Geeks2U | July Newsletter

Welcome to the July edition of the Geeks2U newsletter!

In this month's newsletter we've decided to cover a fun topic - video!

More specifically, we want to help you get acquainted with simple technology that can bring you closer to your family and friends. We also cover a little video history to help you understand how we got to where we are today.

Don't forget to check out this month's gadget. If you haven't yet joined the video revolution, there's never been a better time!

If you'd like more information about anything in this edition of our newsletter, or would like to recommend a topic for an article, just drop us an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Video Technology Brings you Closer

Since the advent of the video camera and the television people have sought to use video technology as a method of communication. Throughout the 80’s and early 90’s, phone companies around the world worked to test video technologies in the home. They knew then that whoever brought the technology to market first would have a major advantage over the other telephone providers.

With their work, significant headway was made into video communication. However, the technology itself didn’t really take off until recent times.

It is the Internet, and the availability of inexpensive web cameras, that make video communication more appealing than ever before. Today, more and more people are signing on for the video revolution. It’s one of the best ways to bring distant friends and relatives (or clients) closer, and best of all – it’s free!

If you aren’t yet taking advantage of video conferencing, it is an excellent way to stay connected. To take advantage of this technology, you really only need three things:

An Internet Connection
A Web Camera – Preferably of Good Quality
Software that allows Video Communication – All of the major chat programs now support video. MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Skype, and others make it as simple as clicking a camera icon.

Of course it helps if the person you are talking to also has a camera, to enable two-way video communication. With a decent quality web camera, you can bring your friends, family, or clients closer at the click of a button. Video communication is more personal than the telephone, and it’s a lot more fun!

Video Talk - Now and Then

With the topic of this month’s newsletter being video technology we thought it pertinent to give you a little video history. If you take our advice this month, and start using video to communicate with your friends and family, then you’ll soon learn how simple this technology is today. It may interest you to know though that it wasn’t always this easy, and in fact it’s been a long road getting here.

The concept of video first took hold in 1862 when Abbe Giovanna Caselli invented the Pantelegraph. This was the first device to transmit an image over wires.

It wasn’t until more than 60 years later that Bell made its first long distance use of television, and it wasn’t until 1941 that standards were developed to transmit black and white video over the cable lines. Even then it took until the 1950s and 60s before television became common in homes.

The technology needed for the video transmissions of today didn’t actually appear until the 90s. Digital video has evolved since then, but it wasn’t all that long ago that inexpensive video transmission was just a dream.

Our point here?

As you’re video conferencing with grandma from 1000 kilometers away, it’s important to remember that it wasn’t always this easy. Just 17 or 18 years ago, most people’s idea of video conferencing was sending a VHS tape via snail mail!

Gadget of the Month

Genius Slim 1.3MP Web Cam - The Easy Way to Keep in Touch

With the growing popularity of Internet video conferencing a webcam is one item that you shouldn't be without. The Genius Slim 1322AF is one of those that provides excellent value for your money, and produces clear crisp video to help you communicate.

This particular webcam is 1.3 Megapixels. It is capable of recording video at 1280 x 1024 resolution and at 16 frames per second. This ensures that when you're using video to talk to your friends and family, that what you record is actually what the person on the other end sees.

This camera also includes voice coil motors to ensure that the sound is also recorded without a glitch.

If you've been looking to take part in the video revolution, you can't go wrong with the Genius Slim 1322AF!

For more information enquire directly to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Gadget Price: $55

Geeks2U Technician of the Month

Technician Name

Jake Leader

Jake's interest in computer technology started at an early age with the introduction of an Apple 2e into his household.

He went on to study Information Technology and has since worked in a variety of technical roles.

Jake has expertise in a wide range of computer & networking technologies and has been providing computer and network support in Sydney for over 10 years.