Creative's InPerson WiFi video phone outed by FCC

Tough luck Creative, good news Type A consumers. The FCC just outed Creative's unannounced, inPerson wireless video conferencing solution. Not only that, but they've loosed the user manual, external photos, and even splayed the device wide to reveal a VGA camera, built-in dual microphones, and TI DaVinci graphics chip. Here's what they've got coming: 802.11b/g WiFi and Ethernet, 76-degree wide-angle lens with "excellent low light performance," H.264 video with SIP support, rechargeable/removable Li-ion battery, remote control, headphone jack for privacy, and TV-out to view callers on a larger display. The battery can be charged in 5-hours for a 2-hour run when using the built-in, 7-inch, 16.7 million color LCD at 50% brightness. That lifespan increases to about 5 hours when sending the display to the TV. It's also fully integrated with SightSpeed accounts. As such, it features automatic SightSpeed account login, speed dials, call history and contact list management as you'd expect. So is this the device / service mashup that will finally bring ubiquitous distribution of the dedicated video phone promised since the '50s? No. Of course, even the first generation brown Zune can garner buyer hysteria when the price is right. So go ahead Creative, tell us, how much and when?

Gallery: Creative's InPerson WiFi video phone: unannounced, just for you

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[pikkoz @ Dec 19th 2007 6:58AM]

Yeah, you can ALSO make phone calls with this ....

[Nubaeus @ Dec 19th 2007 5:24AM]

"even the first generation brown Zune can garner buyer hysteria when the price is right"

Ipod fanboy?

[Jon @ Dec 19th 2007 5:33AM]

No doubt about it. This is Engadget after all.

[Thomas Ricker @ Dec 19th 2007 5:49AM]

Nubaeus,

Calling somebody a "fanboy" is Godwin's Law 2.0.

Fact is, the brown Zune became Amazon's number 1 seller only after the price dipped below $100.

Thomas

[Josef @ Dec 19th 2007 7:15AM]

Actually, invoking Godwin's Law is Godwin's law 2.0.

Fact is, Engadget writers like yourself have such a hard-on for slamming the Zune that they will introduce little jabs at it in posts that aren't even about MP3 players.

[Constable Odo @ Dec 19th 2007 8:33AM]

Aw, poor babies. The Zune fanboys are about to cry that they're being picked on again. Waaaahhh. Slam and jab the Zune all you want, any chance you get. It's your article. I guess you hit a soft spot in their Zune-filled heads.

[Josef @ Dec 19th 2007 8:43AM]

The only thing that's being "picked on" here is Engadget's last little shred of objectivity. It's almost gone, now.

[Reid Conti @ Dec 19th 2007 11:22AM]

Actually, mentioning Godwin is invoking Godwin's Law 1.0.

[PistolPeet @ Dec 19th 2007 5:43AM]

All that space, and no QWERTY?

[Jagannath A @ Dec 19th 2007 6:44AM]

haha even a newborn would raise this question... WTF were designers thinking ????

[austin @ Dec 19th 2007 8:22PM]

its for video confrencing, i dont think you can even send text messages with it

[Pro7 @ Dec 19th 2007 6:09AM]

Hmh, looks like it was designed 2001.

[Kris @ Dec 19th 2007 9:25AM]

2001? I was thinking more along the lines of Penny's communicator from Inspector Gadget.

[Kozzi @ Dec 19th 2007 6:31AM]

This is a joke right ?

[D3R3K @ Dec 19th 2007 6:54AM]

Singapore designers cant design for shit!

[BeyondtheTech @ Dec 19th 2007 10:39AM]

No doubt they're going to try to charge some heinous monthly fee (like Vialta or Ojo or the failed Logitech VideoCall) for something that Skype, AOL, Yahoo, etc, do for free, just because they have their own interface.

[Ian @ Dec 19th 2007 9:15AM]

Two hours of play back ONLY!

[superfresh @ Dec 19th 2007 9:21AM]

I would by this for $49.99 and not a penny more. Right now you can get a top-of-the-line Logitech webcam on Amazon for the same price.

I gotta say, I don't know whether I applaud the simplicity or not. It might actually be good to keep it simple, but like I said, under 50 bucks.

[Erwos @ Dec 19th 2007 10:05AM]

You do understand that this is a complete SIP video phone, not just a webcam? You can't find a decent webcam with wireless for under $100, forget a fancy-pants portable SIP video phone like this.

If it had Sideshow support, I'd be totally all over it.

[Josef @ Dec 19th 2007 10:40AM]

Open the pod bay doors, Hal.

[rey_rodriguez @ Dec 19th 2007 10:53AM]

What the hell is creative thinking? They should stick on improving their mp3 players.

[ark_v2 @ Dec 19th 2007 12:11PM]

Hum...and that gallery is....?

BTW, the battery life is ridiculous.

[Majortom1981 @ Dec 19th 2007 2:18PM]

This could be great if they sold it to cable companies. Cable companies could rol lout a video phone service with this using the cablemodems. (they already have regular phone service)

[Ray @ Dec 19th 2007 8:15PM]

" So is this the device / service mashup that will finally bring ubiquitous distribution of the dedicated video phone promised since the '50s? "

People in every other country with 3G Networks Launched are using their cellphones to dial video calls already.

Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Europe, etc

What's so special?

This one has a larger screen and use Wi-Fi instead of using of Cellular network, that's it.

[blue122 @ Dec 21st 2007 3:14AM]

This will retail for $300-$350 and will sport a ringer and you'll be able to call other InPerson WiFi video phones. I know you don't believe me now but you'll see when it is officially announced at CES.

[Cody @ Jan 9th 2008 1:32PM]

ACN is launching a similar phone in April and it will be free with a 2 year contract, have a family plan with 4-way video conferencing.

Plus it will come with a phone jack in the back for a cordless base, so you can run VoIP through the whole house!

Looks like ACN beat these guys to the punch.