From picturephoning.com I read an article in 160 characters about Earthcam offers a webcam service that enables cellular phone users to view webcams -- including images from their own computer-based web camera -- on their phones.
Subscribers need to download Earthcam's Broadcaster software in order to transmit webcam images from computers to their handsets. The software permits motion detection with SMS alerts.
You may sign up for a free basic account that enables you to post 12 photos to an online album as well as search and view webcams on a cellular phone. The account doesn't include Broadcaster for transmitting webcam images.
For that you need to pay $2.99 per month for a Premium membership that also allows you to post an unlimited number of photos online in ten photo albums. You may also subscribe for only three days for $.99.
Viewing problems
I signed up for a basic account and also tried looking at the webcams on Earthcam's site using my palmOne Treo 600 -- without logging into the Earthcam site with my e-mail address and password. The Web page -- as viewed on the Treo -- is divided into frames, making it impossible to view the photos except for some scrolling up and down or sideways. Even then, it's not really practical.
I wonder if that's a function of the browser (I can view the webcams just fine from my desktop browser) or whether Earthcam intentionally codes the pages to prevent viewing the webcams in order to encourage people to register for its service.
I tried looking at the photos by logging in to Earthcan's mobile site but the Treo's browser kept crashing and resetting. I believe this is not caused by Earthcam but, rather, the result of a corrupted database file on the Treo and needs to be deleted.
So I cannot, alas, say whether the webcams can be easily viewed on a cellular phone. I assume they can.
Worth subscribing?
The article notes that Earthcam has been discussing partnerships with cellular operators and expects to announce agreements in the second quarter of this year.
If you only want to post camera phone photos or regular digital camera phone photos to an online album, you don't need Earthcam. There are plenty of free moblog hosting services. Just look at the list of "Moblog Hosting Companies" on the left column of this Weblog.
But if you want to broadcast images from your computer, Earthcam might be well worth it. (I haven't tried the broadcasting service.) Also, the ability to look at webcams can be fun and useful.
Usefulness
In the useful category are traffic cameras (how many of you would like to be able to quickly view traffic conditions while you're on the road?) and webcams that could broadcast breaking news events. Of course, the ability to check on your house, children, pets at home via a webcam has value, too.
There are a variety of home security/remote control packages that include webcam access. Verizon Wireless and Logitech debuted a simple webcam application more than a year ago, as I previously wrote. I haven't heard anything about how its doing.
But until "smart homes" become common, webcam broadcasts are still for the tech-savvy. Perhaps companies like Earthcam could spark greater use of home webcams.
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