JBC News
  • Login
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Reel
  • World

    Google threatens to withdraw search engine from Australia

    Biden sets to work on reversing Trump policies with executive orders

    Coronavirus: Why South Africa has yet to roll out vaccines

    Kyrgios criticises Djokovic over Australian Open quarantine row

    US in Somalia: 'We still need the Americans for security'

    Biden inauguration: All 50 US states on alert for armed protests

    Ethiopia’s Oromia conflict: Why a teacher was killed ‘execution-style’

    Biden unveils $1.9tn US economic relief package

    Trump impeached for ‘inciting’ US Capitol riot

  • Worklife
  • Travel
  • More
    • Future
    • Culture
    • Music
0 °c
London
0 ° Sun
1 ° Mon
2 ° Tue
7 ° Wed
No Result
View All Result

Welcome to JBC.com

Friday, January 22, 2021
JBC News
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Reel
  • World

    Google threatens to withdraw search engine from Australia

    Biden sets to work on reversing Trump policies with executive orders

    Coronavirus: Why South Africa has yet to roll out vaccines

    Kyrgios criticises Djokovic over Australian Open quarantine row

    US in Somalia: 'We still need the Americans for security'

    Biden inauguration: All 50 US states on alert for armed protests

    Ethiopia’s Oromia conflict: Why a teacher was killed ‘execution-style’

    Biden unveils $1.9tn US economic relief package

    Trump impeached for ‘inciting’ US Capitol riot

  • Worklife
  • Travel
  • More
    • Future
    • Culture
    • Music
No Result
View All Result
JBC News
No Result
View All Result
Home Technology

No end to Covid-19 webcam shortage

July 26, 2020
in Technology
4 min read
304 19
0
351
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Image copyright
Getty Images

Image caption

When people could not see each other in real life, they turned to virtual meetings requiring a webcam

As Covid-19 lockdowns took effect around the world, millions turned to remote working and organising virtual hangouts with friends.

Overnight, webcams went from mundane computer accessories to gold dust.

Even now, the initial surge in demand, in March, has barely abated, with manufacturers struggling to satisfy the many consumers trying to buy.

And while some consumers have been successful, there is plenty of evidence many more are still searching in vain.

‘Chasing demand’

Smartphones, tablets and laptops generally come with built-in cameras.

But many users prefer dedicated devices that may offer higher video resolution or be easier to position using, for example, a tripod.

Image copyright
Getty Images

Image caption

Logitech is working hard to meet demand

Logitech has started shipping its webcams by air freight instead of sea, to reach retailers as fast as possible.

“We are still chasing demand at this point,” a spokesman says.

“Production is at full throttle.

“Going forward, supply could remain tight but we expect it to improve.”

Popular products

Chief executive Bracken Darrell told CNBC the company was “working like crazy” to meet demand.

And he expected another surge in sales from students returning to university virtually in the autumn.

In the UK, Amazon, Curry’s and Argos all have certain webcam models available for sale.

But many – including the most popular products made by companies such as Logitech, Microsoft and Razer – are regularly listed as out of stock.

‘Inflated prices’

“I tried for months to find one for my mum,” says Matt Obee, a software designer in the UK.

“She wanted to join in with her normal activities from home.”

Specifically, virtual church and Pilates.

“I could only find a few with stupidly inflated prices, or unrecognisable brands,” he says.

Months searching

And when a friend bought Mr Obee’s mother a webcam with a brand name he did not know, it seemed to cause software problems on her computer and Zoom kept crashing.

Eventually, he managed to buy her one from Curry’s – a bit more expensive than the model he had intended to purchase but it did work as expected.

“I didn’t expect that we’d have to spend months searching,” he adds.

Image copyright
Monika Lee

Image caption

Internet-streamer Monika Lee has not found a suitable webcam

In California, cosplayer and streamer Monika Lee already has two webcams but would like a third for cooking demonstrations from her kitchen.

‘Pretty frivolous’

“It’s more important than ever to connect with people,” she says.

Her need for the camera is “pretty frivolous”, she says.

But she is unhappy with the quality of the inbuilt laptop camera she has been using.

And while the specific model of webcam she wants is back in stock, on Amazon, its price has gone up.

Software updates

Similar frustrations faced game-streamer Casey Thornton, in the US, who goes by the pseudonym D3ityCthulhu.

Image copyright
Casey Thornton

Image caption

Casey Thornton is a game-streamer in search of a high-quality webcam

The pandemic caught the webcam market by surprise and it is understandable manufacturers have struggled to keep up, says Stuart Miles, editor of gadget news site Pocket-lint.com.

“It was an industry that was just ticking along, nobody was really that excited by it,” he says.

“Suddenly, through lockdown, we’ve been forced into doing Zoom calls and quizzes and trying to keep connected working from home.”

Some camera companies are offering software updates, he says.

This week, for example, Nikon released an update that lets users turn their digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) cameras into makeshift webcams.

“You might see further innovation in lighting or [companies] selling lights to wrap around your laptop screen to deliver a better lighting experience,” Mr Miles adds.



Source link

Related posts

Could Google really leave Australia?

January 22, 2021

Gaming firms fined nearly £7m for restricting European sales

January 21, 2021
Previous Post

Coronavirus: Your pictures on the theme of ‘homegrown’

Next Post

Spain travel rules: What are my rights?

