Have you seen the new features and functionality Blue Jeans has added to make your video conferencing experience even better?  They have released, Version 2.6, which will allow features such as, Meeting Recording and Large-Capacity Meetings.

Here at Solutionz we want you to stay connected through faster and easier communication with virtual face-to-face meetings.  This not only increases collaboration but decision making time, while enabling employees to effectively work from home and remain connected to their coworkers. That is why we are offering Blue Jeans Quick Start Bundle.

Video conferencing gives innovative companies a competitive advantage while making great things possible.  Large progressive companies are investing in services that provide high quality video collaboration into their everyday business operations to enhance efficiency, support business progression and reduce costs. But what about the little guys or larger companies with a tight budget? Today every organization needs collaboration and communication services that can easily support the way their teams work.

Collaboration and teamwork are essential in bringing people, processes, and products together, especially when it comes to manufacturing and innovation. For the proposal of a new product it is crucial that demands, advice and ideas from all portions of the Research and Development (R&D) value chain are considered for product development and success during the product lifecycle.

Video conferencing is becoming the simplest way to communicate and collaborate. The following 5 tips will help renovate your meeting space into the greatest video conferencing room possible!

We all know that there are several benefits when it comes to video conferencing. Saving on travel costs and time, offering flexibility for employees and being able to connect form anywhere, just to name a few. However, taking a closer look in to other values associated with video conferencing allows you to see how your company can benefit in ways you may not have thought of.

We all know that Collaboration promotes business. Employees are more engaged with access to the resources and information they need, and with an engaged workforce comes more loyalty, productivity and satisfaction. To achieve these business results collaboration has to be simple, whether it’s between teams, individuals, customers, or partners.

How do you choose the right phone for your conferencing desires?  With so many options available, it can be hard to decide which one is the right product for your company. Polycom offers a variety of audio conferencing options that are sure to fit your needs. 

Did you know, the U.S. federal government offers billions of dollars in grant funding to government agencies, schools, healthcare organizations, and several public entities to improve procedures and delivery of services to our communities? Countless funding sources are devoted to outreach and services that request distance learning and telemedicine technologies. Solutionz Grant Program Services experts are dedicated to helping you discover those funding programs best suited for your video conferencing needs.

Even with all the obvious benefits of video conferencing, many companies are still hesitant to support it as a reasonable replacement for traveling and in-person meetings. If anything has hurt adoption of video conferencing solutions in small and medium businesses over the years, it’s the misconceptions about the possible options. Whether they are uncertain the savings will ever compensate the initial investment, they are scared of technology, or unsure which system is compatible with their partner’s.

A Law firm’s success depends on personal relationships, both with clients and within the business. But in today’s world, the legal domain is becoming more worldwide and meeting in person isn’t always an option. The great thing is, that the cloud is enabling a new generation of easy to use video conferencing and collaboration technology that provides face-to-face video consultations.

In the manufacturing business, time is money. That’s why manufacturing teams are turning to video conferencing. It has allowed manufacturing firms to reduce production time, ultimately leading to decreasing the amount of time it takes for a product to get into the hands of the consumer.

Law enforcement and emergency services crews have substantial synchronization, field communication and training requirements. Those needs require flawless communication and sharing of detailed information, such as charts, maps, building diagrams, satellite images, surveillance camera footage, recordings and event forensic evidence.

Sometimes the language used in the video conferencing can be confusing. What’s the difference between video conferencing and telepresence? What is meant by immersive technologies? Technology is constantly changing, so basically, there is not one right answer.  Marketing materials may use one term or the other, and there might not even be a settlement between different vendors as to the meaning of these terms.

Cisco and the Oman Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) announced the launch of a new Cisco video conferencing solution for Omani citizens with hearing difficulties at the Comex Oman 2014. 

For many of us working from home is the new norm. It is the next big thing and what many employees look for when searching the job market. Video conferencing helps offer employees working remotely more flexibility, fewer distractions and cuts on time and costs.

Mobile devices have already taken over ownership of PC’s, and that means the requirement to integrate video conferencing into these devices is critical. The demand for a mobile video conferencing solution is almost mandatory and one that provides compatibility with desktop and room systems is essential.

