The camera is made from aluminum and has a stand designed to work with both desktops and laptops. Pocket-link goes on to say that:

The LifeCam Cinema is of course compatible with Windows Live Messenger, but also with Windows Live Movie Maker and Windows Live Photo Gallery. It's also compatible with Windows 7 out of the box, as well as Windows Vista and Windows XP.

We've seen 720p Webcams before but the video specs on this one look quite promising. The Lifecam Cinema is expected to be $80 when it hits stores on September 9. [via Pocket-Lint]

The LifeCam software provides over 30 video effects, including 3D accessories that follow your face around the screen, face distortion effects, and filters that alter the color of the picture. Also new to the the Video Message feature, which allows you to send a webcam recording to a friend's Windows Live mailbox for later viewing.

Additionally, Microsoft announced the VX5500 webcam, which has a VGA sensor, takes 1.3MP stills, noise canceling, plus blue, red or white interchangeable faceplates. The LifeCam Show and VX5500 will arrive in October and sell for $100 and $60, respectively. [Microsoft]

Microsoft’s Latest LifeCams Bring Life to Video Calls With Versatile New Designs

LifeCam Show and LifeCam VX-5500 debut fun new video effects and Video Messages.

REDMOND, Wash. ⎯ Sept. 9, 2008 ⎯ Today, Microsoft Corp. unveils two new webcams — LifeCam Show and LifeCam VX-5500 — featuring stunning new designs that not only look great but also provide versatility for use on a laptop or desktop monitor, or sitting next to your PC. No matter where these LifeCams are used, they will make a statement. LifeCam Show is ultra sleek — one of the thinnest webcams on the market— while the LifeCam VX-5500 takes a more sassy approach with switchable faceplates in three colors and an innovative, collapsible design. These LifeCams deliver high-end audio and video performance, groundbreaking new video effects, and Video Messages — a new service for sending and receiving video messages from friends and family.

LifeCam Show: Good Things Come in Small Packages
LifeCam Show features a sleek, mirrored finish and ultrathin design. It looks great with any PC, attaching with ease to a desktop or laptop computer, or even sitting on top of your desk. The LifeCam Show ships with a complete attachment system to make setting up and using the webcam a snap in a variety of different scenarios. Versatile attachment options include the following:

Laptop clip. LifeCam Show magnetically attaches to a clip snapped right onto a laptop.

Desktop stand. LifeCam Show magnetically attaches to an 11-inch-tall desktop stand, which users can position anywhere around the desk for the perfect viewing angle.

Two attachment discs. Attachment discs allow users to attach the adhesive disc to the back of their laptop, giving them the ability to close their laptop easily with the webcam still attached for greater portability.

Offering top audio and video performance, LifeCam Show is not just about good looks and versatility:
A 2.0MP sensor and 8.0MP stills offer true-to-life communication for sharing important life moments.
Top-of-the-line audio technology, including a built-in, noise-cancelling microphone with echo-cancellation software, provides improved sound clarity.

“Our design team has been working hard to ensure that we could fit best-in-class webcam technology into such a tiny footprint. Even at only one-half inch deep, LifeCam Show packs a mean punch with industry-leading audio and video technology,” said Ralf Groene, Industrial Design manager at Microsoft. “We also designed these LifeCams to attach with ease to any type of PC because we know that consumers move between notebooks and desktops and back again, and they want a webcam that can move with them.”

LifeCam VX-5500: Switch Out the Color to Suit Your Mood
The LifeCam VX-5500 is all about fun with an innovative new design. The VX-5500 ships with three interchangeable faceplates in blue, red and white, so users can either choose their favorite color and leave it that color or switch the color every day to match their mood. Similar to LifeCam Show, the VX-5500 can be used on a laptop or desktop computer with an innovative universal attachment clip. When users are ready to pack up, the entire webcam folds down flat for easy transport. With a VGA sensor for 640x480 video, 1.3MP stills, and a unidirectional, noise-cancelling microphone, the LifeCam VX-5500 keeps all video communications crystal clear.

Add Fun to Video Calls With the Latest LifeCam Software
Both webcams come with the latest version of LifeCam software, making it easier than ever for users to have a fun video call experience. One major addition to the new software is a group of more than 30 new video effects, including 3D Accessories, Facial Exaggerations and Filters. 3D Accessories offer realistic effects that truly move with users’ faces — users can put a cowboy hat on their head or sunglasses over their eyes, and the effect will stay with them even when they turn their heads. In addition, Microsoft’s new Facial Exaggerations and Filters allow users to stretch their faces, make bug eyes or create a pointy new nose for an entertaining fun-house mirror effect using a LifeCam.

