Registered: Sep 1999
Location: at work...
Posts: 736

Got this in my mail this morning:

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The new eyemodule2 is a feature-rich digital camera module that turns your Visor handheld into a convenient image capture device. Snap the camera into the Springboard expansion slot, and you�re ready to capture images and Mini-Movies, then view, label, and beam them to other PalmOS� devices. Images and Mini-Movies are viewed in real time on the Visor's screen and can be captured using a single- or multiple-image timer.

The compact profile of the eyemodule2 makes it perfect for pictures at a moment�s notice: a whiteboard at the end of a meeting, a dream house that just came on the market, a sign in Japanese (so you'll remember it next time), new faces at work, friends at a party, a snapshot of where you parked the car, nieces and nephews, or construction in process.

Install the included software on your Windows or Macintosh computer to automatically save images as JPEGs and Mini-Movies as QuickTime(TM) movies, which you can then view, e-mail, and print from your desktop computer.

Features:
Full VGA resolution - 640x480 pixels color
Mini-Movies
Thumbnail viewer
Annotate & categorize images & Mini-Movies
Beam images & Mini-Movies to other PalmOS devices
Upload images to the handheld with eyedrop(TM) software
eyecontact(TM) address book utility included

Barely there: adds only 20 mm to the length and practically no weight to the Visor

* A Visor Prism handheld with 6 MB free memory can hold:
- Over 50 Full Size color images or
- Over 150 Palm Size color images
- Over 20 sec. of color Mini-Movies

* A B&W screen Visor handheld with 6 MB free memory can hold:
- Over 50 Full Size color images or
- Over 660 Palm Size B&W images
- Over 85 sec. of B&W Mini-Movies

Hurry and click here to order your eyemodule2!

http://www.palmgear.com/hs/products...amp;prodcatID=5

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While they appear to have addressed the resolution issue, the eyemodule2 still lacks a pivoting lens. Even more importantly, with the greater resolution, this module is just crying out for some on-board memory. I mean, who actually has 6 MB of free memory on their Visor???


[Edited by Rob on 02-12-2001 at 11:42 AM]

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Inglewood, CA, USA
Posts: 390

quote:

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Originally posted by Rob
* A Visor Prism handheld with 6 MB free memory can hold:<...>

* A B&W screen Visor handheld with 6 MB free memory can hold:<...>

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No Flash? So we would still have to use our own internal memory? Bummer.

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"Attitudes are contagious... Is YOURS worth catching?"

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 117

yeah, that's lame

It would make it bigger, but integrating a CF adapter or MMC or any removable expansion card system should be a priority for this company.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

Sounds very impressive on paper. I just wish I there were a website with EM2 pictures. Eyemodule's site as of this morning doesn't acknowledge the EM2's existence, let alone have pictures from the new product in the gallery. Hopefully, that'll change soon.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

quote:

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Originally posted by narnia_77
No Flash? So we would still have to use our own internal memory?

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Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Inglewood, CA, USA
Posts: 390

quote:

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Originally posted by Gameboy70

quote:

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Originally posted by narnia_77
No Flash? So we would still have to use our own internal memory?

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Hasn't that always been the case with the eyemodule? The company has answered our number one complaint: poor resolution. While it would've been great to throw Flash memory in the package, I appreciate the challenge of packing everything we want in an unobtrusive module. I've got room on my Visor, as well as an extra 2MB on my Memory Access card. Still, there's always the next version . . .

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That's one of the reasons I didn't buy the first generation EM - no space on my Visor to take pictures. Gameboy70, you are one of the few people I know that only uses a small part of the given 8mb. I'm always going through "clean-ups" - fighting to keep 1mb free.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Indiana
Posts: 84

When/if I get a prism, I'll pick up an E2. Until then, I'll stick with my E1. Wish they would have added a flash!

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

quote:

---

Originally posted by narnia_77
That's one of the reasons I didn't buy the first generation EM - no space on my Visor to take pictures. Gameboy70, you are one of the few people I know that only uses a small part of the given 8mb. I'm always going through "clean-ups" - fighting to keep 1mb free.

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 431

Lack of Flash on the eyemodule is a problem. I still want the eyemodule2 though.

I called Block Products support to find out if they have an upgrade or rebate program for current eyemodule owners. I was given the story that eyemodule2 is a "not yet announced product" and that info will become available on http://www.eyemodule.com (which does not any info yet on eyemodule2). I pointed the tech support person to http://www.palmgear.com/hs and he saw for himself that the eyemodule2 is for sale there. He wanted to know if PalmGear was like eBay...

Anyone have any news on rebates or upgrades?

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Here
Posts: 213

Picture and Spec of the Eyemodule2

I can't find any pictures and physical specs of the eyemodule2 other than the pic on palmgear. If anyone has some good picture links please post.

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Posts: 33

Eyemodule2.Com?

Interesting. For the moment, eyemodule.com isn't even coming up. I'm not sure if it's just not resolving 'cause of my DNS server or if the site's offline...

I did realize last week that our friends at IDEO snagged eyemodule2.com way back in October of last year... but I doubt they'd use it to launch a site.

The boosted resolution is nice, but I'm wondering if getting print-worthy images is worth what has got to be a major boost in memory consumption. And now that it's bosting full-screen (albeit small screen) pixels of 640x480, people are definitely going to compare it to the throwaway digicams you can get at any Sears that sell for less than half...

Aw heck, though. If I went eyemodule shopping today, I'd probably spring for the eyemodule2 anyway. But we can still dream for more onboard memory (MMC?), a swivel lens and a flash (IR?) in the eyemodule3.

