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lifecam

HD Webcam shoot-out: 720p Webcams compared

Paired with free video chat programs like Google Chat or Skype, Webcams are the best way to stay in touch with friends and family from anywhere around the globe. There's a good chance the computer you have now already has a Webcam built in, but a 720p HD upgrade can't hurt, especially for less than $100.

We've rounded up four HD Webcams for your consideration, and though both Logitech and Microsoft offer wide-screen lenses and one-touch uploads to social networks like YouTube and Facebook, our favorite out of the group is the Logitech C510, a solid device … Read more

Microsoft announces a pair of Webcams: LifeCam Show and VX-5500

Microsoft announced two new additions to its Webcam lineup on Tuesday, the LifeCam VX-5500 and the LifeCam Show.

Take the LifeCam VX-5000, replace its Gumby-like rubber tail with a square plastic base, throw in some new 3D video effects and interchangeable faceplates, and you've got the LifeCam VX-5500. The camera body and optics remain the same as the previous model, which means the video quality remains very good, particularly for such an inexpensive Webcam.

The new 3D video effects include face tracking technology, so you can conduct video chats with a distorted head or while wearing a funny hat. You can also share video messages via a Vista Gadget, but you'll need to have a Vista PC and a LifeCam on both ends of the exchange. Maybe Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates exchange video messages this manner, but I doubt many others will find this feature all that useful.

While I liked the flexible yet sturdy Gumby stand on the previous model, the VX-5500's stand provides a solid base whether sitting on a desk or resting on the of a laptop or LCD. And for what it's worth, you can choose among three included faceplate--red, white, and blue.

My early tests with the VX-5500 reveal the same great performance as the VX-5000 that I reviewed earlier this year. Video at 640x480 looks smooth, and the image quality holds up well under low-light scenarios. Fast movement does cause some stuttering and blur, though the same can be said for all Webcams. Aside from the addition of the new 3D video effects, the LifeCam software remains largely unchanged and in need of an overhaul.

The VX-5500 will cost $60 when it starts shipping on September 25.

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Microsoft announces LifeCam VX-5000

Microsoft introduced a new Webcam today. The LifeCam VX-5000 might have made a thoughtful $50 Mother's Day gift had Microsoft released it last week. Instead, it won't be out until June--perhaps in time for Father's Day. With integrated Webcams showing up in an increasing number of laptops and LCD monitors, who is buying a separate Webcam these days? The only person I know who has purchased a Webcam in the recent past is me--for my folks so they can Skype with the grandkids.

Should you be in the market for a Webcam, you should know that the … Read more

A Webcam goes on sale, incognito

The most noticeable feature about this item is that, by looking at it, you can't tell what it is. When we first saw a photo of Microsoft's LifeCam NX-6000, we thought it was a USB drive. (On second thought, it's not gold or bejeweled, so it's obviously our mistake.) Then when we found out it was a camera, we thought it was one of those 007-vintage spy gadgets we always wanted as a kid.

But it's a Webcam, and one made for a notebook at that, so it doesn't look anything like its more … Read more