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MWNY02: Apple's New Digital Device?


The release of QuickTime 6 and QuickTime Broadcaster gave me an idea. Could Apple’s next digital device (released at MacWorld tomorrow) be the answer to what SJ said in the shareholder’s conference call about Video Conferencing (“stay tuned”)? It seems that with QuickTime Broadcaster, it would be easy to build a device that incorporates a digital camera (or Web cam) and connects to your internet connection (maybe even wirelessly) to do two-way video conferencing.

Currently, to do a direct stream using Broadcaster, you have to know the other persons IP address. This device could connect using your iTools (or .Mac) user name the same way as iChat has been shown to do. You can see what friends and family are online by opening Mail or Address Book, and then have a live Video Chat with them.

This device (if wireless) could even have a built-in LCD to see the video coming from the other person. Having a video stream going both ways is probably more than the current Airport can handle, but maybe not.

By Jason O'Grady

Founded the PowerPage in 1995.