The oil and gas industry continues to face new challenges and risks. These issues can cause lower productivity, unnecessary expenses and even physical harm. Video conferencing can be a critical resolution to some of the major problems within the oil and gas industry.

Pexip announces its integration with Microsoft Lync with traditional video conferencing systems. The Pexip Infinity version 4 will simply link everyone together and transcode through this scalable virtualized multipoint conferencing platform. It will provide native interoperability with Microsoft Lync 2010, 2013 and Lync Online/Office 365. It allows organizations to collaborate and share data and presentations between virtually any enterprise video endpoint and any Lync client.

On Wednesday, Cisco confirmed several new video conferencing products and updates proposed to increase its position in this developing corporate market.

With cost cutting and shrinking budgets in school districts across the country, some might wonder if the days of the school field trips are fading. The idea of bus trips to an off campus location are becoming a thing of the past.

Polycom RealPresence Mobile Software is a software solution that is free to download and brings enterprise-grade video to tablets and smartphones. Use your smartphone or tablet to collaborate and connect over video face-to-face with colleagues, customers, partners, patients and students - no matter where they are located or where you are located.

It can be hard for older patients to get to all the appointments they have. A visit to the doctor can be a hassle and stressful for seniors. They have to keep track of several appointment dates and times, change their daily routine to create time for the appointment, and sometimes make accommodations for transportation assistance.

Organizations are becoming more aware that we are living in a connected world. Video conferencing is playing a vital role when it comes to a more effective way of communicating.

Polycom has launched its CX8000 room system for Microsoft Lync, a video conferencing system that provides the power of Microsoft Lync to the conference room with HD video, simple room controls and an optional, center-of-table experience. Companies around the world have come to depend on the reliable combination of  Polycom and Microsoft Lync solutions for a unified collaboration and communications room system for managers, employees and customers/clients of geographically dispersed organizations.

Last week I discussed how video conferencing is providing more convenient and safer interactions for inmates. Today I am taking a closer look at some of the benefits for video conferencing inside courtrooms.

Last week, President Obama signed a bill into law to extend the telehealth coverage for military service members as part of the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act

Video Conferencing is making its way in to schools not only with distance learning, but also with the use of telehealth solutions. Each year, the U.S. federal government awards billions of dollars in grant funding to schools, government agencies, healthcare organizations, and other public entities to improve operations and delivery of services to our communities.

mHealth stands for the provision of health-related services using mobile communication technology. As 2014 shifts into the mainstream of mobile video conferencing , healthcare providers will need to recognize and accept patient-provided data in a large-scale way. 

Video presentations using video conferencing are becoming more and more predominant in today’s business place, as are audio conferences using web conferencing and conference calls.

Patients who imagine getting high-tech medical attention without leaving the house, may be pleasantly surprised to learn about telemedicine.

With high-speed internet, quality web cams and microphones, anyone can host a video conference, even a small business! 

Video conferencing is becoming an effective tool in the classroom. Being prepared to instruct virtual learning can be crucial.  Making sure you have an understanding of its benefits, restrictions, and how to utilize it, can help make your teaching experience easier.

1 .     Why does my business need video conferencing?

As video conferencing access increases to virtually every employee with a laptop or mobile device, users in various business roles within organizations use video to defy distance in slightly differing ways. Polycom broke down some of the major positions and found several reasons why there is such a huge demand for video conferencing within the work place.

The popularity of standard video capabilities on tablets, mobile devices, and notebooks paired with a new wave of affordable, enterprise-quality products and Prime Call Cloud services means that many of us will increasingly need to be "on camera" for one business reason or another.

There are several factors that can make the initial start-up cost for Telehealth seem daunting. However, new solutions are being conducted to help healthcare organizations find assistance. Your organization can provide added services to your community if your organization could implement a Telehealth program. 

Video conferencing has become an important way to communicate and collaborate. The following 5 tips can help transform your conference room into the best video conferencing space possible!

With Prime Call Cloud MeetMe you can connect anywhere, anytime, on any device with Video as-a-Service.

Do you love using telepresence but find it hard to stay connected on the go? Check out Polycom's RealPresence Mobile solution.

The Department of Veterans Affairs recently showcased their new telehealth system, a service which will allow thousands of veterans to consult with doctors and specialists regardless of location. About 80,000 vets took part in over 200,000 telehealth conferences with therapists and doctors last year. These appointments featured veterans receiving counseling and care for chronic conditions as well as mental health therapy.

