Polaroid Out of Instant-Photo Biz

Yes, including digital ones

(NEWSER) - It's the end of an era: Eastman Kodak, the company that invented the hand-held camera, announced today that it intends to stop making them in an effort to save money—and yes, that includes digital cameras. It will also stop making pocket video cameras and digital picture frames, reports the Democrat and Chronicle . Executives say the move is a "logical extension" of their current strategy, and will save Kodak more than $100 million a year. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month. More»

It uses data hidden in old photos to scan the web for new ones

(NEWSER) - The Consumerist takes note of a nifty website that might help you track down a stolen digital camera. The site, stolencamerafinder.com , works on a relatively simple formula. You drag and drop one of your old photos taken with the camera, and the site extracts signature data from it and scans the web for matches. (You can also type in the serial number.) If the thief has uploaded a photo to, say, a Facebook page or another site with a profile, you might have your culprit. Of course, it's then up to you to figure out how to get it back. More»

(NEWSER) - Apple will unveil a new line of iPods complete with point-and-click cameras on Sept. 9, Apple Insider reports. In addition to the 3.2-megapixel camera—which, according to a “Taiwanese rumor site,” will grace the probable last-generation hard-drive iPod in addition to the Flash-based Nano and Touch—Apple may also unveil iTunes 9. The new software will likely include social networking features, a first for the Mac maker. More»

Company is back with instant photos, but the fun is gone

(NEWSER) - Polaroid may be out of the film business, but it's trying to reclaim its place in the market of instant photos. With the goal of winning back the hearts of nostalgic point-and-shooters, Polaroid has unveiled the diminutive PoGo, combining a standard digital camera with an onboard, ink-free printer. But FastCompany’s Cliff Kuang says the $200 PoGo falls short of recapturing the original Polaroid magic. More»

Picture-perfect phone closes the shutter on camera phone rivals

(NEWSER) - Adding a camera to a phone isn't exactly a novel concept, but the Motozine ZN5 breaks the mold by making it a proper digital camera instead of a feeble afterthought, David Pogue writes in the New York Times. For quality, he raves, "the ZN5’s photos trump anything offered by any carrier in the United States." More»