Microsoft will introduce to the market the LifeCam Cinema webcam, which is the first one that is genuinely a HD webcam. This new gadget is an excellent option to send video with good quality through Internet. It reachs a vertical resolution of 720 pixels and captures 30 frames per second (images with more than 2 megapixels). Until now, other cameras offered a maximum resolution of 960×70 pixels, but the LifeCam Cinema can reach up to 1289×720 pixels. Besides, it includes a glass lens, 4x digital zoom, and a noise-cancelling microphone (which is placed on the top of the camera) to eliminate the background noise from the environment.
The LifeCam Cinema also includes an implementation of a new technology developed by Microsoft called ClearFrame that allows to record smooth and detailed videos without undesirable distortions or glints. The camera is made of aluminium. It can be connected to a computer (desktop or laptop) easily by using an USB port.
The LifeCam Cinema is compatible with Windows Live Messenger. Also, it can be used with Windows Live Movie Maker and Windows Live Photo Gallery; however, if you want to use it with these programs, then you need a computer with (at least) a 1.6GHz dual core processor, although it would be better to use a 3GHz dual core processor and 2GB RAM. Of course, those requirements are higher than requirements for a regular webcam.
This camera will be available for sale starting September 9. It will cost about $80 in United States (suggested retail price).