Do you remember how meetings used to be? When you would book travel, download material onto a laptop or USB drive, deal with the airport and flying, transportation, attend the meeting, take notes, fly home, download to your colleagues, and so on? How time consuming! 

Five different libraries around Vermont recently were brought together for a news conferencing via video conferencing. Fourteen libraries have installed new video conferencing  to allow their patrons to connect to whomever they need to without paying for an at-home solution.

Federal budget cuts in travel have given the video conferencing industry an uptick in federal sales. Providers are looking forward to this trend continuing due to tightening budgets as well as initiatives like the “Cut the Waste, Stay in Place” Act of 2013 which is looking to cut agency travel expenses by 50% by 2017. The across-the-board federal spending cuts have caused agencies to substitute in-person meetings for virtual ones.

Those who work from home often preach the great benefits of telecommuting – better work-life balance, increased productivity, they’re saving their company money, etc. But some individuals and companies alike feel the negatives of working from home outweigh the positives.

Solutionz offers so many options for video conferencing, we thought we'd make a cheat-sheet with three of our most popular options including the new Polycom RealPresence CloudAXIS, BlueJeans, and the PrimeCall Suite.

Penn State York has recently developed a teleeducation program for their students who have limited time to attend classes due to other commitments and responsibilities. This program is deisgned to deliver credentials to their adult learners. These new real-time and interactive classrooms will allow students working toward a degree or certification to take courses through video conferencing.

Businesses and government agencies alike have the same priorities: to lower costs and increase productivity. Mobile Work Exchange has recently done a study to show that video conferencing had potential to deliver results for both. According to this study, if only half of government workers used video conferencing they would see an increase of 3.5 hours of work each week and almost $5 billion annual savings in travel expenses alone.   As a result of these findings one congressman is promoting a new bill called “Stay In Place, Cut the Waste Act of 2013”. This bill highlights video conferencing services as a way to cut Federal Government travel expenses in half.
Even with all of the obvious benefits, some are still hesitant to support video conferencing as a reasonable replacement for traveling and in-person meetings. Whether they are unsure the savings will ever outweigh the initial investment, they are technology phobic, or not knowing which system will work with their partner’s system.

Over the past decade laptop use has tripled, video collaboration as grown from 26%-42%, and email, phone and IM have become the main form of communication taking the place of physical meetings as the primary form of communication. Companies are looking for an opportunity to collaborate and work productively through a flexible work schedule.

Both the Polycom HDX and Polycom Group Series are two of Solutionz’s most popular choices for group systems, but there are some distinct differences between the two.

The University of Texas Arlington recently initiated a program for distance education with The University of Texas San Antonio offering Japanese and Portuguese language programs through video conferencing.

Polycom has recently released the new CX Series, a desktop video conferencing unit that allows 360-degree views for seamless communication. The CX Series comes fully compatible with Microsoft Lync via USB connection. This is the latest development in the strong partnership between Polycom and Microsoft, both working toward the goal of seamless and effortless communication.

For some students, being able to travel and visit other countries for fun or study is impossible either because of finances, schedules, or prior commitments. Not all students are afforded the luxury of studying abroad either because of monetary reasons or time commitments. Many majors don’t have a program with courses available at other schools even within the United States, much less in another country. Luckily video conferencing is changing how students are able to learn and experience other cultures.

Polycom has recently had some big wins in the telemedicine field in China – dominating the competition by claiming over 51% of the video conferencing market, saving lives with video conferencing, seen a 20% increase in the market over since 2008, and are hoping to see more growth in the next 5-years.

The national physician shortage is keeping healthcare professionals on edge – it has been predicted that by 2025 the US will be 52,000 physicians short of what we need. With the new Affordable Care Act and Patient Protection, this will give 30 million people their first chance to have health insurance – thus increasing the need for more doctors.

Telemedicine has recently been used as a resource of the military in a variety of different departments including education, training, and specialist referrals. Telemedicine has recently become even more important for intuitions like the military because the doctors and healthcare professionals are spread so thinly around the globe. With budget cuts the option to hire more military doctors and personnel is simply not an option.

