Fast capture and transmission of information in a portable device

A method for identifying an event, the method comprising:

• associating a user with a device ID;
• receiving a transmission from the device ID of an image of an event;
• storing at least a portion of the image of the event in association with the device ID;
• and
• using the device ID to associate the user with the transmission.

A portable device comprising:

• a camera;
• a wireless communications link;
• a user control for generating a panic shot mode signal;
• a lockdown mechanism for preventing interruption of operation in response to the panic shot mode signal;
• a capture element to convert an image from the lens into an electrical representation;
• and
• a process for transferring the image to an external destination.

An apparatus for creating a record, the apparatus comprising:

• a user input device;
• a capture device for immediately creating a record of an event in proximity to the apparatus in response to a signal from the user input device;
• a communication link for transferring the record to an external destination;
• and
• a process for inhibiting interruption of the transfer of the record to the external destination.

A method for creating a record with a device, the method comprising:

• inhibiting interruption of the following operations performed by the device:
• creating a record of an event in proximity to the device in response to a signal from a user input control;
• and
• starting a transfer of the record to an external destination.