February 2014 Volume 44

Dear Subscribers,

There were a number of interesting developments this month in the visual collaboration industry. Polycom unveiled their latest telepresence environment: The Immersive Studio. Weighing in at 500-700 square feet and over ½ a million dollars a pop and sporting a number of technical advancements it looks like a superb environment for multi-billion dollar multi-national conglomerates.

Another interesting development was Google jumping into the visual collaboration industry with the announcement of their own sub-$1000 videoconferencing endpoint based on the Asus Mini-desktop (we awarded “Best-of-Show” for videoconferencing end-points at last year’s InfoComm to another mini-desktop: The Intel Nuc).

The two announcements show the dichotomy in the industry: The cost of traditional videoconferencing end-points dropping like a rock while on the high-end telepresence environments are getting more and more costly. If only someone could improve the human factors of the traditional videoconferencing end-points at a reasonable price. Stay tuned!

Trade show season is starting! You can see our coverage of ISE in this issue and be sure to check the Visual Collaboration Industry Calendar for upcoming conferences, trade shows, and events. I’ll be speaking at Enterprise Connect and look forward to seeing everyone there!

Finally, we are going into production on our yearly reference work: Telepresence Options Magazine. This year we are covering: Immersive Telepresence, Control Systems, Optimizing Video for Unified Communications, Robotic Telepresence, Streaming, and we will feature a recipe for creating your own Video Network Operations Center. Hit the link above to sign up for your free copy. We will also be distributing a hard copy of the Telepresence and Videoconferencing Catalog with the coolest visual collaboration tech found anywhere.

Thanks for reading!!

Howard S. Lichtman 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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Polycom's Immersive Studio - The World's Newest $500,000+ Telepresence Environment February 13, 2014 | Howard S. Lichtman

Immersive Telepresence Environments - The visual collaboration industry's equivalent of the Ferrari (or perhaps Gulfstream Jet might be a more apt comparison). Sleek, sexy, and technologically advanced, they are the closest that the corporate world comes to having their own holodeck. Videoconferencing solution provider Polycom recently announced their newest telepresence environment, the Immersive Studio. Continue reading... Telepresence and Videoconferencing Managed and Cloud Services Provider Teliris Partners with Polycom

Telepresence and videoconferencing managed and cloud services provider Teliris today announced that they will be partnering closely with Polycom, a market-leader in unified communications, videoconferencing, and telepresence solutions. Teliris was an early pioneer in multi-camera, multi-codec telepresence environments that featured life-size images, sophisticated data collaboration capabilities, and white-glove ease-of-use for global multi-nationals.

Continue reading...

Google Launches Their Own Videoconferencing Gear

Written by Alan D. Greenberg, and the WR Analyst Team

It's getting crowded in the sub-$1,000 video conferencing space. Just today Google has announced Chromebox for Meetings, priced at $999, which includes an annual services fee of $250 for the first year. The solution effectively extends Google Hangouts video into small, 6-8 person "huddle" meeting rooms.

Continue reading...

Vidyo H20: Interop for G+ Hangouts (Google Goes Back to the Vidyo Technology Well) February 6, 2014 | David S. Maldow, Esq.

It appears that Vidyo, previously derided by competitors as the industry's "interop problem child" has flipped the script on us, and is now proclaiming themselves the new leaders in videoconferencing interoperability. While the other players in the industry will hotly contest this (no angry emails please), when you are Google's choice for interop, you must be doing something right.

We talked with Vidyo Evangalist, Marty Hollandar, about the new VidyoH2O interop service for Google Hangouts, as well as Vidyo's continued leadership in the development of today's (and tomorrow's) SVC enabled video protocol standards. Please read through for the rest of the story, and for more background on Vidyo, please read the free TPO News White Paper, "Visual Collaboration For Small to Medium Enterprise."

Continue reading...