Video conferencing is now available to almost anyone due to the capabilities of smartphones and computers. This technology, including FaceTime, Skype and GoogleTalk, has led to a rise in telecommuting allowing employees like account managers or sales to work from home. With all these people working out of their home-office, it begs the question of how does “business attire” or “business casual” translate appropriately to “home-office” attire?

Ownership of mobile devices is quickly overtaking PC’s, and with that comes the need to integrate video conferencing into these devices. The demand for a mobile video conferencing solution is at the highest ever, and one that allows compatibility with desktop and room systems is essential.

The VUC Storstom education provider in Denmark has recently been recognized for their distance education initiatives and partnership with Polycom. Storstom was recognized by the International Distance Learning Awards for their project that is providing distance education to 5,000 adult students. This “Global Classroom” allows adults who did not finish school to attend virtual courses, making themselves a more valuable employee and more employable.

Manchester City’s Soccer Stadium will soon be the Premier League’s most fan-friendly and technologically advanced stadium with the help of Cisco and an in-depth unified communication system. The stadium, which has a 47,000 seating capacity and has been applauded for it’s cutting edge facilities, will install Cisco’s Connected Stadium Wi-Fi solution. This will deliver high speed internet access in the stadium and round it for thousands of mobile devices including phones and tablets.

Soldiers in Afghanistan face difficult emotional situations on a daily basis with nowhere to turn except inwards. Social workers and psychologists are looking to turn these hardships into an opportunity to extend a helping hand through the marriage of video conferencing and therapy – teletherapy.

Hershey Chocolatiers have had a strong relationship with the people of Hershey, Pennsylvania for many years, but also have a relationship with Ghana, where their coco plants grow. To create a link between these two populations, they decided to use video conferencing in two elementary schools.

What exactly IS unified communication? More than a buzzword in the technology world, unified communication is not something that can be easily summed up. Unified communications is, as the name suggests, many things working as one.

A new study from the University of Miami reports successful use of telepresence in trauma settings by aiding with staff shortages in disaster scenarios. The use of a remote telepresence surgeon for trauma situations proves to be helpful by having extra professional opinions and diagnosis.

The endless debate over whether or not to offer your employees the option of telecommuting remains. While all parties agree that telecommuting is able to offer an improved work/life balance, many aren’t sure this is the right solution for their company. Due to the lack of investment in tools or training for these technologies, it makes sense that adoption and effective collaboration aren’t happening. Having the right tools in your hands make all the difference.

For graduate students, the culmination of years of research and hard work result in their dissertation, an incredibly stressful and emotional event in itself, but the added stress of scheduling faculty to attend can make this time unbearable. Up until recently scheduling a dissertation defense has been difficult for students, but now with video conferencing, diverse schedules are able to easily align to make this easier for everyone.

New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce recently introduced the idea of a telecommuting Congress where lawmakers would be in a “virtual Congress”.  This would give Congress the ability to video conference, vote on legislation, and debate from their own districts.

Telemedicine is saving lives around the world. From Ireland to India, telemedicine is helping doctors, patients and whole communities live longer healthier lives.

Today we launch our new Interactive Healthcare site! Check it out to view use cases, products, and services for your telehealth needs! 

Enterprises around the world are getting serious about integrating video conferencing as an everyday communication tool. Technology improvements along with high speed IP networks are reducing travel, improving communications at the office, and allowing employees to telecommute all through video conferencing. However, for some, these video conferencing solutions still seem too costly and confusing to set up, operate, and manage. Here are some guidelines for implementing a unified communication strategy at your business.

When looking to adopt a telehealth program for a hospital or clinic, there are many choices in each of the necessary components: equipment, service, and technology. What options each organization chooses should be based off of their needs and their existing and future role. The best way to do this is with a “telehealth needs assessment” which will take into consideration the organizations ability to meet changing demographics.

Many businesses are adopting a Unified Communication strategy to increase communication, but what other areas can we use this to our advantage? Recent school safety initiatives have been a huge priority for many states and school districts, but Unified Communication (UC) is an unexpected solution that is only recently being looked into.

There are several conclusions that employers, employees, and fellow co-workers immediately draw regarding teleworking, and mobile video conferencing. Many of these are false and have led to a fear or aversion to integrating this lifestyle and work change.

