Logitech this morning claimed it could ease video chats through Vid, its own interpretation of video conferencing software. The software gives Macs and Windows PCs a solution outside of IM and relies only on e-mail addresses and thumbnail photos for contacts; users who don't already have the app get an invitation to download the software. It auto-optimizes the bitrate to ensure that the video and audio is as good as possible for the connection.

The company officially requires a Logitech webcam for an unfettered ability to both start and receive video chats. Recipients can always use the software with any webcam to answer chat requests from a Logitech camera owner; they can also answer chats from those who don't use official hardware but only have 30 days before one or both buy a sanctioned webcam.

Macs need at least a system capable of running Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later and ideally have a 1GHz G4 or any Intel processor. Windows systems require XP or higher and should have a 2.5GHz processor of any given processor family for the best possible quality.