Time for a "wireless camera" association?

Perhaps I'm letting my enthusaism for camera phones get the better of me, but I wonder if there's a need for a wireless camera association. I'm specifically discussing "wireless" rather than "camera phones," because you don't need a camera phone to send a photo wirelessly.

Indeed, at least two digital cameras offer the ability to transmit photos via WiFi, such as the new Nikon D2H with a compact flash slot. Also, there are surveillance cameras that incorporate cellular capabilities -- not for voice -- but for transmitting images. The Nokia GSM GPRS-based "Observation Camera" is an example.

A big ecosystem to represent

When you examine the entire "ecosystem" of wireless cameras, you realize this is already not only a huge business, but also a business with numerous components, constituencies and issues.

I know a bit about trade associations because I helped create and develop the first association for "radiotelephones" (before there was cellular) and pagers. That association, Telocator Network of America, is now the Personal Communications Infrastructure Association (which is a shadow of its former glory, alas, and focuses on towers rather than the entire wireless industry).

Wireless camera association activities

Here are some suggestions for what a camera phone association could accomplish:

* Monitor legislation around the world that would effect the wireless camera business

* Promote interoperability among all camera phones using all technologies

* Serve as a resource for wireless camera statistics, case studies and other information for both the industry and consumers

* Develop conferences, seminars and tutorials about wireless cameras

* Develop printed and Web based resources about the wireless camera industry, including directories and guides

* Foster discussions among all areas of the industry: Handset vendors, digital camera manufacturers, components manufacturers, cellular operators, WiFi providers, software developers, chipset developers, printer manufacturers, etc.

A place for a new association

Certainly there are other wireless associations, such as the powerful Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Assocation (for which my partners and I have conducted wireless data tutorials for eight years). But the CTIA focuses on lots of issues, and wireless cameras are a small blip on the association's radar screen.

I think a wireless camera association could accomplish a lot of useful things. But, times are tough, and not many companies are willing to pay dues (typically rather high) to fund a new organization.

Comments

[Joe]

I'm looking for this very functionality for a project at work. I have found many digital cameras that can do WiFi Ad-Hoc networks but I have NOT observed Windows CE devices connecting to other Windows CE devices via 802.11x wireless. Bluetooth is too slow for high quality pictures. I think the reason why Windows may have withheld ad-hoc connectivity between CE devices is because carriers will lose profits on laptop data plans.