The Secretary of the State, Hillary Clinton, recently conducted her last “Global Town Hall” meeting through video conferencing. This meeting enabled students around the world to not only view, but participate in this meeting. This participation was made possible by using video conferencing solutions, such as internet phone technology (like IP Video Conferencing), Skype, Twitter, and Facebook. Through these connections, Clinton was able to field questions and answer them in real-time.

Jeb Bush and the National School Choice Week wrote an editorial for CNN highlighting the benefits of video conferencing in our education system. In this article, Mr. Bush explains why nontraditional classrooms using video conferencing is beneficial to everyone involved.

Leading organizations are seeing that communication and success are symbiotic, and adopting a unified communication strategy can improve their business. Unified communications are shown to improve not only internal collaboration, but communication with customers and clients. By utilizing a unified communication strategy one is able to combine tasks and integrate different technologies making collaboration and communication easy and straightforward.

Smiths Group, a technology company, recently implemented Polycom RealPresence video solutions to increase communication and expedite decision making. The Smiths Group currently operates from over 50 countries and employs over 23,000 people in a variety of industries. For them, the biggest reason for implementing the Polycom video system was to increase communication, expedite decision making, and cut traveling considerably.

Many elder care facilities are looking to telehealth to assist in areas where they are coming up short or could use more help. Typically, the need for telehealth stems from remote living conditions (35% of elder care populations are in isolated counties), physician shortages, underserved communities, and wanting to facilitate healthcare without third party payers. However, the main goal of implementing telehealth solutions is to provide the best experience and community for residents.

Telemedicine, the use of video conferencing in healthcare, allows better care for those located in remote locations or have mobility issues. Specialist monitoring their patients from a remote hospital saves time, money and resources, and most of all is convenient.

Telejustice, the use of video conferencing to conduct judicial proceedings, is becoming progressively more popular in US cities for select hearings. Telejustice brings many benefits to the judicial system, primarily cost reduction and speeding up the judicial process as a whole with the accused present in court via video conference. Many individuals, including the Pennsylvania First Judicial District’s director of courtroom proceedings, Michael Spaziano, think that all guilty pleas should be conducted via video.

Video conferencing is becoming necessary for everyone from telemedicine patients in remote locations, to school children in low-enrollment classes. Video conferencing can seem daunting for many people for those who have never been on a video chat, it can seem scary, confusing and even more of a hassle than traveling to a face-to-face meeting. For those who seldom attend video conferences, it can be just as confusing (“I swear this worked last time!”). For someone hosting a video conference, those feelings can be even more extreme. But not to fear, here are a few tips to help you feel confident while hosting your own video conference.

Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking, and Purple, a polling organization, surveyed US voters, finding 80% of people value video conferencing. Of those, 89% personally value the ability to connect two different manufacturer video devices and have them work cooperatively. The use of video conferencing has skyrocketed within the government, education and healthcare fields, and with consumers. The Cisco Visual Networking Index claims that in three years one-million minutes of video will cross the internet per-second.

Polycom, the leader in unified communications, along with Right To Play are bringing children together with Olympians through video collaboration. Right To Play is an international charity that believes in the transformative power that play can give to children. They used face-to-face video collaboration from Polycom as a gateway between Right To Play Athlete Ambassadors, such as Canadian cyclist Clara Hughs, and disadvantaged children in Rwanda, allowing them to share their passion and dedication about overcoming challenges and obstacles.

SMBs are in perfect position to gain the greatest benefits that business grade, high definition video conferencing solutions have to offer. Yet, somehow telepresence and high-definition video conferencing has gotten the reputation that it is a solution exclusively for large enterprises, while smaller or mid-sized organizations (SMBs) are left behind to make do with e-mail, voice, or web-based video created for consumer applications.  Medium to small businesses seek to manage a workforce that is geographically dispersed, travel more, and fight to keep a competitive edge amongst their larger competitors all with less resources. 

Severstal, a leading steel company in today’s industry is utilizing Polycom video collaboration technology for its enormous workforce reaching 84,000.  Although this workforce is dispersed across ten different countries the ability to collaborate face-to-face, anytime, anywhere has been made easy through the use of the Polycom RealPresence Platform.

