Dial-A-Cam

malloci writes "CNet has this article describing Nokia's new wireless camera. Unlike other webcams though, it is designed to communicate via a GSM network, sendings photos to the user's cell phone."

Comments

Re:Dial-A-Cam Uses

[Eevee]

Just because you have POTS in an area doesn't mean you want to pay to run it to the camera's location. For example, let's say you're curious what kind of birds are visiting the birdfeeder in the back of you yard while you're at work. (Trust me, there are people this weird in the world.) Slap the camera on the stand, aim at the feeder, and you're good to go.

Probably not allowed

[afidel]

Most cell networks have explicit sections in their data provider agreements that forbid applications like security cameras. Trust me they have already thought of how much of a drain a bunch of cameras constantly sending pics would be on their network and made it so they can shut your service off if they find you doing something like this.

North American problem only

[JoeBuck]

The need for new area codes only affects countries like the US and Canada, that use fixed-length telephone numbers. Europe uses a variable-length approach that lets frequently dialed numbers be short, while numbers for devices can be as long as you want. You can hand a prefix to an organization and they can populate it with phone numbers however they want, much like DNS. You never have to change phone numbers.

Re:Rebirth of the web cam and accountability

[Concerned Onlooker]

I remember visiting a web cam site years ago in which the owner's philosophy was that problems didn't arise out of too little privacy but out of too much privacy. The idea is that the more people think they're under observation the better they'll behave, as in a quote I can't remember the source of (paraphrased):

There's nothing better to assure proper behavior than a good upbringing, strong morals...and witnesses.

Not that I necessarily agree with this but it's an interesting viewpoint.