10Meters News Service

December 20, 2002 – As the new year approaches, Nokia gets our vote for the coolest upcoming gizmo: its observation camera.

Nokia Observation Camera

Scheduled for release in the spring of 2003, the Nokia Observation Camera combines a digital VGA camera, GSM transceiver, multimedia messaging (MMS) and simple SMS technology in the same unit. So, what does that mean?

It means, among other things, that the camera can be controlled by sending a text message (SMS) via a mobile phone. In turn, the camera will send back the image it captures to the handset using MMS. The Nokia Observation Camera also responds to PC-based email messaging.

Not nifty enough? Well, this dandy camera also allows users to hear what's going on around it – just give the camera a call to get the real-time audio feed.

It also has a built-in thermometer, which means users can monitor the temperature in the camera's environment – or it can be programmed to automatically notify users if the temperature goes beyond a predefined range.

The camera does not need a text-message prompt to do its job. It can be programmed to take and send images at designated time intervals. And it can be programmed to capture and send images when triggered by a motion sensor. When the motion mode is selected, a picture is taken – and delivered – when an object moves within the camera's frame.

"The possibilities to create new mobile imaging services around the Observation Camera are numerous. You could, for example, check the weather at the golf course before leaving your home to play," said Janne Jormalainen, vice president, Mobile Enhancements Business Unit, Nokia Mobile Phones.

More to the point, said Jormalainen, the camera provides "peace of mind that everything is fine" when you're not around.

The Nokia Observation Camera is slated for shipping in the second quarter of 2003 for markets in Europe, Asia and Africa. For more information visit Nokia.