Maximizing productivity while reducing costs is just the beginning of what video conferencing solutions deliver to the healthcare industry.  Health care environments thrive when real-time interactive communication is improved which also elevates the quality of healthcare.

The possibilities of video conferencing are endless for higher education.  As part of our mission to change the way people communicate, Solutionz offers higher educational institutions a number of resources designed specifically to give your institution an enrollment and educational competitive advantage. Our visual communications products are the best available, but technology alone does not create the only competitive advantage - it’s how professors and educational institutions use it and incorporate it that makes the difference.

Telepresence and Unified Communications are being used in correctional facilities, courtrooms, and police stations around the world.  The benefits of Telepresence and UC in the Human Justice processes are just beginning to be realized.  From an expert in a busy forensics lab to a suspect behind bars Telepresence takes them where they need to be, the minute they need to be there, and without the need to travel.

Polycom announced this morning the availability of Polycom’s RealPresence Mobile software application on Apple’s Ipad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab, XOOM, and Motorola tablets.  This leading software gives users the opportunity to enjoy high definition video collaboration anytime, from anywhere.

Trade-in your current video conferencing unit, including VSX, or conferencing bridge & upgrade to the Polycom HDX® room telepresence series or Polycom RMX® conference platforms — take advantage of the benefits now!

Enable Your Video System to Zoom In and Out on the Speaker Hands Free with the Polycom EagleEye Director

Make meetings more realistic and conversation-friendly with Polycom's EagleEye Director, a patent-pending technology that enables close-up views of every speaker in the video conference, without the need for a remote control or user intervention.

Leaders in global health were surveyed to determine key players in heath sector innovation.  It is no surprise that information-sharing and collaboration showed the greatest potential for achieving immense innovation for the health sector.  Telepresence and HD video conferencing often are the best and only tools to facilitate life-like collaboration and real-time information sharing. 

When it comes to all stars productions like ‘Fringe’ and ‘The Good Wife’ to ‘Dr. Phil’ and ‘Ask Oprah All Stars’ they all have one thing in common…High Definition Polycom telepresence systems.  Why have they all chosen telepresence solutions as a way to make TV better?  Two words, “location liberation!"  With both the Polycom UC Intelligent Core and Polycom telepresence not only can Producers enable their east coast production teams to collaborate “in-person” with the west coast but also daytime television shows can now communicate remotely with guests in real-time. 

April 25, 2011 is the RUS Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant deadline.  As this deadline quickly approaches, Solutionz grant program team wants to help by giving you all the information you need to apply and win.    

Cisco unleashed a host of new options to make video throughout enterprises easier to consume and create.  Let Solutionz help you improve communication and business collaboration with one of Cisco’s Telepresence Solutions.

New advantages are being discovered everyday through the deployment of Polycom video conferencing solutions in enterprises around the world.   Let us start by considering a few…

Contrary to what you may have heard, high-definition video conferencing solutions are ideal for Small to Medium Size businesses.  Quit making do with email, voice, or web-based video created for consumers applications and instead take the time to find out which Polycom HD video solution is right for your SMB. 

Solutionz offers immersive telepresence solutions for manufacturing industries that improve remote management and operational efficiencies. 

The Right Choice For Any Industry

Solutionz offers video conferencing and telepresence solutions to help your company achieve its fullest potential in today’s economy.  Regardless of which industry you are in there is a video solution right for you—Read how some of the following industries are already achieving new heights by incorporating video into their daily operations.  

Cisco makes history with its telepresence technology; partnering with CNN is a wise choice indeed.  CNN has chosen this partnership to accomplish live two-way communication, through custom built Cisco Telepresence sets during news broadcasting.  This is definitely a step up from their customary one-way feeds.  CNN displays the Cisco Telepresence logo at the beginning and end of the each telepresence interview.  Never before has CNN given an advertiser the opportunity to brand its technology during live news coverage.

If you have not already, let Solutionz help you decide what Video Conferencing and Telepresence solution is right for you or your company!  Once you have, below are a few helpful tips to make the most out of your video meetings.

Don’t let the following myths deter you from finding out which video conferencing solution is right for your organization!

