Dell’s magnetic wireless webcam concept may help you forget about that infamous nose cam

Enlarge / The prototype can stick onto a screen so you can place it at eye level, or wherever else you'd want. (credit: Scharon Harding)

If you asked me to guess which company is revamping webcam positioning, I wouldn't name Dell. That's because I still remember the Dell XPS's infamous up-the-nose webcam, an unfortunately placed shooter that provided an in-nostril view of countless XPS users for years. But Dell wants a different, more positive reason for you to associate it with funky webcams, and, ironically, the company is all about getting webcams in the most ideal spot possible.

Dell demoed Concept Pari to the press last week (at the same event where it showed off its Concept Luna repairable PC). It's a 1080p webcam prototype that can depart its holster with a simple pluck, to be placed anywhere magnets work. The idea is that the camera will continue to send video to a connected PC through Wi-Fi, even from a couple of feet away. The most obvious use case for Concept Pari is sticking it directly onto your computer's display rather than on its bezel. This creates a more intimate space for conversation with your long-distance interlocutors, bringing their view of you to eye level.

The webcam is placed closer to eye level to make the call feel more like real life. (credit: Scharon Harding)

"It can be placed directly-anywhere-on compatible displays, in a charging dock, on a stand, or even held in the hand," Dell Technologies CTO of the Client Solutions Group Glen Robson explained in a blog post today.

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