Almost all eye-to-eye video calls are achieved by having a tiny webcam in the middle of the screen. Not everyone likes that. And not everybody likes software messing with their windows to the soul. But Sean has other ideas on how to do it. Taking a page from a teleprompter, Sean’s More Connection Cam not only makes eye-to-eye video calls affordable but also unobtrusive.
More Connection Cam does not have a webcam per se. Instead, it is an accessory that lets you use your existing smartphone as a high-resolution webcam. Its system is kind of the opposite of a teleprompter. Where a teleprompter has a camera behind special glass placed at an angle, behind More Connection Cam’s angled transparent mirror is your laptop display. Meanwhile, a slot below lets you place a smartphone, which will serve as the webcam. Your image will be captured by the ‘webcam’ via reflection. And just like that, voila—you are looking straight at the other party in the eyes.
Since there is mirroring, a.k.a. reflection, involved, resolution may not be the best, and it is also susceptible to lighting conditions. This is where the shroud thingy comes in (just like on a teleprompter). However, while More Connection Cam claims that the so-called ‘transparent mirror’—which is of acrylic material, btw—allows for 85% of light to shine through, it will more or less create a “film” which will mute the display somewhat.
Since the ‘webcam’ does not capture you directly, the other party’s view of you wouldn’t be as sharp. That’s not to mention you probably will keep noticing the reflection of the slot that has the phone’s rear-facing camera peeking through. Despite my skepticism, this may be the most “value-for-money” and effective solution to eye-to-eye video calls without having an eye-jabbing webcam in the center of the display.
If you are down, you can take advantage of the savings on Kickstarter, where you can pledge for a unit of More Connection Cam for as low as 36 quid (~49 USD according to Kickstarter). The campaign’s modest funding goal has been met, and so, the product is a go. But as always, crowdfunding campaigns have their risks, so be sure to understand them before you commit. Anyhoo, if everything goes as planned, More Connection Cam should start shipping in January 2026.
Images: More Connection Cam.
