February 2011 Volume 19

Dear Subscribers,

As we go to digital press we have a couple of big stories. Magor Communications checks in and announces a big win with Christie Digital, a rather sophisticated consumer of visual collaboration. While we haven’t yet seen the design yet, the companies are collaborating on large screen projected collaboration environments for Christie’s internal usage. Magor also announced updates to its data collaboration capabilities using HTML 5/ Canvas, improved destop virtualization, and new distributors in North America, South America and Asia/China.

Vidyo launched a Cloud-based offering that allows customers to deploy relatively low-cost Vidyo routers in multiple geographical locations that can then support end-users in with low-latency connections. For multi-point each end-point only sends one stream to their local Vidyo router and the routers communicate between themselves to minimize bandwidth usage. The thing we like most is being able to put a Vidyo router outside the firewall where you only have to poke one hole with a secure IP-to-IP connection to enable inter-company communications. Firewall traversal is free.

In other news, the Telepresence and Videoconferencing Catalog continues to grow. This month we have added an interesting solution from Polymedia-Europe who has created a prix fixe telepresence group system that combines LifeSize cameras and codecs, acoustics, lighting, and Extron control with integrated telepresence furniture and environmentals from 2Allmedia for €99,500 installed.

We have also added entries for a number of upcoming events that I will be speaking at in April. Telepresence has been added to the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) trade show which draws 90,000 attendees from 150 countries for the first time this year. I will be giving a talk on Telepresence, Visual Collaboration, and Hollywood on Tuesday, April 12th. We have also added a catalog entry for the Broadband Properties Summit in Dallas where I will be speaking on Home Telepresence and High Definition Visual Collaboration’s Coming Impact on Work and Life on Wednesday, April 27th.

Finally, we are getting ready to publish the Telepresence Options 2011 Yearbook in March. The publication is in its 5th draft and slowly and surely beginning to come together. Sign up to get a free copy Here if you haven’t already.

Warmly,

HSL

Howard S. Lichtman, Publisher – Telepresence Options President – Human Productivity Lab

Telepresence Provider Magor Checks In: Big Win with Christie Digital and Expanded Capabilities & DistributionToday telepresence solution provider Magor Communications, made a number of major announcements including a big win with Christie Digital, improved collaboration and desktop virtualization capabilities and new distributors in North America, South America, and Asia/China.

The Magor HDTrio TeleCollaboration System in a Conference

Continue reading...

Army's $4million spy drone disguised as a hummingbird measures 16 centimeters

Via Daily Mail Reporter

A pocket-sized spy drone disguised as a hummingbird has been unveiled by a major Pentagon contractor measuring just 16 centimetres and weighing less than an AA battery.

The mini spy plane can fly up to 11 miles an hour and took five years to develop at a cost of $4million.

Continue reading...

LifeSize's Video Center Launches Mobile HD Video Streaming

LifeSize, a division of LogiTech, has launched LifeSize Video Center 1.2, which optimizes the streaming of High Definition video content to mobile devices in addition to PCs from LifeSize telepresence and videoconferencing endpoints as well as other video content sources.

LifeSize Video Center was first launched in April of 2010 and was somewhat revolutionary in capabilities and price point. The new version of Video Center has the ability to stream up to 20 High Definition videos or 50 Standard Definition videos at the same time. Unlike competitive offerings, LifeSize Video Center has a unique approach to transcoding video, allowing each LifeSize video endpoint to do all the work on the transcode, resulting in faster, higher quality video. Continue reading...

Webcast funerals: Convenient, dehumanizing

Webcast funerals are dehumanizing

By Amy Leadbetter via The Daily Titan

The progression of technology and its dehumanizing effects has

hit an all-time low.

An article published last week in The New York Times titled, "For Funerals Too Far, Mourners Gather on the Web" by Laura Holson, addressed the recent

popularity of funerals broadcast online. Continue reading...

The Telepresence and Videoconferencing Insight Newsletter has awarded the 15 Best Video Network Infrastructure Solutions of 2010

The Telepresence and Videoconferencing Insight Newsletter has awarded the 15 Best Video Network Infrastructure Solutions of 2010. Additionally, the editor, Richard Line, gives his analysis on the industry. The Telepresence Solution awards are based on innovation, products that disrupt the market, affordable prices, and success in the market place.

Continue reading...

