December 6, 1999
Web posted at: 12:28 p.m. EST (1728 GMT)

By D. Ian Hopper
CNN Interactive Technology Editor

(CNN) -- Webcams are a dime a dozen these days. They're very cheap at both computer and office supply stores, and a couple of ISPs are giving them away free with a short service contract. It would take something pretty special in order to convince a customer to buy a relatively expensive "Creative Video Blaster Webcam Go" with an retail price of $129.

There is something special about this gadget, as its name suggests: it is portable. The camera connects with a USB cable, but can be detached from its cord and used separately to take pictures. While in this undocked mode, its 4 MB of memory can hold up to 90 images at 640x480 pixels, or 200 images at 320x240.

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On the down side, the camera uses two AAA batteries when free rather than a rechargeable battery. But since the batteries are good for up to 300 exposures, and are only in use when undocked, they should last a long time. If they die when you're snapping shots, the pictures already taken are safe thanks to non-volatile memory.

The undocked camera has four modes: single-frame, multi-frame (taking a sequence of shots every half-second or so), time delayed, and multi-frame time delayed. This light, compact camera can also be carried in a woven case that can be attached to a belt.

The Webcam Go takes generally good pictures, even considering the relatively low resolution. They can't be mistaken for shots from a "traditional" digital camera, but you're not spending $500-$600 for the camera, either. The camera uses the newer CMOS sensor rather than the older CCD. Still, the Webcam Go needs a lot of light and a steady hand. With no flash on the camera, careful outdoor shots come out best. Also, there's no autofocus. An adjustable lens does the job, but it's not very exact. Thankfully, with 90 total high-res shots, you can take lots of chances in order to get a few perfect.

To get those pictures back onto a PC, just plug the Webcam Go back into its cable. With the included Creative software, you can download and preview shots, then decide whether to keep them and save them to the hard drive or just delete them from the camera's memory. The software is quite easy to use. Voice-over-Internet communications software, a simple image editing program and other programs are included.

While docked, the Webcam Go works like any other Web camera. It's still limited to 640x480 resolution, but it can take video clips and save them, e-mail them or automatically update them to a Web page with the free software. If you feel especially sneaky, you can set the Webcam Go up in a clandestine location and it will only take video when it senses motion. Without actually testing it in this fashion, it might be helpful to check up on a babysitter simply by accessing your Web site.

The only major drawback to the Webcam Go is its limited resolution. There are other Webcams that offer crisper video and stills, but its portability more than makes up for it. It doesn't replace a full-fledged digital camera, but it does quite a lot for a relatively small price.

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