Lights!, Camera!, Action!

Annie Takano from Mililani writes: “I’m thinking of getting a webcam but I have no idea what is the best to get. I tried to do a Yahoo! search, but a lot of things came up and it’s too complicated for me to ‘understand’ all those things. I want a camera that I can be able to use for sending video e-mails and instant messaging. I’ve seen some of my friends’ cameras, but I don’t like the ones that seem like you’re watching a slow motion movie. But please, don’t recommend something that’s way too expensive.”

Well, Annie, as you did your Yahoo! search, you know there are tons and tons of web cameras out there, but I think I’ve got just the one for you. The Creative WebCam Live! Ultra was just released earlier this month and it’s the newest edition to Creative’s line of webcams. The WebCam Live! Ultra is very user-friendly and offers decent quality resolution. The resolution on the video is 640x480 pixels and the still pictures are 1.3 megapixels. The video quality is smooth and clear, however the color may come out slightly flat and dark if you’re in a low light situation. Not only will this camera work beautifully for your purposes of instant messaging and video e-mails, it also does smart face tracking. The camera follows and zooms in on your face as you move.

It also comes with a microphone headset that allows for better privacy and clearer voice over the Internet compared to a built-in microphone. The wide-angle lens of the WebCam Live! Ultra captures a 50 percent wider field of view than a typical webcam, perfect for including family and friends in the video with you. You can also use it for remote monitoring. The camera is set off by its own motion detector and then uploads still images to an FTP site that you can view. The Live Ultra is available for $99.99 at CompUSA or www.compusa.com — you can prepay for it online and pick it up at your nearest store. Note that it is compatible for both Windows and Mac. For a portable option, there’s the Creative WebCam Live! Ultra for Notebooks that have the same features available for the same price.

If you use a Mac, the iSight works great with iChat AV. It’s also very easy to use and has a 640x480 pixel resolution with an integrated dual-element microphone that suppresses ambient noise (so your voice comes through loud and clear). The iSight is available for $149.99 at the Apple Store in Ala Moana Center or at www.apple.com.