Video conferencing rooms are useful, but generally require advance planning and can be intimidating. Technology marches on--now it's called Telepresence with improvements such as HD picture quality. While waiting for your appointment in the Telepresence studio, let's make some video calls. It is called visual communications, and it's taking place at your desktop. If VoIP was the industry of the last decade, the next ten years will belong to desktop video. The pace of progress in this area is staggering, and the pieces are all falling into place.
About a year ago, Polycom released the VVX 1500 "Media Phone" (video phone). At the time, I wrote, "The new Polycom VVX 1500 is probably the single most exciting and useless product ever released from Polycom." My complaint was with its interoperability (or its lack thereof). Polycom knows video and Polycom knows phones--but somehow this new model was incompatible with both sectors. Evidently, it was one of those "if you build it, they will come" products, and a tremendous number of changes have occurred since it was released.
Desktop Video Past
Perhaps one of the most famous examples of technology "bait and bait"--was the 1964 unveiling of Bell's PicturePhone at the New York World's Fair. The system wasn't quite ready for mass production at that time. It wasn't until 1970 that Bell offered commercial PicturePhone service in downtown Pittsburgh. AT&T executives incorrectly predicted a million PicturePhone sets would be in use by 1980.
Several factors have conspired to create an environment where desktop video is now possible, easy, and frequently free. The changes include widespread adoption of broadband networking, codec improvements, the proliferation of webcams, VoIP, IM, microprocessors, and SIP. The real excitement will come with interoperability between different types/networks of desktop video users as well as desktop-to-room systems.
|
logon-to-comment
|
Quick View | Full View | 0 Comments |
This is a public forum. UBM TechWeb and its affiliates are not responsible for and do not control what is posted herein. UBM TechWeb makes no warranties or guarantees concerning any advice dispensed by its staff members or readers.
Community standards in this comment area do not permit hate language, excessive profanity, or other patently offensive language. Please be aware that all information posted to this comment area becomes the property of UBM TechWeb and may be edited and republished in print or electronic format as outlined in UBM TechWeb's Terms of Service.
Important Note: This comment area is NOT intended for commercial messages or solicitations of business.
Focus: Networking IP Communications
Featured Article: Under the Hood of Microsoft Communications Server 14
· CONTACT CENTERS Sponsored by
Webinar Replay: Contact Centers & Migration to IP
Recent blog: When Preparation Meets Opportunity in the World of Customer Care
No Jitter for quick reference. It's easy and free! CLICK HERE to register and get started!
