See Eye 2 Eye webcam accessory

Video conferencing just got more direct

Reviewer: Stuart Miles
Review Date: 28 March 2007
Manufacturer: Bodelin
Price as reviewed: £50
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Our score

7/10

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Full Review

28 March 2007 - You know when you talk to others via your webcam you never really look at them eye to eye? Well this rather large bolt-on gadget aims to stop all that.

The See Eye 2 Eye webcam accessory is a large plastic periscope that slots over your monitor or laptop screen and using two mirrors displays your video preview window where your webcam is so you can look directly at the person and the camera behind it.

The secret here, is that the company who developed the system (well we say developed, actually it was a popular tool in the First World War for peering out over the trenches) has used two way glass instead of just a bog standard mirror. It's a mirror on the side you look at, see through glass on the other.

The device comes large enough to be suitable for both those with built-in webcams and bolt-on ones from companies like Creative and Logitech and there is also the ability to adjust the device to fit your monitor and your position to the mirrors. It's just a case of positioning your software window in the right place before you get started.

In practice and although the device is very large, it does work. We were able to look the other person in the eye in our tests when talking to them, however any idea you have of travelling with this should be thrown out of the window now. It's large, bulky and not able to be flat-packed.

The company also offer teleprompting software for those who see themselves, as would-be television presenters.

Verdict

At £50 ($99) you've really got to want to see the person you're talking to eye to eye to want to invest.

That said if most of your time is spent video conferencing in front of your computer then this is just the thing you need.

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