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'Hercules' gives Webcam a lift

A Jules Verne look with modern amenities.

Mike Yamamoto Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Mike Yamamoto is an executive editor for CNET News.com.
Mike Yamamoto
Hercules

We think it's somewhat cheeky for a product to call itself "Hercules," especially when it's only a Webcam. It's kind of like Bill Gates wearing a Conan the Barbarian costume for Halloween. Nevertheless, we do admit that we're intrigued by the design of the latest product to bear the name.

The "Deluxe Optical Glass Webcam" has kind of a steampunk feel to it, with a glass lens that looks like something you might see on Captain Nemo's Nautilus. Yet its thorougly modern features include a 3x zoom, 1.3-megapixel resolution, a headset and a microphone, all for around $40, according to Shiny Shiny. Not exactly Victorian prices, but not bad either for a gadget that doubles as a Jules Verne prop.