Getting a regular webcam for your laptop would be quite irrelevant considering that you'll need a proper surface to place the camera at all times unless you plan on holding it in your hand. What you need is a tiny webcam made specifically for your laptop, like the Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000.
It's tiny, it integrates the microphone, so you don't have to depend on a headset (unless you need privacy), and it's designed to attach itself to the top of your laptop screen. Sounds good? Let's get a bit more into the details.
The NX-6000 is absolutely pocketable with its lipstick-sized build. With its short USB cable, and it's limited and unadjustable grip, you can't double this one up on your desktop.
The main camera can be pushed into the main body for safekeeping, and with just a simple push, it pops back out, ready for business.
The Lifecam NX-6000 is built to work perfectly with Windows Live Messenger, and you can't as much as install the camera drivers without installing Live Messenger first, which I think is a pretty lame way of pushing their messenger application to users.
Still, at least the webcam has some physical features that compliment the program it pushes on you. I've already mentioned the microphone integrated in the camera itself, and there's also a nifty voice calling button that lets you directly make a voice call to any contact on MSN.
My biggest (physical) issue with the LifeCam is its fixed grip. Considering I personally use a Thinkpad, which has a relatively thick upper frame, there was no way I could fix the LifeCam to it. I had to opt for a Compaq laptop eventually to be able to test this webcam out. If the grip would have been adjustable, I would have no problem fixing it on my think pad, and maybe even to a desktop monitor, making it usable on all my PCs.
The 2 megapixel native resolution of the LifeCam seems like an overkill, considering that you're not going to use that image size for video conferencing. Even if you're planning on recordign videos for sharing online, you would still be better off sticking to a maximum display size of 640x480. The resolution supported may be high definition, but that would be an overkill for the CMOS sensor that the camera uses.
Mine runs really hot... Does it make sense that a peripheral these days puts out as much heat as a light bulb? 
