VIDEO CONFABS ARE TAKING TO THE ROAD IT WASN'T SO LONG AGO THAT videoconferencing was suitable only for boardrooms equipped with expensive fiber-optic phone lines. But now, videoconferencing has reached the personal-computer level--and Winnov Inc. wants to make it portable. On July 28, the Sunnyvale (Calif.) company plans to introduce its VideumCam Traveler, a digital camera no larger than a standard computer mouse. The camera and software easily connect to any Pentium-powered laptop to conduct virtual face-to-face meetings on the road. There's just one drawback: While the camera can capture everything in front of the lens at a smooth-flowing 30 frames per second, the other end of the conference call will be treated to choppy digital video of three to seven frames per second. The reason: Modems just aren't fast enough. Still, at $299, the VideumCam setup is good for capturing full-motion, full-color video clips for use on a Web site or in a multimedia sales report. EDITED BY PAUL M. ENG

Updated July 4, 1997 by bwwebmaster
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