5Megapixels
Latest
Microsoft announces two Live-optimized webcams
Xbox 360 owners aren't the only ones who have a Microsoft-brand webcam to look forward to later this summer, as Redmond will also be gifting Windows Live Messenger users with models of their very own. First in a planned series of cams designed to dumb-down the videoconferencing experience, the LifeCam VX-6000 and VX-3000 both feature built-in noise-canceling microphones, a "Live Call" button which brings up the Buddy Picker window, and software integration with Messenger for camera control and one-click photo uploads to Windows Live Spaces. Consumers looking for better image quality will want to go with the $100 VX-6000, which offers 1.3 megapixel video and stills up to five megapixels (using interpolation, obviously), while the $50 VX-3000 should suffice for those who need only standard VGA resolution. Pre-ordering has already begun on Amazon, but neither of these products will ship until sometime in August.
Creative's Live! Cam Voice sports a mic for video chat
Video instant messaging seems to be taking off in a big way, at least if all those new video features being added by the major IM services are any indication, so Creative has just released a microphone-sporting webcam to let you get in on all the fun. Besides a 1.3 megapixel webcam (which claims to take 5 megapixel stills, but we suspect some interpolation is going on there), the Live! Cam Voice also features a directional microphone which supposedly enhances your chat experience in crowded areas, and even does double-duty as a remotely-viewable motion-activated security cam. When you're doing the chat thing, you can select a smart-face tracking option that uses digital zooms, pans, and tilts to keep you in the picture, but also seems to throttle down the resolution to only 640 x 480. Available immediately under the model number VF1070, this model is being given a suggested MSRP of $99 by Creative, but we already saw it on Amazon for just $84.
