Beaming your pictures
If you meet another PalmPix user, you can even beam pictures back and forth. Although it's possible to beam pictures to other Palm device users who don't have the PalmPix software loaded, the receiving Palm device will display the "Cannot find application for data received" error, and the picture will wind up in the bit bucket.

To beam a picture from your PalmPix-equipped device, use the Command-B stroke or tap the Menu button, tap Record, and then tap Beam Image. As the message says, "Make sure the receiving Palm is on the home screen." Tap OK and the selected picture will be beamed.

Kodak should have included a utility that PalmPix users could beam along with the picture for those who don't own a PalmPix or who use Handspring Visors. This would be a perfect application for a Palm-based program like Album To Go (which is bundled with the Palm IIIc). Tech-savvy aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents could really have fun with this. My preschool nieces would really be awed by the "magic tricks" I could do by taking their pictures and then beaming the photos to their Palm IIIc-toting father.

So, how are the pictures?
The PalmPix offers two resolutions. You can take pictures at 320 x 240 (low resolution) or 640 x 480 (high resolution). Regardless of resolution, each picture takes up about 100K of your Palm's RAM, although the frame counter on the PalmPix main menu indicates that you can take a lot more shots using low resolution. Personally, I would just leave the PalmPix in high-resolution mode and perform a lot of HotSync operations, especially since the zoom works only in high resolution.

In my experience, the biggest downfall of the PalmPix is its lack of flash. I found it difficult to keep the unit steady enough to take good pictures in low-light conditions. This was a big disappointment to me, since I could really use the PalmPix in my job as a network consultant. It would be a lot easier and faster to shoot pictures in data centers or wiring closets and drop them into documents instead of making sketches, firing up Visio, and drawing network diagrams. (I suppose I could use a Polaroid camera, but that just doesn't have the same amount of geek chic as the PalmPix.) Unfortunately, the environments where I could really make use of the PalmPix offer less-than-optimal lighting for its needs.

In Figure G you can see a picture I took in a client's data center. It's pretty blurry, which is probably because I didn't hold the PalmPix steady enough for the low light conditions.

FIGURE G


Here's an example of a photo I took in low-light conditions. Roll over picture for a larger image.

I also found it a bit difficult to orient the PalmPix vertically. The shape of the unit and position of the lens are much better suited to horizontally oriented shots.

The picture in Figure H, on the other hand, was shot in bright sunlight with a horizontal orientation. You'll probably agree, it looks a whole lot better than the data center picture.

FIGURE H


This photo, taken in bright sunlight, turned out much better. Roll over picture for a larger image.