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Would you use a front facing Camera?

If the iPad had a front facing camera would you ever use it for video conferencing?

  • No, Never, Why would anyone even think of that

    Votes: 47 18.7%

  • Once, just to try it

    Votes: 66 26.3%

  • Once a year

    Votes: 27 10.8%

  • Once a Month

    Votes: 39 15.5%

  • Once a week

    Votes: 38 15.1%

  • Almost Daily

    Votes: 34 13.5%
  • Total voters
    251
  • Poll closed .
harry*333

harry*333

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 24, 2009
505
28
If the iPad had a front facing camera, would you ever use it for video conferencing?

For me it would be completely useless
 
a webcam would have been nice, even if only for photobooth like apps for entertainment purposes. The ones that are built into iMacs aren't exactly spactacular in quality, and yet I've seen so many pic's online that were taken from these. Clearly people would have made use of them.

But anyone who's no stranger to the apple world knows their product features always start bare compared to market competitors. Its fine, it works; enough of us still purchase and enjoy their products.

The only annoying part is that the hardcore lovers will defend every single apple decision regardless of logic. WHO DOESN'T want extra features??? If the webcam somehow caused decreased battery life when not in use, then maybe we'd have an argument.

Can't wait to count the posts of people saying, 'well I don't need one and wouldn't use it. [so neither should you]'
 
I'd love a webcam on the iPad. I can see giving my 84 year old mother an iPad for chats with the kids and giving my son who's headed to college in the fall one to keep in touch with nightly calls.
 
It would be completely useless for anyone. To use it you'd have to be at the dock... and a keyboard (or keyboard dock) if you plan on typing at all (since typing isn't all that easy on the screen when upright in a dock). Given all that, you might as well use a laptop, or your desktop. Anyone who honestly feels Apple dropped the ball by not cramming a camera in this thing is quite frankly a moron.

I can just see a city of clowns walking around holding their ipads up in the air taking photos..
 
I voted once per month. The only people i ever talk to via video is my immediate family when i am away on business. I carry a netbook around for this purpose. Would have been perfect on the iPad. Oh well. I am sure some business types would use it more though.
 
i could imagine myself using it once a week at first, BUT wouldnt use it much after the novelty wore out. honestly if i want to skype i can just get on my macbook pro, my ipad is just a convenience gadget.
 
Once someone can figure out how to have a camera behind the screen so that you can look someone directly in the eye I don't see much of a need for one. Having conversations where people are always looking off center just isn't worth it unless it's some loved one far away that you just have to see.
 
I always have my iPhone with me so I see no reason for a camera on the iPad.

Especially since the new iPhone HD will have a front facing cam for video chat.

What would be nice is a bluetooth link so the iPhone camera (front or back- 2G, 3G, 3GS or HD) links to a chat program on iPad. So you can use your iPhone camera as the camera for a chat program running on the iPad.
 
No, not needed, everyone is asking for one but no one will use it when they can just use the mac in front of them
 
You can test the idea out with the "Camera A" and "Camera B" apps from the App store.

You put "Camera A" App ($1.99)on the iPad and "Camera B" (Free) on your iPhone 3GS. Turn on BlueTooth on both units and let them join. Now you can control the iPhone camera with the iPad.

I did this and then laid the iPhone down on the iPad to see what a front facing camera would do in a video chat scenario. I gives a really good view up your nostrils. You would have to hold the iPad at a weird high angle to prevent this from happening. For this reason I don't think that people who want the camera for video skype calls etc. are going to like the results.
 
They should have 4 front facing cameras - one at each corner of the iPad. Then when you videoconference between 2 iPads, it uses the 4 cameras to reconstruct a 3-dimensional projection, and also makes it so that both people can see the other side eye to eye.
 
It's definitely one of those "nice to have" features, but I would say I probably would never use it. I have a camera on my iMac that I almost never use as well, but it's something that is nice to have and use every once in a while. Also, their cameras are dirt cheap and it just seems like Apple held out features for future generations just so that people are left wanting more..I'm sure it's more complicated than that, but Apple is not stupid and leaving out a camera was primarily a reason based on MONEY.
 
front camera

I use Skype to talk to my family overseas 2-3 times a week... a front facing camera with Skype functionality would have been a great plus.
 
To all the people saying this has no use: ask this same question to a teenager who isn't around their parents and they'll tell you what 90% of would use a front facing camera for. :rolleyes:
 
Front and back facing camera would be best

I would only want a front and back facing camera, then I could see myself using it to show someone something I'm looking at.

Would be really nice to be able to see the person your talking to while showing them something like in a store or as real estate agent showing a house, or while your on vacation. They could even be sent a split screen showing you and what you are looking at.

They would be looking at what your looking at, while your talking to them...amazing for telepresence.

I could also see that in an impromptu meeting showing you and a handful of others sitting around you, or family vacation showing you and say your kids with Mickey Mouse...heck you could shoot it as a picture while say your parents at home watch.

Yup, must have both...
 
Lol the people have spoken. Whiners are good at one thing....whining. But when you get what you want, you just move on to another whine topic. You don't even use whatever you whined for.

This why the NFL isn't controlled by purists
 
To be honest, I would never use it, I don't get why a camera was such a big deal for everyone, I would never use an iPad to video chat, that's why I have a MacBook with a built in iSight.
 
I have no use for a camera in an iPad. I would never use something so bulky as a camera if it were on the back. I would always be kinda weirded out if it was on the front and still would not use it anyway.
 
What's funny is that of the 28% (as of 12:25am EST 4/19) who would only use it once to try it, 100% of them would be in a complete tizzy if it didn't work properly for some reason. :D
 
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