Motorola's ZN5 Is a Camera with Phone Functions

Motorola has launched a new mobile-imaging handset that combines imaging, software and online storage technology from Kodak with a Wi-Fi-enabled smartphone. Designed to let users click and instantly share photos in several ways, the Motozine ZN5 was to become available Monday from U.S. wireless carrier T-Mobile.
"Who wants to lug around several tech devices during the holidays when one -- the ZN5 -- will suffice, making it easier than ever to snap and share photos with family and friends?" asked Travis Warren, director of device marketing at T-Mobile.
One Touch Sharing
Tipping the scales at 115 grams, Motorola's GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) camera-phone integrates the company's patented CrystalTalk technology, which enables callers to hear and be heard -- even in noisy environments. The handset's 950mAh lithium battery delivers up to 330 minutes of talk time and up to 18 hours of operation in standby mode.
Sporting a 2.4-inch LCD color display (320x240 pixels), the ZN5 includes a microSD slot that offers support for an optional 4GB memory card. The handset comes with an open-source Web browser and built-in Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/i) radio, which means it can double as a Web-surfing device when within range of an accessible wireless network. It also supports SMS, MMS, IM and personal e-mail.
The ZN5 incorporates a TV-output port that will display a slide show on a TV set using an included AV cable. Users also can employ the device's one-touch sharing capability to relay photos instantly and transfer images to Kodak EasyShare printers and other Bluetooth-enabled peripherals.
"We have worked closely with Motorola to create a device that not only delivers Kodak-quality pictures, but allows consumers to explore a wide range of options for sharing their photos with friends and family around the world," said Eastman Kodak Vice President John Blake.
Multi-shot Capabilities
Unlike many camera-phones currently shipping, the ZN5 offers users the look and feel of a high-resolution digital camera with multi-shot capabilities. To transform the phone into a full-blown camera body, the user merely needs to slide open the lens cover. The shutter button, flash and viewer have all been placed in the standard locales where the consumer would expect them to appear.
The camera-phone, which integrates a 5.0-megapixel image sensor, offers shutter speeds of between 1/60-1/1000 seconds in auto mode. The ZN5 also integrates a built-in Xenon flash, together with optimized settings for red-eye reduction and snapping pictures in low-light environments.
The built-in auto-focus locks in less than one second and there are no delays when snapping off multiple shots. And the camera-phone's multi-shot capabilities even include a panorama mode that can automatically stitch together continuous shots with a common horizon line to create a single, extended image.
"The Motozine ZN5 simplifies mobile imaging while empowering users with the tools they traditionally rely on in a digital camera," said Motorola Vice President Dennis Burke.