Popular Web Cam Brands
Remember the days when the only modes of communication were either by phone call or writing a letter? I sure do. Times have changed and we have technology to thank for that. Web Cams have not been around for a long time but have been important in what they have afforded us to do. They changed the way we communicate.
So where and when were the first Web Cams in use? The first one was employed in 1991 at the Computer Science department of Cambridge University. It interestingly was pointed at the Trojan Room coffee pot and stayed in use until August 22, 2001. The final captured image is still viewable at its homepage. Shortly thereafter, companies like Apple and others began building Web Cams directly into laptop and desktop screens therefore doing away with the need for a Firewire webcam or external USB. Today they are in use everywhere from IM messaging services like Yahoo and Google, to its use for remote communication and video conferencing systems. It incorporates real interactive dialogue with the ability to actually see the person you are speaking with. It now has countless applications in our everyday lives at home and at work.
There are many versions of Web Cams that come in a wide range of prices from those that are less than $30 to the better ones that can cost you over $100 and beyond. There are three that have been mentioned in high regard. The Microsoft LifeCam VX-5000 has a price point of around $35, is inexpensive and great for video chats with a 640-by-480 pixel resolution for video. The Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 has the best quality of image of most webcams with a price tag of around $80. And the Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks designed especially for portability with its ability to clamp easily to most laptops and is also priced at $80. There are many different brands of software as well. Three that are popularly used are Skype and Google Talk, which are very popular for home users, and aMSN, which supports several networks such as MSN, Yahoo!, ICQ, and AIM. In fact, aMSN is the one that is widely used.
Overall there are webcams and webcam software specially made for everyone’s needs. It all depends on how much a person or business wants to spend and what it will be used for. These days you have countless choices.