[KonTiki]

And finally today this was in the comics section and i thought it was hilarious and appropriate for this discussion.

http://news.yahoo.com/comics/shoe;_y...NlYwMlJVRPUCUl

[MozMan68]

Originally Posted by smcassara

a camera attachment that plugs into the mini usb port would be nice. sumthin that has 64 mb storage onboard.. i'd pick one up

I like this idea...a little camera add-on that snaps onto the firewire port (or blue tooth).

It's a separate piece (not an option) and only works when attached to the blackberry. That way, software on the BB could control the camera, save the picture, email it....etc.

Somebody come up with this as the lens technology is getting there and I DO need a camera when I work.

We are all impressed with you folks who have to get strip searched while going into work, but the reality is that not all of us work for the government or at nuclear power plants or at defense contractors....some of us actually manufacture product and need to communicate problems or ideas while in the office or on the road. This usually involves taking a picture of the issue and sending it around the country or even the world.

...and if some teenager wants to take it and shove it in his pants to send a funny picture to his friends, then so be it....but you are dreaming if you don't think RIM will have some sort of camera solution in the next year or two (that is if they can afford it after paying out to NPT).

[jdoolitt]

Some of the most popular threads on this site surround ringtones, and themes (with cute icons and such). Why the bashing of anyone who suggests a camera option? I categorize cute icons and ringtones right up there with camera or mp3 features. OK for those who want them... Add camera capability as an option. No harm no foul.

[aristobrat]

Originally Posted by jdoolitt

Why the bashing of anyone who suggests a camera option?

It's hard to maintain an elitist attitude when lots of "common folk" carry around the same device as you do, and god knows, adding a camera would only encourage the average Joe Six-Pack to buy a BlackBerry. (If you listen closely, everytime that T-Mobile sells a 7105t to a soccer mom/college kid, you can hear some folks in this thread cry...)

What sucks is that there's no good choice if you want the best push wireless email/PIM and [mention here any feature that the BlackBerry doesn't have].

Hopefully BlackBerry Connect will be released on enough devices to give people a choice, because recommending a Razr (WTF?!), Treo, or SideKick to someone who's serious about their email is fracking joke.

[CanuckBB]

If some models get cameras, a lot of secure installations will not bother to examine them, and issue a blanket ban on BB like they do on cell phones.

[Modeler]

No F-ing way! Cameras in phones are a plague!

[dc/dc]

I absolutely do not want a camera on my BlackBerry. I frequently visit SAR (Special Access Required) gov't sites, and phones with cameras are absolutely taboo. Some don't allow any phones period.

[sedated]

I am a new user to the CrackBerry addiction. I can honestly say that I don't miss my treo or the camera that it had. The things the BB does, it does them better than any device....and yes I am a gadget junkie, as well as a successful business owner, so I think trying to put people that like gadgets into the category that they don't deserve to have a camera, is kinda misguided.

Having said that, I want to try to be a voice of reason here.

The reason the majority of folks purchase BB is because of the push email, server integration with Exchange, Domino and GroupWise, and the fact that is is primarily made for those purposes. It does those things better than any device right now. I also think that RIM realizes there might be a market for devices that support all that and integrate with their server products but have some more bells and whistles. For that, they created BB Connect. This gives those users/industries that like/need some of the extra features a way to integrate with the strong backend that RIM has in place. It also alleviates RIM from immediately having to spend development money for a market that is minor for them in the meantime. If in the future, they see that BB Connect devices are selling well, and they see a business model behind it, then it would make sense to invest capital into it. Until then, I think BB Connect can be considered a trial run into that market. That way, they don't spend all this time and money into a market that might not be successful to them, and they can continue to create better products in their current product scheme. I think evidence of all of this can be seen in the newer products coming out as mentioned by a previous member. Things such as MP3 ringtones and themes.

Like I said, I don't need a camera in my BB but I also don't think RIM is blind like that. They see that there might be opportunities in other markets.

That is my take on the whole situation. I think the members that kinda go off, need to relax a little and be open to others appreciating that RIM makes a quality product and want to join the camp. It won't ever happen unless RIM sees a HUGE market in it....something along the lines of becoming half their user base.

[lhankins]

My last 3 phones - Audiovox 8900, Treo 600, and Audiovox PPC6600 all had cameras in them. While I'm an avid amateur photographer (digital, btw) I took less than 50 photos with all 3 of these cameraphones combined. Why? Because the pictures suck. While I thought it would be handy to have a camera on me all the time - don't have to lug around the DSLR anymore - the fact is that the picture quality of these 3 (640x480 VGA) was so poor that the pictures were virtually worthless. I tried to console myself with the concept that at least I'd beable to take a pic that would help jog my memory if I was in a fender-bender or needed some information off a piece of equipment or something. No go. The pics are too small, and way too noisy to use for anything other than emailing them to another phone - they almost look good on that 2" screen.

So the short answer is No Phone in my Blackberry. I'm quite happy to not have to pay for an accessory that I won't use anyway.

But... if they could find a way to jam a 4 or 5 Mp camera with a zoom lense in there without drastically altering the form factor... maybe I'd rethink.

Lance

[test]

Originally Posted by lhankins

So the short answer is No Phone in my Blackberry. I'm quite happy to not have to pay for an accessory that I won't use anyway.

But... if they could find a way to jam a 4 or 5 Mp camera with a zoom lense in there without drastically altering the form factor... maybe I'd rethink.

Lance

whats up lance....you mean no camera in your bb right?

