Get ready: Blue is the new red, says Microsoft

Stephen Withers
Wednesday, 10 September 2008 10:54

Your IT - Home IT

"We... designed these LifeCams to attach with ease to any type of PC because we know that consumers move between notebooks and desktops and back again, and they want a webcam that can move with them," said Ralf Groene, industrial design manager at Microsoft.

The LifeCam VX-5500 ($US59.95) offers VGA resolution (640 x 480 pixels) and includes a universal attachment clip, a microphone, and interchangeable bezels in red, blue and white.

Both come with the latest version of the LifeCam software, which features the ability to superimpose accessories such as a hat on the user's image, and have it follow their movements.

Also new is Video Messages, a service for sending short video clips to another person. Think of it as the video equivalent of email. Video Messages is accessible through a Vista gadget, or via the web.

In addition to the two new cameras, Video Messages also works with the LifeCam VX-5500, VX-6000 and VX-7000.