Finally, a Real Phone Camera

New low-light sensor could snap flagging company out of slump

(NEWSER) - Kodak showed off a new technology today that enables digital cameras to capture clearer pictures in low light—without a flash. Kodak revealed the innovation just as the enduring photography company finishes up its long and costly transformation to digital and begins to tap into its valuable portfolio of patents. More»

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»

48 tiny videos yield intimate close-ups from around the world

(NEWSER) - Featuring 48 judge-selected short movies, each of them shot using a camera phone, Japan's Pocket Film Festival marks the dawning of a new era in amateur film making. Without special effects or fancy camera-work, the pocket-flicks, like winners "Thumb Girl" and "Walkers," are all close-up and intimate (albeit grainy) windows to the ordinary, the Associated Press reports. More»

Hold off if you can on TVs, iPhones, and laptops: Wirecutter

(NEWSER) - Good things come to those who wait, and technology is no exception. At the Wirecutter , Brian Lam lists a few hot items not to buy yet, or you'll be kicking yourself later.

• TVs and home theater equipment. The reviews for the latest TVs will be available around mid-year, and Samsung's new plasma offering won't be around until next month.
• iPhones. Hold off about five or six months, and you'll be the first to get the next generation.

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»