Using Logitech's new videoconferencing software and webcam, JOHN HARRIS has discovered a new way to torment his family in the Shaky Isles.

As an expat Kiwi, I try to phone home regularly and hop across the Ditch to visit the folks every year or two.

But as nieces and nephews morph into tormented teenagers between trips, it’s easy to see the time slipping quickly by.

However, technology has an answer, as my recently-wed brother reminded me in a phone call a few weeks back.

He’d just bought a new notebook computer which came with a built-in web camera and videoconferencing software. “Do you have a web cam?” he asked.

Although my answer was no, the problem was quickly remedied when I located a press release announcing a new range of low-cost Logitech web cameras with software. A quick phone call to the firm’s friendly PR folk had a review unit in my office a couple of days later.

The Logitech 2MP Webcam C600, which costs $129.95, was easy to set up. All I did was load software from a CD, plug in the webcam’s USB cable and set up an account using Logitech’s Vid videoconferencing software.

The most traumatic part of the process was taking a screenshot to represent me in the Vid system. The C600 camera has a fiercely precise, two-megapixel sensor and glass lens that threatens to take eight-megapixel snapshots.

The combination of close-ups of my made-for-radio face and unfortunate camera angles produced a number of images very likely to scare young children. Eventually I settled for a goofball, thumbs-up shot that will just have to do.

Once the software was loaded, I added my little brother’s email address and sent him an invitation. To hurry him up a bit, I rang him by phone to tell him to look at his email.

After a few minutes fiddling around with settings, the newly-wed lad appeared in full, living colour on my computer screen, with a little photo of me at the bottom right corner.

The video was smooth, the sound quality was excellent and best of all it was free, despite my bro being located in Wellington.

The C600 is the top-of-the-range camera from the batch of webcams that Logitech launched last month.  The entry-level C200 costs $59.95.

However, this week, the company announced the Logitech Webcam C905 for laptop users, a $199 beauty with autofocus technology and Carl Zeiss optics.

Logitech’s Vid software is easy to set up and use. So far, my brother is my only friend, but if I ever locate another one, he or she will be represented by a thumbnail picture that I can click on to start a video call.

Conveniently Vid works with both PCs and Macs as well as stand-alone and embedded webcams. You can download it from www.logitech.com/Vid.

As you may have noticed, my biggest problem is a lack of friends. However, my brother promised that when he gets back from his Samoan honeymoon, he will set up a web cam on our mother’s computer.

Thankfully, she is always happy to see me.

John Harris is managing director of Impress Media Australia. Email jharris@impress.com.au.

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