January 2014 Volume 43

Dear Subscribers,

2014 is off to a bang, and January has been a busy month. We are starting to gear up for this year's Telepresence Options Magazine. Our 2013 Edition, focusing on B2B, B2C, WebRTC, Robotics, and more, was a big hit and we plan to bring it to the next level in 2014. This year our feature articles will focus on UC, "Smart Rooms", the continuing evolution of the VC industry, and more. We are actively seeking submissions for our new UC Comparison Chart, which will be a highlight of the magazine.

But you didn't subscribe just to hear about our plans here at TPO News. Let's take a look at what's happening in the industry.

The big stories this month are: Array Telepresence is out from stealth mode. They are holding an open house, January 31st in Silicon Valley. This company (founded by telepresence industry pioneer Herold Williams, the inventor of the TeleSuite) promises to revolutionize the typical VC meeting room experience.

Our very own Howard Lichtman just completed a Webinar with Simon Dudley (LifeSize Video Evangelist). They really went deep into some hot topics. This one is worth watching.

Other News of Interest:

• ITEPXO: TPO News Takes a Look at the IP Communications Tradeshow

• Naughty Visual Collaboration: A Look at the NSFW Side of VC

• The Beam+ Telepresence Robot: A Fresh New Look and Lower Price

• DVE Completes the MS Lync Environment

• 5 Tips for Dealing with VC Camera "Hacks"

• TPO Video Review: Personify Live

Thanks for Reading,

David S. Maldow Associate Publisher - Telepresence Options

From our on-going review of the most important stories on visual collaboration technologies and reporting on the visual collaboration industry.

Browse the Main Article Archives

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LifeSize Webinar: Why 2014 is THE Year for Videoconferencing

Our very own TPO News Publisher, Howard Lichtman, and LifeSize Video Evangelist, Simon Dudley, discuss

the trends, hype, reality, and offer their predictions for 2014. Topics discussed include a deep dive into the role

smartphones, tablets and phablets in the future of VC. Other topics include wearable computers, Google Glass,

smart watches, network support requirements, connectivity concerns, the role of the carriers, utility of

networks, WebRTC, and more. Be sure to stick through to the end, as they explain how the industry will once

again lead with the wrong messaging this year.

Continue reading...

Array Telepresence Uncloaks on Friday, Jan 31st in Silicon Valley

Telepresence start up Array Telepresence will be holding their first public demonstration of their Equal- i

technology in an open house in Santa Clara, California on Friday, January 31st. The start-up, founded by

telepresence industry pioneer Herold Williams, the inventor of the TeleSuite and father of the modern

telepresence industry, has developed a revolutionary technology called Equal-I that dramatically improves any

videoconferencing codec that can accept an HDMI or HDCI camera input. Array's Image Improvement Algorithm

brings the furthest participants to a videoconference "Up Close and Personal", improves the eye-line, improves

the meeting format, adds stand up capture, and powers a dual screen wide-format display using a single codec

with no impact to network bandwidth or video network infrastructure.

Continue reading... ITEXPO: TPO News Takes a Look at the IP Communications Tradeshow January 28, 2014 | David S. Maldow, Esq.

ITEXPO is taking place at the Miami Beach Convention Center this

week and we will bestopping by to see what we can share with our

readers. The show covers the IP Communications industry, which is a

bit broader than our typical focus on visual collaboration, but

obviously you can't really have one without the other. Regardless,

with ITEXPO's impressive list of exhibitors we should have plenty to

learn and discover.

Continue reading... WebChair: A Ruggedized, Simple, Affordable, All-In-One Videoconferencing Solution

January 26, 2014 | David S. Maldow, Esq.

Here at TPO News we have been heavily covering the growing trend of visual

collaboration technology being used in more and more innovative ways. As we get

better and better at the actual video tech, it becomes more reliable and flexible,

allowing for new uses and opportunities. In other words, a few years ago we were

happy if our videoconferencing solutions simply worked, but now we expect

custom solutions for various applications. One such custom solution is

the WebChair.