The new release also includes access to Video Messages, a totally new way to keep in touch. When friends and family are not around for a live video chat or perhaps are in a distant time zone, Video Messages is the perfect solution. LifeCam users can record and send videos through an exclusive Windows Vista gadget, and any Windows Live user can get in on the fun via an online portal. Users can see Video Messages in action at HYPERLINK "http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/video_messages_intro" http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/video_messages_intro.1

Additional features that make these webcams a great option for Windows Live Messenger users include the following:

Photo Swap. This feature allows two callers to share digital photos in midvideo conversation. Just click the Photo Swap icon, and a new window opens up next to the video call window so users can flip through the photos on their desktop and decide which pictures they want to show.1

Windows Live Call Button. Located on top of the LifeCam, the Windows Live Call Button allows users to open their Contact Picker (a tool showing which contacts are currently online) with one touch, so they can quickly initiate video calls to friends and family.1

Pricing and Availability
The LifeCam Show and LifeCam VX-5500 will be widely available in October 2008 for the respective estimated retail prices of $99.95 and $59.95.2 The webcams are available now for presale on Amazon.com and will ship in October when they are widely released. Microsoft will back the LifeCams with a worldwide, three-year limited hardware warranty. More information about the LifeCams is available at HYPERLINK "http://www.microsoft.com/hardware" http://www.microsoft.com/hardware.

REDMOND, Wash. May 13, 2008 Today, Microsoft Corp. reshapes the webcam experience with the LifeCam VX-5000, a webcam with a unique bendable attachment base that molds to virtually any surface — from your notebook to your desktop — so you can take it anywhere. For personalized flair, the LifeCam VX-5000 features a brightly colored ring around the front of the webcam that will be offered in the colors Cool Blue, Lucky Green and Fire Red, allowing consumers to choose their favorite to suit their style. To complement the fresh new look, the LifeCam VX-5000 features MSN Photo Swap, a special feature that lets consumers share digital photos in midvideo conversation and see real-time reactions as both callers view the pictures. The new webcam arrives just in time to help share summer vacation memories and keep consumers connected throughout the year. "With the LifeCam VX-5000, we are changing the perception of webcams from boring and bulky to fun and flexible," said Michael Cowan, product marketing manager for the Hardware Division at Microsoft. "We designed this LifeCam to match the experience its technology delivers — it's all about fun and letting consumers share their personalities."

Photo Swap: A Feature You'll Flip Over
Digital camera owners have on average more than 1,200 photos stored on their computer, and Photo Swap helps bring the pictures to life as a virtual photo album. Using Windows Live Messenger, consumers can easily share pictures from summer vacations or holiday gatherings with ease. The best part is with Photo Swap they can see and hear the reaction of their friends and family — whether across town or across the country — and feel like they are sitting right next to each other.
See, Hear, Share — Easy as 1, 2, 3
The VX-5000 comes with Windows Live optimizations and the latest version of LifeCam software, making it easier than ever for users to experience a great video call. Key features and benefits include the following:
Windows Live Call Button, located on top of the LifeCam, allows users to open their Contact Picker (a tool showing which contacts are currently online) with one touch, so they can quickly initiate video calls to friends and family.
LifeCam Dashboard incorporates full LifeCam navigational controls (pan, tilt, zoom, face tracking and Video Effects) within the Windows Live Messenger interface, enabling a seamless and easy navigating experience.
World-class VGA optics with a VGA sensor, 640x480 video resolution and 1.3-megapixel still photography (interpolated) offer high picture quality.
Built-in unidirectional microphone with acoustic noise cancellation delivers crystal-clear audio.
Pan, tilt and 3X digital zoom features allow users to adjust the image to see more clearly.
Pricing and Availability
The LifeCam VX-5000 will be widely available in June 2008 for an estimated retail price of $49.95. The webcam is available now for pre-sale on Amazon.com and will ship in June when it is widely released. The LifeCam VX-5000 will be backed by a worldwide three-year limited hardware warranty from Microsoft Corp. More information about the LifeCam VX-5000 can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware.

More microsoft news to counter balance our Apple jerk-off fest yesterday.

Microsoft's NX-6000 is a high resolution webcam meant for laptops. We're talking about a 2 megapixel resolution video stream, which amounts to a 1600 by 1200 image. Yowser. It'll also take interpolated 7 megapixel stills. (Fakey, since it just blows up the lower res images to take up more disk space.) That bests the 1.3-megapixel camera in the Logitech HD QuickCam Ultra Vision by some amount.

There's more, so jump.

It has software pan/tilt controls, plus face tracking and video effects. Nothing like the cool alien head and bunny rabbit ears effects you'll find on Logitech cameras. More like "snow, stars and flowers" says the press release. Um, ok.

The lens collapses into its housing so you can throw it into your bag without smudging or scratching. There's also a "Simple attachment base enabling a webcam to be easily secured with just one hand." Heh. $100 in November.

For the impoverished, there's also a $30 VX-1000 camera, with a 640 by 480 video resolution. On par with the iSight built into Macbooks. –Brian Lam

Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000 [Microsoft]