash built into it...
Why is this an issue? I fail to see any correlation at all between the equipment used by a professional photographer, and the convenience of a simple 3MP snapshot camera included in your phone. You were given a suggestion that addressed your problem and apparently you were quite upset by it. So, my turn... This IS NOT a 10 - 12 MP Canon, Nikon or Leica! Its to snap a quick shot of something for later reference - an event, a schedule, a location, a photographic note, if you will. The camera in your phone is not the primary device or function of your phone - its an 'added function' that can be effectively used as intended, or complained about by those that can't fully appreciate its capabilities!
Oh, and those professional cameras listed above don't make or receive phone calls, don't have e-mail or voicemail capabilities, don't play my mp3s or videos, can't use wifi to browse the internet or for online banking or for etc., store GBs of data other than pics & video, function as a gps unit, open or edit my Office docs, use text messaging, or play a myriad of games! And yet they cost from $699 to $999 apiece! How do those manufacturers' sleep at night? And you won't find a forum for support anything near as intense and complete as the XDA-Developer's Forum - all for what you can afford to donate!
Now I don't mean to preach, so here's examples: instead of a daily to-do or task list, I can take a quick series of photos to remind me! Pix of ATM card to remind me to go to the bank, of a loaf of bread or carton of milk to remind me to hit the grocery store, of the Suburban's front end to call for an appointment to get the front-end aligned, of the dog to remember his vet appointment, and of a document I need to complete by end-of-business! Those pix are worth a thousand words, and the time it would take to write detailed notes to myself! Then simply delete photos as tasks are completed! Too cool! At the store over lunch and see a new Sony LCD HDTV you like? Take a photo of it, along with the pertinent sales tag info, and research it later at home on the internet! Meet someone you haven't seen in a while? Take a photo to remind yourself to tell the wife that night, with that picture to enhance your tale! Need to match paint for a room in the house with the colors of the furnishings or rugs? Take a series of pictures with you to the hardware store. Take a photo of a suspicious vehicle 'just in case'? An accident, a surprise event, a crime or disaster? You at least have the camera in your phone - its way better than no camera at all. For your 'Keepsake Memories' get a decent camera, complete with a flash!
Hope this helps put things in perspective for you.
BTW, this was a rant - not a discussion or an argument, so keep your opinions to yourself. I've said what I wanted to say!
BigDad_1
When I started this thread I did not intend it to go out of control. I was just wondering if anyone knew where to get one or how to make one.
This is more along the lines of what I was looking for, except for the Kaiser instead of the iPhone: http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/snaptureflash-gives-iphone-makeshift-camera-flash
I think a new back cover that has a built in flash would be awesome. If someone makes one, and it works, I'll certainly buy one.
I think about how much I miss my flash on my old phone all the time. That was a huge blunder leaving it off the Kaiser. Even if you never use a flash on your pictures, it was a handy flashlight. But it was certainly nice to have a flash for pictures too.
himalayasplaya said:
When I started this thread I did not intend it to go out of control. I was just wondering if anyone knew where to get one or how to make one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't worry, the thread isn't 'out of control' you just need to take heed of what kilrah has already posted. The USB port on the Kaiser isn't a host port so it doesn't (and cannot be made to) behave like an ordinary USB port on your PC (well not without some serious electronic redesign work far beyond what we as non phone designer sorts could come up with). Other options must be investigated.
Was the USB comment directed at me? I was just wondering if there was a way to trigger the flash 'remotely'.
as for some sort of add on flash, my dad has made several LED units, self contained, that fit in a 3/4 inch copper pipe cap. Mostly made of brass, it includes a switch and is heavy. He used it as a night lite for something like 7 days str8 on a single 2032 battery. Granted, it is not sleak, but it was self contained.
The main problem with a 'flash' is that the camera app wouldn't be able to process the picture any faster (focus on it and make adjustments for light) before snapping it because the camera app wouldn't know that a flash would be coming soon to compensate for a flash... unless we have a camera programer in our midsts? Or, can a camera app be ported from a flash enabled device, or do the OEM flashes stay on as long as a flash is called for, so there is no 'compensation' per se?
