As a camera, the AMOLED 12M also has 720p video recording (30fps), image stabilisation, face detection, and a Xenon flash. But Samsung hasn’t said too much about the phone side of things, even though it now says it will hit Korean stores next month.

From all reports, it’s likely the phone will use the TouchWiz UI, and have UMTS/HSDPA connectivity, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a slot for microSD cards.

Samsung hasn’t mentioned any plans for the phone outside of Korea, but it’s early days yet. [Sony Hub and Crave Asia]

Apart from its clearly camera design, the Samsung SCH-W880 comes loaded:

• 3.3-inch AMOLED WGA screen.
• UMTS/HSDPA connectivity.
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Bluetooth
• Slot for microSD cards.
• HD video at 30fps
• Macro mode.
• Xenon flash.

We haven’t tried yet, but this looks like the first cameraphone that can actually satisfy the photographer/peeping tom in us. [Samung Hub via HDblog via Engadget]

We can get nervous about the potential quality of such high-res photos and video coming from such a small sensor all we want, but on paper, the GC990 does well: the camera shoots through a Schneider-Kreuznach lens, gets lighting help from a Xenon flash module, and shoots up to ISO 3200, though I can’t imagine the noise levels being anywhere near tolerable.

As for the phone side of this brick, we’ve got a 3.2-inch touchscreen showing LG’s interesting S-class 3D UI. The rest of the specs are a mystery for the time being, but the camera is obviously intended to be the star here. [GSMArena via Slashphone]

First, the Techcrunch take:

Apple has placed an order for a massive number of camera modules of the type that they include in the iPhone. These are inexpensive cameras, in the $US10 range. And the size of the order, our source says, means they can only be used for one thing – the iPods.

That’s not a terribly huge amount of information, but even so, such a move’s objectives are immediately obvious: to enter, eat away at, and eventually obliterate the cheap camcorder space. Here’s how it goes: Apple puts a camera in their iPod Touch; customers already eager buy an iPod are suddenly more eager; customers looking for a cheap pocket camcorder suddenly have a new, price-competitive option with a ton more features than the typical video-recording bricks of the genre.

The iPod Touch has always had near-parity with the iPhone in terms of features, barring the obvious phone features. The other, non-cellular differences—lack of camera, microphone, and for a while, GPS—disturbed this parity, though one assumes they were necessary for reasons of price. Adding a camera would close the gap, mostly eliminating the annoying penalty of buying a Touch over an iPhone.

Techcrunch goes so far as to say the order is big enough to expect cameras in all iPods except the shuffle—a rumour we’ve heard bits and pieces of before. That’d be fine, I guess, but the Touch seems like a much more obvious (and practical and functional) choice: it’s already got the screen, the software and connectivity it needs to be a competitive camera product; Apple just needs to give it eyes. [Techcrunch—Thanks, Matt!]

A lot of Jesus’ comments are totally valid when you look at the price of this handset – $1,099 for a Walkman phone that doesn’t offer the same level of versatility and functionality as a smartphone. While I haven’t played with the W995 myself, I do know that previous versions (W900, W950) did have a really solid build quality and a pleasant design, but to be brutally honest, that just isn’t enough in a world where HTC, Palm, RIM, Apple and even Microsoft WinMo are bringing far superior function to a similarly-priced (or cheaper on contract) device. When it comes down to it, Sony Ericsson really just needs to take their hardware to the next level by upgrading the software that runs their phones. Hopefully they’ll realise that before it’s too late.

[Sony Ericsson]

New Scientist says these researchers are attempting to develop software which can take an image of Mars’ terrain, and identify any geological structures which might house organic matter. The software hopes to accomplish this by analysing the colour properties of images, breaking down the colour, hue and intensity, and pointing out anything that seems irregular in comparison to its surroundings.

All the image processing is done on a computer, which receives the cameraphone images via laptop. The Mars Society says they don’t expect cameraphones to be the weapon of choice in space. As for the locale, the Utah desert was picked as a locale, because like Mars, it’s extremely dusty.

But not everyone has faith in the project. Researchers in the Netherlands claim that algorithm-based imaging software could never replace real geologists because texture matters as much as colour. But Mars Society leader Patrick McGuire thinks future versions of the software will be “superhuman.” I guess we’ll see. [New Scientist]

Obviously, though, the flash-equipped camera is the star of the show here, and while relentless megapixel one-upmanship is fruitless and annoying, the Pixon looks like it’ll be a decent pocket shooter despite its narrow obsession. Touch autofocus lets you choose a focal point with a finger tap, after which the camera will automatically keep focus on its subject. Shooting speed is quicker than average, clocking in at about two seconds per shot. A bevy of online photo services are supported out of the box, and video recording, though not HD, records at a respectable 720 x 480.

The 150MB internal storage is glaringly weak for a camera-centric phone, though I suspect, as is usually the case, that carriers will bundle SD cards when the Pixon finally goes on sale, which will be in June in Europe, and August elsewhere—though not necessarily here. Sorry, Idou! [OLED Info and Akihabara News]

Most phone cameras don’t have shutters for the simple reason that there isn’t any room. Instead of relying on a traditional shutter exposure system, the tiny sensors simply activate for short periods of time, “scanning” a scene and returning a passable, if often blurry, image. That’s fine for certain uses, but makes capturing moving objects or shooting in low light nigh-on impossible.

In an effort to sidestep these concerns altogether, Samsung is developing a micro-shutter, built with 36 pieces of curled film that can be opened or close by applying or withdrawing an electrical charge. The concept is just 2.2mm wide and easily compact enough for use in cellphones.

Samsung doesn’t mention when (or even if) it will commercialise this tech, but for the sake of our poor eyeballs, please, guys, make it soon. [Tech-on]

It’s as if thousands of preteens sharing naughty videos cried out over a direct line into Samsung’s R&D department.

The Samsung SCH-W760 is a pretty typical slider for Korea (the only place it will most likely be released), but it features a 3MP camera that can shoot video calls in the dark. The system uses an old technology, infrared, to capture your black and white video transmission in the absence of visible light.

Just don’t do anything we wouldn’t do, you young adults of Korea. In other words, always pretend that your end of the video transmission is broken and that you’ve “never done this before.” [Telecomes Korea via unwired view]