Microsoft recently updated its portfolio of webcams, which introduced three new HD video webcams to the LifeCam lineup. For the mobile market, Microsoft added the LifeCam HD-6000 for Notebooks.

• True 720p HD video
  720p sensor records true HD-quality video at up to 30 fps.

• Auto Focus
  Images stay sharp and detailed even during close-ups.

• TrueColor Technology
  Automatically controls exposure for bright and colorful video.

• Notebook design with 360° lens rotation
  Compact design; rotates halfway in both directions for an all-around view.

• 3-Year Limited Hardware Warranty
  » Limited Warranty and License Agreement available here.

• Optimized for Windows Live Messenger
  Seamlessly integrated with Windows Live Messenger for easy setup and use.

• Windows Live Movie Maker
  Start a movie project with one click, then upload widescreen video to social networking sites.

• Windows Live Photo Gallery
  Easily upload a photo that you can edit, tag, and share with friends and family.

• Windows Live™ Call Button
  It's simple to start video calls. One touch of the Windows Live Call Button lets you see who's online, and you're on your way to making a video call.
  
   

Setup: The LifeCam HD-6000 for Notebooks comes with an installation disk that includes the LifeCam software, which is available for both the 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows 7. Aside from installing the LifeCam software, installing the LifeCam HD-6000 for Notebooks is as simple as plugging the camera into an available usb port. I used this webcam on a computer that had the LifeCam software installed, and one that did not. I found that even on the laptop that did not have the LifeCam software installed, the LifeCam HD-6000 for Notebooks worked flawlessly with Windows Live Messenger for video chats. The LifeCam software, of course, gives you the ability to use the camera to take and save pictures and video, including the ability to add some fun effects.

The LifeCam HD-6000 for Notebooks is a compact webcam, sleek in design. The clip used to mount the camera onto the computer does not open wide enough to clip the webcam onto a standard LCD monitor, but it does clip securely onto the lid of a laptop screen, which makes sense as this webcam is designed for mobile computing environments. The usb cable is considerably shorter than a standard webcam, which is again a plus for laptops and mobility. Also, the usb cable comes with a handy cable organization clip, which allows you to bunch the cable together and clip for storage in the case which is also included with the webcam. The LifeCam HD-6000 for Notebooks boasts a 360 degree lens rotation, allowing the user to rotate the camera halfway in both directions for all around views. When the webcam is in use, a glowing blue light is displayed on the neck of the camera.

The LifeCam HD-6000 for Notebooks is optimized for Windows Live services, including Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Movie Maker and Windows Live Photo Gallery. It includes a Windows Live Call Button on top of the camera, allowing for one touch video calls to contacts in your Windows Live Messenger. 

The best feature of the LifeCam HD-6000 for Notebooks is undoubtedly the video quality. 720p HD quality video is recorded at up to 30 frames per second. The camera takes a second to find the object it wants to put in focus, but then autofocuses and corrects the image nicely. I noticed that performance degraded a little bit while running the camera in the highest resolution possible, and Windows even popped up a message to notify me of the degraded system performance. But other than that, the video quality along with the effects worked beautifully.

The LifeCam HD-6000 for Notebooks webcam has almost all positive qualities and virtually no cons. When you combine the compact design and easy portablity, along with the excellent video quality, and consider the retail price of this webcam is around sixty dollars, it makes this webcam a great value.