Forget about needing expensive, complicated equipment to do videoconferencing. With Apple's iChat AV and iSight camera, it's as easy as using instant messaging.
Together, these products enable high-quality videoconferences between two Mac users over any high-speed Internet connection. Simply install the software and connect the camera, and you're ready to go -- no configuration needed. Video and audio devices are detected automatically, and there are no drivers to install.
The software uses your AOL IM account or your .Mac account. When your Buddy List comes up, you can clearly see who on your list also has the videoconferencing or audio conferencing functionality. All you need to do to initiate a conference is click on the green status button next to your buddy's name.
When you first start a videoconference, a preview window pops up so you can check your lighting (and your hair). Once your buddy accepts your invitation, his or her image will also appear. It's important to note that you can have only one video chat going at one time, compared with standard instant messaging which allows several chats at once.
Overall, I was impressed with the functionality, but I experienced a couple of glitches. For example, the first time I initiated a chat session, I couldn't hear the other person speaking. I quit out of that session and initiated a new chat; then it worked. The sound quality, however, wasn't that great. It sounded like it was coming through a tunnel.
The coolest feature is that it allows you to send video images in real time. There's no delay and overall movement is smooth. iChat AV features full-screen mode, but the image became too pixilated for our liking.
While iChat AV works with any FireWire video camera, Apple's iSight was designed for videoconferencing. Smaller and lighter than most cell phones, iSight has a unique center mount design that allows you to position it for the best possible angle for face-to-face videoconferences. It comes with three different stands for mounting on a flat-panel display, a PowerBook or iBook computer or an eMac computer or CRT display.
If your buddies just have a 56 Kbps dial-up connection, you can still use the software's audio conferencing feature. iChat AV provides telephone quality audio on your Mac. It features full-duplex audio, so conversations are uninterrupted even when both sides try to talk at once.
Unfortunately, this solution runs only on Mac OS X. So if your co-workers or friends haven't upgraded yet or your company is mainly a Windows shop, you won't get much use out of it. And if you work from home in your jammies most of the day, you probably won't want to be on camera.
But some situations would benefit from the conferencing tools, and you have to admit the technology is cutting-edge.
