Looking for a PC camera to go? Pick up the flexible Intel Pocket PC Camera. It provides high-quality video clips and pictures - whether it's tethered to your computer or sitting in the palm of your hand. It makes capturing and sharing video and pictures more exciting and convenient than ever. And the software gives you the freedom to make videophone calls over the Internet from your desk. You can even build your own PC movies and edit and enhance your pictures.
Able to perform as either a PC-based or portable digital camera, the flexible Intel Pocket PC Camera provides high-quality video clips and pictures--whether it's tethered to the computer or sitting in the palm of your hand. The Pocket PC makes capturing and sharing video and pictures more exciting and convenient than ever. Just push a button to capture snapshots or start recording video clips for use in e-mail postcards, movies, Web sites, and more. For use away from the PC, simply detach it from the tilt-swivel base and USB cord, using the handy wrist strap and carrying case. The software gives you the freedom to make video phone calls over the Internet from your desk. You can even build your own PC movies and edit and enhance your pictures.
Featuring a progressive-scan CCD image sensor, a glass and plastic lens, and 8 MB flash memory, Intel's Pocket PC Camera takes 24-bit/16.8 million-color still images at 640 x 480 resolution. It also takes up to 640 x 480-resolution video clips at up to 30 frames per second in full-motion video. The focus range is from 10 centimeters to infinity. The Pocket PC Camera has an LCD for setting pictures to photo or video, seeing how many pictures are available, and checking battery life.
The Pocket PC Camera is compatible with PCs only and hooks up through a 9-foot USB cable. System requirements include: a 166 MHz Pentium with MMX, Celeron, or faster (Reality Fusion Camera Games require 266 MHz Pentium or faster processor); Windows 98, 98 SE, or ME operating system; 32 MB RAM; a USB port; a 800 x 600/16-bit computer display; 250 MB hard disk space; a 4x CD-ROM drive; Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 or higher; an Internet service provider; a 28.8K or faster modem; and a Windows-compatible sound card with speakers and microphone. The camera comes with a CD-ROM software disk, a 9-foot USB camera-to-PC cable, four AAA batteries, a tilt swivel base/cradle, a carrying case, a camera strap, a quick-start guide, and a quick-reference field guide. Intel provides an abundance of photo and video software titles with the camera, including Intel Audio Recorder, Intel Auto Snapshot, Intel E-mail Postcard, Intel Gallery, Intel Home Page Builder, Intel Movie Builder, Intel Picture Manager, Intel Scene Recorder, Intel Snapshot, Intel TWAIN Driver, Intel Video E-mail, MGI Photo Editing Software, Microsoft Windows NetMeeting, and Reality Fusion PC Games.
Intel provides a one-year parts and labor warranty on the Pocket PC Camera.
1 Very durable and great.
I own it and it has been droped many times since santa gave it to me (about 2001 0r 2002). When I got it for christmas, it did not work with win xp or win 2000. My dad got me a program from intel's website wich would download the all the pictures on the camera. Now I use a driver from the same website. Then, I used the driver that came with the camera on an Win 98 pc. Today I use it a lot. It still works. Intel no longer sells this line.
2 I love Intel- and this product is just more reason!
I have had limited exposure to video recording, but much use of Intel products, including the stock making me a first generation millionaire! I was skeptical about this product, given the lens configuration, data processing, and some other concerns.
I was amazed! I have a $5000 Sony that is a great videocam, and I can't tell any quality in the film I make with the INtel cam as with the Sony! It even does a terrific job in outdoor, nature photography, which was much more than I expected.
Per dollar this is THE BEST PRODUCT of any kind I have bought in 5 years! I just wish INTEL would go ahead and make the whole darn desktop and laptop computer!
jm
3 Wonderful Camera, worth every cent.
The Intel Pocket PC Camera is a great camera to own. I find the quality to be AMAZING. Sure it has no flash, but that's one thing i can live without seeing as to how i have ANOTHER camera with a flash that i use for backup. Anyhow, the CCD Sensor is probably the best thing about it. CMOS sensor cameras are usually [bad]and you can't see colors in shady areas (non-lit areas). The intel is very easy to operate and anybody could figure it out. The software is wonderful and the webcam is too. This whole camera is a great buy...the pictures will blow you away, just like it did to me. I have the rare black one so it looks less childish, heh. :o)
4 Handy & Inexpensive Dual Camera!
what i needed was something simple, inexpensive but not cheaply made. i didn't really need megapixels because i post most of my photos on the web, so i prefer them to be a smaller size. the intel pocket pc camera fulfilled my needs.
this camera is a GREAT BUY if you want smaller images @ 640x480. it's compact and easy to take everywhere. downloading the pics is easy as a click away with its software. plus, it makes a great webcam so you can have video chats with friends on the 'net. also, webcam stills are very good quality!!