Telepresence Options Company ProfilesWe continue our series profiling the leading firms in the

telepresence industry with a profile of the Human Productivity Lab. You can browse our Company Profile archive for previous companies profiled including Teliris, Cisco, Polycom, Glowpoint, TelePresence Tech and others. You can subscribe via RSS or e-mail to receive Company Profiles of other leading telepresence firms as they are published. All the Company Profiles will be published in the upcoming hard copy Telepresence Options 2011 Yearbook which you can

receive for free by subscribing here.

Radvision Company Profile

Since 1992, RADVISION has been an innovator providing products and technologies for unified visual communications over IP, 3G and emerging next-generation networks. RADVISION's latest innovations, including high

performance room systems, unmatched telepresence and desktop communications, and mobile conferencing solutions are key examples of RADVISION's transformation from an infrastructure provider to delivering a full portfolio of video conferencing solutions.Continue reading…

Telepresence Options Solution Snapshots

We continue to add to our Telepresence and Videoconferencing Catalog of leading telepresence systems, managed service providers, and inter-networking solutions. These detailed Solution Snapshots feature important information for those evaluating their Telepresence Options including: minimum bandwidth required, minimum space required, and inter-operability information. You can receive new Solution Snapshots as they are published by subscribing to our RSS Feed or via e-mail. All the Solution Snapshots will be published in the upcoming hard copy Telepresence Options Yearbook which you can receive for free by subscribing here.

Solution Snapshot: DVE Huddle Room 70The DVE Huddle Room provides an eye level camera hidden behind the picture for real telepresence.

The total solution is designed to enable close proximity viewing of the large screen so that the people appear to be on the other side of the table (not on the other side of the room).This enables the DVE Huddle Room to have a smaller overall footprint and thereby permits placement in small meeting rooms.Continue reading...

Telepresence New Articles and StoriesFrom our on-going review of the most important stories on telepresence technologies andreporting on the telepresence industry. Browse the New Articles and Stories ArchivesSubscribe to receive new articles via RSS or via e-mail.

South Korea's autonomous robot gun turrets: deadly from kilometers away

By Loz Blain via gizmag

If there's one place you don't want to be caught wandering around right now, it's the demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea. Especially since South Korean military hardware manufacturer DoDAMM used the recent Korea Robot World 2010 expo to display its new Super aEgis 2, an automated gun turret that can detect and lock onto human targets from kilometers away, day or night and in any weather conditions, and deliver some heavy firepower.

Continue reading...

Zenith signs DVCOM as master distributor for VU Telepresence for GCC region

Via AMEinfo.com

The deal, which includes the whole region of GCC and some parts of MENA , will give DVCOM distribution rights for Zenith's range of enterprise-targeted solutions for Telepresence.

Continue reading...

I'll Have My Robots Talk to Your Robots

Here is an excellent article by Bloomberg Newsweek writer, Drake Bennett, that takes a deep dive into the telepresence revolution covering the exploding market for telepresence group systems and the emerging market for telepresence robotics.

Telepresence--communications tools that let people "meet" remotely--is coming of age. Will high-def conference rooms and, yes, robots end business travel?

Last year, according to the Global Business Travel Assn., Americans took 427 million business trips. They traveled to make sales presentations, do site visits, check in on branch offices, meet with suppliers, placate clients, lobby politicians, man job fair booths, interview applicants, and lay off employees. They traveled to attend corporate retreats, trade shows, continuing-education conferences, and bald-faced junkets. Then they traveled more to get back home. Continue reading...

Researchers use virtual-reality avatars to create 'out-of-body' experience Via ISPR

Volunteers experienced the virtual bodies as if they were their own, with possible applications in computer games or to transport people digitally to other locations

In the film Avatar, explorers on the planet Pandora transmit their minds into alternative bodies. Now

scientists have come a step closer to recreating the experience in the lab.

They have successfully "projected" people into digital avatars that can move around a virtual environment. The participants experienced the digital body as if it were their own, even if the virtual humans were of the opposite sex.Continue reading...

Telepresence interoperability: Multistream standard needed

By Jessica Scarpati via News Writer

No one worries about which vendor manufactured a phone or what signaling standard the service provider uses before making a call, but the plug-and-play freedom of IP telephony continues to elude telepresence. The lack of standards for multiscreen systems has made telepresence interoperability little

more than an aspiration among competing vendors, but recent activity in the market suggests that progress is chugging along. Continue reading...

