Microsoft first showed off its Video Chat system at E3 last month. Up till now it was just a prototype (didn't work yet). Today Microsoft has shown a working demonstration of its Video Chat system. No dates have been set yet for the release of this product in the US or Europe. According to some analyst this product isn't expected to appear before 2005.
Microsoft Japan has demonstrated the Xbox Live Video Chat system, revealing that the new video-conferencing package will support up to five simultaneous users and will launch in the Far East at the end of the year - with no US or European date mentioned as yet.
The Video Chat system was originally unveiled at E3 last month, but this is the first time that it's been shown in operation - with the hardware (thought to be a rebranded Logitech webcam) effectively a small spherical camera in the Xbox colours, while the software supports a range of video conferencing functions. Five users can talk at once on the service, and the user can set up backgrounds or music for their conversations - or, interestingly, activate the vibration function on another user's joypad. The mind boggles...
News source: gameindustry.biz
