Whether you’re looking for something to excite a busy mom on the go or the teenaged gaming enthusiast who barely breaks from the computer for meals, our team has done the research and is here to help!

For the Visionary Designer or Early adopter…

• If only hardware could take the runway, the Arc Keyboard would steal the show. Weighing in at less than a pound, the Arc Keyboard throws the standard keyboard a chic curve. It’s small enough to move easily around the house, with sleek lines to fit in seamlessly with any stylish home accessory. Best of all, the domed keyset of the Arc Keyboard is comfortable to use whether resting on a lap or on the kitchen counter.

• Find a new level of elegance in the Arc Touch Mouse: With clean lines and edges, the Arc Touch Mouse is made for the way we live today. Its flat shape makes it easy to throw in a bag or stack on a notebook. When you’re ready to work, just pop it up into its curved form. And a touch strip with vibration feedback means easy, controlled scrolling.

For the Mobile Maniac…

• Boldness and sophistication bring life to the selection of colors and patterns found with the Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500 and 4000. Both of these mice provide portable, wireless freedom in a comfortable, compact shape – a must for the mobile enthusiast on your gift list.

For the Well Connected…

• The LifeCam Studio is the perfect gift for someone who wants the next best thing to being there in person.  Keep in touch with family and friends across the country or chat with the BFF you rarely see because of work, school, or other commitments. 

• Even better! Pair LifeCam Studio, which offers a 1080p sensor for the best possible image at any resolution, with the latest version of Windows Live Messenger, the first consumer IM program with HD video calling.
• And if you’re looking for a webcam under $50, the LifeCam HD-5000 offers a 720p HD sensor and Auto Focus—it’s the only cam to do this for the price.

For the Ultimate Gamer…

• Call the shots and don’t miss a minute of the action with the SideWinder X4 Keyboard. A virtual command center at your fingertips, this new keyboard gives you powerful programming and versatility to enhance your work or game play. But it wouldn’t be complete without a gaming mouse as the perfect partner in crime!

• Do you know someone who feels the need…the need for speed? Keep the action fast and furious by giving the SideWinder X3 Mouse. With features that put you ahead of the competition, this versatile gaming mouse delivers speed, performance, and comfort for either hand.

Sound too good to be true? We promise it is.

Check out these and other great gifts at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/ and let us know if you get BIG smiles for bringing Microsoft Hardware home this holiday.

-Microsoft Hardware Team

Check out this video to hear more about the development of the webcam and what Studio means to the team that helped create it:

• Kurt Wrisley, Program Manager
• Maribel Figuera Alegre, Hardware Developer
• Tyler Gleghorn, Design Verification Engineer
• Jan Raken, User Experience Designer
• Andrew Juenger, Senior Design Verification Engineer

Have you had a chance to test out LifeCam Studio for yourself? Let us know what you think!

Q: Tell us about your role on the Windows Live team and what you’re most excited about in the new Messenger updates.

A: I’m a product manager for Messenger, responsible for driving business and product strategy, marketing, and evangelism for Messenger. My goal for Messenger is to enable consumers, to stay better connected with the people closest to them through the power of technology. The richer interactive real-time features like playing games and sharing photos while HD video chatting with the new Messenger excite me the most because they are giving consumers new ways to maintain a deeper connection to these important people.

Q: How has the web cam/video chat experience evolved in the past few years?  Any major industry trends or consumer demands?

A: Over the past few years, webcams have become more widespread. Nearly 90% of laptops today ship with embedded webcams. And instant messaging applications like Messenger are making it easier for people to use their webcams and start video chatting. The consumer demand for simple, easy to use video calling is rising. On the Messenger network alone, we already serve over 420 million video chats monthly, with the average video chat session lasting over 12 minutes, and nearly 10% of these longer than 1 hour. And, worldwide video chat volumes are expected to more than double by 2013 due to more capable and accessible endpoints on PCs, mobile phones and even TVs. With the new Xbox Kinect for example, video chatting capabilities now come into your living room. You can video chat with your Messenger friends and family from your TV set to their PC or Mac with a webcam. I made a video of this TV to PC experience with Kinect just last week for our Windows Experience blog.

Q: What are some of the new video chat features that were added to the Messenger to help meet these customer needs?

A: First, and most important, was to make it easy. This isn’t just about the one-click option to start a video call, but also about making it just work.  The new Messenger makes smarter use of your computer’s resources and internet connection bandwidth to maintain a high quality video chat experience for both participants. Second, was to make video chatting richer and more interactive. The new Messenger now provides HD video chat, and lets you share photos, watch videos, and even play games while video chatting so you can see your friends’ reactions in real time.

Q: How can people get the most out of their Messenger and video chat experience? Any tips you would like to share?

A: First, start with a good HD webcam. Microsoft LifeCams work very well with all the new Messenger features, including HD video chat. The inherent compatibility with Messenger and features like auto focus make the new LifeCams very easy to setup and use. Second, make your video chats more meaningful by inviting friends and family to interact with photos and videos or play a game with you in real-time while you are video chatting. Finally, if your friend isn’t online to video chat, send them a video message which is like video voice mail that they will receive directly in their email or next time they log in to Messenger.

Stay tuned for more on LifeCams with Messenger, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter for the latest Hardware news and other exciting updates!

PCMag awarded us with their Editor’s Choice Award, commenting that, “The Microsoft LifeCam Studio is a sweet upgrade from a built-in VGA webcam, and good enough for high-definition Internet video chats and even home movies.”

Engadget also posted a review, calling LifeCam Studio, “a looker” and the video quality “bright and colorful despite dim and gloomy lighting.”

Here’s what others had to say:

• CrunchGear: “The new Lifecam Studio is easy to review, because A: it’s a webcam and B: it’s probably the best webcam out there.”
• TECHLAND: “Even in relatively poorly-lit spaces, the picture looks good thanks to the camera’s large sensor.”
• Neowin: “LifeCam Studio is great for recording HD video right onto YouTube, since it supports 720p video recording directly from your webcam.”

Have you picked up a LifeCam Studio from Best Buy? If so, let us know what you think!

What sets this webcam apart from its predecessors is Microsoft’s first true 1080p HD widescreen sensor, delivering detailed, clear video across different resolutions – from VGA to HD. It’s paired with a high-precision glass element lens and TrueColor Technology to make your video as realistic as possible. TrueColor software makes sure that the picture looks great no matter your lighting conditions – in a bright sunny room or in a dimly lit office – so your face looks bright and clear.

Along with great video performance comes a great design; every piece of this webcam serves a purpose. The elongated hood stops harsh light from hitting the sensor and washing out colors, and the flexible base and 360 view range will let you to share what’s happening around the computer, not just in front of it. Finally, we have included our first tripod thread on the LifeCam base so you can get the best angle to shoot video.

(Check out this video to see the LifeCam Studio in action.)

Whether you’re chatting with a friend, your mom, or your coworker, it just makes sense to pair LifeCam Studio with the new Windows Live Messenger to be there like never before. You can download the beta here to get HD widescreen video chatting today, along with photo and video sharing.

You can get a LifeCam Studio today at BestBuy.com, so give it a try and let us know what you think!