Rating: 
Summary: A pleasant surprise!
Review: When I saw this little webcam on a discount store's top shelf, I was a both intrigued and skeptical. The price was right, but I had picked up PC devices based on price alone before and been burned, badly. The specs looked good and included XP as a compatible OS. I liked it's diminuitive size and its colorful design. I thought, as I usually do, why not?It was a snap to install and configure. My system has XP Pro. I already had microphone-equipped headphones for gaming and video-conferencing, so I didn't set up the internal microphone in the GE EasyCam Pro. The two applications bundled by ArcSoft aren't bad. VideoImpression by ArcSoft allows you to cut and paste video clips and add transitions just like a miniature version of MovieMaker 2. The snapshots I took with the other program are sharper than the ones I have taken with with my other PC Camera, the Intel PC Camera Deluxe. The first thing I noticed was the clarity of the video. I have been using the Intel camera for about a year, but the little GE camera has a sharper image with better color. The drop-out rate is better also. You can actually see your hand as you wave instead of a choppy blur. I haven't found ONE reasonably-priced PC camera that works well in low light. This one is no different. In fact, in that regard, it requires a bit more light than my Intel PC Camera Deluxe. But why try to use a camera in the dark? I guess if you are trying to use it as a security camera, the lux problem could be considered an issue. Otherwise, turn on the light. I've set it up with XP's Windows Messenger and can't wait to get the reaction from my brother when he makes his weekly Internet call. I'm betting he'll want one too.
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