Spy-sized camera for a Bond on a budget

By PETER GRIFFIN

A couple of decades ago, a gadget like the Key007 may have popped up in a John LeCarre novel or James Bond flick - the ultimate tool in espionage.

Now miniature cameras, usually of the digital variety, are everywhere. Many are built neatly into mobile phones.

Philips probably has teenagers in mind with its 30g, 1.3 mega-pixel camera. although the model number - 007 - has covert connotations.

Compact, small and with the minimum of controls, the 007 is the ultimate point-and-shoot camera.

To get started, simply slide a dial to uncover the lens and power up the camera, peer through the rather murky viewfinder and press the button.

A beep is the only indication the shot has been taken.

There is no digital viewfinder to line up shots or even a digital display to tell you how many shots you have left. Instead a little light flashes when you have less than 3MB of memory left in the 64MB flash memory - which can hold hundreds of low-resolution shots.

These days, entry-level for digital cameras of any quality is 2 megapixel, which reflects badly on the 007.

The shots it takes aren't great.

They are often fuzzy or blotchy in colour, especially those shots taken at any distance or if there is the slightest motion in the frame.

And the 007 doesn't have a flash so it is dependant on other light sources.

A lanyard allows you to hang the camera around your neck.

Printing the pictures gives average results. But these days there is a trend towards distributing photos among friends via email and, for that, the 007 is ideal.

Photo Manager software packaged with the camera allows you to file your shots in albums, but they can also be dragged off the device via plain old Windows Explorer which detects the 007 as a removable drive when it is plugged in via its USB connector.

The 007 can also carry files, making it a good device to transfer information between computers.

But the fact is, 2 megapixel cameras sell for a few hundred dollars and often come with flash memory cards that can also be used to carry files.

And phones such as the Sony Ericsson P800 (which also comes with Memory Stick storage), the Alcatel One Touch 735 and the Sanyo GX-10 all boast similar quality digital cameras.

That leaves the 007 looking underpowered but ideal for kids not to be trusted with more expensive cameras or mobile phones.

The Key003 has the same dimensions as its camera cousin, but serves a different purpose - blasting out your favourite songs.

The 003 has the usual miniature mp3/WMA player capability. It's light and easy to use, but tight on memory, just 64MB, though a version with 128MB is available. But the fall in price of flash memory and the lure of iPod-style devices carrying gigabytes of storage, make these memory sizes pitiful.

At 64MB you can get about an hour of standard music on to the 003, roughly an album's worth. Data files can also be stored on the 003 and dragged off in Windows Explorer. Music Match software allows you to organise your library of songs via the PC.

The 003 is minimalist on functions, with one switch for two different modes - off/charge and play/download.

All the controls, identifiable by a series of orange dots, are built into the accompanying lanyard. This takes a while to get used to, but hides the volume and track controls nicely. An in-line remote is also available.

The sound is surprisingly good - crisp and with adequate base at three-quarters volume.

The inbuilt battery, rechargeable through plugging in the USB connector, gives about 6 hours of play time, and an AAA battery adds 10 hours of life.

The 003's greatest attribute is its compactness and easy wearability.

But it is a basic device.

True music lovers would be better off stumping up for more control over their listening pleasure - and more memory for storing songs.


Philips Key007 Wearable digital camera

$199 (128MB version $299)

Pros: easy to use, lightweight, USB-based

Cons: low-quality shots, limited storage

Rating: 6/10


Philips Key003 Wearable mp3 player

$199 (128MB version $299)

Pros: compact, easy to use, good sound.

Cons: low storage, lacking features.

Rating: 7/10

Philips