History:
Camera phones are a new fad that has come out into the public recently.
Sprint was one of the earlier
cellular phone industries with the help of
Sanyo came out with one.
Sanyo released the 5300, which was to become the first ever
camera phone to be released in the
United States. Not only was it the first in the
United States, it also had a built-in
flash. After this breakthrough, many different
phone companies decided on providing similar
services by having
phone manufacturers produce and release various
camera phones using their
phone service.
Benefits:
Allows you to take digital images on the go
Flash allows you to take images even if it is dim
Camera phones rid the need to carry both a cellular phone and a camera
Ability to send images through the net, without connecting to a computer
Disadvantages:
Invasion of privacy(Although they are restricted in certain areas, ie: swimming pools, changing rooms)
Image quality is not as great as newer digital camera technology , although it does come close
Sanyo has also developed a newer model of the SCP-5300, the SCP-5500, which is able to take up to 15 seconds of video. This is yet another incredible breakthrough. Soon enough the US will be able to have video conferencing with the use of phones.
On a Side Note:
Although these cameras are relatively new to the United States, Europe and Japan have had them for a significantly longer period of time.