Polycom plans to break down one more set of barriers to videoconferencing early next year with a cloud-based software platform that can set up sessions with anyone who uses Facebook, Skype, or certain other online services.

Polycom today unveiled a new videoconferencing application, RealPresence Mobile, that will run on the iPad 2 and Android tablets.

The app runs on Polycom's RealPresence platform, which runs its standard videoconferencing rooms and terminals that include larger high-definition televisions and speaker systems. The idea is to encourage even more videoconferencing use by enabling the tablets to talk with the larger videoconference rooms.

Videoconference system vendor Polycom has introduced a new room video telepresence system that comes with the Microsoft Lync unified communications platform built right in. Because the Polycom CX7000 Unified Collaboration System features tight integration with Lync, participants in video meetings will experience the same user interface (UI) they are familiar with when using Lync on their desktop computers, as well as the familiar Polycom UI.

Polycom unveiled a software strategy designed to enhance HD video collaboration and it disclosed a new partnership with Jive Software to integrate Polycom HD video into Jive's social business platform.

Polycom software strategy is a key component of its growth strategy, and provides four key initiatives. In a statement, the company said that the strategy is designed to help it:

Telesphere, a nationwide managed cloud communications provider for businesses, recently announced commercial availability of VideoConnect as a cloud-based videoconferencing and collaboration service.

Polycom and Microsoft have been building on their strategic partnership, as Polycom announced that the Polycom CX7000 Unified Collaboration System becomes the first room video telepresence solution custom-built for full integration with Microsoft Lync. The solution is built to bring the Lync desktop into the conference room to enhance business collaboration and productivity features for room telepresence.

Polycom, fournisseur américain de solutions de communication unifiée, vient de reprendre l'activité de visioconférence/téléprésence de HP. En France, il remodèle sa stratégie de distribution.

Channel Insider a participé à une rencontre avec Polycom France pour évoquer la stratégie et la nouvelle politique de partenariat.

Polycom has agreed to acquire the assets of Hewlett-Packard's Visual Collaboration business, including its Halo videoconferencing products and managed services, as part of a broad partnership for unified communications.

Polycom announced that its room and desktop videoconferencing systems have been integrated with IBM Lotus Sametime to offer business customers a fuller range of unified communications tools.

Unified communications with videoconferencing added in are seen as ways to quicken collaboration in organizations and reduce travel.

Microsoft is building out its partner network to support the impending upgrade of its unified communications software, with a new deal with Polycom that will guarantee tens of millions of dollars in investment in new products and marketing programs.