FREETALK Everyman Camera Review

Imagine being hundreds of miles away from friends, family members or colleagues and having “face-to-face” conversations. In times gone by, this would have been impossible but thanks to advancements in modern technology, we have web cameras (more commonly known as webcams) that allow us to see and talk to each other via the Internet.

Communication remains at the forefront of all human interactions and FREETALK has been devoted to being a pioneer of this forward move. Just recently I reviewed their Skype Certified headset, the FREETALK Everyman, and was very impressed. The AlienBabelTech staff still use ours daily and we are very happy with them.

Skype is a well-known Internet free talk service and many persons worldwide use it to stay in touch with friends and family. This time, FREETALK has developed a webcam, that is truly optimized for sharing live video across the Internet. Not just any video though, the FREETALK Everyman Camera Skype Certified webcam is able to stream 720p High Definition video!

Let us take a look at the official specifications and feature list.

Note: The Everyman Camera was previously known as the Everyman HD.

Features

The Everyman Camera has an impressive feature list. Here is how FREETALK describes its product.

• Best-in-class – You won’t find better price-performance video anywhere on the planet.
• Compact and lightweight – You can take the Everyman camera with you wherever you go.
• Plug and play – Super easy to get started, no installation required.
• Skype certified – Engineered to give you the highest quality Skype video experience.

Nice, short and sweet. Now for the extensive specifications and certifications. This is where we see the kind of power that is packed into this very small package.

Product dimensions (W x D x H):

• 70 x 65 x 29 mm

Connectivity:

• Interfacing: USB 2.0
• Cable length: 180 cm
• Power: Supplied via USB cable – 5V
• UVC compliant

Lens

• Lens: 3P Autofocus
• Depth of focus: 50 mm ~ infinity
• Field of vision: 58°

Sensor

• SNR: > 39dB
• Dynamic range: > 69dB
• Pixel size: 3 x 3 µm
• Image area: 1280 x 800
• Sensitivity: 3.3

Resolution

• Video: 1280 x 720
• Photo: 1280 x 800
• Frame rate:
  Standard 30fps
  HD 22fps
  Low-light 15fps
• Color depth: 8-bit
• Video formats: H.264, YUV2

Additional features

• Plug & play
• Universal mount
• Flat panel clip
• Desktop stand
• Laptop compatible
• LED power light
• Configurable video settings

Environmental data

• Operating temperature: 0°C ~ 70°C
• Power consumption: 180mA typical

Certifications

• FCC
• CE
• VCCI
• Skype
• C-Tick

Phew! That’s a LOT. In summary, this webcam connects easily via USB and has a cable of length 180cm or just under six (6) feet. It has a left to right viewing angle of 58° which is broad enough to even capture a group of persons. In addition to being able to record and stream live video, it also takes still pictures as well. The Everyman Camera does this in a variety of environmental conditions and is well certified to do so.

Now we go back to short and sweet with the system requirements. Rather conservative, yet easily achievable, a lot of persons will be glad to know that they won’t need some high end rig for their family and friends to see each other in HD.

• Windows: XP SP2 and above
• Mac OS: 10.4 and above
• Interface: 1 x USB 2.0
• Processor: Dual core 2 Ghz or better
• RAM: 1GB or above
• Network: 1.2 Mbps symmetrical bandwidth or higher required for HD video
• Skype: Skype for Windows 4.2 and above

While all this information is great, what I’m sure you really want to know is how well it performs and how much value there really is in the US $50 price tag?

Impressions

There is a popular saying that first impressions last and it is certainly true about the Everyman Camera. Before receiving the test samples, I viewed the pictures online and formed an impression in my mind.

I thought the webcam had to be a sizable unit to be able to fit in the technology needed to capture HD. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Well no, to be honest, I was shocked! The cam is rather compact as you can see from the pic below. This shows the Everyman Camera sitting on a CD.

I guess there is another, more applicable saying that good things come in small packages. Only the device itself and a small instruction manual came in their “soy-cool” box.  I’m not sure many people will even read the leaflet because the whole setup is so simple that if you know how to plug in a USB cable, you can use the Everyman Camera.

Below are scans I did of the manual. The first shows a basic informative diagram of the device while the reverse shows the set up information in six (6) different languages. Alternately, you can find this information here.

The term Plug ‘n’ Play is becoming long in the tooth but I don’t think I have ever come across a better example. I simply plugged it in and it was ready to go in less than 15 seconds. The little balloon popped up from the tray saying that the new hardware was successfully installed and ready to use. I was yet again so surprised that I said out loud, and I quote, “Wow! That’s it?!”

Already I can see this product being a real winner among the not-so-tech-savvy end users and techies alike. The next step is to launch Skype and just as easily, select the Everyman Camera as your webcam in the Video Settings. If you have more than one device installed, there will be a drop-down menu that you can click on to choose “FREETALK HD”.

I took the liberty of testing the cam on many of the other instant messaging clients such as Windows Live, Yahoo! and also inside Gmail’s Chat to name a few. The performance held up quite well right across the board. I particularly liked the autofocus functionality. Whether I was nose-first into my monitor or slouching in my chair, the cam kept my image clean and sharp. The autofocus transitioning is noticeable but is rather subtle and you have to look closely to really see it.

FREETALK was kind enough to send me two of the devices. This way I could properly test High Definition both ways.  I was not only able to give the other party an HD view of me, but I was also able to see on my end what the camera is capable of capturing. The verdict: Stunning!

The device does however, lack a built-in microphone and that is my only real grouse with this product. I can say though that when I used the Everyman headset along with the Everyman Camera, I was able to achieve a virtually perfect “face-to-face” conversation.

Conclusion

The FREETALK Everyman Camera gives a true high definition experience when talking to family and friends online. Picture and video quality are sharp and crystal clear. The autofocus works exceptionally well and keeps the focus on what is important, you.

With a Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of US $50, it is a bit more expensive than some standard definition webcams but the high definition is well worth the extra. Value for money is king in the market and the Everyman Camera is definitely an all round winner.

Pros:

• True 720p High Definition!
• Great picture and video quality
• Easy to fit on any monitor or desk
• Plug ‘n’ Play – very easy installation
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Small yet sturdy
• Lightweight
• Portable

Cons:

• There is no built-in microphone

I fully recommend the FREETALK Everyman Camera to anyone looking to get a new webcam or who wants to upgrade to a hi-def unit.

Special thanks to Michelle Blake for helping me to test the FREETALK Everyman Camera.

Leon Hyman
Senior Editor

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