This has got to be one of the most useless bizarre BlackBerry accessories I’ve ever come across—and I come across a lot of ’em—but I can’t help wanting one just the same. Hong Kong’s Brando, known the world over for its impressive collection of USB gadgets and gizmos, has released what it’s calling a “Mobile Phone Telescope” for the BlackBerry Bold 9000 and Storm 9530. Brando Mobile Phone Telescope for BlackBerry Bold Never mind the fact that the 2.0 megapixel camera on the Bold takes pictures about as well as I can draw them, and I’m no artist. (The Storm’s 3.2 megapixel shooter is better, but its shutter-lag-time, or the time it takes for the camera to actually take a picture after you tell it to, seriously impedes overall usability.) You can now “[o]vercome the short coming of camera cellphone that can only near-sighted, it also makes distant view for you at the moment.” Yeeeeeeeahhhh…okay. The lens ships along with a see-through-plastic case that looks a bit like Seidio’s Innocase and a strap that attaches to the back so you can…uh…dangle your telescope-equipped BlackBerry from your wrist? And it costs just $17.00, plus shipping. Apparently you fit your device with the special case, attach the lens to its backside and you’re ready for some sharp-shooting. The setup seems a bit bulky to me, as you’d need to lug it around everywhere you might want to use it. But if you need to increase the zoom functionality on your BlackBerry’s camera, Brando’s Mobile Phone Telescope is an option, albeit an awkward one. Check out the Storm version here and the Bold here. Not a BlackBerry user? Have no fear, Brando’s also got a version for the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. AS Gizmodo via BerryReview Related content news Google spurs US to ease immigration rules for tech talent Citing a US talent shortage, the tech giant has urged the Department of Labor to expand Schedule A occupations to include AI, software engineering, and cybersecurity roles. By Sascha Brodsky May 01, 2024 4 mins H-1B Visas Hiring Technology Industry brandpost Sponsored by Cisco Reduce your network complexity with AI Jumpstart your AI-enabled network transformation now to achieve multiple benefits. By Matt Landry May 01, 2024 5 mins Networking brandpost Sponsored by SAP Internet startup launches while embracing adoption Internet provider Brightspeed had to replicate information from its SAP solutions to AI-ready, data analytics platform Google BigQuery. SAP’s adoption strategy helped empower the company to become an intelligent enterprise. By Keith Elliot Greenberg, SAP Contributor May 01, 2024 4 mins Digital Transformation feature Expectations vs. reality: A real-world check on generative AI Now with the benefit of hindsight, organizations are more aware of moving cautiously to ensure gen AI delivers rather than disappoints. By Mary Branscombe May 01, 2024 11 mins Microsoft Generative AI Development Tools PODCASTS VIDEOS RESOURCES EVENTS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe