MakeUseOf Directory » webcam

WebCam Avatar: Create Animated GIF Avatars Through Your Webcam

MOin — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:01:18 +0000

Animated GIFs can serve as excellent avatars for your online networking or forum accounts. Normally you would create a GIF image of your own pictures by taking different snapshots through your webcam, then passing the shot images through a GIF creator. Using 2 or more apps for the process normally becomes necessary. However with an app called WebCam Avatar, the process can be completed within a single tool.

WebCam Avatar is a free to use web app that lets you create animated GIFs from images taken through your webcam. You need not register for any accounts on the site. All you do is visit the tool’s homepage and then grant it access to your webcam. You can begin shooting images from your webcam from then onwards. By letting you select a few GIF-specific options such as frame interval and maximum width and height, the app quickly generates a GIF avatar.

The resulting GIF image can be directly downloaded. A sharing URL and an embeddable HTML code for the GIF are also provided.

Features:

A user-friendly web service.
Lets you create GIF animations through images taken from webcam.
Takes images from webcam.
Lets you control frame interval.
Similar tools: 3Frames, 99Colors and GIFup.
Also read related article: Create Cool Avatars using Your Webcam.

Check out WebCam Avatar @ toolson.net/WebcamAvatar/Create (by MOin from Thumb Press)

Cammster: Use Webcam As Security Camera

TehseenBaweja — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:01:30 +0000

Installing security features in your house or office can be very expensive. Cammster offers a free way to monitor your home and office for intrusions by using your webcam to detect any motion. Simply register and launch the Cammster program before leaving the house, if Cammster detects motion via webcam it will alert you via email or SMS. Receiving email alerts are free, however SMS notifications cost a dollar each. The software also stores all the unusual events it records and allows you to view the history of up to 200 events for free.

One of the drawbacks however, is that you have to leave the page open all this time which means the intruder has a good chance to see that he has been captured on video. The tool however, still provides good value in contrast to many other security systems.

Features:

Turn your webcam into a security system that detects motion.
Receive an alert any time the software detects movement.
See a history of all unusual events.
Adjust detection sensitivity.
Similar tool: Sensr, HomeCamera, Vitamin D, HighlightCam, HomeCamera and UGOlog.
Also check out our articles:

Get Cammster @ www.cammster.com

GabCast: Broadcast Your Own Channel & View The Channels Of Others

MOin — Fri, 20 May 2011 23:01:10 +0000

People who want to create a web channel of their webcam feeds have a variety of services to choose from. But if you are looking for a website that lets you broadcast your webcam feeds as programs and let you view others’ feeds as well, the list of websites narrows down. One of the best sites on this list is GabCast.

GabCast lets you name your channels and create programs as part of a series. You can also enter the site’s various sections – dating fun, auditions, pet, celebrations, etc. – to leave a message for your friends such as wishing a friend a happy birthday. By visiting these sections you can also view other users’ messages and their webcam channels.

GabCast adds its most interesting broadcasters to its featured list that can be found at the bottom of the site.

A list of online users and the newest ones are also displayed by the site.

In addition to all these features, the site holds different contests with shopping coupons as prizes.

Features:

A user-friendly web service.
Lets you broadcast your webcam feeds as online programs.
Lets you view the online channels of other site users.
Lets you view videos and leave messages in different sections of the site.
Holds different contests to keep the site’s experience fresh.
Similar tools: Bambuser, Faceflow, Bambuser and FlixWagon.
Also read related articles:

Check out GabCast @ www.gabcast.tv (by MOin from ThumbPress)

Sensr: Watch Your Home From Anywhere & Get Alerts

MOin — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 19:01:16 +0000

If you need to know what has been going on in your home while you were away, surveillance equipment would be a good option. But surveillance hardware can come with a big price tag. If you are looking for a basic monitoring option, then check out Sensr.

Sensr is a great website that lets you view your home remotely. Sensr monitors your house via a computer camera feed. It then keeps a look out for any motion. Any motion is picked up and provided online as snapshots.

You can have the service send out an email or text message each time it detects motion in the feed. You can also log onto the video feed URL provided to you by Sensr; this URL can be made public or private. By visiting the URL you can view the camera’s live feed and all the saved snapshots organized by date.

Features:

A user friendly web service.
Lets you remotely monitor your home through a computer camera.
Detects motion and notifies you via email and text message.
Takes snapshots of instances when motion is detected.
Organizes these snapshots and lets you view them anytime.
Provides a URL for the live feed of the camera.
URL can be made public or private.
Similar tool: HomeCamera, Vitamin D, HighlightCam, HomeCamera and UGOlog.
Also check out our articles:

Check out Sensr @ www.sensr.net

Intervue.me: Easily gather people’s opinions as short video responses .me

TehseenBaweja — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 03:01:11 +0000

Gathering opinions and responses have traditionally been done through paper-based or telephone surveys, but with the Internet it has evolved into web-based polls. Intervue takes it a step further by letting people use their webcam to participate in surveys and polls quickly.

Anybody can create and post a question on Intervue seeking responses. The question can be made public or private and can be opened to anybody or only registered users. The video responses can also be made public or kept hidden. All the public responses can be viewed by anybody and commented on. Each Intervue also gets a unique URL that can be used to share it with friends.

Once enough responses have been gathered, the status of the Intervue can be changed to inactive and responses can be downloaded.

Features:

Gather public opinion using a webcam.
Both questions and responses can be made public or private.
Get activity details via email daily and download video responses.

