I remember the college TV "Station" in which various forward-thinking profs videotaped certain lectures. It was 1967 and 1968, and RAW. The cameras were huge and took a ton of light (and only then put out a fair black and white picture.) The VCRs were big heavy beasts which took reel-to-reel tape and were touchy as all get out.
Flash forward: Sunday a friend in Connecticut and I "skyped" - this is a free computer program that sends full fidelity voice over the internet (broadband), in effect a telephone call though a giant leap more 'present' as it sounds as if the person is in the room. It requires microphone and speakers on both ends, and the free software.
I had been slow to come to the party as another friend raved for a solid year before I got Broadband and actually tried Skype. It's as addictive as any toy I've used.
But wait, there's more. It gets better.
Sunday, I mentioned to my friend Geoff that we could do video on the latest upgrade of Skype, if we only had a camera. He said, "Wait a minute," and dug out his tiny, marble sized, wireless, color camera, and hooked into Skype. This thing put out an amazing picture with sound and he then took it/me for a walk downstairs and out of the house, with only a little breakup!!!
This is a killer application!
With Geoff's help, I then located a color USB camera and ordered it for $12.95. I can't wait till the whole world has these things. What a communication revolution!
Remember the 'picture phones' once defining the far edge of the future? (You do if you saw the 1964 World's Fair.) This is better. And real. And cheap. Give me a few days then Skype me and you'll see!
Download Skype Free.
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