Kodak @ CES - Easyshare One Wireless Camera
[By Eric Lin] Talk about a shocker; Kodak pulled this one out of nowhere! The Easyshare-One might just be the big digital camera surprise of CES. It's only a 4 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom and full motion video capture, but it's everything else about this camera that's dropping jaws. It's got 256 MB of RAM built in, and a 3-inch touchscreen LCD interface (yo, it's been a bit of a while since we've seen that), and that's not even the hottest part. And check this: you can add a WiFi card (as a special Kodak module, which we have a feeling might be CF-based) to it to upload your photos right to the web, or even log in and view your Ofoto pictures on the camera. Plus Kodak sealed a deal with T-Mobile to make sure you can upload your pix from any T-Mobile Hotspot (aka Starbucks). Like all Kodak Cameras, the Easyshare One has a dock connector for easy printing. The Camera is expected to sell for $599 and the Wi-Fi card should cost another $100. Yah weren't too psyched about the idea of a $700 4 megapixel digital camera either, but damn, would you look at it?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brian @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
WOW! That's nice! I mean perfect for my 70+ yr old parent-in-laws. They gave my wife a Canon 20D for Christmas and wanted the old Nikon 950 back. They gave us that Nikon because it was too complicated for them and now they want it back 4 yrs later like it is any simpler. Anyway, this is PERFECT with that large screen. WOW!
Shane @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
Impressive move on Kodak's part. I might actually take them seriously as a digital camera maker. Someday. This is an awesome step for a beleagured company. Love the 3" LCD, and damn do I love the WiFi in a consumer model.
Marke @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
why does it have 256 MB built in? looks to me from reading the PDF on it, that the camera can have SD expansion, or SD wifi (via the SDIO slot) but not both- so wifi transmission would only be able to transmit pics in the built in memory
David G. Hong @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
Talk about innovation.
JChan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
wow, Kodak finally has interesting ideas for a digital camera that isn't in a bubbly, obtrusive design.
Joey Geraci @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
kinda cool
loner @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
Brian, my thoughts exactly. My mom refuses to use digital cameras because of all the buttons. This might change her mind.
Marke, the 256MB is for my mom again. It means she can take this camera on her trip and take all the pictures she wants without being afraid of filling it up, and without having to fiddle with the menus to delete unwanted photos.
Z @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
Very cool camera, but 3x zoom? Only 4mp? C'mon! Why are all these companies stuck on 3x zooms? How about 5x zoom? I wouldn't buy anything with less than a 5x zoom or 5mp, which my Pentax Optio 555 has had for some time now. It's predecessor had this.
Big screens, etc., are great, but at the end of the day, we buy cameras for the ability to take great photos, not for gimmicks.
And why not just build in the Wifi? Why is this always an "add-on"? Just build it in for cripes sake.
For that price, they also better have 7mp and no less than a 5x zoom.
The gimmicks are cool, but the resolution and especially the zoom just make me YAWN.
I'll pass.
Aslak Raanes @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
Hm, how about a GPS-module. I would rather have that.
TAZ @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
I'd assume the 256MB built in is so you can add a CF based WiFi Card (some come w/ ~128MB memory some have none) and still have memory to shoot with. Not to mention 256MB today < $10 to a manufacture, why not build some in.
MJK @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
The WiFi card is an SD form factor and looks like the antenna will stick out of the slot which is unfortunate. If you look at the pictures on Kodak's CES site (www.kodak.com/go/ces), it looks like the wireless card may have it's own slot that you can see right on the top.
I guess they figured they could get the marketing buzz without adding the cost burden for a feature only 5% of the users will actually use. I think there are some other significant aspects to the camera. With both a 3" touch screen and 256 Mb of on-board storage, you move away from a model where you will need a seperate photo viewer and it will enable users to actually categorize and annotate their images (I assume it has a soft keyboard) right on the camera. As for megapixels - more is nice but not better. If the sensor and new TI processing chip are good in this camera it will produce better images than a higher resolution camera and the .jpg's will require less compression.
The big test for me will be the "front pocket test". Can it slide into the front pocket of my jeans? My CoolPix 5200 is right on the edge.
Brad @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
I think it's brilliant. Most buyers understand zoom range and pixel count intellectually, but the appeal of the giant LCD will be visceral and immediate. They'll sell a ton, even at this pricepoint.
The wifi thing is brilliant. I'm sure the software has a no-brainer, one-button upload to Ofoto -- it'll drive a ton of business to Kodak's site, and Kodak will have the hardcopy business sewn up. Smart, smart, smart.
Tommy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
Talk about funky fresh...too bad I just bought my Nikon 5200 last summer and don't have another wad of cash to blow for this piece of kick assed technowizardry. It'd go perfect with the 12 month Tmobile hotspot agreement I just signed...dayam!
Alex @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
Clean design. Large display. Easy control. Winner!
Doug @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
FYI: There was a mention of printing using the dock connection directly to the printer, but just so you know this camera will also be able to print to the Kodak Printer Dock + via WiFi as well (no PC required - printer dock will use the same SD WiFi card kit as the camera)...
Jennifer @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
I think it's great that Kodak came out with this camera. I've always trusted Kodak products and always will. They have never failed me so far. I would love this camera, but the price is just more than I can afford right now.
Jenn @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
wow i really like that digital camera.. i was just wondering do you know where they sell those? email me if you know...thanks
Czar @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM
I talked to a Kodak Rep at the Camera Expo in Toronto this past weekend, and he said that Kodak might change the software so that the camera can accept a GPS SD card. If they do that, then I will definitely buy the camera.