Cisco has extended its high-end virtual meeting offering, developing systems that can either be used from a desk, or by dozens of participants.
Its TelePresence System 500 provides a high-definition video system that can be used for conferences from employees' desks. It includes a 37-inch display, camera, and a special microphone array and speakers, in an effort to provide a life-like video conferencing experience.
Cisco's original TelePresence offerings were supposed to overcome users inherent discomfort with video conferencing sessions by providing a real-life meeting experience. Specially equipped rooms were built so that colleagues on the other side of the planet could contribute to meeting and participants could see the colour of their eyes.
Its new TelePresence 3200 takes that idea a step further, tripling the number of people that can take part in the meetings. The system can be configured for either 12 or 18 participants and includes a new codec with improved file sharing capabilities.
"TelePresence puts you into the meeting in every important sense. With our recent developments in intercompany and interoperability with video conferencing and an expanded portfolio of solutions, we've dramatically increased the uses for and value of TelePresence," said Charles Stucki, vice president and general manager, TelePresence Systems business unit, Cisco in a statement.
Prices for the TelePresence System 500 start at £17,300 ($33,900) and £173,000 ($340,000) for the TelePresence 3,200. Both are expected to ship in Q3 2008.
Tandberg aims to simplify enterprise deployments of desktop video conferencing 16 Jun 2008
New TelePresence technology almost a tenth of the cost of first-generation kit 15 May 2008
Telecoms operator will integrate it with IP and VPN offerings to expand video between businesses 21 Apr 2008Executives to be made responsible for carbon budgets 19 Dec 2007
Survey finds majority of IT directors now regard environmental sustainability as a key issue for their department 30 Apr 2008
Intelligent Energy ramps up funding for R&D and partnerships 04 Jul 2008
Focus on energy savings through fuel efficiency for homes and public and commercial buildings 04 Jul 2008
ActionAid accuses G8 of driving more people into poverty by pursing biofuels and cutting agri-aid 04 Jul 2008
More news
Businesses' new found focus on the environment may be welcome, but according to Conrad MacKerron, it is taking attention away from workers' rights issues – and the credibility of the entire green business movement could be at risk 03 Jul 2008
It may be a year old, but as Dell's Jonathan Perry explains, firms looking to get rid of their old IT kit still need to pay attention to the WEEE directive 02 Jul 2008
Telling customers about your environmental targets is all well and good but, as Paul Thomas argues, they are meaningless if you do not know how they are to be achieved 01 Jul 2008 More in-depth
Post your comment
Send an email to the Business Green editor at feedback@businessgreen.com
