Symbian Toys

Why has video calling failed to capture the hearts and minds of the many 3G-enabled countries that have deployed the service? At Nokia's S60 Summit in Barcelona last week, it seems that the company's VP of Category Management (whatever the heck that means) for the Nseries line took a rather blunt approach to the question, claiming that it's because the angle at which the front-facing cams are held gives callers a view of your face that "isn't very flattering." He mentioned that most webcams are typically placed just above the user's line of sight, which gives a more pleasing view of the face; obviously, that's not something you can practically do with your phone most of the time. A little controversial? Perhaps -- and it appears that other factions in the company don't share his view, with its Director of Product and Technology Marketing quick to note that video call tech hit the market before consumers were ready, and a lack of carrier support (read: reasonable pricing) has hindered uptake. Now that we think about it, though, do we really want to see up your nose while we're talking?