PhotoFast makes iPad work with a Microsoft webcam, cats and dogs live together
By Tim Stevens 
posted June 7th 2010 10:08AM
posted June 7th 2010 10:08AM
posted June 7th 2010 10:08AM
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cool
@littlea
iPads are for losers
@Dr Lisbon
Said the little kid with no brain...
iPad is for those that see a need for it. If you dont see a need for it, dont buy it. More for me...
@Dr Lisbon
Telling people they are losers on a popular tech blog, is for losers.
@Dr Lisbon iPads Are For Lovers. Just like Virginia.
Fak! another Apple news day on Engadget
@littlea
Yeah, it's cool, but this is what laptops are for. Hm.
@littlea
OMG this is cool and what people want! Quick, Apple needs to put a stop to this immediately...
a DSLR integration would be nice
@littlea
lol what the hell? why does it say 200 mega pixels??
200 Megapixels! Whoah!
@Kilowattson
I was just thinking the same thing....technology these days! sheesh
@Kilowattson And motion 'pictues'.
@koehler83 We truly are living in the age of technology
@Kilowattson Yep, there's some Engrish going on there. Although, looking at the size of the camera you'd expect more than 2 megapixels.
It is WWDC today you know, prepare for a few days of it!
@Kilowattson
LOL @ 200 Megapixels.
It is, how you say? Mowr beddtah!
@Kilowattson exactly what i was thinking ... i think they meant 2.00 MP or at least i hope so ...
@AnAnt No I'm pretty sure they meant 200 megapixels. This webcam is meant for amateur astronomers.
@Kilowattson
Not to be mixed up with America's confusing use of "mega" to mean "million".
The camera just has a sensor size of 200 pixels, but, hooo boy, them's some MEGA pixels!
@Kilowattson I'm an amateur astrophotographer and i still remember stacking webcam images together for a long exposure time image,of course on windows,of course on a fujitsu notebook with some hours of battery(in those times fujitsu siemens laptops were the best for us,there was some lifebook that last something like 7 or 8 hourse with satellite trackings and all)
Apple should have included this from launch.
Anyone who buys an Ipad over a netbook or cheap notebook is getting screwed by Apple.
But, then again, screwing people is what Apple is best at doing.
No one is getting "screwed" by any manufacturer. Anyone is entitled to pay for whatever device they like. I doubt anyone purchased an iPad assuming it came with a camera even though it isn't mentioned anywhere. If that user was happy to pay knowing it didn't have a camera, that's their own choice. Just like your own choice is not to purchase one. Not everyone wants a cheap netbook.
@Nunya Bizness Spec and function wise I say you are right... if you want a full computer for flash gaming, major document editing, ect then get something else... but if you just want a tablet with a decent touchscreen for web browsing, some simple gaming, and other simple things. Then the ipad really isn't that bad of a thing. Although I do admit, it could use a reduction in price. But being overpriced is nothing new to apple, and it will probably be the 2nd generation before apple does any major price reductions.
@Nunya Bizness
I agree with you. My iPad should have come with a darn Camera. It's quite standard these days for ALL devices. Even the cheapest phone out there has a camera for gods sakes.
But Apple did not screw anyone. Sorry, but you cannot compare a Tablet with a netbook/notebook. 2 totally different types of devices...
Why do people keep trying to compare apples and oranges? Netbooks are NOT tablets. Jeeez...
@Almo Screwing as in " making people believe it's normal to not have a camera these days and then adding it a a revolutionary feature in the iPad 2nd gen".
@MaTdg
How are they making people believe? They didn't claim you don't need or shouldn't have a camera. They simply chose not to add one for the launch model. You can choose to not purchase it. If they want to add a camera in the next version, up to them and again up to us if we wish to purchase or not. In a consumer market, there is no reason to trash talk any manufacturer nor their decisions. Simply select what works for you.
@MaTdg I have NEVER once used the webcam in my Acer Timeline or the one in my iMac. In fact, I don't think I've used a webcam in the past 10 years. Why do I need one again?