3-D Video Without the Goggles

Via ScienceDaily

ScienceDaily (Feb. 17, 2011) -- High-quality video communications capable of supporting flawless video conferencing and home entertainment without goggles could become a reality.

Professor Lajos Hanzo, Head of the Communications Research Group at the University of Southampton's School of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS), and his team are working on systems to support flawless telepresence with the aid of three-dimensional (3-D) 'Avatar-style' stereoscopic video and audio communications.

To continue reading Click Here.Continue reading...

Masergy Communications Postpones $108 Million Initial Offering

By Lee Spears via Bloomberg

Masergy Communications Inc., the provider of network services to businesses, postponed its $108 million initial public offering.

The Plano, Texas-based company had planned to offer 7.7 million shares at $12 to $14 apiece, according to an earlier filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Masergy Communications intended to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes. Continue reading...

Er icsson & Polycom Team so Telcos can Offer Telepresence

By Stuart Corner via itwire.com

Ericsson and Polycom have announced collaboration to provide a complete system that will enable telcos to provide hosted telepresence services to businesses and consumers.

During Mobile World Congress, Ericsson and Polycom say they are "previewing integration between the Ericsson IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) network and Polycom infrastructure and telepresence endpoints, in the first collaborative step between the companies."

Continue reading...

Tablets Get High Definition 'Telepresence' Mobile Chat

By Elizabeth Woyke via Forbes

Mobile video chat is one of those ideas that is attractive in theory but little-used in the real

Samsung's new Galaxy Tab 10.1 will have HD video chat world due to poor experience, device limitations and data consumption. A new service aims to spur adoption by increasing videoconferencing quality on tablets and smartphones and opening up the range of applicable devices while keeping bandwidth usage low.

Continue reading...

Telepresence: Despite innovations, video is still no match for face-to-face

By Jessica Twentyman via Financial Times

A meeting in a state-of-the-art telepresence suite is a compelling experience: life-size images of other participants, full eye contact with them and sophisticated spatial sound technologies combine to create the illusion of a meeting at which all attendees are physically present.

Once you have experienced telepresence, say its most enthusiastic users, other

video conferencing systems seem poor by comparison. In the parlance of vendors, it is a truly "immersive" environment.

Continue reading...

Low-cost Video Chat Robot

By Mike Nathan via Hack a Day

[Johnny Chung Lee], having recently moved from Seattle to Mountain View, wanted a way to keep in touch with his fiancé who would not be relocating for several more months. While most of us would likely consider purchasing a pair of web cams to keep in touch, he decided to do things his own way. Using an

iRobot Create and a netbook, both about $250 apiece, he constructed a remote-controlled video chat robot that he can steer around his former abode from 1,000 miles away. While $500 might seem expensive at first, [Johnny] reminds us that commercial versions likely run into the thousands of dollars.Continue reading...

1Gbps Wi-Fi coming to a billion devices by 2015Via KURZWEIL Accelerating Intelligence

In-Stat forecasts that the impact of the new 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology standard (developed to provide Gigabit speeds) will push shipments of 802.11ac-enabled devices from 0 in 2011 to nearly 1 billion by 2015.Continue reading...

Wainhouse and Jaclyn Allard on Avaya Web Alive

Avaya launched a new avatar collaboration tool, Web.Alive version 2.5. The Editor of the Wainhouse Research Bulletin and Jacklyn Allard of TMCnet give their analysis.Continue reading...

You asked for it... You got it... Telepresence Options is now on Facebook! Now it's easier than ever for you to keep up with the latest telepresence news and research. Statistics show that the average person checks Facebook more than 3 times a day. That's why we've made keeping up with telepresence revolution an easy part of your routine.

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Anybots QB Robot Avatar Orders a Scone, Does the Dirty Work

By Matthew Chung via Ubergizmo

Telepresence robots are going to be big in the future, and we love the idea of sending a robot minion to do our dirty work instead of having to do it ourselves. Someone out there obviously thinks the same too, as he put Anybots' QB robot avatar to good use. Continue reading...

