And starting this Wednesday, the device is available on Amazon.com for $199.

Looxcie, pronounced look-see, is meant for casual users who love to video-share but are craving more flexible options (versus other live streaming services like Qik).

This is how it works: a user straps Looxcie on their ear, putting the camera roughly at eye level. The device can continuously record and store up to 4 hours of video footage, after which the rechargeable battery taps out. If something noteworthy occurs, the user presses an “instant clip” button, which will take the last 30 seconds and package it into a video file. Through Bluetooth, that file is sent to Looxcie’s companion mobile app, which can then be shared via e-mail, Facebook or YouTube. For impatient users, you can also set up the app to upload “instant shares” automatically.

For now, the mobile app is only available on Android devices, but Looxcie plans to roll out apps for the Blackberry, Windows and iPhone operating systems by the end of this year. If you have none of the above but still want to use a wearable camcorder, you can also upload your files to your PC or MAC via a USB cord— of course, this negates the instant-sharing functionality. Check out a sample clip:

The real question is, is it worth it? I have no doubt that there will be a few die-hard video bloggers who will want to give this device a test drive, but it’s hard to imagine massive traction with the average consumer. Looxcie also suffers from several limitations. At 15 frames per second and HVGA 480×320 resolution, the video quality is mediocre— not superior to your average iPhone or Android smartphone. Furthermore, four hours of recording time and a 30-second limit on instant clips seems insufficient if your goal is to actually record your life. That all said, never underestimate people’s need to share on the web, and the lengths they will go (and the electronics they will purchase) to do so.

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Authors: Evelyn Rusli

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