Consumer technology is usually associated with living people. However, one intrepid UK crematorium now allows people to say goodbye to their beloved through a webcam and the internet.

From today, Southampton Crematorium will offer a pay-per-view service that gives mourners online access to a broadcast of someone’s last moments. The service is designed to give anyone who can’t pay their respects in person the opportunity to take part through the internet.

A webcam has been “discreetly” positioned at the back of the crematorium’s eastern chapel. The camera captures the events and relays them over the web – albeit with a 20 second delay.

If you really want to remember the moment, then the crematorium will record the funeral onto DVD for £50. If you’re a bit strapped for cash though, then a £25 sound recording of the event should give you a general idea of what went on.

The service has already been tested by a man based in Australia. After the death of his wife, John Childs was forced to return to Australia because of work commitments, but he told one online source (http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/families-come-to-grief-on-the-inter-net/2008/03/31/1206850807557.html) that he had “nothing but praise” for the service.

Southampton Crematorium’s web-based funeral service launches today and costs £75 (€100/$175).

Related stories

GTA IV coming to the DS Lite? (31 March 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/03/31/gta_iv_nintento_ds_lite/
Telly addicts developing web addictions (27 March 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/03/27/blinkx_internet_and_internet_habits_survey/
Kids brought up by technology not parents, quango claims (26 March 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/03/26/ippr_report_internet_children/
Man webcams butt in Burnout Paradise prang rage (10 March 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/03/10/game_defeat_mooning_incident/
USB Missile Launcher gets integrated spyscope webcam (14 January 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/14/usb_missile_launcher_gets_webcam/