videophone?

[unclechristo]

I was idly thinking that given that...
1. broadband is pretty common - esp in the uk
2. webcams are common, esp on laptops
3. lots of families & friends live far apart nowadays
4. skype and other technologies ahev been around for a while

...that I know of few if any people who talk face to face on screen like in all the best sci-fi.

I guess one issue is that the time each caller/reciever wants to be seen is different, whereas most are willing to speak or be heard phonewise anytime. Do you videophone?

Comments

[oreouk.livejournal.com]

I use Skype and my webcam to videophone. Mainly my brother in the US but also Mum and occasionally Annie. Most of the people outside of the UK that I'd love to do this with either don't use Skype or don't have it turned on as a regular thing, so to be able to meet up with them online I have to make arrangements or hope that they'll go on to check if I'm there.

Someone could attend a housefilk through Skype and a webcam, though they couldn't sing along because of the time lag. That would be a fun thing to do.

[stevieannie.livejournal.com]

I agree with Lissa - I really like my webcam and talking on Skype using it, but not many people have the same enthusiasm/resources. :-(

[deborah_c]

It used to be that every few years, videophones were touted as a killer application for letting people on business trips talk to their families back home.

Generally speaking, it didn't take all that long for people to realise that the last thing a lot of men on business trips wanted was for their wives to see exactly where they were and what they were doing...

[oreouk.livejournal.com]

When I went to my Dad's 70th birthday celebrations in California last year I used it to talk to Phil and the kids every day. Results were mixed - they liked getting to see me but it reminded them I wasn't there so increased sadness levels immediately after the call ended.