The days of being webcam-less have come to an end. Mobiola Web Camera is proving to be a winner for SHAPE Services. The useful app turns your mobile smartphone into a high-definition web camera. After coming under some recent pressure from the recent release of Apple’s FaceTime, Mobiola’s versatility has shone threw.
Unlike FaceTime which is iOS specific, the application is compatible across a number of systems including Blackberry, Symbian S60, Windows Mobile, iOS and even more recently the iPad. By simply installing the Mobiola Web Camera app onto your smartphone and installing the supporting software onto the desired computer, it will work with AOL IM, ICQ, MSN, Skype, Yahoo and YouTube. Both installations consume little resources requiring just 8mb hard disk on the computer of choice, 68kb of ROM and 720kb RAM on the smartphone itself.
Mobiola adds yet another function to your smartphone and taking the worry out of not having a webcam wherever you may find yourself. It cleverly connects via a Wi-Fi connection as appose to a conventional USB cable. This basically means that providing you are at a Wi-Fi hotspot you will be able to share those magic moments with people across the world. In particular all those moments when a conventional built-in laptop camera.
There is no need to be concerned about video quality; Mobiola WebCamera captures video in three different resolutions: 192×144, 480×360, and 1280×720. For those iPhone users out there, the app benefits from the flashlight on the iPhone. It also is available in a host of languages including English, Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Chinese.
Mobiola WebCamera is a great way to share what cannot be recorded with a built-in laptop camera, as it is wireless and can be easily moved around. Imagine talking to your mother on Skype and showing her her grandson taking his first steps. Or sitting in a WiFi hotspot near the Eiffel Tower, and sharing this moment with your friend while giving him a virtual tour of this famous attraction. With Mobiola WebCamera, anything can be shared wirelessly in a simple and fun way.
If all that wireless goodness and high-quality camera was not enough. The app comes equipped with some fun video effects to ensure you don’t get bored with Mobiola. Furthermore it also works with video production software such as Boinx TV, CamTwist, and Camtasia.
In terms of cost Mobiola WebCamera is available free as a trial, but it will cost $2.99 for full unrestricted version. In comparison FaceTime is relatively cheaper at $0.99. The fact that the app is not free can actually be quite off-putting to many users. Admittedly those that do make the purchase are rarely disappointed. It is not just in terms of cost that FaceTime outperforms Mobiola. It supports both front and back facing cameras which its rival fails to achieve. However, FaceTime is unavailable on the 3G versions of the iPhone. Until Apple releases iOS 5 in the coming months then those 3G users can only access FaceTime by jailbraking. It is here that Mobiola excels being so compatible.
SHAPE Services have continued to innovate, from its video studio to its Xplayer. The Mobiola Web Camera brings a new dimension to the smartphone.
