Siemens upgrading its OpenScape Unified Communications suite to include a stand-alone collaboration  platform that doesn't require other Siemen's products in order to set up conferences.

Called OpenScape Web Collaboration, the stand-alone server distributes client agents to parties that are invited to join conferences. These agents either run in browsers or as executables on the client machines, but in either case they dissolve when the collaboration session ends.

In a famous exhibit at the 1964 World's Fair in New York City, AT&T Bell Labs demonstrated the Picturephone Mod 1, a small, oval device with a camera and a screen that allowed two people to see each other while they talked over the telephone network. Six years later, the device was still in trials.

With Web conferencing technology getting more mature and penetrating wider and deeper into organizations, end users want to implement solutions that are easy to integrate with other software-based productivity applications. The largest markets for Web conferencing services in Europe are in the United Kingdom, France and Germany as there are high number of global companies, developed infrastructure, and greater awareness on Web conferencing in these countries.

Cisco today announced two new virtual desktop devices, more efficient virtualization software and more affordable videoconferencing endpoints, building on its line of video collaboration tools and capabilities for companies.

Both of the new small desktop devices will support VMware View 4.5 and Citrix XenDesktop and are expected to be available in March 2011. Each will be priced below $500, including a USB keyboard, mouse and client license.

This week Cisco unveiled Umi, its high-definition telepresence system aimed at consumers. While the concept is impressive, it is also costly for consumers. However, for small and medium businesses, Umi offers a valuable business tool that may actually enable them to cut costs.

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.

Adobe Systems today unveiled Adobe Connect 8, a web conferencing tool that supports videoconferencing on desktops, in conference rooms and most mobile devices.

The update, the first since version 7.5 came out a year ago, includes an improved user interface the company said can cut down on technical worries with set-up and customisation that seem inherent with many web and videoconferencing systems, Adobe officials said.

In business computing, some revolutions occur faster than others. After years of promise, videoconferencing has finally become useful for small businesses, offering long-distance collaboration without the need to travel.

Many people get their first taste of videoconferencing through Skype or one of many video-enabled instant messaging systems, and for internal or informal purposes such services may be all a company needs.

The Umi service requires that you supply your own high-definition TV.

(Credit: Cisco Systems)
Cisco Systems unveiled Cisco Umi today, its consumer-focused telepresence offering that lets people connect to each other using videoconferencing on their HD television in their living rooms.

LifeSize Communications, a dealer in high definition video communications and telepresence, announced that enterprises can now work together more efficiently and IT departments can enjoy more robust deployment and management capabilities from its newly unveiled high-definition videoconferencing offerings and product enhancements.