It won't last long. Visiophone has already been tried, and people just don't like it.
As much as we all don't mind Google & Co knowing where we are and what we buy, we do not like people seeing us via cam.
And the camwhores don't count, they are a specific market in themselves.
If this does take off, expect a slew of ridicule from vids on Youtube and lots of backlash.
Socially it will be a failure because it already has been one.
But hey, I'll always accept another excuse for a good laugh.

And there they were complaining about Bittorrent!

and will add that Skype programmers are probably total dumba$$es without any sense of what's good and what bad

Well the UI if enough people write them i am sure they will think of another for a next version. I think some how Skype if it has enough push to get isp to work together with them. I know in my area unless your a big company you wont get upload speeds near 1mb that's consistent. I am also can not wait for the new 3.0 webcams.

Microsoft already had a HD Webcame going for 50 bucks (on Amazon.US).

Looking at the average cost;however, these devices price about 85 USD with mic.

I would rather spend a little more and get a portable HD digital camcorder between 99 and 200 USD. That is a big range, but it varies from manufacturer and whether you get 1080 res in addition or not.

"Too bad their 4.x version user interface is shit"

View compact view to return to old gui ???

Never had any problems with skype video, solid as a rock here. We love the skype

Just dug through the Skype forums where Skype admins are ignoring the sheer amount of people who hate the new UI, that Skype 3.6 works on Windows 7.
in case anyone was in my position.

Too bad their 4.x version user interface is shit. I wish the previous version worked on Win7 64 Bit, but Noooo. I have to endure the useless UI, stuffed windows, reshuffle of everything and the indiscernible contact icons.

Nevermind the fact that it cannot use the internal speaker on Windows Mobile devices "due to legal reasons".

Skype Co. is a shitty software provider IMO at the moment.