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Worlds First 5-Megapixel Camera Phone

21 October 2004 by axxxr
A true digital convergence product that combines a gamut of innovative technologies including a “true color” LCD (16 million colors), Text-To-Speech conversion capability, as well as, a 5-megapixel CCD camera.

SEOUL, Korea Samsung Electronics unveils the world's first mobile phone (model: SCH-S250) equipped with a 5-megapixel camera. Just one year after the introduction of its first 1-megapixel camera phone and 3 months after its first 3.2-megapixel camera phone, Samsung proves its technological prowess again with this revolutionary product.

The CCD (charge-coupled device) camera and high-sensitivity flash allow the user to take the same quality pictures one gets from a top-end digital camera. Similar to Samsung's premium grade camera phones, the S250 can also function as a camcorder. The 92MB onboard memory can store up to 100 minutes of video (320x240), and a 32MB auxiliary memory is included as a standard feature. The shutter speed is as fast as 1/1,000 th of a second, allowing the user to film beautiful landscapes as well as subjects as close as 10 cm. The S250 can be connected to a TV to display video during shooting or to show footage that has already been recorded in the mobile phone.

The S250 comes with a unique “stretch” design, reminiscent of the futuristic phones seen in the movie The Matrix . The high-quality camera lens and LCD remain covered and protected when the phone is closed, and when it is stretched open, the product has the feel of a regular digital camera.

Samsung has also set a new standard in mobile phone display technology. Until now, mobile phones had been equipped with LCDs capable of 262,000-color resolution. The S250 boasts a QVGA TFD-LCD (Thin Film Diode-Liquid Crystal Display) that has previously been adapted only for top-end TVs and desktop monitors. The display can reproduce 16 million colors, over 60 times the color compared to existing mobile phone displays, all the hues found in nature; thus, QVGA resolution has been referred to as “true color.”

Samsung has also taken voice recognition to a higher level by introducing text-to-speech (TTS) conversion. Now the user can listen to incoming text messages or the prepared “to-do” list rather than having to read them.

The S250 supports high-image-quality games and 3D sound effects. If a call is received in the middle of a game, the user can restore the game later and resume play.

Other advanced functions in the S250 include an MP3 player, mobile banking capability and 64-polyphonic sound.

According to President & CEO Kitae Lee of the Samsung Electronics, “Our development of a 5-megapixel camera phone will elevate the competitiveness of the Korean mobile phone industry. At the same time, I would like to see our technological advances contribute to the growth of the global mobile phone industry and create a more convenient way of life.”

President Lee adds, “It's very important to lead the trends through continuous introductions of innovative new products. Samsung Electronics possesses the world's leading technologies and state-of-the-art design capabilities, and we are committed to developing distinctive products for our customers.”

Samsung cooperated with the Japan-based Asahi Pentax, one of the most respected camera lens providers in the world, to develop a camera module customized for the mobile phone. This partnership began in the first-half of 2003.

The SCH-S250 will be available in the Korean market this October.

SPECIFICATIONS
 
Dimension
115 x 49.5 x 18.5mm
Weight
116g
Band
cdma2000 1x
Display
2.0-inch 16Million-Color QVGA TFD LCD (240x320)
Camera
5 -megapixel CCD Camera
Ringtones
64 Polyphonic Sound
Design
Sophisticated stretch style phone
Memory
32MB External memory(RS-MMC)
Video Recording
100 minutes
Functionality
- Supports Mobile Banking Service/MP3/ TV-OUT/ IrDAl
- Supports TTS (Text to Speech) functionl
- 3D Games & Sounds


Tags: megapixel



Comments
On 21 Aug 13:33 Paul wrote
Well done Samsung, I thought my 5meg Casio Camera was Christmas when I bought it a year ago, but soon found many photo opportunities were lost as soon as I started pointing the camera at people.
I can't wait to try the S250, it will be so much easier to take spontaneous camera shots under the guise of using a mobile phone.
On 9 Aug 12:18 Talulah wrote
i dont lyk it it luks lyk a copy of the samsung

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