Bridge long distances — with a webcam
Stay close to far-flung friends and family
By Laura Pratt
When Trish Smith's son, Mike, learned a new piece of music on the guitar, he played it for his mom and she basked in the role of appreciative audience member as only a mother could. That Smith lives in England and Mike lives in Australia was inconsequential, thanks to instant messaging and the webcam that is their lifeline.
This kind of long-distance communicating is commonplace among far-flung friends and family. Programs like Windows Live Messenger allow people to see when their buddies are online and communicate with them instantly. Numerous people can join in the same chat, making scheduling and co-ordinating an "e-meeting" a breeze.
Smith has been instant messaging since her daughter Katherine left home to study in Perth, Australia. Today, she uses the technology to stay in regular touch with her kids, her brother, her niece and her sister. "I love it. It makes me feel closer to the family even though they are all over the world," she says. "I can now see my offspring almost daily and they are in Australia. I feel constantly up-to-date on all their news. And I can see if they have been in the sun too long."
Another great way to stay in touch with far-flung friends and family — or simply those you don't get to see on a daily basis — is through an online journal or blog such as Windows Live Spaces. Creating a Windows Live Space is simple. Visit the Windows Live Spaces homepage, and choose to Create your space. Customize the colour, look and layout, share your thoughts in a blog, and post your favourite photos so loved ones can see what you're up to.
Both Windows Live Messenger and Live Spaces integrate nicely with Microsoft's LifeCams, making online communication even easier. Press the Windows Live Call Button to instantly bring up your buddy list and choose a chatting partner. The LifeCam Dashboard, located right in your Windows Live Messenger window, allows you to adjust your webcam on your computer screen. No more losing focus while trying to zoom in on cousin Sandy. Lastly, if you have a Windows Live Space, use the one-touch blogging feature on the LifeCams to snap and post photos to your blog — instantly.
Quick access to friends makes chatting easy
Even though Alyssa Holliday's best friend moved to Cambridge, Ont., the pair have kept their passion for chatter alive with instant messaging. Every few days, the friends talk about everything. "I love that we don't have to talk on the phone," Holliday enthuses, "and that it doesn't cost anything."
Holliday, who's an avid swimmer, also instant messages her swim team buddies after practice. And she's found the technology immensely useful for homework, particularly when she and a couple of partners are working on a group project. "We just go home and call each other up on IM to do the work," she says.
Have a family meeting — online
Tracy Moore and her family — who live in Sharon, Ont. — have weekly Net meetings with her husband's parents in Florida. They "meet" every Sunday afternoon at five.
Each of the parties has a webcam that provides a running video of the events on either end of the line. This way, grandma and grandpa can see the trophy Moore's son won at a chess tournament, or their other grandson in his Halloween costume. Moore and her husband even gave the old folks an e-tour of their living room when it was painted. "We are all just so thrilled that it works each time and we can see and hear each other."
The Moores' computer package offered the option of either an add-on webcam or scanner. "My husband thought the camera would be neat," says Moore. About three months later, her in-laws decided to purchase a new computer and it also came with a webcam. "It wasn't hard to get the technology going," says Moore. "You just plug the camera into the back of the computer. That's it. The software is very easy to use."
The Moores usually let the kids talk first. Delighted to see themselves onscreen, they respond with waving arms and lolling tongues. "We can usually only handle about two minutes of this behaviour and then we send them off so we can talk," says Moore. They exchange weather updates, along with news about the state of their respective flowers and yards. Moore's mother-in-law is an avid tennis player, so she shares an update on her games. Her father-in-law plays golf, so they get those scores, too.
"It's so great we can see them weekly. It's also great for the kids to see and talk to their grandparents."
