Being online can give the illusion of making a real connection with other people, but looking at still pictures or the occasional video just isn’t the same as seeing a live, interactive person. In-person associations can give you a better reading of the individual’s actual personality. You can distinguish facial expressions, voice tone and other body language cues that just don’t exist in a static profile pic.
Webcams can bring you a step closer and have a variety of applications. Business meetings are given another dimension when you can see the CEO as opposed to blankly listening to an anonymous voice from a speaker in the middle of the conference table. You can also set one up in your home to keep watch on your pets and belongings while you’re away. You check in remotely to make sure Fido isn’t tearing up the plants again. Keeping in touch with family and friends living far away is made that much easier. Most instant messaging services have a video chat option already, making it convenient and easy to get started. Some laptops come with a webcam built in.
Decide what your needs are: Being a small digital cameras, webcams can capture video and still shots and transmit the images either streaming or non-streaming. Streaming being a real-time live feed and non-streaming being a series of stills updated at a set time, like every 60 seconds. Streaming would be best for live chatting, but updated stills from non-streaming would be sufficient for security purposes.
Same with color or black-and-white (monochrome) – if your main purpose is security, a monochrome display will suffice, but if it’s friendly chatting, a color cam would be more fun. Webcams mount differently as well. Some clip on to edges or rest on flat surfaces like tables and such. Consider the space you’ll be using and where the camera will be positioned.
The technology is relatively cheap now, anywhere from $10 and up, so finding something that fits in your budget should be fairly simple. Check the product requirements for compatibility and make sure your computer meets the hardware and memory specs. For the lower to midrange webcams, this won’t be very complicated but if you have an older computer you might want to double-check. Here’s a reasonably priced one found on Smarter.com:
Microsoft Lifecam Webcam: $19.99
Here’s one with personality for kids:
Computer Expressions Dinosaur Webcam: $19.99
For most purposes, you won’t need a hi-def model with night vision capabilities but they’re out there if you do. Something with automatic focus, a decent lens (glass gives better quality images but plastic is fine) and a resolution of around 1.3 megapixels is a good bet. Faster frame rates will have less image flicker but might take longer to transmit online. Mics haven’t been a concern for me since talking on an actual phone has better quality and typing messages is almost as easy, but if it is a consideration for you some have mics built-in and others require a headset for audio.
Finding one to match your needs will be pretty easy with the variety available now.
Shop more webcams at Smarter.com.
