PC users can move another step closer to having a Jetsons-style video phone with the release of Vibe Phone, a service that combines instant messaging technology with video over broadband. The service is priced similar to cell phone plans.
"We have built Vibe Phone as a pure viewing experience," says Brad Herrick, vice president of marketing for GlobalStreams, the developer. "We have taken professional high-end video and embedded it into a consumer-friendly interface. Many programs have all these windows popping up all the time, but we supply all the tools you need in a single place."