Comments on: Video Conferencing / 3D Web – Walking up the “Slope of Enlightenment” http://garrygolden.net/2007/04/27/video-conferencing-3d-web-%e2%80%93-walking-up-the-%e2%80%9cslope-of-enlightenment%e2%80%9d/ ---A Futurist looks at changes ahead, and reasons to be hopeful------- Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:36:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Jim Lee http://garrygolden.net/2007/04/27/video-conferencing-3d-web-%e2%80%93-walking-up-the-%e2%80%9cslope-of-enlightenment%e2%80%9d/#comment-19 Jim Lee Sat, 28 Apr 2007 19:38:32 +0000 http://garrygolden.net/2007/04/27/video-conferencing-3d-web-%e2%80%93-walking-up-the-%e2%80%9cslope-of-enlightenment%e2%80%9d/#comment-19 Nice idea to connect Gartner Hype cycle into the story. What I like about the Hype Cycle is that it tells you not only "where" you are, but "how fast" you are going. It's interesting to note how successful Apple has been with its web conferencing system. It's built-in to their laptops - no messy wires or interface. Also Cisco's purchase of WebEx last month is worth mention... Nice idea to connect Gartner Hype cycle into the story. What I like about the Hype Cycle is that it tells you not only “where” you are, but “how fast” you are going.

It’s interesting to note how successful Apple has been with its web conferencing system. It’s built-in to their laptops - no messy wires or interface.

Also Cisco’s purchase of WebEx last month is worth mention…

]]> By: Anonymous http://garrygolden.net/2007/04/27/video-conferencing-3d-web-%e2%80%93-walking-up-the-%e2%80%9cslope-of-enlightenment%e2%80%9d/#comment-20 Anonymous Sun, 29 Apr 2007 13:54:22 +0000 http://garrygolden.net/2007/04/27/video-conferencing-3d-web-%e2%80%93-walking-up-the-%e2%80%9cslope-of-enlightenment%e2%80%9d/#comment-20 Jim, Yes- standard cameras embedded on laptop and any/all display screens is a BIG development in this video landscape. Excellent insight!! Related note- A friend (who might be labeled a luddite when it comes to all things 'tech') has an Apple with a camera - and absolutely loves it. Now we need to transform it from a recording device to an interface for surfing the web... (i.e. tracking system like Sony Eyecam that lets us 'click' on links without 'touching the mouse'.... I like this video space... Thanks- Garry Jim,
Yes- standard cameras embedded on laptop and any/all display screens is a BIG development in this video landscape. Excellent insight!! Related note- A friend (who might be labeled a luddite when it comes to all things ‘tech’) has an Apple with a camera - and absolutely loves it. Now we need to transform it from a recording device to an interface for surfing the web… (i.e. tracking system like Sony Eyecam that lets us ‘click’ on links without ‘touching the mouse’…. I like this video space… Thanks- Garry

]]> By: Joel http://garrygolden.net/2007/04/27/video-conferencing-3d-web-%e2%80%93-walking-up-the-%e2%80%9cslope-of-enlightenment%e2%80%9d/#comment-21 Joel Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:34:14 +0000 http://garrygolden.net/2007/04/27/video-conferencing-3d-web-%e2%80%93-walking-up-the-%e2%80%9cslope-of-enlightenment%e2%80%9d/#comment-21 If only there were a way to place the camera in the middle of the screen where people are looking. Maybe a 1 pixel hole in the center of the screen with a slightly fisheye lens would do the trick, like a pin-hole camera. Even on a MacBook Pro, with the camera located on top of the screen, communicating feels a bit awkward as the person is looking off axis and not at you. In a real conversation, this would be perceived as distracted at the least, rude at the worse. For example, I used to work with a smart fellow that would watch the TV in a restaurant we'd have lunch at, instead of engaging in the conversation. Everyone asked me afterwards why he was so rude. As much as I hope I'm wrong, until we can actually look at one another in the eye while we talk, video conferencing is going to have an uphill battle. Today, I can't get really get my colleagues to use video chat. I find reluctance odd because we're a company of people that would be most likely to use video: young-ish, tech saavy, and working at the cutting edge of social technology. I think this inability to look people in the eye while watching them on the screen is one reason why. If only there were a way to place the camera in the middle of the screen where people are looking. Maybe a 1 pixel hole in the center of the screen with a slightly fisheye lens would do the trick, like a pin-hole camera.

Even on a MacBook Pro, with the camera located on top of the screen, communicating feels a bit awkward as the person is looking off axis and not at you. In a real conversation, this would be perceived as distracted at the least, rude at the worse. For example, I used to work with a smart fellow that would watch the TV in a restaurant we’d have lunch at, instead of engaging in the conversation. Everyone asked me afterwards why he was so rude.

As much as I hope I’m wrong, until we can actually look at one another in the eye while we talk, video conferencing is going to have an uphill battle. Today, I can’t get really get my colleagues to use video chat. I find reluctance odd because we’re a company of people that would be most likely to use video: young-ish, tech saavy, and working at the cutting edge of social technology. I think this inability to look people in the eye while watching them on the screen is one reason why.

]]> By: Anonymous http://garrygolden.net/2007/04/27/video-conferencing-3d-web-%e2%80%93-walking-up-the-%e2%80%9cslope-of-enlightenment%e2%80%9d/#comment-22 Anonymous Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:11:57 +0000 http://garrygolden.net/2007/04/27/video-conferencing-3d-web-%e2%80%93-walking-up-the-%e2%80%9cslope-of-enlightenment%e2%80%9d/#comment-22 Joel Good points... and like the idea of a screen embedded camera! And yes, change will be slow in this video age. There is the 'Judy Jetson' ego factor of appearance being a barrier to video driven communication- hence her 'fake face' that can give off a better appearance. This is where avatars or software that 'edits' images (to make us look a bit better) might play out?! Over the long term- I think we are getting more comfortable in front of cameras... but I agree that adoption won't be immediate. I do have hope for family communication... colleagues might shy away from video. But Grandparents will want to see distant grandchildren! Beyond that- what interests me about video is not necessarily seeing the person - but using video cameras/screens as a tool for collaborating over documents and objects. Even if we are not looking at each other- at least we are looking at the same thing! Thanks- Garry Joel
Good points… and like the idea of a screen embedded camera!
And yes, change will be slow in this video age. There is the ‘Judy Jetson’ ego factor of appearance being a barrier to video driven communication- hence her ‘fake face’ that can give off a better appearance.
This is where avatars or software that ‘edits’ images (to make us look a bit better) might play out?! Over the long term- I think we are getting more comfortable in front of cameras… but I agree that adoption won’t be immediate. I do have hope for family communication… colleagues might shy away from video. But Grandparents will want to see distant grandchildren!
Beyond that- what interests me about video is not necessarily seeing the person - but using video cameras/screens as a tool for collaborating over documents and objects. Even if we are not looking at each other- at least we are looking at the same thing!
Thanks- Garry

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