Cisco has entered much deeper in the consumer space by launching its Umi video communication product for home on Oct.6.
According to Gina Clark, vice president and general manager of Cisco's Consumer Telepresence Business Unit,Umi includes high resolution camera and embedded microphone, a console and a remote device, along with it services delivered through a cloud environment.It can works with the user's HD television with at least 1080p and high speed broadband internet connection. In addition to voice and video calls, the system allows users to record and play videos and also to share them on YouTube or Facebook as well as to communicate with people using Google Video Chat. With the help of remote users can manage everything related to user interface(cisco officially calls it The Clover) i.e. settings,contacts,profile etc.The product is designed in such a way that it could fit into whatever environment user's home has. It provides these functions with a cost of $599 for the equipment and $24.99 a month subscription service.
Cisco is also at work with Verizon with which it has conducted tests prior to this year to bring Umi to Verizon FIOS customers in early 2011.
According to Jonathan Christenson,General Manager and Head platform for Skype and Gartner analyst Nick Jones,Umi's price will make it difficult for anyone to afford as, why would any consumer pay such a high price for something which is available for free elsewhere? However,Cisco officials are in the saying that the high quality of Umi, the focused TelePresence solutions will place a competition infront of others and will yield more consumers in the upcoming years compared to them.
According to Ken Wirt,vice president of consumer marketing for Cisco, Umi is a premium product at a premium point.
Umi can be at your home now on a pre-order from Cisco Umi Website and Oct. 18 from the Best Buy Website. It will be unleashed from Nov. 14 in Best Buy and Magnolia Home Theater Stores and the Cisco and Best Buy Websites.
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