INTRODUCTION
A long time ago,
people all over the world missed their loved ones and friends.
Executives wished they could have more face-to-face meetings with their
teams. Dating was difficult as blind dates became a national threat.
Then along came Al Gore and his Internet tubes. Video chatting and
calls has, for many, become a daily part of life. With the data and
processor speeds we enjoy today it is about time that web cams stepped
up the ante with higher quality and more features. Logitech sent us a QuickCam Pro for Notebooks, touted to provide "image-perfect detail and clairty" with HD video capability. Read on to see if you should make this the next accessory purchase for your notebook!
WHAT’S
HOT
The Logitech
QuickCam Pro for Notebooks is designed with portability in mind. We at
pocketnow.com take great pride in assessing if software enriches our
out of the office experience as well evaluating the hardware
that passes over our desks for usability and value. The QuickCam Pro
brings 2 megapixels photos (with a max resolution of 1600×1200) and 960×720 videos, Carl Zeiss Optics,
RightLight2 technology (for the perfect picture), integrated microphone
with RightSound, auto focus, and face tracking.
PRODUCT FEATURES
(all images link to higher resolution)
I returned to my lair to find this lounging on my couch. HAL’s little brother? Let’s look inside…
Inside I found the QuickCam Pro for Notebooks, a stand,
installation disk and, upon further inspection, I was immediately
impressed at the inclusion of a travel pouch.
I immediately got ready for
play time. This is the QuickCam Pro on the included 12 inch stand.
This is what it looks like on
a ThinkPad.
The included travel pouch is
well padded and delightfully soft on the interior so you can be sure
the optics are protected. Click for a close up of the side view and a great frontal
view. Check out those curves! On the very top there is a button that
when pressed will take a picture of whatever is in view. Very handy for
a quick picture.
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This is the part that takes the longest. Get some coffee. The Logitech Face In No, Image
Most of the For The Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks is available from many retailers but you can order direct from Logitech for a price of $99.99. The Logitech QuickCam Pro
If you don’t want the advanced features, you can
just plug it into your USB port. However, once you see these features
you might want to install them. Setup was super easy, with very few
screens to navigate through. Once installation was underway it actually
took a bit of time to install (5-10 minutes). Some general settings to choose from. Selecting ‘Custom’ will give you the choice to just install drivers if you want.
QuickCam Pro for Notebooks doesn’t skimp on features. You are given the
ability to use an avatar that matches your movement, facial accessories
and video filters. For an in-depth view of the QuickCam Pro’s features
check out this video:
Accessories are also available at no cost. The built in Face Tracking
ensures that the accessory stays with your face.
addition to Face accessories there are also video filters to give your
viewers an alternative view. Everything from ghosting to 50′ movie.
this isn’t my pet parrot, this is me! Avatars are built on top of the
face tracking so you can replace the entire view with a character that
moves when you move. The software can be simply calibrated to your face
so the character’s mouth moves when yours does. It also tracks
head movement and eyes. This parrot lifts his wings when I lift my
eyebrows.
tracking and automatic movement detection are also a part of the
included software. This is great for monitoring your home or office
while you are away.
HELP SUPPORT
features are self explanatory but if you run into a technical problem,
Logitech’s Support is always there to help you out.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
XP users a 1.4GHZ processor and 128MB ram is a minimum. Logitech
suggests 2.4GHZ and 256MB ram. For Vista users a minimum of 2.4GHZ and
512MB ram is required. Logitech suggests 2.8GHZ and 1GB ram. I agree
completely with Logitech’s recommendations if you want to use the
advanced video features in the software. I tested this on several
systems ranging from 2GHZ to 3.2GHZ w/HT and the higher the CPU and RAM,
the better it ran. If you are using an older computer, the biggest
problem you will face is with the avatars as they do require more CPU
time and can get buggy if you are running too many programs.
BUGS AND WISHES
More video filters would be perfect. In addition you can only use one
video accessory at a time. It would be nice to mix and match.
PURCHASING
PROS
Excellent facial tracking
High definition photo and video
Great video effects
CONS
Advanced features are CPU intensive
Value
Ease
of Use
Features
Overall
OVERALL IMPRESSION
for Notebooks and included software really impressed me. When I first
opened the box I thought briefly “what if this is just another webcam?”
I am glad I thought wrong. The facial tracking, light and sound
adaptation, video effects and software interface all combine
wonderfully for a great experience. After playing with it for a few
minutes I felt like an expert. This webcam is going to go wherever I
take my notebook.
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