War for Young Rich Could Be Won by Video

By Joe Mont via TheStreet

BOSTON (TheStreet) -- More than $2.2 trillion in assets could be in play among wealthy investors under 50, according to Cisco's (CSCO) Internet Business Solutions Group, the company's global consultancy. Its advice for financial services firms that want some: a renewed

focus on video technology and social media.

There is no denying Cisco, with its focus on video and conferencing technology, has a horse in the race. But it makes the case that advisers need to make a better value proposition to younger generations that grew up amid constantly evolving technologies.Continue reading...

Skype Group Video Calling Sends Signal: Don't

By Jonathan Blum via TheStreet

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- It looks as though Skype won't be a player in the small-business video conferencing market any time soon. Its new group video conferencing call product simply doesn't make the grade.

Sniff around the Skype corporate financial fillings floating around ahead of a planned IPO and you will find good news and bad: The company boasts an impressive 124 million average connected users per month. But only 8.1 million of them actually pay for the privilege.Continue reading...

Updated: Polycom Expands UC Intelligent Core Including Support for Cisco Telepresence Interoperability Protocol

Polycom announces adoption of Cisco's Telepresence Interoperability Protocol paving the way for connecting Polycom's OTX and RPX Platforms with Cisco CTS 3010 & 3210 multiscreen telepresence environments.

Telepresence, unified communications, and visual collaboration provider Polycom, has announced an expanded offering around their Polycom UC Intelligent Core suite of visual collaboration

network infrastructure, which extends interoperability with other vendors' telepresence and unified communications solutions. Continue reading...

Future surgeons may use robotic nurse, 'gesture recognition'

By the Editor via Kurzweil Accelerating Intelligence

Surgeons of the future might use a system that recognizes hand gestures as commands to control a robotic scrub nurse or tell a computer to display medical images of the patient during an operation.

Both the hand-gesture recognition and robotic nurse innovations might help to reduce the length of surgeries and the potential for infection, said Juan Pablo Wachs, an assistant professor of industrial engineering at Purdue University.Continue reading...

Virtual Security Officers Pester Travelers in Airports

By Erin Killian via nprApparently people who fly from Manchester, England, often forget to throw away their liquids. Since 2006, when the policy that required travelers to ditch their liquids went into effect, staff at the Manchester airport has tried all sorts of mechanisms to get people to comply.Continue reading...

Honeycomb's Holography: Hope or Hooey?

By Richard Adhikari via TechNewsWorld

Google's new version of Android, Honeycomb, promises many new features, among them a holographic interface and 3D capabilities. However, those terms are sometimes thrown around rather loosely to mean many different things. What should users expect to see in the display when when they boot up a Honeycomb tablet for the first time?

Continue reading...

Telepresence 'available in the home within five years'

By Bill Goodwin via ComputerWeekly.com

Businesses will roll-out high definition video conferencing to allow senior staff to work at home within four or five years, according to analyst group Gartner.

Robert Mason, research director for enterprise network services, predicts that higher broadband speeds will make the high-definition video conferencing, or telepresence, a reality for many businesses by 2015.Continue reading…

Anybots telepresence robot now shipping

Anybots' telepresence business robots have now begun shipping, offering remote control of a balancing robot with two-way audio and video. Billed as a challenge to business travel, Anybots went up for pre-order back in July 2010; those customers will start to get their 'bots this week, while new orders will ship in March.Continue reading…

Workers Reject Videoconferencing for Some Very Simple Reasons

Video conferencing and telepresence technologies aren't new, but there is an increasing push to bring them into both the consumer and business markets. Technologies like Apple's FaceTime, Qik on Android phones, Cisco's Umi, and video chat through existing messaging solutions (such as Skype, AOL Instant Messenger, and Yahoo Messenger) are making video chat a reality in the home and everyday life. Meanwhile, companies like Cisco, HP,

and IBM are hyping desktop video conferencing as a key business tool in the twenty first century.Continue reading…

Telepresence Industry Press ReleasesCheck out the latest news from the companies on the forefront of telepresence technologies, telepresence managed services, and inter-networking telepresence.

Browse the Industry Press Release Archives Subscribe to receive new articles and stories via RSS or via e-

mail.

