Ten or twenty years ago people thought that video phones would become the future of communication, allowing people to not only hear the person theyre talking to, but to see them as well. Such applications exist today that harness the power of the Internet, making it possible for two people to see each other as they chat via a computer. However, this route can be difficult to configure and requires installation of both a camera and a microphone.
Video phones work by using a standard phone line without any extra fees to pay per month. The only catch is that the person youre chatting with must have a video phone as well, otherwise you wont be able to see them, and vice versa. With a number of different video phones on the market today, we may see their popularity increase in the coming years as standards for these phones are set and as the price for the technology comes down.
See Who youre talking to with Video Phones
For now, video phones will remain more of a niche item for family members who are separated by great distances. This would be perfect for the child whos gone to a different country for school who would still like to communicate with family members but on a higher level than what the traditional telephone line can offer. While the initial purchase may seem expensive, its quite amazing to be able to actually look at someone as youre talking with them, almost as if youre carrying on a conversation face to face.
Video phones today are somewhat reasonably priced, considering there are no monthly fees associated with it. A user can simply purchase a package which includes two video units featuring a screen and a camera. Once hooked up to the existing phone line, one user can call the other and they can watch each other as theyre talking, with all of the video passing through the existing phone line the way data is sent through the Internet.
