Some technology just seems designed for the traveling consultant. Webcams, once the purview of attention-hungry teens up to no good, are a great way to see your family—even if you're in Tokyo and they're in Texas. These relatively inexpensive tools are primarily designed for the PC crowd—Mac's iSight camera is often a built-in feature on current laptop models. Keep in mind, however, that you'll need to at least double the prices listed below. That way you can see them—and they can see you.
Philips SPC 1300NC/00
$62.99, www.webcam.philips.com
This webcam offers 6 MPs for still shots, 2MP for streaming video—pretty high grade for just saying hello. A laptop clamp and built-in microphone also make this a smart choice for travel, especially since added technology such as noise cancellation and echo reduction come standard, too. While, like many other products, this PC-friendly model works with a variety of chatting software, like Yahoo! Messenger and Skype, it also claims to be "the webcam for professionals" because of its high-grade broadcast quality.
