If you’re one of the very few people out there who is actually in the market for a videophone, keep waiting. The New York Times gives the Vialta Beamer, the latest in a long line of efforts over the past forty years or so to bring video telephony to the masses, the thumbs down:
The carefully designed Beamer’s price, simplicity and compatibility with any old telephone are welcome videophone advancements. Even so, the delay-prone, video-staticky Beamer isn’t a very good communications device, which could be considered a drawback in a videophone. It’s unlikely that many people will be making video calls to home a few Thanksgivings from now.