Continue reading...

Naughty Visual Collaboration: A Look at the NSFW Side of VC January 22, 2014 | David S. Maldow, Esq.

It's happening. Our industry is not immune to the nefarious Rule 34 of

the Internet. To paraphrase, "If it exists, there is probably a naughty

version of it on the internet." In order to cover this topic, we will have

to link to some items that you may not want popping up on your

screen at the office. The article itself is safe, but please click the links

at your discretion.

Continue reading... The Beam+ Telepresence Robot: A Fresh New Look and Much Lower Price January 17, 2014 | David S. Maldow, Esq.

Things are moving fast in the remote presence game. Suitable

Technologies has just released its latest product, the Beam+. Known as

Telepresence Robots by the rest of the industry, Suitable prefers to call

their Beams "remote presence devices." Philosophically, the idea is you

"Beam" yourself (think of Star Trek) to a location using this device.

Founder Scott Hassan doesn't want Beam users to think of themselves as

robot drivers, but as teleportation enthusiasts. Please click through to learn

more about the new Beam+.

Continue reading... DVE Completes the Microsoft Lync Pervasive Video Environment with Eye Contact Telepresence and Holographic Presentation Room January 15, 2014 | David S. Maldow, Esq.

A UC solution should be the ultimate communications toolbox. However, many

of us find ourselves reaching outside the toolbox to perform certain

communications. Is it really "unified" communications if some of our comm tools

are still outside of the box? Whether it is an instant message, an email, a voice

mail, a video/telepresence call, or smoke signal, it needs to be an integrated

part of your UC solution. Every integration improves efficiency and productivity

by reducing the number of systems and interfaces your team is forced to learn

and work with.

Continue reading...

Five Tips For Dealing With VC Camera "Hacks" January 12, 2014 | David S. Maldow, Esq.

Back in 2012, I wrote an in-depth article about the dangers of

videoconferencing hackers. My takeaway was that while VC

hacking may be technically possible, it is easily preventable by

following basic security best practices. Furthermore, there is

little evidence that it is happening en mass, or that it should

be a concern above and beyond general internet security

fears. While some said I was ignoring the dangers, in the two

years that followed I have yet to see a massive wave of successful VC hacks, or anything other than anecdotal

tales of breaches in unsecured environments.

Continue reading... CES Vegas 2014: Rolling Coverage

Story and images by David Danto

Telepresence Options is partnering with guest author, David Danto,

to bring you the best from this year's CES show. We will continue to

update this thread throughout the event, as David sends us updates

and tweets from the show.

General Thoughts and Predictions

Pre-Show Day One

Pre-Show Day Two

CES Day 1

CES Continuing

Continue reading... TPO Video Review: Personify Live January 6, 2014 | David S. Maldow, Esq.

The remote productivity revolution continues to gain steam, as

more and more of us are using technology to avoid travel,

whether that be across the country, or even to our own offices.

While there are many uses for remote collaboration tools, one of

the most common is the typical presentation. The travel

reduction and convenience benefits of remote presentations

translate into less stress, better quality of life, and greater

productivity from your working teams.

Continue reading...

Company Profile: EOS

Company Profile: Teliris

TPO Catalog: 5 New Listings

Solution Snapshot: ACT Conference Forum

Solution Snapshot: Polycom RealPresence Mobile

Solution Snapshot: VidyoPanorama

From our on-going review of the most important stories on visual collaboration technologies and reporting on the visual collaboration industry.

Browse the New Articles and Stories Archives

Subscribe to receive new articles via RSS or via e-mail.

Happy Friday: A Conference Call in Real Life Sponsored by Leadercast.com

Created by Tripp and Tyler

Produced by Green Tricycle Studios

Continue reading...

