Ask Engadget: best smartphone without a camera?
By Darren Murph 
posted May 20th 2010 10:39PM
posted May 20th 2010 10:39PM
This is a fairly common question, actually, and despite the fact that few phones are made any more sans a camera, many organizations refuse to allow them. We'd hate for your friend be stuck with a dumbphone, so here's hoping our readers can drop some knowledge below. Otherwise, we suggest he / she just mail in a two-week notice -- Sent from their iPhone, of course."I have a friend who's taken a job in a security field and the employer doesn't allow cameras on cellphones. He's currently happy with an iPhone 3GS and would definitely consider an Android device but is having trouble finding a decent phone with no camera. The only caveat is that for whatever reason he doesn't want a BlackBerry. Does anyone else make a decent smartphone sans camera? Thanks!"
Sony Ericsson M600i
according to Phone Arena's awesome search. the last phone that was released with a full keyboard (soft of hard ... and I won't go there) was the BlackBerry 8820/8830. Just SOL mate.
@kenosando like i said the blackberry tour 9630 has a no camera version on sprint
Just throwing it out there, I've taken apart more iPhone 3g/3gs than I can count (I fix them for friends for $), and I know from experience that not only can you easily remove the camera, the phone will react just fine without it. All that happens if you open the camera app is the fake closed camera shutter lens thing that opens when the camera is ready never opens. The phone will work fine without it. Good luck
Why would anybody want a smartphone without a camera?
just buy the cheapest phone you can possibly find (~30€, without contract of course) and put your SIM card in it when you go to a place that doesn't permit cameras. When you get out of there just put the SIM back in your smartphone and take pictures of the beautiful sunny spring day.
There's the Nokia E51 non camera edition (hard to find, I think it's no longer produced) or the Nokia E61 (which would be even harder to find 'cos it's older). The E51 is a regular candy-bar symbian phone whereas the E61 is a blackberry style qwerty phone.
My local operator also sells the HTC Snap (non camera version) as well as a non-camera GSmart 1200. HTC Snap is a qwerty candybar, GSmart 1200 is a touch screen phone.
http://www.starhub.com/mobile/handset/gsmarts1200noncamnewstarhubexclusive.html
Both run WinMo 6.5.
I've yet to find an android phone that doesn't have a camera though. However there are several made-in-China MIDs that run android. They have Wifi and some have Bluetooth and/or USB ports. Perhaps you can connect a 3G USB modem or tether one of the MIDs via bluetooth to a non-camera dumbphone, if you really want a 'droid.
Sony M600i.
Take a soldering iron to that 3GS cam... that'll do.
I take pics with my iPhone all the time. Easier to take a pic of a serial number of a bunch of machines than have to write them down. Or if I'm working on something that has to be torn apart and then put back together, I can get a before shot so I don't screw things up.
blackberry 9630on sprint has a no camera version i also bet they'll release a blackberry 9650 without camera soon
ipod touch plus dumbphone, get everything you need your iphone for except the calls, while you're at work, switch out the sim card, get out of work, switch back
Would they accept it ripped right off of the circuit board? XD
I'm a contractor and have the same problem from time to time. My primary phone is a Nokia E72 but I also have an older E60, which has no camera. You can probably buy an E60 or E61, niether of which had cameras, on eBay for less than $100. Then keep your current phone and swap sim cards when you have to go into work somewhere that does not allow camera phones.
The tilt 2 is a good option ot you could call apple and have them make a custom one or take the camera out then deliver it.
A particular automotive company will allow you carry a camera phone, however you must crush the camera lens before it will be allowed inside of the building. This might be your best option???