DO NOT BUY this camera if you want a camera that takes HQ images. there is no zoom and no flash, which is a setback because i can never take pictures at night. also, when objects are not in good lighting, images tend to be grainy and blurry. otherwise, images are usually sharp and clean during the day.
5 Handy & Inexpensive Dual Camera!
what i needed was something simple, inexpensive but not cheaply made. i didn't really need megapixels because i post most of my photos on the web, so i prefer them to be a smaller size. the intel pocket pc camera fulfilled my needs.
this camera is a GREAT BUY if you want smaller images @ 640x480. it's compact and easy to take everywhere. downloading the pics is easy as a click away with its software. plus, it makes a great webcam so you can have video chats with friends on the 'net. also, webcam stills are very good quality!!
DO NOT BUY this camera if you want a camera that takes HQ images. there is no zoom and no flash, which is a setback because i can never take pictures at night. also, when objects are not in good lighting, images tend to be grainy and blurry. otherwise, images are usually sharp and clean during the day.
6 Sample pix - Intel Pocket PC digital camera
GREAT performance for the money. Don't expect professional results however - at least 1.3MPx digitals needed then. Perhaps however best view as a great tethered camera that, as a bonus, can go "walkabout" when needed. Nothing else noted (at the price) with such esteemed CCD sensors... el cheapo digitals usually are CMOS based that flare badly in uneven lighting. Minor negatives (pun !)include slight delay after pushing shutter ... sometimes leading to blurred images, only modest depth of field when used free ... seems optimised around 2m "portrait" distance, & occasional non clicking into place of the focus ring. Strong positives include HUGE pix. capacity (120+ shots), non volatile RAM ( nothing can get lost ), amazing battery life (still on original AAAs after 6 weeks )& outstanding software when tethered ( becomes USB powered & even allows time & motion triggered security shots /webcam etc). Macro features,(focuses to ~50mm = 2") when USB tethered to PC, are A1 & espec. useful for close ups of tiny electronic/ biology goodies etc. EDUCATORS- every such classroom should have one! Virtually up with Intel's blue "Play" USB PC microscope we also use in fact - that too is now going cheaply.
7 The Best
I wanted a new camara and it was down between a more expensive film camara and this. I chose this because it was cheaper and it could take video. It is great it can store 120 pics easily and the video is almost the same as if I took it with a video camara. The only problem is you have to hold it stady or the pic will be blury.
8 A Great Deal
I love it. Much better than what I expected at such a price. Very nice light handling due to the CCD sensor. I can't be happier. I highly recommend it. If you plan to buy one, hurry up. Intel is discontinuing all of its camera products. Won't be on shelfs for long time. Don't say you weren't told.
9 A Pleasant Surprise...
I find this to be a very simple, user-friendly camera that is loaded with unexpected features. The picture quality is excellent...everything comes out crisp and clear. I use it to send pictures and short videos via email, and in conjunction with my auction listings. The camera comes with its own 9 ft cable, but can be detached and used as a stand-alone digital camera. I take it with me everywhere...birthday parties, get-togethers, road trips...it is very compact and stores up to 199 pictures when detached. When I come home I just hook it up to the cable, upload my pictures into the Intel Gallery and send them to my email associates or web site. There are many other uses that I have not mentioned...it can functon like a Web Cam and capture live video from your desktop, has a multi-snap mode which allows you to take a rapid succession of pictures, and the manual says you can use it to make video phone calls (that's beyond my realm of understanding!!!).
This was a Christmas present for me and quite honestly, I didn't think it would last very long. It looks cheap, but it is a real work horse! I use it constantly and have not had any problems with it whatsoever.
4 1/2 Stars...Only because I am still not sure of its total capabilities and have had it a short time.
10 Great inexpensive camera
For the price, this is the best camera out there....
Pros: Light weight, long battery life, inexpensive, great software, great pictures under ideal conditions.
