Verizon Wireless may not be able to put the iPhone on sale—not yet anyway—but the carrier continues to roll out a wide range of handsets intended to appeal to a broad range of mobile users. Among the latest offerings: the Casio Exilim, featuring a "professional" 5.1 megapixel camera and a 180° rotating display.
The Exilim phone’s camera sports a 3× optical zoom, and can snap images from 160 by 120 pixels all the way up to 2,560 by 1,920 pixels. The phone sports a dedicated camera/video key, a variety of shot modes (including night view, twilight, high contrast, sports, and sepia), single- and non-point autofocus, and image stabilization technology. The phone is also ruggedized to be able to take the bumps and shocks of the mobile lifestyle: the camera meets military 810F specs for standing up to water, humidity, salt-dog, shocks, dust, altitude, and extreme temperatures. The display also flips up and pivots 180 degrees—we assume that’s so you can get the perfect photo, not strain your neck trying to talk to your friends.
The Exilim phone also sports Bluetooth wireless connectivity, support for instant messaging, offers up to 8 GB of storage via microSD cards, and can tap into Verizon’s suite of services, including VZ Navigator, Visual Voice Mail, and V Cast Music with Rhapsody.
The Casio Exilim phone is available for $279.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate when purchased with a new two-year customer agreement; the phone is available online beginning today.