Able-HD Offers Dual Monitor Productivity, On the Go February 4, 2014 | Christina Gray

Today's desktop warriors are more and more commonly armed with multiple monitors. Here at TPO News, we are big fans of the ability to use one screen for videoconferencing, while using the other for content sharing or note taking. VC aside, dual monitors allow us to work on one application (for example, creating a document, spreadsheet, image, video, etc.), on the main screen, while referencing the information needed to complete the project on the second screen via email, web research, reference docs, etc.

Continue reading... ISE 2014: Rolling Coverage of The Big ProAV Show

"ISE was launched in 2004 to fulfill the need for a pan-European forum for the emerging markets of professional AV and electronic systems integration. The show grew quickly to become the undisputed annual marketplace for these industries - a focus not only for doing business but also for networking, education and technological innovation."

Continue reading...

Solution Snapshot: Qumu

Company Profile: EOS

Company Profile: Teliris

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

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YouAreTV Aims To Put Webcam Users In TV's Frame

Story and images by Robert Andrews / Beet TV

Josh Weinstein was only trying to create "Chatroulette for college students with pants on". Instead, he stumbled upon the future of TV. Weinstein is CEO of YouAreTV, a video-chat tech startup that has spent the last couple of years developing tools help broadcasters take live video input from viewers. Continue reading...

Audio 3D the Next Breakout Big Thing?

Story and images by Doug Mohney / TechZone

Over the past months, I've seen an uptick in the use of "spatial" or "3D" audio in various products and services. It is certainly more popular, but I have to wonder if it will pull dollars and the telco industry into the twenty-first century.

Continue reading...

Robots to roam Tate Britain at night

Story and images by Mark Brown / The Guardian

It is an enticing proposition: the chance to be all on your own in a gallery or museum in the middle of the night. Tate Britain may not allow that but it hopes for the next best thing.

Continue reading...

1:1 Tolga Sakman, VP Americas, Synergy SKY

Story and images by Andrew W. Davis / Wainhouse

Just when he thought he was out, they pulled him back in. After stints at Tandberg, Cisco, and Glowpoint, Tolga Sakman finds he cannot turn a deaf ear to the siren song of visual communications.

Continue reading...

Why Perceptual Computing Is About to Experience an Upsurge

Story and images by Ramamurthy Sivakumar / Intel Capital

When the history of one of great technology breakthroughs is written, it will likely include a sliced banana and a dragon prophesied to destroy the world.

That's because prior to the iPad, iPhone, and XBOX Kinect sensor, the way we interacted with computers on a large scale was stuck in place for roughly 20 years.

Continue reading... Cisco CEO Gets Drive-By "Dear John" Letter Just When You Thought Google Glass Couldn't Get Creepier: New App Allows Strangers to ID You Just by Looking at You Cruise Ship's 80-Inch 'Virtual Balconies' Livestream the High Seas Guest Article: BYOD and Video Conferencing Security 'Minority Report' technology is real and it's here (and it's cool) 4 Meeting Tips from Blue Jeans Network A Holodeck Videogame Designed to Train Soldiers Big Tech puts 'down payment' on connecting schools Korean Woman Makes More Than $9,000 a Month by Eating on Camera The AR-Rift combines AR and VR for tiered reality experiences Facebook CIO Supports Video Calls to Preserve Employee Culture Funeral homes adopting Skype iDvio to offer Starleaf solution to resellers 53 Ways to Market Your Google Plus Hangout on Air Logitech moves into room-level video conferencing New transparent display system could provide wide-angle-view heads-up data 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.

Vidyo Offers Google+ Hangouts Cloud or Premise-Based Voice and Video Conferencing Interoperability

HACKENSACK, NJ - February 6, 2014 -- Vidyo, Inc. today announced the first product resulting from its on-going relationship with Google, a software-based solution that enables H.323/SIP and IP PBX systems to connect users into Google+ Hangout Sessions.

Continue reading...