Visit Intervue @ www.intervue.me

WebcamsTravel: View Real Time Camera Feeds From Around The World

MOin — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 03:01:23 +0000

Are you trying to decide which location should you choose for your next vacation? What will help more than brochures and travel pamphlets is an actual, more ‘real’ view of the places you plan on visiting. This view can be received through Webcams Travel.

Webcams Travel is a free and simple to use website that lets you see the real time camera feeds of countless people throughout the world. These webcams have been fixed at different locations all over the world.

Simply browse over a location’s map; the webcam locations are highlighted by thumbnails on the map. Click on a thumbnail and you will be displayed the camera’s feed.

Along with the latest pictures from the webcam you can see the camera’s exact geographical location on the provided map.

People who create an account on the site can rate webcam feeds and add certain feeds to their list of favorites so they are easily accessible.

Overall, Webcams Travel can serve not only as a great site for tourists but also for casual browsers curious to find out what other parts of the world look like outside of brochures and pamphlets.

Features:

A user friendly website.
Lets you view webcam feeds from around the world.
Provides geographical information on the webcam’s location.
Lets you create an account and add webcam feeds to your favorites.
Similar services: iPhoneWebcam.

Check out Webcams Travel @ www.webcams.travel (by MOin from ThumbPress)

3Frames: Instant GIF Maker

TehseenBaweja — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 19:14:52 +0000

Many web apps let you create animated GIFs and many let you capture images from your webcam. 3Frames is an instant gif maker that combines both of them to let you create animated GIFs from your webcam. As the name suggests, you can use your webcam to capture 3 different frames or images. Once you are happy with your frames, just click preview and 3Frames will create your animated GIF.

You can adjust the speed of your animation and download it without registering for an account. Browse through the gallery displaying similar animations created by other users or add a comment to the chat stream. It is a fun little app that can be used to get a hip animated avatar or simply add effect to your photo.

Features:

Create animated GIFs from your webcam.
Includes upto 3 frames each.
Adjust the speed of your animaton.
Browse through gallery or add comments.
No registration required.
Similar tools: GifSoup, Gickr, MakeAGIF, GIFmake and more.

Visit 3Frames @ www.3fram.es

IP Webcam: Use Your Android Phone As A Web Cam

Israel Nicolas — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:01:51 +0000

Do you need an ad-hoc wireless camera system? Why not use your Android phone as a web cam? IP Webcam is an Android app that lets you transform your phone into a network camera which will let you remotely view videos that are captured real-time. You can view the video via a browser or stream it over your phone.

After installing the app on your phone, you need to configure the settings which include the login and password, resolution, frames per second, image quality, and TCP port. Once you are set, press “˜Start Server’ on the app and it will display the URL of the video so you can view it remotely.

Keep in mind that you need a Java browser plugin to view the video in your browser. Furthermore, you may also take snapshots using the “˜Take Immediate Photo’ feature.

IP Webcam is a great solution if you do not have a remote camera around. It is available for free in the App Market.

Features:

Use your Android phone as a wireless network camera that can be viewed remotely.
View videos using a browser or a client.
You can adjust the image size, frames per second, and image quality.
Protect the video stream with a login and password.
Capture images with the “˜Take Immediate Photo’ feature.
Similar Tools: Vitamin D, ManyCam, and UGOlog.

Check out IP Webcam @ www.appbrain.com/app/ip-webcam/com.pas.webcam

PilotHandWriting: Type In Your Own Handwriting & Email

abhijeet — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:01:42 +0000

If you love beautiful handwritten letters, and are tired of typing emails in those default fonts which look dull and uninspired, then you could try this innovative web based tool called Pilothandwriting. It enables you to type emails in your own handwriting on the computer.

Here’s how it works – you sign up with them, start with the process and print out a template which is nothing but a sheet containing 26 squared blocks for all the alphabets. Now you type in the letters on those blocks using a pen, switch on the webcam through the site’s interface and then hold the paper right in front of it, so that the tool can capture the letters.

Once it’s done, you get an opportunity to edit the letters and make them more beautiful. Finally, you can type in a letter in the same interface using your keyboard. This time, the fonts would be what you always wanted – handwritten. Finally, send the email with the click of a button. Neat, isn’t it?

Features

Type handwritten emails and send
Requires a printer and a webcam
Edit the fonts before finalizing them
Similar tools: YourFonts, FontStruct as well as our recent article, Two Free Tools To Make Your Very Own Fonts.

Check out Pilothandwriting @ www.pilothandwriting.com/en (By Abhijeet from Guiding Tech)

Luxand Blink: Face Recognition Login Tool For Windows

abhijeet — Sat, 01 May 2010 03:01:43 +0000

Luxand Blink is a nice face recognition tool for Windows PCs that lets users log in just by looking at the webcam instead of typing the password. Setting it up isn’t difficult. Once you run the software after installing it, it registers your face using the webcam. Just follow the instructions and you should be OK.

Next time when you try to log on to Windows, it’ll automatically start the webcam and capture your face in order to log you in.

This tool can also capture pictures of other people who try to access your system and save it in its history so that you can check it out later.

Features

Face recognition login software for Windows.
Easy to install and use.
Requires the availability of webcam.
Can recognize face irrespective of the hairstyle.
Supported OS: Windows Vista and Seven 32bit only

Check out Luxand Blink @ www.luxand.com/blink ( By Abhijeet from Guiding Tech)