What is a message cam

Asks panda

A. Message Cam is a new mobile phone/digital camera that has been launched to great fanfare by Vodafone.

�

Q. What is good about it

A. It enables you to access colour pictures, moving images etc. on your WAP phone (normally you can only access pretty basic, plain text WAP sites) just as you would via your PC screen by attaching the Message Cam box via a cable to your mobile phone - and it offers full Internet access. It also has a digital camera on board that allows you to take photographs, edit them very easily on-screen and email them on to friends and family or save them on your PC. And as if that wasn't enough it has a built-in voice recorder so that you can attach a message to the image.

�

Q. Is that really impressive

A. It is the first of its kind on the market and it is hoped that such add-on features will help boost the sale of WAP phones this Christmas.

�

Q. How to you edit a photo on a small LCD screen on a phone

A. You don't actually edit the photo on the phone itself, but on the separate Message Cam box which resembles a mini-TV screen. All functions are carried out via a stylus pen and even though that may sound difficult it is actually very user friendly.

�

Q. What is the picture quality like

A. Great for sending onto other mobile phone users as they are taken at low resolution, when they are blown up onto a large PC screen they are a bit grainy.

�

Q. What other functions does the Message Cam have

A. You can basically use it as a phone, a digital camera and a PDA because it also has email, text messaging, a clock, phone book manager, calendar, calculator, a web browser and a WAP browser.

�

Q. How much does it cost

A. The Message Cam box itself costs about �100 and is manufactured by Casio - but for it to work you have to buy it as a package from Vodafone (Casio have manufactured the Message Cam exclusively for Vodafone), which includes a new Siemens C35i WAP phone and a 12-month contract - which will set you back a cool �350 including VAT. This price also includes a carry case, charger and data cable.

�

Q. Why is it so expensive

A. It is so pricey because it's the first of its kind in the world and is a limited edition - so there will probably be none left in the shops after Christmas. And as it is quite a lot of money to shell out, you can view a very impressive demo online at www.message-cam.co.uk - so you can see what you're getting and how it works before you buy it. You can also find out more information on where you can buy the Message Cam online from Vodafone.

�

If you have any other Internet & Technology related questions please click here

�

By Karen Anderson