Oculus Rift: Valve promises to take virtual reality to the masses

Story and images by Keith Stuart / The Guardian

For a few years, back in the early 90s, virtual reality (VR) looked like

the obvious future for video games. Here was a technology capable of

truly immersing participants in the digital environment; the essentially

alienating presence of the 2D screen would be gone for ever, to be

replaced by computer-generated realms that we could step into and

exist in. Consumer headsets by companies such as Virtuality and Victormaxx crept on to the market, as films

like the Lawnmower Man and Disclosure considered the implications of our soon-to-be lives in cyberspace. But

the screens were low-resolution and the motion tracking primitive, the sensors prone to sickening lag. The gulf

between expectation and reality was impassable. The future moved on.

Continue reading... Logitech Boosts 2014 Outlook After Q3 Results Top Estimates

Story and images by RTT News

Computer interface devices manufacturer Logitech International S.A. (LOGI:

Quote) reported late Wednesday a profit for the third quarter compared to a

hefty loss last year, which included significant goodwill impairment charges.

Adjusted earnings per share and quarterly sales topped analysts'

expectations. The company also raised its sales guidance for the full-year 2014, citing the better-than-expected

third-quarter performance.

Continue reading...

Polycom Up 6%: Q4 Beats, Plans to Cut 6% of Workforce Story and images by Tiernan Ray / Barron's

Shares of enterprise telephony and video-conferencing vendor Polycom (PLCM) are up

71 cents, or 6%, at $12.48, in late trading, after the company this afternoon reported

Q4 revenue and earnings per share that topped analysts' expectations, and said it

plans to cut 6% of its workforce in order to manage expenses and increase operating profit margin.

Continue reading... Getting Great Audio in a Video Call

Story and images by Jeffrey Rodman / Wired

While video helps make communication more complete, it's the audio

that's absolutely essential. That's why telephones have been the

critical communications tool for nearly a century.

A lot of people today are working on making video better, but with the

advent of HDTV it's relatively easy to establish a link that provides

excellent video transmission for meetings and collaboration.

Continue reading... The Company Whose New Sex Toy Helps You Hook Up With Strangers Google Glass App Promises Unique Sexual Experience Video Conferencing: There's a Mobile App for That Video conferencing makes remote meetings possible The brain can process images seen for just 13 milliseconds A smart-object recognition algorithm that doesn't need humans FuzeBox lights video collaboration spark Full-body virtual reality is here, but try not to puke Why 2014 is THE Year for Video Conferencing! VIPAAR Remote Presence Helps Bring Clinical Expertise to Any Location DoorBot lets you videoconference with visitors at the door from your smartphone iToi's video chatting accessory is a sight to behold #CESLive: Revolve Robotics - Telepresence on Your Desk You look different! £3 avatar software mimics facial expressions to transform you into a magical creature as you Skype I, Robot Journalist: Beaming Into CES 2014 From My Kitchen GP2U to launch WebRTC video conferencing app And more…

Check 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.

New WolfVision vSolution Products on Show at ISE

WolfVision's customizable vSolution, developed in co-operation with some of the world's leading universities and corporations is transforming the way multimedia presentation content material is handled: the flexible combination of Visualizer hardware, software, and accessory components supports more effective communication and collaboration, using advanced but easy-to-use presentation technology.

Continue reading...

New High-Performance Hardware and Software Solutions for Self-Service Scales for Grocery Service Counters and Weighing Areas Shown at EuroShop 2014

Columbus, OH (PRWEB) January 27, 2014 -- At EuroShop 2014, METTLER TOLEDO will present retail concepts to put the enjoyment back into shopping and improve the in-store experience at fresh service counters and in self-service weighing areas. Features include live demonstrations of self-service and counter scales from the UC Evo Line, featuring a new dual-core hardware platform for greater speed and computing power, and third-party application displays for flexible and customized retail processes from select METTLER TOLEDO partners. EuroShop 2014 will take place February 16-20 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Continue reading...

Integra Asset Management and Crestron Join Forces to Distribute UC Solution

St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) January 22, 2014 -- Two leading business solutions providers are joining forces to make teleconferencing and videoconferencing easier for users of Cisco Jabber by eliminating the difficulty of getting diverse collaboration tools to work together.

