If you have a Mac, you can video conference for free with iChat, the AIM client that comes with OS X. You can conduct 4-way video conferences and 10-way audio conferences with iChat.
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You don’t need any additional equipment for audio conferencing. The Mac has a built-in microphone but you will want a headset if you want high quality sound. For video conferencing, you can use a $150 iSight camera from Apple. Or you can use your own DV camera if you don’t want to drop $150 on an iSight. Naturally, there are no tolls on the audio and video conferencing.
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I have an iSight camera. A few of my friends whom I regularly call on the phone have iSights too. We can video conference. iChat and iSight are incredible, beautiful, turn-key products for video conferencing.
But we rarely video conference. It doesn’t add any value to our conversations. In fact, it usually detracts value. I do not believe that video phones will ever be used anywhere nearly as often as audio phones.
Why?
Video conferencing restricts your position. People like to move while they are on a cell phone, a wireless phone, or even a wireline phone.
Video conferencing doesn’t let you multitask as much as an audio phone. People like to multitask while they are on the phone. They like to lie down, cook, check their email, put their feet up on the table, pick their nose, check their Blackberry, and 50 other things at the same time.
Video conferencing requires your full attention and presence. Audio phones let you hide. A phone lets you conduct a business meeting in your pyjamas or from a hot tub. Video phones require you to look decent, sit still, stare at a screen, and pay attention.
Video conferencing will never be used anywhere nearly as often as audio telephony. Within the Mac community, the price for video conferencing has been reduced to nearly free and the quality and usability is high. But I would speculate that there is still very little adoption within this community.
There are some niche applications where video conferencing is very useful. For example, mom likes to video conference. Mom gets happy when she can see your face and see that you are well.
Video conferencing can also be useful in business meetings such as board meetings, product development meetings, and so on. As more and more business is conducted globally, there is true value in visual commmunication. A video conference communicate moods, gestures, and attention. With a video conference, the other side of a call can make sure you are paying attention to the meeting instead of playing with your Blackberry.
Oh lord, what will ADD VCs do then?
Web and audio conferencing is now widely used by regular individuals and huge companies alike. It does make exchanging ideas easier and certainly a lot cheaper! Why pay for travel expenses and wait until the plane lands when you can do it online right now at a very limited cost?