Though especially curious to me is that, for now, the original eyemodule is still being MSRP'd at $149. How expensive are those components?

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<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><a href="http://lightfantastic.org/eye/"><img src="http://lightfantastic.org/eye/ryanozawa/w-beach3-sm2.jpg" width="80" height="60" border="1"></a></td>
<td valign="top"><font size="2">Ryan Kawailani Ozawa<hr size="1" color="#ff0000"><b>eye</b>browse > eyemodule gallery & users' group<br><a href="http://lightfantastic.org/eye" target="_blank">http://lightfantastic.org/eye</a></font></td></tr></table>

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 384

So how much memory for 1 picture?

How much visor memory does 1 full size color picture consume? 1 palm-size B&W picture?

I have about 1mb free on my platinum, and I'm trying to decide if the EM2 was feasible to get. I really wish that the EM2 would have internal memory, but that would probably drive its price up. What we really need is someone in the States that would do internal Visor upgrades to 16mb!

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Fat's

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Burlington, VT, USA
Posts: 127

Well, one problem with the original eyemodule is that it stored all of its images in one database. So there was no way that you could move some images to a Flash card when you were on the road, to make room for more.

If they were stored as individual files (the way Doc files are), you could move them to a Hagiwara 16MB card, drop the eyemodule back in, and take quite a few more pictures.

It'll be interesting to see if the eyemodule2 software maintains this storage structure, or has some provision for moving images off to other media when you're on the road.

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Posts: 33

Image Databases

A good question, Dennya. I was just re-reading the press release and gave more thought to two of the additional features of the eyemodule2. In addition to "mini-movies" (now that will eat memory), it mentions:

"Upload images to the handheld with eyedrop(TM) software"

Which does answer one question frequently asked about whether we could, for example, swap in an especially nice photo into an eyecontact record (versus relying entirely on the eyemodule to take it). But I wonder if these uploaded files are again just added to the application's sole database...

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<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><a href="http://lightfantastic.org/eye/"><img src="http://lightfantastic.org/eye/ryanozawa/w-beach3-sm2.jpg" width="80" height="60" border="1"></a></td>
<td valign="top"><font size="2">Ryan Kawailani Ozawa<hr size="1" color="#ff0000"><b>eye</b>browse > eyemodule gallery & users' group<br><a href="http://lightfantastic.org/eye" target="_blank">http://lightfantastic.org/eye</a></font></td></tr></table>

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Posts: 33

Eyemodule Site Updated!

By the by, the site's been relaunched (must've been within the last half-hour or so). It includes a totally new gallery of Eyemodule2 pictures, and mini-movies:

http://www.eyemodule.com/gallery/e2/index.asp

Wow. Despite the lack of all the other dream features mentioned here, the boosted resolution does make a world of difference. Many more realistic applications than "just for fun." Though at what looks like as much as 262K... whew!

Also I didn't notice 'til I saw the site that the lens isn't swivel-able, but it is at an angle... Fewer awkward wrist positions to get basic shots.

No sign of EyeDrop as a standalone app yet, though.


[Edited by eyebrowse on 02-12-2001 at 02:29 PM]

__________________
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><a href="http://lightfantastic.org/eye/"><img src="http://lightfantastic.org/eye/ryanozawa/w-beach3-sm2.jpg" width="80" height="60" border="1"></a></td>
<td valign="top"><font size="2">Ryan Kawailani Ozawa<hr size="1" color="#ff0000"><b>eye</b>browse > eyemodule gallery & users' group<br><a href="http://lightfantastic.org/eye" target="_blank">http://lightfantastic.org/eye</a></font></td></tr></table>

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 231

IT's UP!!

I just checked the eyemodule site and it is back up, complete with the E2. There is also a gallery. Check it out!

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: USA
Posts: 54

I'm using the EM1 and also Handspring's nice photo Album software. It is nice how the Handspring album will show the EM pics as well. Anybody else using that? That way, you can upload pics to your visor.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Posts: 790

This page shows that the lens is now pointed down somewhat, so that the Visor's screen can be tilted a little bit when you are taking images, instead of having to look straight down on the screen!

This is one of the best new features!

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Jeff

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Oakland, CA USA
Posts: 61

****From the eyemodule.com eyemodule2 FAQ's***
How many images can I store?
The eyemodule2 application takes less than 100K on your handheld.
A Visor Prism with 6MB free memory can hold:
� Over 50 Full size VGA color images
� Over 150 Palm size color images
� Over 19s of color mini-movies

A Visor Deluxe or Platinum with 6MB free memory can hold:
� Over 50 Full size VGA color images
� Over 660 Palm size B&W images
� Over 83s of B&W mini-movies

....
Full size images are 640x480 pixels. They are stored as JPEG files, which are supported by most image viewing software and web browsers.
Palm size images are 160x120 pixels (the same resolution as the handheld screen) and are uncompressed on the handheld but converted to JPEG format when transferred to a computer.
*****

So it seems that the 640x480 pictures take up about 120K each, I guess because they're JPEGs on the handheld itself. (6MB/50 pictures = 120K)

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 604

I have the EM 1, and I must confess to being tempted to go out and purchase its successor. However, I've got the same problem mentioned by several other folks - not a lot of free memory. On average, I've usually only got 2 mb free - it varies a bit depending on how many docs I'm carrying around. I only have that much because I have 2 mb loaded up into my Innopak 2V.

I'm surprised they didn't include some type of additional storage option, be it Flash memory or maybe something removable. They must have decided form factor was paramount, or perhaps there was a battery consumption issue.