Vidyo Architecture Offers Unmatched Scalability and Economics for Large Enterprise and Carrier Video Conferencing

Hackensack, NJ - February 22, 2011 - Vidyo, Inc. today introduced the next stage in the evolution of the VidyoConferencing architecture that delivers affordable scalability for telecom carriers and organizations to deploy personal telepresence as a cloud service to tens of thousands of users. VidyoRouter Cloud Edition offers an easily deployed, low maintenance infrastructure comprised of a network of VidyoRouter appliances to further enhance the Vidyo conference experience, optimize WAN bandwidth utilization, and expedite ROI. For the first time, IT managers can address the challenges of rapidly growing user demand for video conferencing on mobile devices, desktops and room systems while delivering a 5-10x cost reduction in Wide Area Network bandwidth and multipoint infrastructure.

Continue reading...

St. Joseph Health System Expands Access to Care With New Telehealth Project With AT&T

ORANGE, Calif., Feb. 22, 2011 -- St. Joseph Health System (SJHS), a $4.6 billion Catholic healthcare organization, and AT&T* today announced an agreement with plans to implement a new telehealth pilot project that will allow patients and physicians in disparate locations to meet and consult via immersive video utilizing AT&T Telepresence Solution.

Continue reading...

Christie Selects Magor TeleCollaboration for Worldwide Visual Collaboration Infrastructure

OTTAWA -- February 22, 2011 -- Christie, the global leader in projection systems and digital display solutions, has selected the Magor TeleCollaboration HDWorkPlace family as its worldwide infrastructure for visual collaboration. The HDWorkPlace family seamlessly integrates advanced visual collaboration capabilities into a peer-to-peer, high definition (HD) video conferencing experience, improving the effectiveness of video-based meetings. Six installations will utilize Christie digital projectors and Christie Spyder video processors.

Continue reading...

Magor Communications Expands Global Channel Partner Network for Innovative Magor TeleCollaboration Solutions

OTTAWA, Ontario -- February 22, 2011 -- Magor Communications today announced the addition of five new firms to its global channel partner network, expanding worldwide access to its innovative Magor TeleCollaboration visual collaboration product line.

Continue reading...

MAGOR EXTENDS REACH OF VISUAL COLLABORATION TO MOBILE WORKERS, ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR VIRTUALIZED DESKTOP RESOURCES

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - February 22, 2011 - Magor Communications, a leading supplier of visual collaboration solutions that seamlessly integrated advanced desktop sharing with high definition video conferencing, today announced two enhancements to its HDWorkPlace family of Magor TeleCollaboration solutions: the extension of visual collaboration capabilities to mobile workers and support for desktop virtualization. Both enhancements help organizations increase productivity and improve decision making by

enabling easy, ad hoc access to subject matter experts and critical information resources. Continue reading...

Whitlock Launches New AV Technology Showcase & Seminar Series

Whitlock is hosting a comprehensive showcase and seminar series, offering decisions makers a place to come out and explore the vast array of options for audiovisual, videoconferencing, telepresence and unified communications initiatives. Whitlock's Convergence 2011 series will kick off in Chesapeake and Richmond, Virginia, followed by Durham, Dallas and Denver.

Richmond, VA (PRWEB) February 17, 2011 - The interactive communications market is growing fast and clearly becoming one of the most important strategic advantages for businesses today. Whitlock is hosting a comprehensive showcase and seminar series, which brings together the top technology manufacturers from across the U.S. to present their latest products for digital media and unified communications. Continue reading...

Transform Any Whiteboard into a Squiggle Video Whiteboard with New Kit from Vaddio

Squiggle Video Whiteboard Kit converts any existing whiteboard into a Video Whiteboard

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (February 17, 2011) - Vaddio, the global leader in robotic PTZ cameras and camera control systems has officially launched the Squiggle Video Whiteboard Kit designed for videoconferencing, educational and corporate training facilities.

Continue reading...

Cyviz & VideoCentric Partnership Brings 3D Visualisation with HD Telepresence to The UK

NewswireToday - /newswire/ - Wokingham, Berkshire, United Kingdom, 02/17/2011 - VideoCentric UK and Cyviz Norway announced that they have formed an exciting partnership in the UK which will bring together the worlds leading 3D Visualisation and Telepresence technologies into a single set of fully integrated solutions.

Continue reading...

Cisco Gold Certified Partner Nexus Selects Glowpoint Managed Service

MURRAY HILL, N.J., Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Glowpoint, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: GLOW), a leading global provider of cloud-based, managed services for telepresence, video conferencing and collaboration, today announced that Nexus, a Cisco Gold Certified partner with a Master Specialization in Unified Communications, has added Glowpoint's Managed Services to its Unified Communications and Collaboration services portfolio.

