PC vendor Hewlett-Packard has just unveiled a high-resolution webcam for video-conferencing and instant messaging. The new creation is extremely unusual, given the fact that HP was not much of a player on the webcam market until now. As if this was not enough, the new offering comes in a less-conventional shape, that minimizes the user's physical interaction with the device.

The Elite webcam is one step ahead of the integrated solutions most of the PC vendors are adopting lately. While integrated devices are completely hassle-free, with no installation and setup, they are a true headache when it comes to adjustments, as they lack panning and tilting capabilities.

Until now, Hewlett-Packard avoided to include a webcam in its display and laptop offerings. The new webcam model comes to fill the gap with a native 3-megapixel CMOS sensor that easily surpasses the high-definition standards.

Under the bizarre shell, the webcam packs everything but the kitchen sink. It comes with autofocus functionality, and can pan at a full, 320-degree angle, to capture everything in its line of sight.

The 3-megapixel CMOS sensor is able to deliver insane resolutions of 1,600 x 1,200 pixels, at a maximum frame rate of 30 fps. If you don't need ultra-high quality, average resolutions of 800x600 pixels can be delivered at 20 fps.

Other interesting features include a privacy cover to hide yourself without turning the webcam off and UVC functionality for out-of-the-box operation with no drivers loaded. The webcam comes with integrated stereo-array microphones placed at the device's extremities.

The camera can focus at an effective range of between 10 centimeters and infinity without the user needing to manually adjust the lens for high clarity.

The company did not disclose pricing or availability for the new high-definition video-conferencing behemoth as of the moment of writing.