When it comes to video conferencing even firefighters have come to appreciate all that it has to offer.  One of the biggest challenges firefighters face is the ability to train others without taking them away from their own station.  If firefighters have to go to the main training center to learn new skills then they lose the ability to respond to emergencies without delay.  With the ability to train firefighters in their own station this problem completely goes away.  This is only one way that Polycom video conferencing products are being utilized by local firefighters in the Lake Travis area.  Along with the ability to respond to emergencies immediately in the middle of a training session, video conferencing allows firefighters to train five to six stations at once.  Instead of a trainer teaching the same information multiple times a day to multiple different stations, he/she only has to teach it once.  Polycom video conferencing products also allows for the training sessions to be archived which gives firefighters the unique ability to refresh their skills at anytime.  Seeing the firefighter’s facial expressions during a training session is “icing on the cake”.  It seems like the benefits of video conferencing are endless for these firefighters, click here to learn more.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abpC3q_d_60&feature=related

You could call a video conferencing solution provider, such as Solutionz, and speak with a rep who will walk you through all the options available and help you determine the equipment that is best for your needs. Or you could use TANDBERG's new video conferencing profile widget "Solution Finder: What is Your Video Profile" and click to answer a few questions. Once you complete the brief series of questions, the TANDBERG Solution Finder will calculate your responses and suggest a TANDBERG video conferencing equipment solution.

Earlier this week at Infocomm Polycom unveiled two of their newest product offerings - the Polycom Open Telepresence Experience (OTX) 300 and the expanded H.264 High Profile Support. Why are these products so exciting and what does it mean to the telecommunications industry?

ESPN recently announced that they will use Cisco TelePresence for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa to deliver live and recorded soccer games, as well as connecting soccer fans with players, teams, and coaches. Cisco TelePresence uses high-definition audio and visual for a life-like virtual experience. By utilizing TelePresence, ESPN will economically and effectively enhance the viewers' soccer experience.

An unprecedented fashion designer like Tommy Hilfiger not only makes sure that his fashion designs are cutting edge, but also his technology. Video conferencing and telepresence are the new waves of communication, and many industries are using it as another creative outlet -in this case a "virtual runway." Fashion designers like Tommy Hilfiger are using these "virtual runways" to improve cohesive creative concepts, but also minimizing travel time and costs. The TANDBERG T3 Custom Edition provides the catwalk experience in any office, at any time. Integrative telepresence allows face-to-face interaction from patterns to production without ever leaving the office. The TANDBERG T3 Custom Edition makes immersive telepresence tailored-fit to any industry.

Saving the world from nuclear bombs, terrorists, and biological threats can't be easy, but 24's Jack Bauer always seems to find a way. However, he doesn't do it alone - not only does he have a support team with his CTU colleagues, but Video Conferencing and Telepresence are now playing a part in saving the world.

So what's the big deal about the new iPhone? Isn't it just like all the other iPhones, just a bit re-vamped with a bigger price tag? Maybe. Yet, there is one significant difference.  It's been speculated that the newest iPhone has video conferencing capabilities.

Now more than ever before organizations are turning to new, innovative ways to conduct business during these challenging economic times. On the top of the list is collaboration. Introducing the New Wave of Communication - video conferencing - which is transforming the way organizations collaborate on a global scale. The New Wave of Communication allows organizations of all sizes to:

With the continuous increase of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere, it is important now, more than ever to reduce our carbon footprints. Organizations, big and small, are doing their part by saving costs on travel, which reduces carbon emissions. Video conferencing and telepresence replaces the need to travel by car and plane, but doesn't compromise face-to-face interaction and productivity.

Throughout America's justice system, agencies at all levels face ever-shrinking budgets, even as caseloads continue to rise. Yet inherent process inefficiencies - and an institutional reliance on in-person communication - make it difficult for administrators to trim expenses without sacrificing levels of service and security or risking compromises in due process.

Want to save on your bandwidth costs but don't think you can with your video conferencing needs? Now with Polycom's breakthrough H.264 High Profile in Polycom high definition (HDX) room telepresence solutions, you can! High Profile enables network resources to be dramatically reduced for all video-enabled organizations. It allows Chief Information Officers to power video communication with fewer resources while simultaneously meeting their budget challenge constraints. With this revolutionary breakthrough, Polycom Video Conferencing deployments can now be more cost effective, increase efficiency, achieve greater quality, accelerate ROI, and be extended to a greater number of sites than ever before.