Logitech launches QuickCam Vision Pro aimed at Mac consumers.  With 2MP video and microphone, it’s looks pretty good.

Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro for Mac Delivers Image-Perfect Detail, Exceptional Video Calling with iChat and Skype

FREMONT, Calif. — June 24, 2008 —  To help you stay close to those who matter most, Logitech (SWX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI), the world’s leading manufacturer of webcams, today unveiled its first Mac®-compatible webcam with premium autofocus technology and Carl Zeiss® optics: the Logitech® QuickCam® Vision Pro webcam for Mac. The new Logitech webcam delivers image-perfect detail and clarity, and exceptional video calling with iChat® and Skype®.

“With this new webcam for Mac computers, we’ve integrated our most advanced video technologies to truly enrich your video-calling experience,” said Gina Clark, general manager and vice president of Logitech’s Internet Communications business unit. “The lens and autofocus, the sensor and the lighting software all contribute to create image-perfect detail and clarity. Whether you’ve used a standalone or an embedded webcam in the past, you’ll be amazed at the difference in quality our new webcam makes.”

To deliver image-perfect detail and clarity, the Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro webcam for Mac combines Logitech’s premium autofocus technology with Carl Zeiss optics. The new Logitech webcam uses a voice coil motor for its autofocus system, instead of a stepper motor. Focusing is fast and fluid – crisp even in extreme close-ups only 10 cm from the camera lens. Logitech’s autofocus system compensates for changes in image-edge sharpness and refocuses images in less than three seconds. And through its exclusive collaboration with Carl Zeiss, Logitech ensures that the lens meets the world-renowned Zeiss standards for design and manufacturing to achieve superior sharpness in a compact, lightweight design.

The 2-megapixel sensor helps the Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro webcam for Mac capture video images in high resolution. It is assisted by Logitech’s RightLight™2 Technology, which enables the webcam to adjust intelligently in dim or harshly backlighted situations.

via logitech

Tight… these guys who are working on the iPhoneCam are gonna be at MacWorld, maybe I should get a Media pass tomorrow?

I figured it out: Now we can stream at up to 30 fps. My proof-of-concept is an iPhone app which streams video over Wi-Fi to a video driver component on the Mac. This way, you can use the iPhone’s camera stream in any Mac video program like iChat, Photo Booth or Skype.

via tuaw

These seem to be coming out think and fast these days, but this mouse that turns into a skype phone too, is brilliant and very practical. The flip phone has a small 1.3 inch screen and of course all the normal buttons to play with, internal speaker.

The only thing that is strange is the fact that you have to pick up the mouse to make a call, have you tried picking up the mouse and holding it to your ear?

Features:

Mouse
* Core length: 1.5m.
* Resolution: 800dpi.
* Support USB 2.0, 1.1 specification.

Hi-Fi speaker
* Built-in Hi-Fi speaker. VoIP phone.
* Crystal clear voice, supreme sound effects.
* 16Bit 48Khz sampling rate.

Skype/VoIP phone
* Multi-language supported backlit LCD.
* Featuring hand-free speakerphone.
* Various optional polyphonic music ring tones.
* Work with different kinds of messenger, such as: Skype, VoIPBuster and VoIPstunt, etc.

Specification:

* LCD: 128 x 64pixel
* Operating humidity: 5~95%RH
* Operating temperature: 0~40′C
* Operating power voltage: 4~5.25V
* Dimension(mm): 55 x 105 x 33
* Weight(g): 100

The cost of this phone will be $33.90.

Source [Red Ferret]

The clever and cute little guy is a in fact a web cam, its not totally original, but the thing is really just nice to look at, he can clip himself onto the top of your laptop, so he looks like trying to climb over the top.

Features:

480K pixel CMOS sensor (VGA)
Rotatable head, body to adjust any angle.
Adjustable lens for picture focusing
Snap Shot trigger button.
Video Conferencing, works on MSN, Skype, ICQ etc.

Specification:

CMOS sensor 480K pixel CMOS sensor
Resolution: VGA 640 x 480
Frame Rates: Up to 30fps@320×240, 15fps@640×480
Focus: 5cm ~ infinity
Auto white balance, color compensation
Support OS: Windows XP/ME/2000/98SE
Size: 8.0 x 10.5 x 3.5mm
Weight: 95gm

The guy will only cost you $19.

Source [Chip Chick]

The store that is renown for selling cheap and in bulk are looking to revise their damaged profit margins by selling more gadgets and electricals, at last someone has seen the light!

For us mere consumers there can be nothing better than a super store price war, they lose and we win, with prices cut to the bone it will be a great time to get over there and pick up some bargains.

So what can we expect to see in the stores, lots of computer peripherals like skype phones etc, web cams and printers, but it will be probably be a great opportunity to pick up a bargain in the HDTV market, digital cameras and video cameras too.

If this pays off, Walmart can actually revise their current position and sink a few competitors at the same time, so they are playing a serious game now.

Source [Gadgetell]

Here’s a detailed instructions on building your own skype server for your home phone system.

One irritating feature of Skype is that it must be running on a computer for you to make and receive calls. That is, when your computer is off, Skype doesn’t work. Moreover, when you run Skype on the computer you use day in and day out, Skype’s performance (call quality, reliability and so forth) can suffer if you are doing other things that deprive it of the runtime resources it needs.

My solution was to build a Skype server that provides 24/7 phone service with the minimum of hassle and fuss. By dumping your regular phone company and taking back control of your home phone wiring using a Skype server, you will have not only a phone system with nearly the same capabilities as before-indeed, in some ways better-you will also save a bundle of money! In my case, I save a little less than $700 US each year (this year, next year, and the year after that, and so on), or about 82% off of my old phone bill.

Using a Skype server plugged in to the existing copper phone wiring of your home means that you can lift a receiver anywhere in your home, at any time, and get a regular dial tone. Incoming calls either from Skype users or regular phones ring all handsets throughout your home. Basically, you can make Skype behave like a regular phone line, but at a tiny fraction of the cost.

I think this has been around for awhile, but it’s a good DIY on hacking your regular phone to use it as a skype phone.

via grynx