With the right hardware, including a Skype-enabled TV and an HD webcam, families will be able to video chat in high-definition. Obviously, the grandparents-to-grandkids holiday call would be a natural for this type of setup.
Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls will be free, just as they are for PC users. Voice conference calls with up to 24 other parties are possible--although probably not desirable.
True, video calling via computer has been around for a few years. And since many laptops now have integrated webcams--meaning no additional hardware to buy--video chatting has never been easier for PC users.
But PC-based video calls are best suited to one-on-one communications. The display is small, and the video and audio capabilities aren't designed for participants scattered across a living room.
A big-screen HDTV, however, could make home video conferencing a lot more popular, particularly with consumers who aren't savvy laptop users. Panasonic will sell a specially designed video camera that plugs directly into its Skype-ready line of Viera Cast HDTVs. The camera has a microphone that easily picks up audio from "couch distance," the company says, and that delivers 720p video--well, assuming the user's Internet bandwidth can handle it.
There are many unanswered questions, though, including the total cost of the HDTV video hardware setup--and ease of use. Will Skype TV be a breeze to configure? And will it be worth the price, particularly if users only make a few video calls per year?
Contact Jeff Bertolucci via Twitter (@jbertolucci) or at jbertolucci.blogspot.com.