@Nunya Bizness
now for something completely different
since middle of last year this has been possible, it's been the hardware devs that have been slackers.
Perhaps instead of forcing you to have a whole bunch of stuff you may or may not need.. You can add whatever you need to it. It's called a platform.
The API's for accessories came out with OS3.0. You could have a gigabit Ethernet adaptor, or hdmi, or even wireless USB to a hard drive. got to make it though, or wait till someone does
@Almo
That is a bit apologetic, no? When nearly every netbook on the market costs half as much and includes a web cam ? If anyone is being screwed I'd say it's developers who have spent a lot of time and money investing in the app store ecosystem only to have their innovation selectively controlled by a company that withholds basic features just so they can be introduced in a future model a year later.
Anyway.,.. As for the ipad, I'll wait till it includes a web cam and the price drops another $100.
@icase81 you need a web cam to cyber sex, duh!
@cornelp
Might be coz SJ himself said it was a netbook killer,
oh and a kindle killer
@cornelp
When you introduce a product and say it will replace something... you expect it to be able to do everything the replaced product could do and more. The ipad fails and 90% of what a simple netbook can do. Now if that makes sense in your head then more power to you. Oh and its gonna be nice carrying around your portable device with a backpack full of everything else it needs to do shit. Sound investment my friend!
Yeah, sure, 200 Megapixel.
200 MP and only 640x480 video... what a rip off!!!
Again, why was this NOT built on the device???
@shoman24v
Because a webcam would not be used by all, and if Apple put it on there, what features would they have to sell new iPads next year?
I would rather have the battery life for this years model instead.
@shoman24v
I agree with BMills, but still. They could have included it if it didnt render the battery too much.
Thou, the damn battery on iPads are amazing. 2 days without a charge, and im using it like crazy.
@BMills
Problem with your theory is -- there is tons of extra space inside of the ipad...inserting a small webcam (lets say 1.5MP) would not have compromised any existing features, including battery life.
But the part about the next model, I completely agree -- they did it on purpose so the next model iPad could have possibly HD video output and a webcam, and more ram.
@BMills
I'm not trying to be rude but I have never heard anything about a webcam eating battery power. Especially if it's off.
Not necessarily directed at you but, I think a lot of people use battery power as an excuse for a missing feature on the iPad and that really doesn't seem to be the case at all.
I agree with everyone else, it really should have had a webcam. But you're right, Apple wants the next year's model to sell so they will market it with "a revolutionary new technology... the iSeeyourface".
@Niazac
Its not really my excuse, I think it was Apple's.
They chose to use up the space for the battery.
And I also don't think there is a ton of room in there, have you guys seen the tear-down pics?
The battery would have had to be sacrificed in physical size, not in battery life.
I didn't really mean in terms of battery life.
200 mega pixel better get better resolution than 640 x 480!!!
MS should put a kill switch in the LifeCam to self-terminate once it detects an iPad,
@Pork
I think Microsoft would have a lot of people asking for their money back...
ah at least some out there has heard our cries......
hopefully it will be a small attachment, like the PSP camera -
come to think of it can some hack it to make it work with the ipad????
@kingval you mean ipod?
But yeah, the final version will probably have a plastic clip that takes advantage of the ipads huge bezel.
@Reluttr
yes
@kingval yeay 100$+ because the mighty dictator decided that a 5$ integrated webcam be the next model revolution
I want a hardware developer to create an open, non-app-specific webcam that other apps (like Skype) can connect to and use as a webcam. Since the apps can communicate with hardware since 3.0, theres no excuse for something like this to happen... All the manufacturer would need to do is publish the API keys they use to communicate with the camera, and let the App developers use them.
This webcam doohicky is useless to me but the TV tune DO WANT!
apple is the company that makes awesome products and treat the customers like kinder garden kids. only if they changed their attitude, their products would never actually have an y competition at all.