An articulated desktop magnifier that can be configured into a number of different orientations, the desktop magnifier comprising: a housing having a lower extent, an upper extent, a front, and a back, a recess within the front, an access opening within the back, a communications port that is accessible via the access opening; first and second support legs (22, 24), each leg including proximal and distal ends (58, 62) with a curved intermediate extent therebetween, the proximal end of each leg being pivotally interconnected to the lower extent of the housing by way of a detent, the proximal end of each leg (22, 24) further including a lock button for selectively engaging and disengaging the detent, the first and second support legs (22, 24) having a first position wherein the legs are oriented to support the magnifier upon a surface and a second position wherein the legs (22, 24) are pivoted to be substantially aligned with the housing; a curved camera arm having proximal and distal ends (68, 72) and front and back surfaces, a u-shaped opening in the proximal end of the camera arm, a slot formed in the distal end of the camera arm; a hinge interconnecting the housing to the camera arm, the hinge having a first end that is rotatably interconnected to the upper extent of the housing about a substantially vertical axis, the second end of the hinge being pivotally connected within the u-shaped opening about a substantially horizontal axis, whereby the hinge permits the camera arm to both swivel and pivot with respect to the housing; a camera housing with an internal high definition camera, the camera housing including a pivotal lens cover, the lens cover permitting the focal length of the camera to be selectively adjusted; a remote control that is removably secured to the recess within the front of the housing, the remote control controlling the operation of the camera; a joint interconnecting the camera housing to the distal end of the camera arm, the joint including first and second circular projections (92, 94) that are substantially perpendicular to one another, the first circular projection being pivotally received within the slot of the camera arm, the second circular projection being pivotally secured to the camera housing, whereby the joint permits the camera housing to pivot about two substantially perpendicular axes; whereby the magnifier having both deployed and a collapsed configurations, in the deployed configuration the first and second support legs (22, 24) are in the first position and the camera arm and housing are angled with respect to each other, and in the collapsed configuration the legs (22, 24) are in the second position and the camera arm and housing are pivoted such that the front of the camera arm and the front of the housing are in facing relation to one another. a housing having a lower extent, an upper extent, a front, and a back, a recess within the front, an access opening within the back, a communications port that is accessible via the access opening; first and second support legs (22, 24), each leg including proximal and distal ends (58, 62) with a curved intermediate extent therebetween, the proximal end of each leg being pivotally interconnected to the lower extent of the housing by way of a detent, the proximal end of each leg (22, 24) further including a lock button for selectively engaging and disengaging the detent, the first and second support legs (22, 24) having a first position wherein the legs are oriented to support the magnifier upon a surface and a second position wherein the legs (22, 24) are pivoted to be substantially aligned with the housing; a curved camera arm having proximal and distal ends (68, 72) and front and back surfaces, a u-shaped opening in the proximal end of the camera arm, a slot formed in the distal end of the camera arm; a hinge interconnecting the housing to the camera arm, the hinge having a first end that is rotatably interconnected to the upper extent of the housing about a substantially vertical axis, the second end of the hinge being pivotally connected within the u-shaped opening about a substantially horizontal axis, whereby the hinge permits the camera arm to both swivel and pivot with respect to the housing; a camera housing with an internal high definition camera, the camera housing including a pivotal lens cover, the lens cover permitting the focal length of the camera to be selectively adjusted; a remote control that is removably secured to the recess within the front of the housing, the remote control controlling the operation of the camera; a joint interconnecting the camera housing to the distal end of the camera arm, the joint including first and second circular projections (92, 94) that are substantially perpendicular to one another, the first circular projection being pivotally received within the slot of the camera arm, the second circular projection being pivotally secured to the camera housing, whereby the joint permits the camera housing to pivot about two substantially perpendicular axes; whereby the magnifier having both deployed and a collapsed configurations, in the deployed configuration the first and second support legs (22, 24) are in the first position and the camera arm and housing are angled with respect to each other, and in the collapsed configuration the legs (22, 24) are in the second position and the camera arm and housing are pivoted such that the front of the camera arm and the front of the housing are in facing relation to one another.