Philips wins the silver award for its PC camera

These cameras outperformed competition in terms of features, performance, ease of use and value for money.

Philips SPC200NC has a very solid and stable design and offers very high image quality. With very fluid video without hiccups and total compatibility, this new web cam offers the best value entry in video messaging. It shoots video at a smooth 30frames per second, and can capture basic still images, too. The lens isn't auto focus but it can rotate to help without framing. An external microphone and USB cable complete a great starter kit.

Philips SPC 300NC PC camera has a separate microphone that can be attached to a lapel via a clip and plugged directly into the back of the computer, so you can start chatting straight away. The design of the camera's stand means it will have to be placed on something directly in front of you, it also has two buttons directly on the camera-one for taking a quick snap, the other for loading the bundled software.

All the software is provided through a single program called the VLounge. From here you can capture stills or video direct from the camera, and either save them to your computer's hard disk or send them in an email. There are also links to launch the video-enabled instant messengers-AOL, Yahoo and MSN.

The SPC 600NC offers a complete new experience in video communication with interesting and new-to-market applications. This camera can capture images at 800x600 resolution and video at up to 30 frames per second. It takes sharp stills and produces video with little blurring, and handles a range of lighting conditions well.

The SPC 600NC includes a vertical viewing angle that is adjustable and the entire top can be disconnected from the base, leaving a handy USB hub. An integral digital microphone that is built in the camera makes chatting easy, and an easy to use VLounge software that includes simple tools help set up web cam options in MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger and AIM. Finally a futuristic design with aggressive shades of red makes this web cam pleasantly surprising.

"The images produced by these web cams offer very high image quality and the software is easy to use," commented Louis Hakim, CEO of Philips Middle East. "We want to be the first company that consumers think of when they are looking for products that offer cutting edge technology and innovation, but with a simple and intuitive interface."