Compact and practical, digital cameras have become a primary feature on many modern cell phones. First introduced commercially around 2002, camera phones allow users to take (and share) photos quickly, easily, and unobtrusively. While this is highly convenient for many, the availability of such powerful technology does raise certain privacy concerns.
The near-omnipresence of these devices has had a profound social impact, as taking someone’s photo is no longer an easily identifiable act. Camera phones allow people to take photos without drawing attention to themselves, as they may appear to be talking, browsing the Web, or otherwise merely using their phone. With such information so easily gathered, shared, and sometimes made public, an impact on privacy is inevitable.
Because of these issues, certain organizations and places have, on occasion, placed bans or restrictions on the use of cell phones. Government organizations, schools, and certain companies where personal or credit card information is viewed on a daily basis, often have outright bans on the use of camera phones. Unfortunately, such bans are very difficult to enforce, as cell phones are often small and easily hidden or disguised.
Impact Overseas
In South Korea and Japan, all camera phones are required to make a clearly distinguishable sound whenever a photo is taken, to help alleviate concerns about surreptitious photography. In the United States, camera phones have often been used in industrial espionage, as well as by the paparazzi to take photos of celebrities. One of the primary advantages (and problems) with camera phones is that even if their use is prohibited, photos can often be taken in secret — and, with the ability to share or send pictures instantly and wirelessly, even if the photographer is discovered, the “damage” is already done.
A Positive Note
Not all camera phone use is abusive, however — far from it. In 2007, New York mayor Bloomberg announced a plan encouraging people to use their camera phones to document crimes in progress and send the images or video directly to 911, making the camera phone a potentially valuable tool in crime prevention. Images of the 2005 London bombings were shared instantly and even featured on CNN, and some predict that journalists both amateur and professional will be using camera phone footage more frequently as time goes on.
As with any emerging technology, the camera phone is neither good nor evil, but depends on how it is put to use. While the potential for abuse and invasion of privacy certainly exists, the potential benefits of such rapid information-sharing are also considerable. When laws, courtesy, and basic etiquette are respected, the camera phone can become a powerful and positive tool.
By: Daniel Swensen
Posts Tagged ‘Digital Cameras’
What is Bluetooth Technology?
November 12th, 2009
Bluetooth technology is a type of the wireless technology that eliminates the need for the number of inconvenient cables and devices that are used to connect the computers, mobile phones, digital cameras, handheld devices and new digital appliances. Bluetooth enables the users to connect to a wide variety of telecommunication and computing devices easily, without cables.
It makes rapid ad hoc connections, automatic unconscious connections between two or more digital devices. Bluetooth provides the opportunity of using the mobile data in different applications. Bluetooth makes wireless communication between the two devices in a localized area of a room of office or home very easily. Bluetooth technology uses radio-based links and all the connections between the devices and invisible and instantaneous.
By Bluetooth technology your laptop can send print request to a printer in your next room. Bluetooth is actually a standard for wireless communication between the devices in a relatively small area and it is therefore works fine in the personal area network (pan) using radio frequency.
Any two devices that follow the Bluetooth standard can communicate with each other. A number of the Bluetooth devices like digital camera, mobile phone and handheld pc can form a network. You can send emails to your mobile phones from your laptop without any physical connect between your laptop and your mobile phones.
Features of Bluetooth technology
• Bluetooth technology uses radio waves for communication in 2.4 GHz
• It supports multi point communication not just point to point.
• Bluetooth works in a small area of 10-15 meters.
• Bluetooth offers speed of 1-2 mbps.
• Bluetooth chipsets are less expensive though more expensive than IrDA.
How Bluetooth technology works
Bluetooth is a high speed wireless link technology that uses the radio waves. It is designed to connect the mobile phones, laptops, hand held devices and portable equipments with almost no work by the end users. Unlike infrared Bluetooth does not require line of sight between the connecting units. Bluetooth technology is a modified form of the current wireless LAN technology and it’s more acceptable for its relative small size and low cost.
The current circuits are contained on a circuit board of 0.9 cm square and a much smaller single chip version is in development and soon it will be in use. The cost of the Bluetooth device is expected to fall rapidly. Bluetooth chip has to be equipped in many devices. In Bluetooth technology, small and inexpensive transceivers have been placed in the digital devices. The radio waves operate at 2.45 GHZ band on the Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth supports the data speed up to 721 Kbps and 3 voice channels. The Bluetooth chip can either be built into the devices or it can be uses as an adapter. In computer it can be used with the USB port. Each Bluetooth device has a 48 bit address from the IEEE 802 standards and the Bluetooth connections can be either point to point or multi point. Bluetooth range is 10 meter but it can be extended up to 100 meters by increasing the power.
Bluetooth devices are protected from the external interference because they change their frequency up to 1600 times in a second. Bluetooth radio technology provides the bridge between the existing data network. Bluetooth guarantees security at the bit level and the authentication is controlled by the end user by using 128 bit key. An important face of the Bluetooth technology is that it instantly forms a network when two or more devices come closer in the range of each other.
Bluetooth technology benefits
Bluetooth technology is a convenient choice of communication in a wire free, short range environment. Bluetooth is a globally available standard for connecting the devices like mobile phones, digital cameras, laptops, mp3 players, cars, stereo headsets etc. Bluetooth enable devices do not need to install any drivers. The key benefits of the Bluetooth wireless technology are its built-in-security, low cost, easy of use, robustness, and ad hoc networking capabilities.
The Bluetooth wireless technology is available globally. Many manufactures from the different companies are busy to implement the technology in their products. Bluetooth technology operates in the 2.4 GHZ, one of the unlicensed, industrial and scientific radio bands. Bluetooth technology is a free of charge service but your mobile phones set should support the GSM and CDMA technology.
Today mobile phones have built in capabilities and Bluetooth functionalities in them. Bluetooth technology is available in the different range of the devices like mobile phones, automobiles, medical devices, industries and enterprises etc. Due to the key features of the Bluetooth technology like low power consumption, low cost and wireless features make it more popular. Bluetooth technology does not require any fixed infrastructure and it is very simple to install and setup.
No wires are required to connect the Bluetooth devices. You can connect to other Bluetooth enabled devices anytime if they come in your range. Bluetooth wireless technology is widely supported and is secure wireless standard today. Bluetooth devices has built-in security features such as 128 bit encryption and pin code authentication when Bluetooth devices identify themselves they use the pin code when they first time connect.
By: Bushra Bashir
