iWebcamera lets you ditch your webcam for an iPhone
[Image credit: Brian]
Apple iPhone 3GS
Microsoft Windows 7
A look back on popular stories from today in a specific year.

Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Cool, What else could i do with an iphone
@MarcinK
I don't think it does anything else. Pity.
@MarcinK doorstop?
That laptop in the picture has no webcams.
@Dahis
Which is the point eh? why buy a cheap $20 webcam when you can buy $5 software for your gizmo.
@MarcinK
Well, using the iPhone as a mouse/keyboard remote for my HTPC comes close...
@desmo No that's the new EVO's job...4G! No wait, not until July, and not in your area...but it's $10/Month Extra!...awesome....
@MarcinK
You can do the same thing but between iphone and ipad. iPhone camera works on iPad via bluetooth connection.
Where is the front camera?
@MarcinK
What, a mac needs drivers? I thought apple said you only need drivers if you have a windows pc?
@LexaGrey If you are buying apple products $20 is nothing.
@MarcinK Wait, Does the iPhone have a front camera?
...so how do I go about giving him a pink star?
@Nintendo Tim
well first, you both get naked and he...
Err maybe you'd better google it
get this for Android
@TylerJHilliard
they have had it for a while now. just search webcam on the market.
You can't bother to actually review (or even try out) a product before recommending it? I know it says iPhone, but c'mon.
@Brad Hubbard,
They didn't actually recommend it.....
Who would want to use a iPhone as a webcam......with a mac?
@ashleythehottiest
Someone with a broken webcam?
@ashleythehottiest
As a security camera, I would love to. Just to be able to see what's going on elsewhere in the house or monitor a baby would be nice. Go surf the web without neglecting your child and what not.
@ashleythehottiest 30 inch apple monitor sans webcam
@ashleythehottiest
if you don't want to carry your iMac or 30" monitor around the house?
@Mmmm Donuts Ummm... hate to break it to you but if you're surfing the web you're already neglecting your child.
Just sayin'.
@pirco a perfect use for your old iPhone 2G, 3G or even 3GS by month end, hey?
@Mmmm Donuts
but then you have no phone on you
@ashleythehottiest
This plus gorilla pod = cool security/spy option.
Pitiful...
This is why developers love the iDevices. Who in their right mind would buy this App? Yet, here it is getting some great exposure.
@rwalrond
Hopefully they will get it to tie into some of the iPad chat apps… video chat from a flattering angle without a computer.
@rwalrond
People whose cameras are attached to the bezel of their monitors might want this app, which would allow them to relocate the cam or pan it in all directions without lifting the monitor/computer/laptop itself. Also, people whose cams are broken might use this instead. How about people with no cams at all?
Just because you have no use case for this app doesn't mean no one in their right mind will have any use for this app as well. If these developers can carve a niche audience for their services then that is their profit. In fact, if this was available for my phone, I'd consider it, just so I can get my dogs on vidchat with the family without letting them into my bedroom.
@wrathkind You're right, I shouldn't throw stones, I created gimmicky app on the iPhone myself, but seriously, would you not buy a webcam instead of trying to hold you iPhone up to your face while trying to look at the other person on the screen?
@rwalrond
Well, presumably, people who buy this app would either not mind holding the phone up, or will prop the phone up against something (like a stack of books or whatever). In my case, I would want it because it's a $5 wireless cam. To the point: I can't justify buying a separate wireless cam for myself (which are probably >$50), but I can justify a $5 app, lol (irrelevant to me anyway as I don't own an iPhone)!
@wrathkind I think this would also be great quality wise, i mean my $20 has so much noise in the picture and gets horrible frame rates.
So i can use my iPhone's Camera as a webcam but i can't use Wi-Fi to sync to my iTunes Library.
@MarcinK actually you can, you have to be jailbroken though.
@MarcinK
Oh Christ, just jailbreak and quit whining already.
I think it's a good idea for old school laptops that don't have a built in webcam. Also, you can move the camera within the wifi range, while leaving your laptop/desktop in it's place.
Don't all macs have a webcam already built in?
iSight anyone?
@Av4ry not everyone has an iMac or MacBook. I'm using a simple HP Workstation, and it works great with Skype. At home, my webcam broke, and rather than getting another one, I'll just use this. I already have a mic. The quality is better on this anyways. Auto-Focus works too.
@PolarBearTC
I was replying to the fact that it is now compatible with mac.
Useless because all macs have iSight built in.
@Av4ry
Mac Mini, Mac Pro. No webcams.
@Av4ry : A built-in camera only points where the screen is pointing.
What happens if your phone rings while you are video chatting? I would guess your video stream just ends?
@mcolburn With skype, it pauses. I've been testing it out for the past few minutes and it started back up when the call was over.
@PolarBearTC - The camera feed pauses? So you're left with a black screen, but then when you hang up, the video feed automagically comes back up? For limited use on a laptop or desktop with no webcam, that isn't so bad.
Does it work with an iPhone 3g?
Wow!! Windows mobile and Symbian have had apps like this for _years_.
@DoctarPeppar exacly nothing new S60 had an app to make your phone a mouse, a remote contol thru the IRDA which i miss on the new phones it was so much fun going with my sx1 and 6600 to best buy and TGIF and turn off t.v or change channels. the good old days.
@DoctarPeppar
For the iPhone? Really?
Once again, and for the thousandth time, doing it first is irrelevant.