Cons: The biggest issue with this camera is that it is pretty sensitive to light and does not have a flash. With low light, the pictures come out blurry due to the long exposure time. To remedy this, you have to keep very still for a good amount of time to let the picture expose.
When conditions are ideal, this little camera really shines and the picture quality is very good....It's so easy and convenient to use.
11 First Time Buyer Very Satisfied
I was very impressed with this PC Cam. From time to time I have some technical issues with it because I was unfamiliar with how it works with my PC and I use it connected via USB Port. Overall, now that I am more familiar with how it works, Im very satisfied with my purchase. Overall I think its a great buy!! From someone who doesnt buy lots of items online, I am very impressed. Intel is a very well represented company, this brand of quality and innovation has won me over!
12 niiiiiice.
This camera is *a lot* better than it looks at a glance. It takes nice, sharp pictures. The only problem is that they don't have software for win2k yet...but after they release it, i would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a digital cam. You can even use it as a regular webcam.
13 I Just Love My Intel
This camera is the neatest little thing. Besides the photo's & video being great, it has wonderful software. People always comment about the high quality of photo's I email. I have also created beautiful photo "presentations", which allows you to view as a picture show with various digital effects. I love it so much I'm buying one as a Christmas gift.
14 Great webcam quality!
The Intel PC Pocket Camera has the greatest webcam quality out there IMHO. It is affordable with a simple and nice design. The batteries last long. The USB connection is a fast and more efficient way for this came. Very user friendly and easy to install.
As a digital camera, it is best ONLY for beginners. The quality can be surprisingly wonderful in the right light. It's portability can let you take quick snap shots of anything quickly. It has 8MB of memory which is about 100 640x480 pics. A great digital camera for anyone starting out and to progressive onto the bigger names, like Kodak or Fujifilm.
This camera is great for quick snaps while out, webcam shots and netconferencing. Great deal!
15 BETTER THAN IT LOOKS
Thought this was a toy when it arrived, Don't be fooled by the looks. It takes great pictures at a great price!
16 Good use of low light situations
I bought a Logiteck 3000 and was very disappointed in it's darkness and graininess in medium to low light. Backlighting really messed it up. I exchanged it for the Intel Pocket PC and am very pleased with the dramatic difference in picture quality. Same location, same lighting, and much much much better! Downside, in October 2001 the Windows 2000 drivers were kludgy. It makes me nervous that the manufacturer didn't pursue Windows 2000 users.
17 Great camera with a great price
The Intel PC Pocket Camera has the greatest webcam quality out there IMHO. It is affordable with a simple and nice design. The batteries last long. The USB connection is a fast and more efficient way for this came. Very user friendly and easy to install.
As a digital camera, it is best ONLY for beginners. The quality can be surprising wonderful in the right light. It's portability can let you take quick snap shots of anything quickly. It has 8MB of memory which is about 100 640x480 pics. A great digital camera for anyone starting out and to progressive onto the bigger names, like Kodak and Fujifilm.
This camera is great for quick snaps while out, webcam shots and netconferencing. Great deal!
18 Lots of Fun
This camera was all I expected and more. I was lookong for a PC camera to use for teleconfrencing and purchased this item because of its additional remote capabilities. It takes exellent snapshots outdoors and I have experienced no "low light" problems either on my computer or away. I have used it both on the soccer field and the golf course with exellent results. It has no zoom features so distant shots are not possible and the video clips are quite small. In terms of range, it does a good job of recording a golf swing but will not reach the middle of a soccer field to idenify individual players faces. It records great close up face shots with exellent color and brightness. The software which comes with it allows for picture "touch up" and is easy to use. This thing is small (fits in your pocket), easy to use, durable, and fun. The software is simple and has caused no problems with my Windows ME at all. The only improvement I would make in this product is to add a zoom lens. With manufacture's rebates you can buy the thing for well under $100.00. You'll love it. Buy it.
19 a pocket wonder
i bought this webcam as i needed to keep in touch with my family and my boyfriend both of whom are far far away from me! when i loaded the first set of photographs- u wont believe the ecstasy! they looked so much better than any of the photos i had ever clicked! i think i had done as good as a professional photographer!
also when i connected it to my pc for videoconferencing- my family said they could see me so clearly that it felt like i was almost there.
all in all this is a wonderful product and i would strongly recomend it for people who need to keep in touch with their loved ones over the internet!
20 Good for the price
Pros:
good price, nice design, simple to use, easy to install, good battery life.
