Hardware News

Nuggets: Intel joins highway to digital pleasure

Graeme Wearden ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 16 Aug 2000 10:14 BST

Intel has launched a cheap and cheerful digital camera that can also manage a bit of video action.

Didn't you read this the other week? Well, almost.

Capable of taking 128 pictures at 640x480 pixels and recording two minutes of video action, the Intel Pocket PC Camera hits the spot if you've looking for a bit of harmless pleasure.

In the spirit of usability, the chip mammoth has made the Pocket PC Camera USB-compliant and added a focus dial, carry case and wrist strap to give you that extra buzz when you open the box.

It also comes packed with handy software, including MGI PhotoSuite III, Intel Auto Snapshot and Intel Email Postcard, which makes it easy to send your slightly-fuzzy masterpieces over the Internet.

Also included is the nifty Auto Snapshot which lets you turn the Pocket PC Camera into a spy cam. The theory is that you set this running and you'll get a picture of any intruder's at your house/office emailed to you by employing an auto detect sensor.

We've only got pricing for the US (hey, it only went on sale Tuesday), where the Pocket PC Camera costs $149. So, with a dollar worth 62p it should only cost £92 over here, but we've got a sneaky feeling it might not work out that way.