• Compatible with
  both Palm and Pocket PC devices
• Maximum resolution:
  0.3 MegaPixels (640×480)
• Takes still images
  as well as video with sound (320×240 max resolution on videos, no
  sound on Palm devices)
• 4x digital zoom
• 180 degree swivel
  body
• Automatic white
  balance
• Automatic focus
• Adjustable brightness,
  contrast, sharpness and color
• Includes small
  carrying bag

   
The head of the Spectec SD camera can swivel 180 degrees. In the picture
above the lens is pointed in my direction. It can be turned to point
in the opposite direction, away from the device user. This is the position
I kept the camera in except when taking a picture of myself. In this
case it helps that the lens can be pointed directly at the user of the
handheld and you can still watch your device’s screen to make sure the
picture is aligned and looking right. This is something you can’t do
with a standard digital camera.

   
The snapshot button on the Spectec SD camera is a clear, oval button
on the very top of the camera (you can just see it in the picture above).
I like the idea of including a hardware snapshot button. However, there
is no way of mapping one of your device’s hardware buttons to the snapshot
action. I don’t like having to press down on the top of the camera to
take a picture. I think I would have an easier time keeping the camera
still if I were able to press one of my iPAQ’s hardware buttons instead.

   
At just 0.3 MegaPixels, this is most certainly not a ‘high-res’ camera.
The maximum resolution of 640×480 pixels is, however, adequate for point-and-shoot
photographers, so long as you don’t plan on blowing the pictures up
to be printed at large sizes. In fact, users who plan to keep their
images on their device rather than displaying them on their desktop
or printing them out may actually choose a lower resolution. Does 320×240
sound familiar? That’s the size of the typical Pocket PC screen (well,
in landscape mode anyway ).
320×240 is the perfect size for images that will remain on your Pocket
PC because of their dimensions and their small file size.

PICTURE
QUALITY

    As I mentioned above, the Spectec SD camera doesn’t
include a flash. This makes taking indoor pictures and other pictures
in low light quite difficult. In fact, not only is it difficult to get
pictures bright enough to be clear, I was also troubled by flashes or
horizontal lines that would appear every other second under low light
situations. When outdoors and in good lighting these flickering lines
disappeared. Here’s an example of one such picture taken indoors. Although
I tried to snap the pictures while no flickering lines were visible,
the quickness with which they appeared and disappeared was too much
and I was unable to avoid getting them in some of my pictures.

   
Not all of the pictures I took indoors were flawed like this, however.
Also, you can see from this example that while the lighting isn’t very
good and the picture is not particularly bright it is still very legible.

   
The thing that has impressed me the most with the Spectec SD camera
is its colors. Images taken with this camera, especially in good lighting,
are very rich in color. I didn’t expect photos as bright and colorful
as this from such a small, low-res camera. Here are some more photos
I took that should give you a good example of the colors as well as
the quality of the images one can take using this camera (except for
the two where I am facing the sun light… pretty hard to avoid the
brightness in that situation).

      &nbsp  &nbsp  
 
            

VIDEO

    Video can also be captured using the Spectec SD camera.
Video resolution can be at a maximum of 320×240 pixels. For those using
the Spectec SD camera with a Pocket PC, sound is included with the recorded
audio (using your device’s microphone). Palm users, unfortunately, will
have to settle for audio-less video. The quality of the videos created
using the Spectec SD camera is as would be expected, but here’s a short
clip to give you an idea of what to expect.

To
download, right click and select Save As.

SOFTWARE

    I was just a bit dissapointed in both the Pocket
PC software included with the Spectec SD camera and the desktop software
that accompanied it as well. Both are a little less intuitive than I’d
like them to be and, as mentioned above in regard to mapping the snapshot
button to a hardware button on your device, there is some functionality
lacking. However, the Pocket PC software, called “PhotoView,” does include
some helpful features such as the ability to change the brightness,
contrast, sharpness and color (don’t touch that color setting!
like I mentioned, the default setting gives you great colors).

   
The PhotoView application has five modes: image, video, thumbnail, slide
show, and list. The image and video modes are for taking photos and
video, respectively. The other modes provide different ways to view
and organize your photos. The list mode gives you the ability to delete,
beam, email, and save one photo or several at the same time.

HELP
SUPPORT

    The mini-CD which accompanies the Spectec
SD camera includes a User’s Guide for the Pocket PC, a User’s Guide
for the Palm, and a Quick Start Guide–all in Adobe .PDF format. These
manuals should be able to explain any aspect of the camera or software
that the user can’t figure out themselves. The only down side here is
that a printed booklet is, in my opinion, much easier to use and read
than a digital copy. I don’t mind much, however. I was able to use all
of the camera’s abilities without the aid of the User’s Guide or Quick
Start Guide.

SYSTEM
REQUIREMENTS

    You’ll notice that my device, the iPAQ h4150, is not
listed here although the camera works fine for me. I don’t think this
compatibility list should be considered all inclusive at all. In fact,
I think its safe to assume that if your device supports SDIO it will support
this camera.

BUGS
AND WISHES

    As I mentioned, I’d like to see the ability
to map the snapshot button to one of my device’s hardware buttons. The
flickering horizontal lines I saw in low light images as well as in
some other situations is also very annoying. Although I don’t necessarily
think this should discourage anyone from purchasing this camera, it
does tend to make a statement about the overall quality of the camera.
I would have liked to not have to deal with that issue.

PURCHASING

    The Spectec SD PDA Camera can be purchased
through Expansys.com for $99.95 by clicking
here. More information can be obtained by visiting Spectec’s web
site at www.spectec.com.tw.

PROS

• 
  

  Convenient
  size

• 
  

  Photos
  have rich, vivid colors

• 
  

  Also
  takes video with sound (on Pocket PCs only)

• 
  

  Automatic
  white balance and focus

CONS

• 
  

  Flickering
  horizontal lines can ruin some images

• 
  

  Snapshot
  button is on top of camera–cannot be mapped to your device’s hardware
  buttons

• 
  

  Software
  could be more intuitive and easy to use

• 
  

  Low
  maximum resolution at just 0.3 MegaPixels

OVERALL
IMPRESSION

    Aside from the inherent shortcomings of
today’s small SD cameras, the SD PDA Camera from Spectec does an overall
decent job taking pictures. Although the maximum resolution of just
640×480 pixels (0.3 MegaPixels) is a bit low, the pictures this camera
takes are fairly sharp and have rich and vivid colors. Best for outdoor
and very well lit situations, this camera can be a convenience to many
Pocket PC users out there. Others, however, may choose to stick with
a good ol’ stand-alone digital camera.