Next Year's Digital Camera Intel, teaming with HP and Microsoft, promises lower cost and ease of use.
Digital cameras are about to get some much-needed exposure.
With the support of a cadre of hardware and software companies, Intel is teaming up with Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft to make them less expensive PC peripherals. The move, says Intel, will make the digital camera as popular as the printer, the keyboard, and the mouse. So far, Epson, Acer, Polariod, Kodak, and other camera makers support the spec. Price tags for the new devices, which Intel expects will be available in the second quarter of next year, will reflect those savings. The new specification also attempts to solve the problems with PC connectivity, file formats, and drivers that hinder user-friendliness.