Cons:
Poor Windows 2000/XP support (you can extract pictures, but no videos). That's not to say that the support won't be improved. I expected better color quality - things sometimes looked a little red.
All in all, I'm glad that i bought it.
21 it was realy nice
2 weeks ago i purchased the intel digital camera with my friend after reading the customer review it's realy a helpful way, i found the camera very helpful and realy nice, the pics was in high quality resolution, it can take a good images at low light conditions, the movie is quite small but it's still helpful in some applications, but the drawback is the 10 seconds vedio, u cann't take the whole 2 min vedio in one file, the software is so wonderful , but i faced a strange problem, i didn't find the camera software in the suuplied CD, so i turned it back and get the right one, be sure to check the cd's come with the camera all i can say is it's great camera with a great price also, don't waste your time if u want to share pics with your family and friends
22 how to get it to work well
best value for your money? probably. i've had it for about 3 months now and have not had any problems. the camera is advertised as being able to take 128 pictures at 640x480 but having have taken it on vacation, it took a good 165 before being full. the remote video at 320x240 is okay, light permitting, but for 129 bucks, i'm not really asking for all that much. attatched video and macro lens are REALLY impressive and the software is really consumer friendly. If people are having all of these problems with it, i'm assuming that they are running an OS that is not compatible (ie W2000). I'm running it on 98 and am having no problems whatsoever. Only drawbacks are that it has no flash and no remote audio, but if you know that going into it, its really not a dissapointment. Great pocket cam. Takes really good pictures and has a great supplementary software package.
23 Poor support, low-quality pictures, flaky software
The camera is very particular about lighting conditions. In sunlight, pictures look overexposed or washed-out and color balance is often poor. The supplied Snapshot software regularly hangs with Windows Me. Tech support was poor (you either have to correspond by email, or call their toll number). They provided no help regarding Snapshot hanging, even though I've seen several postings from others with the same problem. The software is not compatible with Windows 2000, and probably not Windows XP. The screen size of the 10 second video clips is tiny to the point of almost being useless. The clips look fair as long as the background is plain and the camera doesn't move. Otherwise, the video clips are very crude. Because the quality of the still pictures is so variable depending on the lighting, I would only use this camera as a "toy". After having the camera for a month, I found that I would not want to use it in any situation where I wanted reliable photos. I would rather spend a little more and get a dependable digital camera.
24 Fun, durable and priced reasonably.
My roommate and I bought this camera about six months ago, and it is one of the most-used and most-enjoyed items in our apartment. It doesn't use up any film, so we never think twice about grabbing the camera when we go somewhere with friends.
Though it has no flash or zoom capabilities, it takes large, clear pictures even when used portably. The video it takes when it is not connected to the computer is a bit lacking because it comes out so small, but it is still useful for some things -- I took it on a roller coaster last week and videotaped the ride at 60 miles per hour!
As for the video taken while the camera is hooked up to the computer, it is sharp and good quality when there is plenty of natural light, but at night, even with all the lights on, it has a lot of trouble detecting motion and the video tends to be slow and choppy.
The cute little camera is very durable--we know because we have dropped it countless times and it has never malfunctioned. battery compartment does accidentally come open sometimes, causing the batteries to scatter all over the ground, but the pictures already taken still remain in its memory, so it is really more of a nuisance than a problem.
It comes with its own software which works well for organizing and editing the pictures, but its movie making software doesn't have many features, so it's better to use the movie maker that comes with Windows or a professional one. The pictures it takes come in .jpg format, and the videos come in .avi format, so they're perfectly compatible with other viewing and editing programs.
All things considered, we are very happy we have this little camera; I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to have fun with unlimited pictures and video, though those with concerns about very high-quality video might do better to seek out more expensive digital equipment.
25 Good Camera but caused an IR conflict with my TV card
The camera, resolution, and light sensitivity is better than the other two I've tested. However, it caused an IR conflit with my TV card, and worst of all, no change was not allowed for the IR address conflict.
26 Great camera, decent software
The camera works well as a stand alone device, considering the money paid. Its simple to operate, and the pictures are fine for the usual family emails, for-sale postings, etc.
The software was buggy until I downloaded an upgrade to the SNAPSHOT application. Some of the time, it does not find the camera when you start it. The simple workaround is to disconnect the cable and reconnect it. The rest of the software works well with the upgrade for Windows ME and I am fairly satisfied.
