New Endpoints Enable “Touch Telephony”

The VoIP endpoint market has been an extremely one lately, with the introduction of many new devices by a wide variety of vendors. I recently discussed the Polycom VVX 1500, a new hybrid voice and video device that boasts a new and intuitive touch-based UI. While recent offerings by Snom and Avaya offer similar interfaces, the Polycom VVX’s clear advantage is the integration of video into the device. Taking cues from successful implementations of “touch UI” by the infamous iPhone, the Snom 870 handles “drag and drop” scenarios in specific applications such as multi-user conferencing. As with the Polycom, SIP is the protocol of choice, supporting many mainstream platforms. Snom’s recent push towards the Microsoft OCS platform may yield further integration with the touch-focused UI of the 870. Last and certainly not least, Avaya recently introduced the 9670G, dubbed as a “media phone” of sorts, this device blurs the lines between PC and phone. With an iPhone-esque UI with easy access to phone functions, including virtual keys and line appearances, the 9670G also provides one-touch access to applications like weather, a calculator, and maps. This device is designed to operate with Avaya-specific voice environments, but the integration is very impressive with the server-side feature set. As a recap, there is much promise and continued development in the field of IP endpoints. With an increasingly competitive market, users and purchasers can expect prices to fall, and innovation and market competition to be on the rise.