I use it whenever my girlfriend and I don't see each other for quite some time and we want to spend some time together. Then we just use skypes videocall but other than that I don't really use it anymore. And actually I wouldn't even need it on my laptop at all because I could just use my tablets camera to skype with her. I think there are some people who really need one but it's not a necessity for everyone.
First off, get a MacBook Air, and you'll never think your laptop is bulky again. But, as for the webcam, I Facetime with it whenever I go away. In fact, the last trip I took, I used it to read stories to my kids before they went to bed. Granted, my Air is attached to my hip, but I'm glad that the webcam is built in.
I hardly use my laptop's built-in webcam to be honest. Just like most people, i use my smartphone too when i go on skype. It's just more convenient that way. Plus, the fact that my laptop's webcam is not exactly that high quality, I'd rather use my iPhone than that. Still, it's nice to know that if i ever need it i can always use it.
About the Webcam I don't enjoy using my webcam yet. There are tons of reasons. I prefer having a screenshot or a screengrab of the monitor to support my stories or my observations. For tutorials and teaching materials, I prefer focusing on the screengrab and screen captures. I expect my instructors to show his or her face online every now and then in their online courses, but it's not a must. It's different for YouTube channels and live streams of games, of course. Especially if you are hosting an interesting YouTube channel, your audience would want to see your face.
I've only used it once or twice for long-distance Skype calls. Other than that I don't really see any practical use for the webcam. For daily photo-taking a phone or camera is much more feasible. Perhaps webcams could be used for office survelliance, but it's not a foolproof and reliable system like most security systems.
I used mine a couple of times when I first moved to a new city. We talked to my mother that way, to show her the new house lol. After that, it was back to instant messaging and texting.. I find video chatting very uncomfortable for some reason, I have no idea why. Plus I'm one of those paranoid people that cover theirs with tape lol. I've seen it on in my task manager many times when I didn't turn it on in the first place and that freaks me out. Plus with all the rats out there and with the above poster mentioning that school; I'm not out of line assuming the worst about my cam.
I don't use it frequently, but it's definitely useful when it's attached to my laptop. I use it for Skype and taking pictures. However, I'm definitely weary of people accessing my computer and using my webcam without my permissions, so I do keep it covered with a piece of paper. I may seem paranoid, but I'm aware of how easy it is to hack into webcams.
Rarely. It's good for when I want to make a Skype Call, but even then once I get my phone a few days from now I'll probably just end up using that instead. So yes, cameras on laptops are generally an outdated feature, and have replaced by tablets/phones for the most part.
