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Ojo Personal Video
Phone
WorldGate's Ojo personal video phone -- worth your while to buy?
July 19, 2006
By: Alice Osborn
In the age of free videoconferencing, Skype, and webcams,
is it worth your while to buy a video phone? Depends upon
your lifestyle, mobility and budget. Last year, Motorola
introduced the Ojo personal video phone, but they priced
themselves out of their market since consumers had to buy
two Ojo video phones at $799 each, not including a $14.95
monthly fee for anytime minutes. This fee allows users to
make international calls, but everyone must own an Ojo
phone.
WorldGate is now the Ojo distributor and the price has
come down considerably ($499 for the original Ojo with a
2.4GHz detachable cordless phone and $249 for the Ojo Shadow
with rebates, which is similar to the original Ojo, but
without the cordless handset). This Ojo video phone only
requires a router, broadband access over cable, DSL, WiFi or
satellite networks, and a regular phone line -- computer
access is not required. Plus, the Ojo is compatible with
Vonage and other VoIP providers and is able to make
traditional telephone calls.
One of the best features I found with the Ojo is that it
can produce good quality video images (30 frames per second)
at a lower bandwidth, although the picture quality has room
for improvement. It is also easy to install (if you have all
of the right equipment) and you can use your existing phone
line. Some of the downsides of owning Ojo's broadband video
phone include needing access to a power supply, since the
video phone is not wireless, no multiple handsets, and it
still only works with other Ojo video phones.
This is a phone for home use, is ideal for grandparents
to see and hear their grandchildren, for couples in
long-distance relationships, and for spouses connecting with
each other during business trips.
Features of the Ojo video phone
When it comes to buying a video phone, you want reliable
picture and sound quality, without picture freezes and
jerkiness, right? It seems that every time I go on my
webcam, the picture freezes and I have to reboot -- which is
very frustrating. Although I wanted the Ojo to provide a
crystal-clear portrait picture on its 3.4 x 6 inch LCD
screen (which is great for faces), the picture could be
sometimes jumpy and would freeze as the audio continued.
Another disappointment was the picture quality of the
person you call. The person you are talking to fills up most
of the screen, while your picture is beneath this image, and
it seemed that my image was always more clear than the other
person's. This is because my resolution on the Ojo is 480 x
854 pixels, while the recipient's picture is 480 x 640. I
suppose that something has to give for the 30 fps rate over
a low bandwidth. I would suggest having sufficient light in
the room, so that you can see the other person without a
problem.
I had no complaints with the Ojo sound quality, however.
The original Ojo includes a cordless handset, which also
acts as a speakerphone while supporting visual Caller ID and
video messaging. Also, you can begin your conversation
without a picture if you select the privacy screen.
As for the menu system on the Ojo, I would have preferred
a touch screen versus the arrow navigation system (like a TV
remote). The wireless handset on the original Ojo model also
didn't feel right since it was too long, so perhaps I
wouldn't miss the detachable handset on the lower-priced Ojo
Shadow.
The stress-free Ojo's setup
The setup is easy and only involves a few steps. First,
set up the Ojo video phone to your phone jack and then plug
it into your electrical outlet. Second, install a router and
then connect the video phone to this router and to your
broadband DSL or cable line. Then you're ready to set up
your WorldGate's account on WorldGate's website. You even
have the option of recording a video greeting. I didn't have
any questions, but WorldGate does provide a thorough FAQ on
its website, although there weren't any toll-free help desk
numbers listed.
What's in store for the Ojo video phone?
The Ojo is exciting second-generation video phone
technology and is a great way to stay in contact with
far-flung friends and family. WorldGate is poised to bring
more innovations to its line of video phones in the near
future. They already are working on inter video phone
compatibility and on better visual clarity through infrared
light technology. I would also recommend that they devise a
way to ensure consistent resolution quality. I believe the
Ojo video phone will come down even further in price to make
it more accessible for consumers, especially ones who don't
own a computer.
About the Author
Alice Osborn is a successful freelance writer and
contributor to Video-Conferencing-Guide.com. Your definitive guide to everything you need to know about video driven communications, including multi-view video conferencing solutions for business, broadband video phones and personal webcam chat rooms.
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Home Page:
[ Video-Conferencing-Guide.com ]
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