20051125

USB Camera




Transcend Information is marketing a USB flash disk drive with an integrated VGA digital still camera (DSC). The JetFlash DSC is designed to enable users to take digital photos without the inconvenience of needing a USB cable or card reader to connect to a PC, according to the company.

Equipped with a 0.25-inch CMOS image sensor, the JetFlash stores pictures in a 640×480 JPG file (VGA), sized at 55KB. Once the pictures are transferred to a PC, the bundled software can be used to edit or enhance the photos.

The USB flash disk drive also includes a built-in rechargeable lithium battery that is recharged via the USB port. The JetFlash is USB 1.1 compliant and does not require any additional drivers for installation (except for Windows 98).

The JetFlash DSC comes in 128MB and 256MB densities, with the 128MB version priced at NT$1,550 (US$46). The products are currently shipping.

We've seen USB peripherals that tried to include every possbile feature: camera, MP3, voice recorder, video, as well as memory. It's nice to see something that includes one other feature, and does it ok. I already carry a USB key, I would welcmoe one with a camera built in. Sure, there are plenty of phones with a camera, but they also have a download fee if I want to do anything with the picture other than look at it on the phone (which is what most users only do).

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