clock … watching time, the only true currency

I’ve used a webcam since 2003, and I was excited about it then for family communication. Today’s New York Times article “Grandma’s on the Computer Screen” talks about the growing trend among extended families to use webcams to stay in touch, especially for grandparents and their grandchildren.

Video calling, long anticipated by science fiction, is filtering into everyday use. And two demographic groups not particularly known for being high-tech are among the earliest adopters.

In a way that even e-mailed photos never could, the Web cam promises to transcend both distance and the inability of toddlers to hold up their end of a phone conversation.

Even two years ago, I was challenged chatting across platforms. But I’ve used Skype and SightSpeed to good effect since, and iSight and iChat have only become more widespread.

Technology has its limits, but I’m thankful for this incarnation.