Continue reading...

Huawei Extends License with SPIRIT DSP for HD Voice & Video

World's Second-Largest Telecom Equipment Provider to Use SPIRIT's TeamSpirit Voice&Video Engine in its IMS, UC and FMC Solutions and Applications for

Carriers

SHANGHAI, China and MOSCOW, Russia - Feb. 16, 2011 - SPIRIT DSP, the world's top voice and video over IP engines provider, has announced today that Huawei Technologies, the world's second-largest telecommunications equipment provider, has extended its license with SPIRIT DSP for HD voice and video to carriers. Huawei's product and services are deployed in over 100 countries and serve 45 of the world's top 50 telecom operators, as well as one third of the world's population.

Continue reading...

SOLOTECH NOW OFFERS THE NATURAL EVOLUTION OF VIDEOCONFERENCING THANKS TO TELEPRESENCE TECH

Montreal, February 16th, 2011 - Solotech, a Canadian integrator specialized in AV systems, advanced lighting and communication technology solutions, has announced today the signature of a Canadian distribution agreement of the Eye to Eye telepresence solutions from TelePresence Tech (TPT).

Standard telepresence systems have exposed cameras that look down on participants from the top of monitors, causing a misalignment of eye contact. TPT systems integrate a camera into the display system to achieve aligned eye contact and occupy less space as the users can sit closer to the screen. The participants enjoy a user friendly and above all, a more natural interactive communication.

Continue reading...

Cisco TelePresence Fires Up Fan Rivalry at 2011 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic

CALGARY, AB--(Marketwire - February 15, 2011) - Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), the official technology sponsor for the National Hockey League (NHL), today announced it will be a sponsor of the 2011 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic. As part of the sponsorship, Cisco will be on-site at McMahon Stadium in Calgary on Feb. 19 and 20 to enrich the fan experience through Cisco TelePresence.

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LifeSizes Video Center Introduces Mobile HD Video Streaming

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 15, 2011 - LifeSize, a division of Logitech (Nasdaq: LOGI) (SIX: LOGN), today announced HD video content streaming on mobile devices using LifeSize Video Center. Now organizations can benefit from greater communication reach and flexibility by using HD video streaming, recording and auto-publishing to make video content available to teams working remotely on mobile devices, such as iPads and iPhones.

Continue reading...

TELIRIS APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR SALES & MARKETING

London, UK (February 14, 2011)- Teliris (www.teliris.com), the telepresence innovation leader, today announced the appointment of John Inglis as Executive Vice President for Global Sales & Marketing activity and new European Managing Director. This comes three months after the appointment of Neil Hobbs as CEO, and creates a strong and focused Executive Team to position Teliris for aggressive growth in 2011.

A 30-year industry veteran, John joins Teliris from Level 3 Communications where he worked for nearly 10 years, most recently as Vice President of sales for Europe. He has spent the last four years growing revenue and expanding into new markets and segments across Europe, the Nordics, Middle East, and Africa. John will be based at Teliris' European Headquarters in Mincing Lane, London. Continue reading...

RADVISION : Expands Video Conferencing Distribution Channel in India

RADVISION Ltd. (Nasdaq: RVSN), a leading technology and end-to-end solution provider for unified visual communications including video network infrastructure, developer tools and high definition (HD) room, desktop and mobile video conferencing systems, today announced that Virtual Netcomm Pvt. Ltd. will distribute RADVISION's SCOPIA line of innovative video conferencing solutions throughout India.

Virtual Netcomm Pvt. Ltd. is one of the companies of Virtual Group - a premier value-added distribution house offering best-in-class solutions focused on IT security, WAN optimization and networking. Headquartered in Ahmedabad, India, Virtual Group has a network of sales and support offices in Bangalore,

Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai with overseas operations in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Dubai. Continue reading...

Europe's CEOs Place LifeSize at the Top of the Pile: LifeSize Named European CEO Magazine's Telepresence Provider of the Year

Europe's Business Leaders Elect LifeSize HD as the Solution for Video Collaboration

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LifeSize, a division of Logitech (Nasdaq:LOGI) (SIX:LOGN), has been voted European CEO magazine's Telepresence Provider of the Year 2010 by CEOs from across Europe. LifeSize, the pioneering HD video conferencing solutions provider, proved to be the preferred choice for organizations looking to extend the highest quality collaboration capabilities to anyone, anywhere.

