This was clearly demonstrated when passengers with camera phones captured harrowing photos of the smoky, chaotic subway tunnels after the London bombings. These pictures were available around the world within seconds.

Indeed, the increasing ubiquity of camera phones is allowing anyone to write history's first draft. Household penetration of camera phones jumped from 2.5 percent to 11 percent between 2003 and 2004, according to PMA, and this growth is projected to continue for the next few years.

Camera phones are already having a social impact. Moblogs (mobile blogs) are being used as citizen watchdog and crime prevention tools, and as instant travel guides. And mobile dating applications that combine images, text messages, and voice conversations are surely having changing courtship rituals.

Soon, camera phones will completely change the way we take pictures and tell personal stories, too. They'll have better cameras, more intuitive software, faster processors, and better wireless capabilities, for faster transmission of voice, photographs, and data.

And it will seem unthinkable to have a phone without a camera. Even the latest digital cameras will appear limited compared to a device that can snap a high-resolution image, add a voice caption, and send it to an online album with just a few clicks.

This freedom is a giant leap for self-expression and storytelling. Digital technology, and the ever smaller and more connected world, is letting us take pictures, and connect with friends and family, in ways never before possible.

Glenn Paulis Chief Technical Officer and Founder of dotPhoto, Inc.