A WebCam is a digital camera that you attach to your computer. You can use your WebCam (in combination with the right software) to send video and still pictures to the world, or of course, just your friends. 
You could have video chats across the Internet with your friends or family. The other person will of course need their own WebCam too and the same (or compatible) chat software.
You could broadcast live video or publish automatically updating images on your web site.
You could use a WebCam for enhancing home security. Motion detection software can capture and photograph any movement in the room containing the WebCam.
You could even make your own Internet TV show. You'll need special software and a fast (broadband) Internet connection.
For most of these types of applications, you'll want audio as well as just the pictures, so of course, you need a microphone too.
A Webcam that attaches to your computer means you can send your live image to anyone who has the software able to receive it – known as videoconferencing software. Many Windows users will probably find NetMeeting, Microsoft's videophone software, pre-installed.The Webcam plugs into one of the port connections at the back of your computer and sits on top of your monitor. Once its software is installed, it is normally activated with a flick of a switch. You will probably need to adust the lighting wherever your computer is situated to get the best image – you can look at yourself via the screen in the software. Computer Webcams come in a variety of shapes and sizes, starting in price at around $100. If you want to talk as well as be seen, some computers come ready equipped with internal microphones, allowing you to communicate verbally through the appropriate software. The microphone sits behind a little grille in the front of your monitor. If you don't have one, you can buy them as plug-ins with software. They usually come with a headset and are popular with people who play online games.Choosing a WebCamWebCams can differ greatly in the quality of the images produced. One of the key factors to look at is the maximum "resolution" of the camera. A higher resolution means the camera can capture more detail (or alternatively larger images). However, be aware that if you have a slow dial-up internet connection, that you may find higher resolutions are unusably slow (or give jerky videos) because the images simply can not be sent from your computer fast enough to keep up with the camera.Another thing that you will want to look at is the software included with the WebCam. Most of the models by two of the leading companies in this area (Logitech and Creative Labs) include some excellent bundled software.
How we tested
We wanted to see how these machines coped with real tasks, which is why we tested their performance with our standard 2D benchmark tests (see p56 for full details on how these work). We also checked how well they worked with 3D games by running the graphics-intensive 3DMark 2001 SE.
If you're planning to take one of these notebooks with you on your travels, you'll also need to know how long the battery is going to last. We put the machines through two tests: one to see how they would last under light use, giving you an idea of the maximum you could expect under normal conditions. The other is a rather more gruelling affair, aimed at seeing the very least you could expect.
The latter test runs the processor at full pelt using our benchmarks, and belts the screen brightness up to full. For the light-use test, we just run a timer that writes to the hard disk every minute, switch on any suitable power management options and turn the screen's brightness down (keeping it readable).
You could have video chats across the Internet with your friends or family. The other person will of course need their own WebCam too and the same (or compatible) chat software.You could broadcast live video or publish automatically updating images on your web site.
You could use a WebCam for enhancing home security. Motion detection software can capture and photograph any movement in the room containing the WebCam.
You could even make your own Internet TV show. You'll need special software and a fast (broadband) Internet connection.
For most of these types of applications, you'll want audio as well as just the pictures, so of course, you need a microphone too.
A Webcam that attaches to your computer means you can send your live image to anyone who has the software able to receive it – known as videoconferencing software. Many Windows users will probably find NetMeeting, Microsoft's videophone software, pre-installed.The Webcam plugs into one of the port connections at the back of your computer and sits on top of your monitor. Once its software is installed, it is normally activated with a flick of a switch. You will probably need to adust the lighting wherever your computer is situated to get the best image – you can look at yourself via the screen in the software. Computer Webcams come in a variety of shapes and sizes, starting in price at around $100. If you want to talk as well as be seen, some computers come ready equipped with internal microphones, allowing you to communicate verbally through the appropriate software. The microphone sits behind a little grille in the front of your monitor. If you don't have one, you can buy them as plug-ins with software. They usually come with a headset and are popular with people who play online games.Choosing a WebCamWebCams can differ greatly in the quality of the images produced. One of the key factors to look at is the maximum "resolution" of the camera. A higher resolution means the camera can capture more detail (or alternatively larger images). However, be aware that if you have a slow dial-up internet connection, that you may find higher resolutions are unusably slow (or give jerky videos) because the images simply can not be sent from your computer fast enough to keep up with the camera.Another thing that you will want to look at is the software included with the WebCam. Most of the models by two of the leading companies in this area (Logitech and Creative Labs) include some excellent bundled software.
How we tested
We wanted to see how these machines coped with real tasks, which is why we tested their performance with our standard 2D benchmark tests (see p56 for full details on how these work). We also checked how well they worked with 3D games by running the graphics-intensive 3DMark 2001 SE.
If you're planning to take one of these notebooks with you on your travels, you'll also need to know how long the battery is going to last. We put the machines through two tests: one to see how they would last under light use, giving you an idea of the maximum you could expect under normal conditions. The other is a rather more gruelling affair, aimed at seeing the very least you could expect.
The latter test runs the processor at full pelt using our benchmarks, and belts the screen brightness up to full. For the light-use test, we just run a timer that writes to the hard disk every minute, switch on any suitable power management options and turn the screen's brightness down (keeping it readable).
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