Continue reading...

Glowpoint Releases Cloud-Based, Multi-Party, B2B Video Collaboration Service

MURRAY HILL, N.J., Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Glowpoint, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: GLOWD), a leading global provider of cloud-based managed services for telepresence, video conferencing and collaboration, today announced the launch of the Virtual Video Room ("VVR"), a cloud-based video conferencing service that offers a secure, dial-in "meet me" room for ad-hoc

multi-point, business-to-business conferencing.

Continue reading...

Global Crossing Expands Telepresence Offer with Cisco

Company Provides Telepresence Management via Cisco-Certified Network

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on its fully managed video collaboration services portfolio, Global Crossing (Nasdaq: GLBC), a leading global IP solutions provider, today announced it is adding Cisco's (Nasdaq: CSCO) complete line of high-quality and easy-to-use virtual telepresence meeting solutions to its existing telepresence offer. Global Crossing is providing this telepresence service via its world-class Internet Protocol (IP) network, which is now Cisco-certified for telepresence connectivity.

Continue reading...

Polycom Intelligent Core Shatters Barriers to UC Interoperability

- Polycom expanded interoperability unlocks greater value, flexibility and investment protection for multi-vendor deployments

- Interoperability to include support for non-standard Telepresence Interoperability Protocol (TIP) developed by Cisco- Polycom UC Intelligent Core solution becomes industry's most comprehensive standards-based UC platform PLEASANTON, Calif. - Feb. 9, 2011 - Polycom, Inc. [Nasdaq: PLCM], a global leader in unified communications (UC), today announced that the Polycom UC Intelligent Core solution is transforming the UC experience by enabling interoperability with other vendors' solutions, including Cisco telepresence systems based on the Telpresence Interoperability Protocol (TIP). Continue reading...

Odds & SodsVidyo Aims for the Clouds- Wainhouse Research Bulletin on Vidyo ,

The last two weeks have been filled with news coming out of industry-disrupter Vidyo. We think we may have to launch the Vidyo Research Bulletin just to keep up. 1) As part of the excitement around Lotusphere last week, Vidyo announced a plug in for IBM’s Sametime that enables Sametime users to escalate from a chat session to a point-to-point or multipoint videoconference. This complements Vidyo’s initiatives in the UC space – namely solutions for Adobe Connect and Microsoft OCS (Lync support can’t be far off in the future).2) Vidyo announced a partnership with Ricoh of Japan under which Ricoh will integrateVidyo’s, platform and architecture into Ricoh’s new UC framework. This OEM relationship is Ricoh’s first foray into video and audio communications. Vidyo’s presence in Japan also includes a relationship with Hitachi for products and with KDDI which offers hosted videoconferencing services. 3) California-based Fuze Box, focusing on mobile videoconferencing platforms and Internet-based unified communications, has licensed Vidyo’s SVC architecture as well. If this were not enough, we spoke with a source-who-must-not-benamed in Europe who just got off a Vidyo-based videoconference with over 90 endpoints.It appears, while not official, that Vidyo will soon be announcing a “cloud” version of their VidyoRouter which enables distributed infrastructure deployments (think of one device in North America, one in Europe, and one in Asia Pac) without the ugliness of cascading.

Here’s What I Think: Multiple vendors have announced they have SVC (Radvision,SPIRIT, Magor) or will have it (Polycom). But not all SVC implementations are the same, or even equal. The challenge facing Vidyo is to convey that their patented architecture is different and that it provides important benefits to users. The company has clearly done this with HP, Hitachi, and Ricoh, along with a dozen or two service providers. When you put it all together, and consider the network and infrastructure challenges facing customers wishing to migrate from scores of room systems today to thousands of desktops tomorrow, you have to agree that the Vidyo solution is mighty appealing.

Telepresence PeopleCisco has named EVP Gary Moore who had been running the $8Billion Cisco Services division as the company’s first ever COOJim Cantalini has Joined High Speed Video as President8x8, Inc. announced that Kim Niederman has been named Senior Vice President of Sales, Mike Nelson now Account Manager for Video GuidanceGarry Forsythe has been appointed as a channel sales and business development manager for LifeSize in AustraliaVideo Guidance has appointed Kathy Brackett as Sr. Account ManagerJoan Vandermate has joined Avaya as Director of Product Marketing for the Company’s Contact Center Business Unit

Telepresence Industry Professionals -Now Over 1750+ Members!

