Cameras can initiate videoconferencing sessions in Windows Live Messenger and help create photo blog entries on MSN Spaces.
Microsoft is expected to announce two videoconferencing Webcams that simplify online video chat and can create photo blog entries on Microsoft’s MSN Spaces community site.
The LifeCam VX-6000 and LifeCam VX-3000 Webcams initiate videoconferencing sessions in Windows Live Messenger instant messaging software with the press of a button, said Michael Cowan, a product marketing manager at Microsoft.
The announcement of late is not a complete surprise. In March, Microsoft voiced intentions to expand its voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, and video products as part of its push for Windows Live services.
Additional Features
The Webcams come bundled with LifeCam Dashboard Software, which lets the user zoom, tilt, and pan the Webcam. An optional software service called "One-Touch Blogging" automatically publishes pictures free to the user’s blog on Microsoft’s MSN Spaces. After the LifeCam snaps a picture, the software automatically logs a user in to MSN Spaces and posts the picture as a new blog entry, Cowan said. Users can add text to the photo blog entry before publishing it.
The LifeCam VX-6000, is a silver Webcam tentatively priced at $99.95, is aimed at tech-savvy users looking for a feature-rich Webcam that offers robust performance, Cowan said. The round Webcam is capable of 5-megapixel (interpolated) still photography and 1.3-megapixel high-definition video. A 71-degree wide-angle lens and shoots video at a 1280-by-1024 pixel resolution allows for more than one person in the frame.
The LifeCam VX-3000 is capable of 1.3-megapixel (interpolated) high-definition still photography and 640-by-480-pixel resolution video and is designed for budget-conscious buyers. It does not have a wide-angle lens. It comes in black and is estimated to be $49.95.
Both LifeCams feature a built-in acoustic noise-canceling microphone to ensure crystal-clear audio performance without adding clutter from extra headsets or external microphones, Cowan said. When a user speaks into the microphone, the Webcam creates a sound funnel that automatically cuts down on echo and room noise, Cowan said. In addition, both new LifeCams come with fun Video Effects, such as falling snowflakes and twinkling stars, to personalize and enhance the background of video conversations.
A Windows Live Call Button atop the Webcams automatically logs a user into Windows Live Messenger and opens a list of contacts currently online, called a "Buddy Pick" list. Clicking on a contact from the list starts a videoconference, Cowan said. "It is like speed dial — Just press a button."
“Initiating a videoconference with existing tools can be difficult and confusing as it involves numerous mouse clicks,” Cowan said. The LifeCam software includes features for automatic face tracking–to keep subjects in focus–and one-touch blogging.
Videoconferencing has gained prominence in recent years because of increased broadband adoption. That has led to an increased demand for quality Webcams, Cowan said. "[Fat] pipes enable better video calls than dial-up modems," he said.
Both Webcams, available this August, also comes with software that integrates with Windows Live Messenger, Microsoft’s instant-messaging and PC-to-phone calling application with video capability.
The recommended system requirements for running a LifeCam include a 1.4GHz Pentium 4 processor, 100MB of free hard-drive space, a USB 2.0 port and high-speed Internet access.
Microsoft’s Hardware Group will play a significant role in the development of Windows Live Messenger, according to a statement by Martin Taylor, corporate vice president of Windows Live and MSN at Microsoft. Microsoft also plans to announce more LifeCam products this September.
PC maker Dell said on May 31 that it would offer an audio-video package for its new XPS M1210 and XPS M2010 computers that includes a Webcam with a microphone and Skype software for video conferencing.
Though optimized for Windows Live services, the LifeCams work with other instant messaging software as a regular Webcam. They are not compatible with Mac OS or Linux.