• The quickcam was developed by pioneering companies such as Logitech and Connectix to enable online users to see and talk to each other simultaneously. The quickcam is a webcam that enables users to capture high quality photos and videos. Because of the quickcam's flexibility, photos and videos can be taken from a variety of angles and positioned on a variety of monitors. However, quickcams allow users to perform many more functions, ranging from communication to web conferencing. Some manufacturers refer to them as HD webcams.
  
  

Video Instant Messaging

• Video instant messaging allows online users to communicate with each other, uninterrupted, through technology that permits the transmission of both audio and video at the same time. Once quickcams are hooked up to computers, they capture images in real time through the detection of light by a charge-coupled device which then converts the image in front of the camera into a digital format. A video signal is produced and users immediately have video instant-messaging capability. Video instant-messaging allows users to communicate verbally and visually through a built-in microphone. Quickcams can also be added to any one of the following instant messaging services: Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger and AOL Messenger.
  
  

Making Mini-Movies

• Because quickcams are designed to simultaneously capture high-quality video while providing clear audio capability, users can create movies. Connectix provides quickcams with software that allows users to perform basic cutting and editing. Time-lapse capability is an added feature of quickcams, which facilitates the movie-making process. Time-lapse capability allows images to be captured at preset time intervals (minutes, seconds and days). Thus, an abundance of images moving in rapid succession can be captured in a matter of seconds. Finally, quickcams provide lens quality that is superior to normal webcams.
  
  

Video Conferencing

• Video conferencing transmits both video and audio between two locations. For instance, a conference held in a ballroom in Atlantic City can be seen and heard at a conference held in a ballroom in Boston and vice versa. However, the methods of transmission must be identical. A user with an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) connection cannot connect with a user who has an IP ( Internet Protocol) connection. Quickcams can provide video conferencing over ISDN, Ethernet or wireless networks. Though standard webcams have video conferencing capability, quickcam lenses and internal applications provide better images with enhanced sonic quality.