I am getting ready to purchase a TyTN II parts phone, I'll have to see what I can do with it. I've got a few ideas up my sleave. Does anyone have what the Proprietary USB B port pin out is, both sides of the tongue?
if anyone makes this invention i will gladly buy it from them ASAP
Heh, I've started working on it... at this point, I'm not working on making it interface with the camera, it will have an external switch and be something you turn on when you want it, and could also be used as a flashlight to light your way in the dark...
I am also toying with having it light up when ever the camera is in use, but I need to find a dead kaiser (the phone I own, so the phone I'm developing for) in order to work on some sort of interface for automatic operation...
Anybody got a Kaiser with a crushed screen and case that I could tinker with? *grins*
SaltyDawg said:
I think a new back cover that has a built in flash would be awesome. If someone makes one, and it works, I'll certainly buy one.
I think about how much I miss my flash on my old phone all the time. That was a huge blunder leaving it off the Kaiser. Even if you never use a flash on your pictures, it was a handy flashlight. But it was certainly nice to have a flash for pictures too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
/agree
I used the flash on my S710 as NIGHT LIGHT all of the time. I think an external flash able to slide in an touch the battery contacts would be cool. Een if you had to turn on the light by a little switch built into the back cover. 5V should be MORE than enough power to light up maybe 3-5 small LED lights. Even if they werent connected to the cam directly, im sure it would help a lot in low light situations. Just my 2 cents I like this idea
I am in the process of comunicating with LED suppliers, and will begin mocking something up here in the coming weeks... I'll keep you posted.
A couple of questions for potential users... What is better, to make a cradle to slip the phone into, to make the components fit completely with in the format of the phone now, or to make the phone slightly larger (like an extended battery pack)?
The advantage of a craddle is that it can be put on and removed fairly quickly... Downside is that it would be hardest for me to make... (grins)
The advantage of the lights fitting within the format of the phone now is that you don't have to have something extra, or an extra large phone, to carry around. Perimatly mounted, and ready to go at all times... the down side is reduced performance because of no extra batteries, and possibly fewer LEDs, and the fact that the owner of the phone would possibly have the hardest time installing it.
The advantage of an extended battery type back cover is that you can get extended battery usage (by use of separate batteries for the LEDs), and nice balance between easy on/easy off and size... the downside is that the phone would be slightly larger, and you would have to carry the extra back cover if you didn't always want the phone bigger, but wanted the option for a flash.
The cradle idea would be the most expensive by far, and quite probably out of my reach at this time.
The extended back and original size formate are going to be fairly close in price I have the feeling.
The extended back will probably be the easiest to build, but personally, I'd rather not use that style.
So, what do _YOU_ think?
I think Mag light and all problems solved
Seems alot to do for a camera that isn't very good anyway, but good enough for snapshots.............. After all it's not an SLR..............
The best one, in my opinion, would be an entirely new battery cover that had LED lights mounted in it, and was not any bigger than the original battery cover.
Something that is permanently mounted, and basically a part of the phone, and not making the phone any bigger (it's already a brick). Maybe a little larger than the regular battery cover, but not a lot. Hopefully not enough to notice. I'm not worried about battery life as this would only get used for a few minutes every day (at the most).
I don't know if that is even possible, but if it is, I'll take 4 of them.
Nobody ever uses an external GPS receiver, so maybe the stuff could go in right there?
stylez said:
I think Mag light and all problems solved
Seems alot to do for a camera that isn't very good anyway, but good enough for snapshots.............. After all it's not an SLR..............
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, a maglite would work... but I take many photos with my camera when I can't put both hands in position to illuminate the subject and hit the shutter... I go to the car salvage yard alot, and if I can't see a part good enough from my vantage point, I'll hold my phone up and snap a picture from there to see if it is worth digging for, for example.
As for it not being an SLR, MOST digitial cameras are NOT slr... and MOST people do not shell out tons of money for an SLR. If you don't like the camera phone, that's fine... you can carry a second item. For the rest of us, we'd like to improve on a decent useable camera, so we will, Thank you.
SaltyDawg said:
The best one, in my opinion, would be an entirely new battery cover that had LED lights mounted in it, and was not any bigger than the original battery cover.
Something that is permanently mounted, and basically a part of the phone, and not making the phone any bigger (it's already a brick). Maybe a little larger than the regular battery cover, but not a lot. Hopefully not enough to notice. I'm not worried about battery life as this would only get used for a few minutes every day (at the most).
