Don't even understand why laptops have cameras and microphones. If you're serious about video meetings you'll want an external camera anyway.

I keep covering them up with bits of paper (because like most people, I don't trust LEDs or switches) that look ugly and invariably get blown off by a gust of wind and have to be reapplied when moving.

It just seems like at some point around 2010 some cabal decided that every device with a screen needs to have a camera facing the user and a microphone.

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prmoustache 10 months ago | parent | next [-]

> Don't even understand why laptops have cameras and microphones. If you're serious about video meetings you'll want an external camera anyway.

The whole point of a laptop is to be able to move around and travel with it.

FWIW you can still encounter laptops without webcams (MNT reform comes to my mind) and you can also choose to disable/load/unload the kernel modules for them dynamically on linux distros and BSDs

	▲	Aaron2222 10 months ago \| parent [-]
		HP also allows ordering some of their business laptops without webcams.

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nharada 10 months ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I'm not serious about video meetings, but that doesn't mean I never have to take them.

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duskwuff 10 months ago | parent | prev [-]

There's lots of people who aren't "serious about video meetings" but still want to be able to do a face-to-face chat with family or whatnot.

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okasaki 10 months ago | parent [-]

So get a $15 USB webcam.

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ziddoap 10 months ago | parent | next [-]

I bought a laptop specifically so I had less objects and wires to carry around.

	▲	okasaki 10 months ago \| parent [-]
		But you do carry your phone with you right? You can use that as a webcam/mic.

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cesarb 10 months ago | parent | prev [-]

That would be yet another gadget (with yet another tangly wire) to add to your bag. One of the best things (and one of the worst things, if you're interested in repairability and upgradability) of a laptop is that everything (other than the external power adapter) is built-in.