27 Great camera
Just Buy it, the best camera around. Easy interface, large memory for its size, and quite high quality picures. Just buy it. thats all i have to say.
28 A little of everything
I wasn't ready to take the leap and get a mega-pixel camera because of the cost and the fact that 90% of the time I would just shrink the pictures down to post on the web anyway.
For what it is, it's pretty good. It's a nice webcam for connecting directly to your PC. It's a convenient camera to carry around with you and take lots of reasonably good pictures. The software that comes with it is nice and works from within my image editing software so I can download, edit, and save very easily. The size is just right for slipping in a pocket and it's survived a number of minor drops intact. This is definitely not a high-end camera, but if you just want something to take pictures to post on the web and work as a direct-connect webcam it's a good deal. Battery life is good and it uses Alkaline batteries. I'd rather have the option of rechargable batteries charged via the USB cable, but that isn't available. The one thing that really bothers me is the button. It's kind of hard to push down and when it finally gives, it tends to jerk the camera a little. If I'm not careful to keep it steady, this results in a blurred shot.
Pros: Good battery life. Enough memory for 128 pictures. Adjustable focus for close-up objects. Shoots 10-second video clips away from PC. Shoots nice higher-res videos when connected to a PC. USB interface with slick software. Timer mode so you can set it down, click the button, and get into the shot
Cons: Cannot upgrade memory. No screen to view/delete pictures. Not Windows 2000 compatible - a beta driver is available to download pictures, but it cannot clear pictures from the camera's memory! Video limited to low-res 10 second clips. Low-light pictures do not come out well and it doesn't have a flash. Can only adjust focus when it's connected to a computer
Keep your eye out for rebates. CompUSA recently had a MAJOR price break on these things.
29 Great product for the casual photographer.
This camera is simple, fast and easy to use and therefore will be something you'll use alot. It can take lots of good quality pics in a format that is perfect for sending to relatives and friends without having to spend hours in photo-editing cropping and reformatting to a reasonable size file for emailing. High-Res pics are really much larger than the average person ever needs. The hassle and expense of messing with film has limited my picture taking over the years. This camera takes lots of pics very easily and I never have to buy film again. The image editing software that comes with it is pretty nice too... easy to use and quite powerful for the average person. I'd recommend this camera to anyone like me. It makes a great quality web cam also.
30 Very Good Video Image Quality...
Don't let the "toy-like looks" confuse u... Video: Living 5,000 miles from my cousin... it's almost a miracle that he can see us clearly... Using it as a normal digital camera: obviously pictures are not as sharp as other digital cameras... BUT, they're still great... Cons: Lacks an integrated mic... I recommend this high tech toy...
31 great product
Simple to use directions and easy setup. This isn't a high quality camera, but it's great for it's price and perfect for an amerature. I am very happy with it overall.
32 Camera is okay, but the software is bad
I experienced multiple system errors when attempting to download images from the camera to the computer. This software glitch effectively renders the camera useless. I contacted Intel technical support regarding this, but they were not responsive. I will definately stay away from Intel cameras in the future.
33 Poor Video
I found the packaging for this camera very misleading. The "2 minutes" of video can only be used in 10-second clips. The video does not have sound. The quality of the video is less than expected (even for the price of the camera).
34 Great Versitility!
If you want a digital camera that can do just about anything this ones for you! The camera itself is small and easy to take with you it also comes with a stand for using it as an internet camera. You can mount the camera on a regular tripod too! Once you have your pictures the software will amaze you too!!!! It has the standard editting features and tons more including video camera games that are pretty cool!
35 Good Stills, Ok Video
This camera is good for the middle of the road. It does both video and stills, but doesn't do either great. The stills are good, but not forgiving at all with motion. You must hold the camera still. I find using the stand as much as possible works best. In daylight, camera works well. Video is a mixed bag. Camera claims 30 fps at 240 x 180, but in every one of my test with voice quality audio the picture really stutters. 15 fps is the closet I have gotten to good quality and for get about trying at 640 x 480. If you are looking for better video there are better cameras out there, but as a hybrid it works just fine.
36 Good piece for the price
this camera is good for the price i paid. it serves both purposes reasonably well, though to get good picture quality we need to take pictures in bright light. no flash is a major disadvatage to this camera. software that comes with this is easy to install and easy to use. i could get 120 pictures of good quality out of this camera at a stretch. looks cute and fits easily in the pocket.
