An interesting patent application came to light via PatentlyApple yesterday. The patent, titled “Camera as Input Interface,” was filed by Apple in August 2008 and details a means of controlling an iPhone by swiping a finger across the device’s camera lens. The patent proposes using the iPhone’s camera, which is typically idle when the user is on a call, to control voicemail options such as rewind, fast forward, and pause while the iPhone is at the user’s ear:
Read more…

A new Apple patent application entitled “Apparatus and Method for Compensating for Variations in Digital Cameras” depicts a front facing camera on a handheld device.

According to AppleInsider the patent says that the current manufacturing process for digital video cameras is inconsistent and often results in flaws. Camera modules are manufactured separately as independent units before they are incorporated into a larger device, such as an iPhone or iPod. This results in cameras with minor variations in lens thickness, color response, wavelength cutoff, and more. Read more…

Qik Video Camera, an application which provides video recording capabilities for any iPhone, has been updated to version 4.5

Finally, a quality Video Camera for any iPhone! Facebook and SMS sharing, Effects, Zoom, up to 15 FPS, Brightness control, Audio boost, Landscape mode, Email sharing and more!

What’s New In This Version:
• Effects now for 3GS too
• Share to Facebook, SMS, email
• 5 cool new effects
• Even better video quality, especially with effects
• New UI with on-screen effects
• Better handling of large videos over email
• Improved playback of rotated videos on various video players
• Other enhancements and fixes

You can purchase Qik Video Camera from the App Store for $1.99.

[Via iclarified.com]

There will be five Apple-branded iPad accessories available at launch. We already mentioned a few of them earlier, but here is the complete rundown (with official product photos):

iPad Keyboard Dock
The Keyboard Dock is a dock for charging your iPad, integrated with a full-size keyboard. The dock has a rear 30-pin connector, which lets you connect to an electrical outlet using a USB Power Adapter, sync to your computer, and use accessories like the Camera Connection Kit. And an audio jack lets you connect to a stereo or powered speakers. The dock will sell for $69. Read more…

The just released iPad Emulator contains functionality that suggests the iPad was supposed to have a camera.

Crunchgear found that within the iPad’s contacts application is an “Add Photo” button. When pressed the button pops up a menu asking you to “Choose Existing Photo” or “Take Photo”. If you press the “Take Photo” button it opens a preview window which is supposed to display what the camera sees.

So what’s going on here? Did the iPad once have a camera, and it was pulled on such short notice that they didn’t have time to strip it out of the software? Read more…

Reiterating previous reports, MacRumors has heard that the Apple Tablet will indeed have a front facing camera.

Despite conflicting reports, we have reason to believe that the upcoming Apple Tablet will indeed carry a front facing video camera as recently described in the Wall Street Journal, “This person said Apple has experimented with the ability … for the gadget to automatically recognize individuals via a built-in camera.”

You can read up on the latest Apple Tablet rumors here.

[Via iClarified.com]

Apple has moved to obtain large quantities of LED camera flash components, according to an AppleInsider report.

The site has learned that Apple is seeking allotments of LED camera flash components in the tens of millions for delivery during the 2010 calendar year. Due to their sales volume the iPhones and maybe even the iPod touch are the most likely recipients.

Their same sources believe that the Philips’ Lumileds Lighting sector may have already secured the win for this contract.

Its thought that Apple will use the Philips LUXEON LED camera flash technology which combines the brightness of regular lighting with the long life and tiny size of LEDs. This technology is commonly used with 5+ megapixel cameras and has successfully shipped over 200 million units worldwide.

The LEDs could also be used to provide light for video recording and flashlight applications.

Via iclarified.com

Snappy is a camera app for the iPhone that launches quickly without having to exit your currently running application.

Snappy is also accessible directly from your lock screen. Simply tap and hold the status bar (the bar at the top of the screen with AT&T logo, signal bars, battery, etc) to launch and you are immediately ready to take pictures; compare that to the five to six seconds it takes to exit a running application and launch the native camera app.

What’s New in Version 2.0
- Video for 3gs (with option for video as default on launch).
- MMS for MMS enabled devices.
- Geo tagging.
- Faster image writing.
- More complete handling of device orientation.
- Various bug fixes.

You can purchase Snappy from the Cydia Store for $1.99.

Via ispazio.net

DigiTimes reports that OmniVision Technologies has secured orders from Apple for 5-megapixel camera sensors destined for the next-generation iPhone. Sources report that the OmniVision is expected to supply Apple with 40-45 million sensors in 2010 for the new iPhone, reportedly set to launch in the second half of the year.

OmniVision Technologies is expected to see CMOS image sensor (CIS) orders for Apple’s iPhone devices grow to 40-45 million units in 2010 from 20-21 million estimated this year, according to industry sources. The sources said OmniVision has secured 5-megapixel CIS orders for the next-generation iPhone model, which will hit shelves sometime during the second half of 2010. Read more…

Snaptap allows you to take pictures using volume controls instead of using the small / hard to find touch button at the bottom of your camera app. This app should also work with most camera applications.

• Take photos easily by using the volume controls.
• Finally take self-portrait pictures without figuring where to press.

After downloading the deb do the following, thanks to iPhonix91 over at xsellize for the upload.

• Rename the downloaded deb to snap.deb and copy it to var/mobile on your iphone
• Open up mobile terminal and do the following (Or use ifile to install)
• Type in su (press return)
• Type in alpine (press return)
• Type in dpkg -i snap.deb (press return)
• Reboot or Respring and enjoy

Note: There is no app icon for this, all you have to do is open your camera application and use the volume buttons to take pictures.