Telepresence Industry Professionals (TIP) is our telepresence industry association on Linked In which is now over 1750+ members! We like

to call it "the telepresence industry's cool kids club" because so many of our favorite folks are on-board. The group is a superb venue for discussion, networking, and industry news and information. There is a Jobs board for organizations looking for talent and for folks that are in the market for their next gig.

TIP is now in Europe with XING!! http://www.xing.com/group-56506.f9483f

Telepresence Industry Jobs

New Jobs on the Telepresence Industry Professional Job Board - Must be a Member of TIP to view

On The Bench A Breakdown of Industry Talent in the Market for their Next Opportunity

Interested in Appearing in “On the Bench”? Send 1 short paragraph overview, headshot, and LinkedIn URL to Info@TelepresenceOptions.com with “On the Bench” in the subject

line.

Kirk Dennis – Denver, ColoradoKirk is a videoconferencing/telepresence industry veteran seeking a Major Account Manager or Sales Manager career opportunity. From 1998 to 2008, Kirk was the President of VideoCom, Inc. – a reseller specializing in the design, sales, installation and support of enterprise video solutions. More recently, Kirk was the Director of Sales at TelePresence Tech and was responsible for establishing the Reseller Program for North America.

Howard Reingold – NY Metro/NJ AreaDirector of Product Management/Marketing and Sales Director

Howard Reingold has a wide variety of experience in the high-tech, including video conferencing, cloud-based video services, managed services, telecom services, unified communications (UC), software and hardware products. Howard has held various management positions at Intel, AT&T, Ulticom and Glowpoint where he managed products through

all phases of the Product Life-Cycle with a solid record of organic revenue growth. Additionally, he has hands-on experience with managing strategic partnerships, P&L management, launching new products, developing business plans and supporting Enterprise/SMB customers as a Sales Director and as Product Management Director. He has managed cross-functional teams and is experienced with Agile software development as both a Product Owner and in helping to transform a company from waterfall to Agile development. Howard has an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a B.S. in Computer Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Christopher Welch – Philadelphia, PAEffective Communications Specialist

If you require a deliberate direction for your marketing efforts and want true familiarity, experience, and buzz for your buck in the UC, VC, and telepresence industries – review what I’ve accomplished at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherwelchone and contact me at CSWBusiness@mac.com with your frustrations and objectives.

Telepresence Industry Calendar

This issue of the Telepresence Options Telegraph Sponsored by: Telepresence @ The NAB Show

About Telepresence OptionsTelepresence Options follows telepresence, telepresence technologies, and the companies that make up the telepresence industry. We profile new telepresence systems, telepresence managed service providers, and telepresence inter-networking solutions. Telepresence Options content is available for free on the internet and The Telepresence Options 2011 Yearbook will be published in hard copy in March of 2011. The Telepresence Options 2011 Yearbook is the second in the series of Telepresence Options surveys and is the most recent update to Telepresence, Effective Visual Collaboration, and the Future of Global Business at the Speed of Light the most widely read publication on

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The Telepresence and Videoconferencing Catalog

The Telepresence and Videoconferencing Catalog is our comprehensive and intelligently organized on-line catalog of the leading telepresence and videoconferencing systems, managed service providers, and inter-networking solutions available anywhere. You can start with our comprehensive overview of the various Telepresence Options and then drill down to evaluate telepresence solutions in various intelligently organized categories.

Telepresence Stage and Podium Systems Group SystemsLarge Group Systems,Small Group SystemsExecutive SystemsTelemedicine & Healthcare TPVideo Conference SystemsVideo Network InfrastructureCameras and CodecsManaged Services ProviderInter-Networking ProviderTP and VC Exchange ServicesResellers and Integrators

ConsultantsRecording, Streaming, and ArchivingVideo Network ManagementPublic Telepresence and VC RoomsPeripherals and AccessoriesTelepresence RoboticsVirtual Reality CAVESsUnified CommunicationsDesktop ConferencingWebconferencing and Virtual CollaborationDisplay TechnologiesPublicationsConferences and Events

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