Next Post

Spain travel rules: What are my rights?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RECOMMENDED NEWS

Endangered cheetahs snapped in award-winning photos

7 months ago

Trump doing well and could be discharged on Monday, doctors say

4 months ago

Mali coup: Opposition rejects transition deal as ‘power grab’

4 months ago

Leeds United defend open-top bus celebration after stay home plea

6 months ago

FOLLOW US

  • 79 Followers
  • 26.5k Followers
  • 79.6k Subscribers

BROWSE BY CATEGORIES

  • Business
  • Have your say
  • In Pictures
  • Politics
  • Reel
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Top News
  • World

Top Stories

  • Biden sets to work on reversing Trump policies with executive orders

    351 shares
    Share 140 Tweet 88
  • Aurora lights up sky above Scotland

    351 shares
    Share 140 Tweet 88
  • Storm Christoph in pictures – BBC News

    351 shares
    Share 140 Tweet 88
  • Covid: Labour attacks Sunak over strategy to help economy

    351 shares
    Share 140 Tweet 88
  • Gaming firms fined nearly £7m for restricting European sales

    351 shares
    Share 140 Tweet 88

Features

Business

Body defends action on Covid workplace safety complaints

by admin
January 22, 2021
0

The Health and Safety Executive denies being "naïve" about breaches of safety rules. Source link

Read more

Could Google really leave Australia?

January 22, 2021

Africa's week in pictures: 15 – 21 January 2021

January 22, 2021

Covid: ‘I was spat at working as an ambulance paramedic’

January 22, 2021

Keir Starmer on Gavin Williamson as education secretary

January 22, 2021

Recent News

  • Body defends action on Covid workplace safety complaints
  • Could Google really leave Australia?
  • Africa's week in pictures: 15 – 21 January 2021
JBC News

Breaking news, sport, TV, radio and a whole lot more.
The JBC informs, educates and entertains - wherever you are, whatever your age.

Follow us on social media:

Category

  • Business
  • Have your say
  • In Pictures
  • Politics
  • Reel
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Top News
  • World
  •  Staged stars  DavidTennant and  MichaelSheen as two actors forced to take their West End rehearsals online        Continues 10 45pm on  BBCOne  plus all episodes availble now on  bbciplayer    BBCOne  BBCiPlayer  BBC  Comedy  BBCComedy  Drama
  • Joe Wicks   thebodycoach  has become  the nation s PE teacher  during lockdwn  keeping families fit during strange times with his daily live streams of  PE with Joe          Listen to his Desert Island Discs episode with  laurenlaverne on  bbcsounds         Via  bbcradio2                          JoeWicks  TheBodyCoach  BBCRadio4  DesertIslandDiscs  DID  LaurenLaverne   BBCSounds  BBC  PEWithJoe
  • Just some of the incredible memories from decades of  Glastonbury sets     what   s been your favourite moment from Worthy Farm   Relive them all with The Glastonbury Experience  June 25th-29th  at bbc co uk glastonbury     wellies optional        Glastonbury2020
  • Now that s an angry bird                    Via  bbcscotnews      Stephen Kennedy                              BBCScotland  Scotland  Scottish  BlueTit  Birds  Nature  AngryBird  FunnyAnimals  Photography  PictureOfTheDay  PicOfTheDay  BBCScotlandPics  BBCScotlandNews  BBCNews  BBC  Bird  BirdsOfInstagram  AngryBirds  Angry  Fluffy  Queensferry  SouthQueensferry  Ornithology  Birdwatcher  BirdLover  Birdwatching  BirdPhotography  BirdwatchersOfInstagram  BlueTits  Fledgling
  •     Ambulance   Streaming Now    BBCiPlayer   Via  bbciplayer    BBCOne  BBCiPlayer  Paramedic  Paramedics  NHS
  •  TheSalisburyPoisonings concludes at 9pm on  bbcone   All episodes streaming now on  bbciplayer      bbc in 37wAgUv   BBCOne  BBCiPlayer  BBC  Drama  BBCDrama  Salisbury
  • An intricately woven  suspenseful tale of love  murder  magic and revenge set in New Zealand at the height of the 1860s gold rush   The Luminaries  Starts Sunday  9pm  BBC One  with all episodes streaming on  BBCiPlayer immediately afterwards    TheLuminaries  Luminares  BBC  BBCOne  BBCiPlayer
  • Don   t swipe if you   re squeamish - the  phobia challenge  creations on  GlowUp are  in the nicest possible way  disturbing                    Catch  glowupbbc on  bbciplayer                   Via  bbcthree                                            StaceyDooley  MakeUp  MakeUpArtist  MakeUpArtists  MUA  MUAs  GlowUps  MakeUpTips  MakeUpTricks  AmazingMakeIp  MakeUpTutorial  BBCThree  BBCiPlayer  BBC  Phobia  Creepy  Horror  CreepyMakeUp  HorrorMakeUp
  • Really never thought we d see a beautiful picture of a pigeon                       Despite their reputation  pigeons are remarkably smart birds  They form cooperative family units and have the ability to find their way home from hundreds of miles away                       Via  bbcearth        4elementphotos                                   BBCEarth  Bird  Pigeon  BirdsOfInstagram  Ornithology  BeautifulBirds  BirdWatching  Wildlife  WildlifePhotography  NaturePhotography  AmazingAnimals  Nature  NatureLovers  Earth  EarthLovers  PlanetEarth  Pigeons  PigeonsOfInstagram  BBC

Recent News

Body defends action on Covid workplace safety complaints

January 22, 2021

Could Google really leave Australia?

January 22, 2021
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Reel
  • World
  • Worklife
  • Travel
  • More

© 2020 JBC - BBC Clone JOOJ.us.

  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Reel
  • Travel
  • WorkLife
  • Future
  • World
  • Technology
  • Login

© 2020 JBC - BBC Clone JOOJ.us.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In