Web Cameras are PC and Mac tools that improve our communication abilities by allowing us to see each other from great distances. Nearly everyone that owns a laptop has one including myself. Instead of communicating through words on either MSN messenger or Facebook, users can communicate to each other physically (well as close to physically as you can without meeting them in person).
Some web cams are better than others such as, some allow you to speak to each other while less advanced cameras still need you to communicate through MSN and type what you saying however you can still see each other. Picture quality varies depending on what laptop or portable web cam you have purchased but they're all good in some way. The one I have is only 1.3 mega pixels but it is enough to make my conversation experience better. One webcam that i would recommend is the Logitech Quickcam Zoom webcam. Its around £30-£40 and offers you 640-480 pixel visuals and a built it microfone. This is really for those who don't have a laptop and want a portable plug-in one, if your after a good long lasting webcam with basic skills but a reasonable price i would gofor this one, plus it looks good. For more information and a full review on the Logitech webcam visit this website: http://www.ciao.co.uk/Logitech_QuickCam_Zoom__5330773#productdetail
Webcams have even been developed for high definition consoles such as the Xbox 360, which can offer better quality visuals and less lagging.
How is it Changing and is there a Future?
People use webcams on a daily basis for communicating with business partners or coligues, or just chatting with friends. Because of this companies are always trying to best one another and improve their products to give consumers more entertainment and better quality images. One company in particular has shot ahead from the others to produce a new and interesting way of veiwing each other and communicate at quicker speeds.
Teliris has taken the normal webcam design, thrown it away and have upgraded it for company and business use. The Teliris Virtualive Telepresence is a new form of webcam in that you still communicate live but in much much greater detail and a lot less lag. The picture is smooth without skips or jumps like on some webcams (including mine), making it feel much more live and in person. You forget there just video on a wall and think there actually there. They use huge screens instead of a single lens so you can see on a wider scale, these can then be linked up to show an entire room rather than the persons head and shoulders. These are mainly used for things like board meetings and seminars like the images below:
As for the future of webcams Cisco has developed Teliris concept and design and produced a new and interesting way of communication. When i first saw it i thought it was fake and obviously acted out, so I looked into it and realised it was actually in the process of being made. This new form of physical webcam which at the moment is called Virtual Telepresence will completly change the way we communicate with each other and send information. They have developed a webcam that projects the live person from hundreds of miles away (or any distence) onto a stage or room as if they were actually there. Just imagine if you have two places to be at once, say a board meeting and your office to catch up one work. Instead of only having to choose one place to be you can simply go to your office and then project yourself into the confrence room via a camera and projector. Here's one good example from Cisco:
I personally think that webcams will eventually all be like Cisco's, as the man said we'll be communicating like Star Trek. Although this methos is currently in development and look to only be used by businesses, I think Cisco or another company will develop it for families worldwide so then everyone can communicate with each other live and 'in person'. I think that in the years to come this new form of communication will be the main form of communication. This could also be incorporated into portable devices such as mobile phones. Imagine recieving a phone call from a friend on a mobile and then when you answer a holographic projection of your friend is displayed live to interact with in a more personal way.
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