I dont know about 4 or 5 mp in a phone that might be overkill...a 3 would be nice and some phone companies are already starting to do that, if you still want a phone w/camera and decent shots check out samsung or nokia...i know there are rumors that samsung has a 3 mp camera and they want to ship to the us......and i know nokia has up to 2 not sure about higher....and i hate to say the T word here, but theres a rumor on a new TREO 800p and it has a 3.2 mp camera in it....remember, i said rumor

[coreyg510]

If it will destroy the BB's durability and dependability, then no. But if it can be worked out, then yes. I think it would be a function that could be offered either way! Like the HP IPAQ (with camera/without)

[godismdma]

I vote optional! I fulley agree with tests comment! I understand the buisness side not wanting a camera due to the plentifull reasons stated, but if an "optional" camera was available that would open up a wider market in my opinion in turn more funds for more features needed and wanted so whats the harm? I have seen exec's that go for the treo based on more toys if u have something u can use for work and help u relax why not? All work and no play isnt good anyway. A memery expansion would be really nice too!!!

[jacsiegel]

I'd also like to be able to send and receive MMS messages on Cingular.

[lhankins]

Originally Posted by test

whats up lance....you mean no camera in your bb right?

I dont know about 4 or 5 mp in a phone that might be overkill...a 3 would be nice and some phone companies are already starting to do that, if you still want a phone w/camera and decent shots check out samsung or nokia...i know there are rumors that samsung has a 3 mp camera and they want to ship to the us......and i know nokia has up to 2 not sure about higher....and i hate to say the T word here, but theres a rumor on a new TREO 800p and it has a 3.2 mp camera in it....remember, i said rumor

Test,
Doh... Yeah, it'd be pretty stupid to have no phone , eh?

3 Mp might do it - not ideal but defnitely usable. But the problem I keep running into is that I'm really limited service-wise. Here in Anchorage,Alaska there are currently only 2 viable service choices: ACS - my Audivox PPC came from them, and CellularOne with my BB. Neither has those other models. So I make do with what I can get. I don't miss the camera - if I need to take pics, I bring along the DSLR. Simple as that. To tell you the truth the only thing I really miss in the BB is BT voice dialing. If I had that, I'd be happy.

Probably.

For a while anyway.

<Grin>
Lance

[Impaler]

I just got a 7290 last week. It's my first Blackberry. Prior to that I had a Nokia 6620 cell phone which I thought would be good for both voice and data. Wrong. What it was was a colossal pain in the ass. Constant white screens of death, having to remove the battery to get it to restart, etc. And email on it was cumbersome at best. The phone part was OK but nothing to write home about. I finally got fed up got the BB.

What a great device. It has a phone that actually works as a phone. Unheard of these days with cell phones trying to be all things to all people. Do I really need the kitchen sink on my phone? Hardly. With the 7290 the phone works fine and email is done in a way that makes sense. The full qwerty keyboard is pretty sweet too.

I think the beauty of the BB is that what it does it does exceptionally well. Adding a camera, MP3 ringtones, etc. just seems like it's not going to make the device do what it does so well now any better.

At work I am in the field and visit many secure sites. My current work ohone is a SE T637 which has a camera in it. Granted, it's probably the worst in-camera phone I've ever seen but regardless, many sites require me to leave my phone with security in order to gain access. Another huge PITA as that's where my address book is stored and I won't have access to it once I'm inside. Rather inconvenient to say the least.

I went with the Blackberry to get away from an all-in-one solution; I don't need or want a camera, I don't need or want an MP3 player. I just want a phone that works well as a phone. So far so good. I hope RIM doesn't cave in to pressure from those who advocate the Swiss army knife approach to communication devices. I don't need a phone that slices, dices, and juliennes fries.

Jerry

[wrxboi]

i think camaras on a BB will make it bulky.

[aristobrat]

Originally Posted by wrxboi

i think camaras on a BB will make it bulky.

If they can fit a camera into the Moto Razr, I think that there are options available for RIM to use that won't add bulk to the BB.

[aristobrat]

Originally Posted by Reoccuring theme in this thread

I work at a secured site that doesn't allow cameras.

Well, I don't.

I work for a decent-sized retailer that has stores in every state across the lower 48, which means lots of field users (operations, asset protection, HR, real estate, logistics, IT, etc).

The #1 question that we hear from these folks is "is there a camera model?". Well, the #1 question is probably "why does my Verizon BlackBerry keep saying data connection refused?", but the camera question is right behind it.

Seems the asset protection guys wants to snap pictures of hazardous conditions. The ops folks want to snap pictures of properly merchandized end-caps. Real estate is obvious. God only knows what HR would do with them, but they've asked. Logistics want to take pictures of freight that's arrived at the stores damaged.

Yes, they'd be happy with crappy VGA quality pictures. Why? Because even a crappy picture can usually convey an idea more quickly and effectively than a well-written email (that took forever to write).

If BlackBerry doesn't release any new devices with cameras, hopefully they'll soon make BlackBerry Connect widely available in the US. Otherwise if the end-users where I work keep fussing, I wouldn't be surprised if we end up going with a lesser email sync solution (Intellisync, Good or Microsoft) so these folks can more effectively do their jobs.

[jnyost]

I'd love to have one. Its funny how resistent some of the BB users are to having one. I work in hospitals and would love to have one on mine. Most places are NOT going to make you leave your phone at the door.

[DocGo]

http://www.rimarkable.com/archives/560

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...Q&refer=canada