Integra Asset Management has entered into a strategic partnership with Crestron to distribute an advanced unified collaboration (UC) and infrastructure product called Smart Space for use with Cisco Jabber.

Continue reading...

InSight Launches Inpathy, a Platform for Connecting with Behavioral Health Providers Online

Marlton, New Jersey (PRWEB) January 23, 2014 -- InSight, the leading national telepsychiatry provider company, is launching Inpathy, an online behavioral health platform. Inpathy gives users an easy and affordable medium to connect with providers through a secure, HIPAA-compliant tool. To use Inpathy, users need only a computer with a web camera, a microphone and a strong internet connection.

Continue reading...

TelePresence Pioneer, Brian Kinne, Joins MCPc as CTO - Visual Collaboration

CLEVELAND, OH--(Marketwired - January 22, 2014) - MCPc is pleased to announce the addition of Brian Kinne to its leadership group. Kinne will hold the post of chief technology officer - visual collaboration and vice president of the digital media group. Kinne comes to MCPc at the peak of an exciting career, during which he was the driving force of the telepresence movement, holding both management and go-to-market roles. Kinne will be instrumental to the development of the visual collaboration business unit, and reinforces that video/visual collaboration is at the forefront of MCPc's 2014 plan. The newly created Visual Collaboration Group, which includes MCPcTV Digital Media, is

evidentiary of MCPc's further commitment to aligning internally with the collaboration desires of a vast and diverse customer base.

Continue reading... VTEL's new USB PTZ camera for PC based VC use New Triple Screen Telepresence & Presentation System New 70" Display Presentation & Videoconference System Ashton Bentley Launch new Conference Table Range at ISE 2014

New KUBI App for Android Now Available in the Google Play StoreSouth Dakota Replaces Video Conference Scheduling System New Sonus Session Border Controller Features Deliver Advanced Quality of Experience, Simplified Management in Microsoft® Lync® Voice Environments ClearOne Unifies its Affordable COLLABORATE® Video Conferencing System with its Advanced Beamforming Microphone Array Technology TalkPoint Partners with Wainhouse Research for "Online Video and the New Age of Business Communications" Webcast

And more…

Name Company New Title

Marco Castelvecchio Avaya Video Sales Specialist

Sammie Walker Actian Corporation VP, Marketing Communications

Tolga Sakman Synergy SKY VP, Americas

Gregory Mapes AllendeVaux & Company COO

Raymond Bradley Strategic Services Group, Kaiser Permanente

Videoconferencing and TeleMedicine Engineer

Sibel Tunali Videra Director, Smart Business and United Nations

Marshall Eubanks LiftPort Group CTO

Bill Thompson Carousel Industries VP, Video Services

Monalisha Thakur AMX Asst, Manager, India - KAM & Channels

Dave Petricig Revolve Robotics Sr. Channel Sales Manager

Thomas Kayser Deutsche Börse Cloud Exchange AG Business Development Manager

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.

New Jobs on the Visual Collaboration Job Board VP Of Technology Position: San Diego, CA

Title: VP Of Technology

Field: Information Technology Location: San Diego, CA

Status: Full-Time

Clearance: N/A

Continue reading...

Chief Operations Officer: Louisville, KY

Title: Chief Operations Officer

Field: Hosted/Managed Services and Telephony/VOIP

Location: Louisville, KY

Status: Full-Time

Clearance: N/A

Continue reading...

Telepresence Industry Professionals (TIP) is our telepresence industry association on Linked In which is now over 4,000+ 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.

About Telepresence Options

Telepresence Options follows telepresence, videoconferencing, unified communications, and the companies that make up the visual collaboration industry. We profile new telepresence and visual collaboration systems, telepresence and video managed service providers, and telepresence inter-networking solutions. Telepresence Options content is available for free on the internet and The Telepresence and Videoconferencing Catalog and Telepresence Options Magazine are available to subscribers. Interested in Sponsoring the Telepresence Options Telegraph or Telepresence

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