Microsoft LifeCam Cinema

Recently, Microsoft kindly sent me a webcam. This webcam, to my delight, turned out to be a Microsoft LifeCam Cinema.

Features

Some of the features that the Microsoft Lifecam Cinema includes are:

• 720p HD Widescreen – 720p sensor captures true HD quality video at up to 30 fps.
• Autofocus – Images stay sharp and detailed even during close-ups.
• High-prevision glass element lens – High quality lens delivers more accurate colors and sharper video.
• ClearFrame technology – ClearFrame image-processing technology delivers smooth, detailed video, even in low light conditions.
• Digital Microphone – Digital microphone with noise cancelling technology helps improve speech quality for crystal clear audio.

Picture Quality

Below you can see two pictures of me. One is using the 1.3 mega pixel camera built into my laptop with the other using the LifeCam. Both have been kept on their default settings but I matched the resolution of the LifeCam to the highest resolution of the normal webcam so a fairer comparison can be made.

1.3 Megapixel Webcam (640 x 480)

Microsoft LifeCam Cinema (640 x 360)

From these pictures, you can see that the LifeCam is a lot more clearer, brighter and defined.

Autofocus

One of the features which I really like on the webcam is the autofocus feature. This allows objects brought close to the webcam to be focused on and clearly seen. You can see an example of this in the video below. The video is recorded in 720p HD at 30 fps with a resolution of 1280 x 720.

Lifecam Dashboard

The lifecam comes with a dashboard that allows special effects. These effects include warping a live image into various forms and virtual objects. It also allows you to zoom in and move around a live stream.

My Thoughts

I think that the Microsoft LifeCam Cinema is a great webcam. It looks very modern, is small and can easily be attached onto most monitors. The video quality and sound quality is great with the special effects and autofocus being great bonuses.

Positives

• Great HD quality picture and sound
• Great design
• Autofocus and effects
• Works great with programs such as MSN messenger
• Rubber grip allows cam to be placed more or less anywhere

Negatives

• Sometimes randomly blurs
• Need very good resources to get best out of HD capability

If you would like to know more about the Microsoft LifeCam Cinema then follow this link

Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000

Last week, I received a nice surprise from Microsoft in the form of a Pearl White ‘Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000′. Here is what it has to offer:

Features

• BlueTrack™ Technology
• Plug-And-Go Nano Transceiver
• 2.4 GHz Reliable Wireless
• 10-Month Battery Life
• Windows Flip in Windows® 7
• 4 Way Scrolling
• Customizable Buttons

Contents of the Box

Setting Up

Setting up the mouse was very simple. I inserted the Plug-and-Go nano Tranceiver into the USB port on my laptop and within a few seconds, the drivers installed and the mouse was good to go. It also came with a software CD that contains Microsoft Mouse software. This software allows you to use the additional features of the mouse such as customizable buttons. It also installs an auto update feature for the mouse software and drivers.

Design

The mouse fits well into my hand and feels comfortable. The scroll wheel feels very smooth with no noise when scrolling. Either side of the mouse is a rubbery type material which gives nice grip. There is a button to the left hand side of the mouse which is very easily accessible to the thumb of a right handed user.

Aswell as White Pearl, the mouse also comes in a variety of colours such as Black Pearl, Teal Pearl, Fuschia Pearl and Chartreuse Pearl.

Click here to see the mouse from other angles

Click here for a product tour

Technology

BlueTrack™

The mouse uses a bluetooth technology called BlueTrack™ which gives precise tracking and  allows the mouse to work on difficult surfaces. The only surfaces it doesn’t work on is mirrored or clear glass. I’ve tested it on my wooden desk, my carpet, my jeans and my head all with the same great responsive results.

Click here to see a video about BlueTrack™ techology

Play-And-Go Nano Transceiver

The mouse connects through USB with the use of a Plug-and-Go Nano Transceiver. This is a tiny device which is barely noticable when plugged in. You can also plug the transceiver into the bottom of the mouse. This is very handy when packing the mouse away.

Play-And-Go Nano Transceiver

4 Way Scrolling and Customizable Buttons

The tilt wheel on the mouse allows 4 way scrolling. Up and down uses the standard scrolling of the mouse with left and right being performed by tilting the wheel left or right.

The 4 buttons consist of the standard left click, left click, wheel with an additional button on the left side of the mouse. These can be customised using the IntelliPoint 7.0 software that comes on the CD. Some of the features on this software are designed for Windows 7 such as window changing.

Mouse Properties

My Thoughts

So far I have really enjoyed using the mouse. I can feel the improved tracking compared to my optical mouse and it’s nice to now be wireless. I use to stray away from wireless due to bad experience. Experiences such as having batteries dying at inaproppriate times, just having to buy batteries all the time and sometimes the receiver not receiving a signal. The receiver in it’s own right was usually big and ugly aswell. With a nano transceiver and a 10 month battery life, the Microsoft Wireless Mouse 4000 has already solved two of these issues for me.

Using my laptop all the time, I can really appreciate being able to put the transceiver into the mouse with no wired mess. Also, the chances of me losing the transceiver are greatly decreased.

I think it will take me a bit of time to fully utilize the customizable buttons. However, once I set them for personal efficiency, I believe they will become a very useful feature.

Positives

• Easily transportable
• Quiet clicking
• Tiny receiver
• Great tracking
• Customizable buttons

Negatives

• Size won’t be suitable for everyones hands
• Button on left redundant for left hand users
• Casing on transceiver seems weak

If you are interested in getting one of these mice or would like to know more, please visit the Microsoft Hardware website.

Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000