I don’t have many memories of my grandparents.  My husband and I, however, still make regular trips to visit his grandparents.  The relationship between a grandparent and a grandchild is unique and important to a child’s development.  My son loves his grandparents (my parents) and spends quite a bit of time with them.  Unfortunately, he doesn’t get to spend as much time with my husband’s family because they live on the other side of the country.

We frequently pull out the computer and video chat with my husband’s parents, so that my son can see and speak with his “nana” and “papa.”  The invention of the web cam is brilliant.  It has the ability to connect people all over the country in a unique and meaningful way.  Blue Microphones recently released their Eyeball 2.0, a USB Web camera with CD-quality audio and HD-quality video.  The camera allows you to instant message and video conference via mediums such as Skype and Google Chat.

I’m not sure about the grandparents in your life, but ours did not grow up in an era driven by technology.  My mom frequently asks my husband for help with all things “techie.”  This web cam is so easy to use and simply requires plugging the cable into the USB port.  The web cam will work on a PC and a MAC and includes a custom-designed monitor adapter for positioning on a laptop or desktop computer.  If you’ve ever had an “oopsie” moment (like me) and had your webcam on when you didn’t want it to, you’ll appreciate Eyeball’s privacy option.  You simply push the camera down (it pops in and out) when it’s not being used.

Eyeball 2.0 retails for $79.99 and is available at Apple Stores, Fry’s Electronics, and retailers nationwide.

No compensation was received for this post.  A product sample was provided to facilitate this review.