How toTurn Your HDTV into a Video Phone

Biscotti TV Phone: $199

Today, a high-def video phone named after an Italian pastry -- in this case, Biscotti -- is being released to the public. The bad news is that you may have to dust, vacuum and/or wear pants the next time you make a video call. The good news is that you'll be able to video chat with folks freely -- both in the sense of not paying monthly fees and also not encroaching on each other's personal space.

Between Skype, ooVoo, Google and Apple, video calling seems pretty popular. But according to an October 2010 study, Pew Research found that only 19 percent of folks have made a video call. Texas-based Biscotti hopes to increase that figure by making it very easy. With their FCC-approved device, you only need Wi-Fi and an HDMI-enabled TV -- no computer, phone line, cable box or additional set-top device. It'll work with uplink speeds as slow as 256 Kbps and can deliver high-definition starting at 1 Mbps.
Its simple six-button remote takes you through on-screen menus as you watch TV, without interrupting or having to switch inputs. You don't have to worry about boot time, because Biscotti can automatically answer calls from select contacts and even turn on the TV when you receive a call. Although the quality is said to be best between Biscotti users, it's interoperable with any computer, tablet or smart phone running Google's Talk software or Video and voice plug-in. So, like the famous cookie, this Biscotti idea seems fully baked.
Credit: Biscotti

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