New Panasonic e-wear vs. Apple devices

clonenode

Has anyone seen the new <a href="http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/ewear/sd_av.asp"; target="_blank">Panasonic e-wear</a>? This things appears to be a diskless, tapeless video recorder and digital still camera. Can an Apple version of this be the next Digitial Hub device?

outsider

IF Apple made a digital video and still camera combo device, I would like them to do something new with it. Like a pistol grip with the camera lens on top. Most controls would be thumb operated so you can use it with only one hand and a trigger record button. I have a Handycam and it's great and all but it cumbersom to hold sometimes. i want something light and small that doesn't hurt my hand fter extended periods of use. Disk based storage would be a plus as would batteries in the handle that you load like a pistol would make battery changes sweet.

warpd

The e-wear uses Secure Digital cards as storage. The problem is that they are expensive, slow, and suck! If Apple were to find a way to intergrate the 1.8" hard drive from the iPod into this, it would be BAS ASS!! At 320X240 a 10 gig HD would be able to hold 2-3 hours of mpeg4 video.



Price it at say, $600-$699 (don't forget it is also an iPod) and they will sell them all day long!! <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />



[ 06-10-2002: Message edited by: warpd ]</p>

yurin8or

cool device...but I cant see apple competing with the japanese manufacturers. apple should give me what I want. a g5.



edit: apple should slap a new case and badge on the baby and call it theirs.



[ 06-10-2002: Message edited by: yurin8or ]</p>

bradbower

[quote]Originally posted by warpd:

<strong>The e-wear uses Secure Digital cards as storage. The problem is that they are expensive, slow, and suck! If Apple were to find a way to intergrate the 1.8" hard drive from the iPod into this, it would be BAS ASS!! At 320X240 a 10 gig HD would be able to hold 2-3 hours of mpeg4 video.



Price it at say, $600-$699 (don't forget it is also an iPod) and they will sell them all day long!! <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />



[ 06-10-2002: Message edited by: warpd ]</strong><hr></blockquote>



$700 for a 320x240 camera? <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" /> Flop.

yurin8or

[quote]Originally posted by bradbower:

<strong>



$700 for a 320x240 camera? <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" /> Flop.</strong><hr></blockquote>



adequate for some pr0no action...and the pistol grip would sure help whilst i'm "workin it".

warpd

[quote]$700 for a 320x240 camera? Flop. <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />

<hr></blockquote>



You know, I really don't think so! The e-wear, is selling for $500, and it will not do more than 320 X 240. The very lowest end DV camcorder is one of the Canon's at around $1000. This would occupy the high end of the 320X240 cameras just as the iPod does for mp3 players, it would also be a 10gig iPod/HD, at only $200 more than the current one.



[ 06-10-2002: Message edited by: warpd ]</p>

clonenode

Actually, Canon has a DV camcorder at $599. I think Sony has a low-end model at $699. These are Mini-DV style, which are pretty small. You can get a Sony Digital 8 for under $600 and it will even be backwards compatible with older, analog 8mm tapes (great for people like me that started with that format).



There is a Sony Mini-DV camcorder at $999 that actually has a 1 megapixel chip in it for still photos. This is one of the first video cameras to do this at that price point.



P.S. I know all this because I've seen it at the Apple Retail Store near me. It's what they carry.