I've never been a fan of webcams. People can easily get distracted with web surfing while chatting, you're rooted to one place in front of your computer, and Skype has frequently produced technical problems for me. I even became so adamantly against webcams while abroad that I refused to video chat with my parents (I ended up calling them through Skype instead).
Although I had stayed away from video chatting, things quickly changed when I purchased an iPhone 4. The new iPhone comes standard with a feature called "Facetime", which turns your mobile device into a webcam. Suddenly, all the qualms I had with webcams disappeared.
Instead of having to haul my computer around, I can enter a wifi zone, pull my phone out of my pocket, and easily connect with other iPhone owners. There are two high-quality cameras on the device, one in the front and one in the back, with the option to switch between the two. Now when I reference something I am seeing, I don't have to lift my computer around but push a button to flip the camera view. I can now see what my camera is pointing at, as well as my family's reaction on the screen.
As opposed to computers, video chatting on the iPhone is convenient because phones are on us at all times. The iPhone's instant accessibility and ease of use also make video chatting easier and quicker. When my dad spontaneously calls to video chat, I can be away from my computer and still jump into a conversation. No longer do I have to go through the hassle of downloading or updating programs on my computer or worrying about compatibility issues. It's all there.
Having to hold the iPhone has also kept me constantly engaged in the conversation. I can no longer get away with multi-tasking on my phone and the ability to switch the screen dimensions and camera positions allow for some creativity while talking.
Although video chat can't solely run off AT&T's 3G network, I have experienced better video and audio quality then with Skype.
Now I use my computer to make calls and my phone to video chat. Ironic.
