World Wide Web Consortium has reported that the upcoming version of HTML a.k.a. HTML 5 will support external devices, directly from your browser. Obviously the goal is to make the web pages as dynamic and powerful as possible. Static pages are way to old and have severe limitations. Now your browser will access your webcam, microphone and other USB devices directly, no other software/plug-ins required. Also, no need for Flash, which is actually one of the most processor intensive technologies you will come across.

Currently two groups are jointly overseeing the development of HTML 5. They are the World Wide Web Consortium and the WHATWG (Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group). Ian Hickson who is an employee of Google is the editor for the HTML 5 specs.

[source:news.cnet.com]