Barco introduces new immersive and seamless video wall for Big Data collaboration

Kortrijk, Belgium, 30 January 2014 - Barco, a global leader in professional visualization systems, proudly introduces the OverView Seamless Videowall (OSV) series for enhanced collaboration experiences. The large panoramic seamless canvas can display a mix of data and video in high quality without the distraction of seams or bezels. This curved display suits the visualization needs of a multitude of applications - from crisis operations rooms, to brainstorming and planning rooms, to more traditional control room applications in utilities, energy and process control.

Continue reading...

Teliris Partners With Polycom to Deliver Immersive Video Experiences and Enhanced Managed Services

NEW YORK (February 7, 2014) - Teliris (www.teliris.com), a leading provider of cloud-based video managed services and solutions, today announced a strategic partnership with Polycom Inc., the global leader in open standards-based unified communications and collaboration (UC&C).

Continue reading...

More than 4,000 Organizations and Sites to Support "The Day We Fight Back"

Supporters include ACLU, EFF, Demand Progress, reddit, Mozilla, and Thousands More

Organizers behind The Day We Fight Back today announced that more than 4,000 organizations and websites have pledged to support the day of action scheduled for February 11, 2014. Tens of thousands of individuals have also pledged to make calls and web postings in support of reform to the surveillance state.

Continue reading...

Arkadin Strengthens Leadership in Unified Communications With Acquisition of Cloud Consulting Expert implement.com

PARIS, FRANCE -- (Marketwired) -- 02/05/14 -- Arkadin, one of the world's largest and fastest-growing Collaboration Service Providers, today announced the acquisition of consulting and hosting service provider implement.com. A key Microsoft partner, Seattle-based implement.com specializes in project-focused consulting services for Microsoft

technologies, and delivers a range of Unified Communications-as-a-Service solutions through its Chinook Communications division. Continue reading...

Polycom Strengthens Partnership with Microsoft, Delivers More Collaboration Solutions Optimized for Microsoft Lync to Increase Employee Productivity and Engagement AVI-SPL Showcases Latest Collaboration Solutions at Integrated Systems Europe 2014 AVI-SPL Receives Patent for VNOC Symphony®

ActionPacked Networks Rebrands and Launches as LiveAction AnyMeeting Launches New Small Business Web Conferencing Product, Bringing Disruptive Pricing Model to Industry AVI-SPL's Block ME™ Honored with 2014 INTERNET TELEPHONY Product of the Year Award Top 50 Kickstarter Entrepreneur, Who's Earlier Campaign Exceeded Goal By 2000%, Launches Able-HD Campaign, Aims to Re-Imagine Computing Experience Of Tomorrow Epson's New Ultra-Short Throw Projectors Deliver Powerful Connectivity for the BYOD and One-to-One Classroom Epson Announces New BrightLink Series with World's First Touch-Enabled 3LCD Interactive Projector AHM and FuzeBox Enhance Virtual Meetings for the Life Sciences Industry Tely Labs Lures Top Talent From Huawei, Polycom and Teliris to Accelerate Record Market Share Growth in Business Videoconferencing TrueConf Fastest Growing Videoconferencing Vendor in Eastern Europe InFocus Introduces Cloud-based ConX Group Video Conferencing Service M3 Technology Group Appoints New CEO

And more…

Name Company New Title

Xavier Siquin Cisco Systems Engineer, UK&I

Ken Scaturro myVRM Software for Scheduling Executive Vice President

Muhammad Javeh Fateh JPMorgan Chase Multimedia Engineer

Cristian Marius Alexeh Acano Support Engineer

Chretien van der Aa ITZMORE Founder and CEO

Joe Laezza AVI-SPL VP, Global Services Business Development

Andrew C. Reiben SPS Chief Financial Officer

Rob Claus Tely Labs VP of Sales

Daniel LeCour Tely Labs VP of Sales & GM

Amit Walia Tely Labs VP of Sales & GM

Scott Grimm VBrick Territory Manager

Matt Wirsig VBrick Territory 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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