If you buy a state-of-the-art computer today, you may find that it has a built-in webcam that allows you to broadcast live video on the internet. If not, but you have a fondness for gadgets, you may have wondered whether you should buy one.
In the decade since the webcam arrived, prices have plummeted and webcams retail at only a few dollars. You need only plug it into a USB port on your computer and install some software (some operating systems, such as Windows Vista, have the relevant drivers built-in). But do you really need a webcam? There are many reasons for having one, though for some purposes you might as well take digital footage and simply upload it. Nevertheless, a webcam can provide endless fun, as well as serving practical purposes. If you have a PlayStation or Xbox, you may already be taking advantage of some of the features of webcam technology.
That technology is relatively simple, although webcams and software with increasingly sophisticated features are available. The home user may need only a standard camera with a fixed focus lens. For other purposes, webcams with focussing lenses and the capacity to take a higher number of frames per second might be needed. The way your webcam functions is also partly software-dependent. Some software includes special features, including the capacity to kick in only on the detection of movement, and features for manipulating real time.
Recreational uses for your webcam
With a webcam you can post video on the world wide web with ease. If you have a great idea, you might even achieve fame. One of the first webcam hits was JenniCam, in which a woman set up a webcam so that anyone could view her life online. Some hit viral videos (such as lip-synching ‘Numa Numa man’: 24 million views) were created simply by performing to a webcam.
The rise of social networking has also boosted webcam popularity. Instant messaging programs (such as Yahoo Messenger, Windows live and AOL Live Messenger) allow live webcam chat with family, friends or strangers anywhere. There may be occasions when you need to communicate online by showing rather than telling (or typing). If you want to explain how to do something, a webcam is the simple solution, eliminating having to shoot and upload video.
Other applications for webcams
The webcam is a useful business tool, with ease of use helping it to take over from traditional videoconferencing. Advances in technology, with better images and smoother streaming, have helped move the webcam into the office environment.
First we had podcasting, with downloadable audio material for MP3 players. Webcasting allows you to disseminate images too, so almost anyone can become their own mini-TV station. Bloggers have also found that webcams can effectively augment their blogs.
Using webcams as security cameras is another innovation. Instead of CCTV and tapes, webcam images are stored on a server, providing an easy way to monitor your premises. Similar video monitoring has numerous educational, scientific and other applications, from watching wildlife to counting traffic.
For most users a webcam is little more than a toy. If you don’t have one you can probably find a way around it. However, since broadband the internet is becoming an ever-more visual and virtual place. In time the webcam will undoubtedly play an increasingly important role in disseminating information.