I don't know if that is even possible, but if it is, I'll take 4 of them.
Nobody ever uses an external GPS receiver, so maybe the stuff could go in right there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehehe, my wife never uses her GPS at all, but I use an antenna adapter from Wilson Electronics along with a mini whip antenna with a magnetic mount... it go from 1-2 bars on a bad day (with TomTom Navigator 6), to a full count of 5 bars... unplug the antenna, and it goes back down, plug it back in, and it bounces back up...
I've looked into using that area, but it really doesn't afford much in the way of space, and I'm not too keen on modifying the original fabric of the phone itself, it just doesn't seem 'right' to me.
Your vote has been tallied.
Hi everyone,
As said on tittle, I'm looking for a smart watch with the following requisites:
- Android complete 4.2 or higher
- Cell phone itself (gsm/wcdma)
- IP68?
I need it for swimming/surfing/similar, due to my work, I need to be contactable (calls/email) everytime, and sometimes I go swimming/surfing.
I bought an Imacwear M7, but the people said it's not ip67 and that it will die if I use it on the sea.
Does anyone tried this? Any other smartwatch? Any other options?
I'm a little bit lost, need your opinion and/or experience
Thanks a lot
none of the standalone (phone) watches will be fully water proof, because of microphone/speaker, if ever there will be one
some of them might claim water resistance but i wouldn't wear them not in shallow water, let alone the sea
the Sony Smartwatch 2 for example, claims to be ip57, but can't survive a shower. that watch doesn't even have a microphone or speaker
might be build quality related though
Swimming and surfing plus speaker and mic? That's 1 ATM (10m/30ft) rating at a minimum. No such creature exists, yet. It is possible to do, but companies would rather sell fashion smartwatches with laughable IP ratings instead.
Send it away and have it Liquipelled. http://www.liquipel.com/
SerialKilla said:
Send it away and have it Liquipelled. http://www.liquipel.com/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't waste your money. Tried that on three smartwatches, as well as a fourth project smartwatch of my own. It doesn't work. The treatment wears off when it comes in contact with pretty much anything. Oil deposits in the air from cooking, your skin, cloth, sand, dirt.
airtemisa said:
Hi everyone,
As said on tittle, I'm looking for a smart watch with the following requisites:
- Android complete 4.2 or higher
- Cell phone itself (gsm/wcdma)
- IP68?
I need it for swimming/surfing/similar, due to my work, I need to be contactable (calls/email) everytime, and sometimes I go swimming/surfing.
I bought an Imacwear M7, but the people said it's not ip67 and that it will die if I use it on the sea.
Does anyone tried this? Any other smartwatch? Any other options?
I'm a little bit lost, need your opinion and/or experience
Thanks a lot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use Tempo Trainer Pro watch. U can find it here http://www.proswimwear.co.uk/ . It's includes a clip for dry land exercise. I am sure you will find it better then apple watch or Garmin.
I still havent found what im looking for...
Like I said before, no such creature exists. The best you can hope for is a regular smartwatch and then have somebody like me mod it to get it to a 1ATM (33ft) WR rating.
Hi lokifish Marz.... I´ve been thinking about doing that in my M7 smartwatch, but finally never tried it.
If finally doesnt appear that desired model, i will try to mod it for submersing
The M7 is like the Omate and is a serious pain to get IP67, much less anything better than that. About the only sort of easy way to get past a useless IP rating is fill the entire case with RTV silicone sealant, otherwise you are looking at a complete teardown and machine work.
I've been trying with liquid neoprene. It seals perfectly, very fluid, very good handling and also cheap!
Now I need to identify all the holes of the watch and work then properly.... It should work!
List of ingress points that need to be addressed to reach a minimum of 1 ATM water resistance needed for swimming/surfing;
Case back (requires complete redesign of seals or permanent sealing of back to case)
Case back screws and screw holes (requires complete redesign of seals or permanent sealing of screws into the case)
Buttons (requires complete redesign of button seals)
Camera (requires removal and filling of camera housing of replacement of housing glass)
Speaker (requires secondary sealing layer between speaker and outside)
Mic (requires secondary sealing layer between MIC and outside)
SIM Slot Door (requires sealing of screw holes and better gasket)
Charging contacts (requires the contact assembly in the case back be remounted and sealed using marine epoxy)
Display (requires the case be redesigned or pressure injecting sealant or marine epoxy from the backside)
Antenna ports (requires the bands be removed, the ports cleaned out. The bands then need remounting and a stiff silicone sealant be injected into the ports)
MIC and speaker secondary seal will negatively affect audio performance. This is however required as MIC and speaker damage will occur otherwise.
