New York Times technology columnist David Pogue recounts his recent experience with iChat AV and iSight while on the road in a new column called When technology is heartwarming (Registration required but free).
Pogue said that he was feeling ill and homesick on a recent trip, and happened upon some wireless access at a coffee shop in London, thanks to the attendee of one of his talks at a computer conference there. “As we chatted, he mentioned that he often sat in this very coffee shop and conducted video chats with a buddy in the States, using an Apple iSight,” said Pogue.
Up until that point, Pogue said, he didn’t realize that the iSight worked internationally. At that, Pogue fired off a series of e-mails to his wife, to explain to her how to use iChat AV and iSight on their Mac at home.
“And then, suddenly, there it was: My wife Jennifer’s live image and her voice, transmitted in real time 3,500 miles across the globe — instantly, crystal clear, and (by the way) free. I paraded around the coffee shop with my laptop and the iSight, showing her the local ambiance,” said Pogue.
After recounting his experience with his wife and kids, Pogue mused, “There’s a lot of junk in technology, a lot of hassle and frustration, a lot of disappointment. But this moment was like a TV commercial. It was an emotional, powerful, simple, perfect example of how technology can change a moment, solve a problem, and despite the gulf of time and distance, bring you face to face with the people you love.”