It’s 3 pm and a young boy waits by the computer. In a few minutes, a screen message indicates that a call is coming in. Seconds later, the image of his grandfather appears on the screen. They begin talking, each seeing the other in real time on a device known as a webcam.

The webcam gives them an opportunity to communicate and to get to know each other in a way that would otherwise be impossible. The boy lives in Southern California, his grandfather in Michigan.

They are the son and father of Wallace Wang, a computer expert who was eager to tell readers about the new opportunities that webcams offer families everywhere…

MAKING THE CONNECTION

Webcams (short for World Wide Web cameras) have been around for more than a decade, but today they’re easier than ever to use. For video conversations, each party must have a computer that came with a webcam, or buy a webcam that can be plugged into a computer.

You also need a high-speed Internet connection (otherwise the video and audio will be choppy) and a computer with speakers. Both parties must also subscribe to a service that makes the connection. The leading services are Skype (www.skype.com), which can be used on both PCs and Macs, and iChat (www.apple.com/macosx/features/ichat.html), which is for Macs. Both services are free, as are most of the other popular ones, including Yahoo! Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger and Windows Live Messenger.

Once you sign up on the Web for a webcam service, you can make video calls to people who subscribe to the same service or to a compatible one. If the services aren’t compatible, it’s usually easy to sign up for the same service used by the person you want to call. (You can sign up for more than one webcam service.)

To make a call, you first use your computer to access your video phone service. Then enter the user name of the person you want to speak with. The service sends that person a message that there’s an incoming call. Once the person signs in, you’ll see his/her image on your screen, and that person will see yours — and you can start talking.

Another wise move: Give a webcam to friends and family members with whom you’d like to keep in touch. Young people will often be excited (if not impressed) by such a tech-savvy gift.

Caution: Don’t give a webcam to a child without consulting his parents. There are many pornography sites on the Internet that prey on children with webcams.

When you shop for a webcam, look for one with…

  • A built-in microphone, a feature that most webcams have.
  • A clamp to attach the webcam to your computer monitor, a stand on which the webcam can also be placed and a cord that’s more than two feet long. These three items make it easy to put the camera in a variety of positions, depending on the type of conversation you plan to hold.
  • To speak face-to-face with one person, for example, you might put the webcam directly in front of you, clamped to the monitor. On the other hand, if you and your spouse are part of the conversation, a long cord and a stand will let you set the webcam several feet away on your desk so you both will be in the picture.

    Popular webcams include…

  • Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000, which has wide-angle focusing, high-quality images and a built-in microphone. List price: $99.99. Information: Visit www.logitech.com/index.cfm/webcam_communications/webcams/.
  • Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000, which comes with a built-in microphone but has somewhat lower-quality images. List price: $39.95. Information: Visit www.microsoft.com/hardware/digitalcommunication/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=001. (Other Microsoft webcams — still under $100 — have higher-quality images.)
  • Webcam setup: All you have to do is plug it into your computer and install the software from a disc that comes with the webcam. Many retailers can also help by sending a technician to your home or by advising you via phone or computer. Depending on what type of webcam assistance you need, these services might cost $100 to $250.

    Very shrewd move: Find out if friends or neighbors use webcams. If they do, ask them to help with any setup problems you may run into.

    Webcams for Safety

    The versatility of webcams has recently led to their use for home safety.

    Example: For Mac computers, Periscope is software that lets your webcam take pictures of any home intruders when you are not at home.

    The program automatically switches on the camera as soon as it detects sound or motion in a room. Periscope then takes pictures that are uploaded to the manufacturer’s Web site. That way, intruders can’t destroy the pictures, even in the unlikely event that they discover the webcam, which is usually in an inconspicuous place, such as a cluttered bookshelf. List price: $24.95. Information: 212-929-3549, http://periscope.en.softonic.com/mac.

    Mugshot is a similar program that enables a webcam to sense motion and photograph intruders. It then sends you their pictures via e-mail. List price: $8. Information: www.nimisis.com/projects/mugshot.php.

    These “intruder cams” don’t replace burglar alarms, but can be useful additions, providing police with evidence that can lead to arrest and prosecution.

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