Display sealing issues are due to the lack of a large enough lip for the display to be mounted on to provide a proper seal
*Alternative approach (Untested)
Completely seal the display,PCB, SD Card, SIM Card, and battery in one solid block of silicone or some other water resistant material. Drawback is this seriously affects usability of the buttons, camera, MIC, and speaker. This also makes SIM, SDCard and battery swapping impossible.
(I've had over two years to think about this as well as attempt to get the TS and it's clones to pass a proper 24hr immersion test at 10m/33ft/1ATM. To date, I have not succeeded.)
Uffff.... so... you need to do a master.... its a marathon!
Thanks Lokifish... i think maybe i wont try...
i95,android 4.3,ip65,dial/answer phone call,you can know more from tinydeal.but i think Lokifish is right,no smartwatch can survive after a long time in the sea.
jack5847 said:
i think Lokifish is right,no smartwatch can survive after a long time in the sea.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not exactly true. If he wanted a companion smartwatch it's not the hard at all. The issue is with him wanting to be able to do that with a standalone, or otherwise known as a watchphone. That requires far more engineering. The closest he could get to any out of the box solution would be the massive Timex Ironman ONE GPS+ and all that would give him is something similar to SMS texts and that's it. The other option is a decently made standalone then seal it completely with a SIM inside. He would lose the mic and speaker function but would at least be able to send/receive texts and know who's trying to call him. Not a pretty solution but it would work.
I think i´ve got it!
Doodgee S1.
I dont link to any shop, but you can find it very easy. I´m waiting for some reviews...
airtemisa said:
I think i´ve got it!
Doodgee S1.
I dont link to any shop, but you can find it very easy. I´m waiting for some reviews...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, ignore any IP67 rated. IP67 is 1m/3ft immersion with absolutely no moving allowed.
I agree with Lokifish - I don't think that animal exists. I just bought the No 1 A10 to evaluate it for workouts, including swimming...
http://www.gearbest.com/smart-watches/pp_286212.html
...and am looking at the D5 for "office wear". I have to admit that I'm more attracted to the idea of "one watch to rule them all" - but - I'm also looking at $56 for the A10 (I bought it when it was on sale) and $130 or so for the D5 (or similar) so for the total outlay it's a pretty compelling use case. I was an original Omate TrueSmart backer and was profoundly disappointed. After spending $360++ for a watch that *wasn't* waterproof I went the "dedicated exercise computer as a watch" route - in the form of the Polar V800. I had to wait another year or so for smart notifications to show up (for Android) and Polar *still* hasn't done some basic data integration with 3rd parties like MyFitnessPal and the like. That was another $500+ and it *still* doesn't collect accurate heart rate data in the water. So - there's that... and of course there's no *real* smartwatch functionality to speak of.
I had considered the Garmin fenix 3 - and the recent addition of on-device HRM is interesting - but I'm mostly a swimmer so I'm going to be using a chest-worn device if I go that route. But *if* I did that it would be another $600-800 plus the cost of their data-recording HRM strap. As it stands now - I'm done with dropping multiple C-notes onto one-off projects and half baked tech from "the big companies". I'm going to nickel-and-dime my way through and figure out a way to make it work with multiple devices (with a LOT of help from my friends at XDA). I have the Bragi Dash coming in (sometime in February at last count) which I'm hoping will give me accurate HRM/oximetry data while swimming - and I'll be working to merge that data with the stroke/SWOLF data I gather from the wrist-worn device.
Side note: One of the advantages of the dual-device theory just occurred to me - in that I *can* carry a portable battery-pack charger and have one on charge when the other is on my wrist. So there's some element of continuity/back-up, should something go sideways with one device or another. When my TrueSmart would go dead I felt pretty naked, when it worked and was relatively performant from a battery perspective.
Anyway, I think this class of device will take some time to sort out as the companies figure out what the market(s) will bear in terms of durability and cost.