WinHEC Day 1:
After meetings in town (Marina Del Rey, Hermosa Beach), I headed to the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) for WinHEC.
I timed my arrival to coincide with a 2.00 pm private briefing arranged for Featured Communities members on the new Microsoft Unified Communities (UC) products at the LACC.
These products are s-w-e-e-t, sweet!
I saw the IP phones, USB phones, UC monitors, the ASUS notebook, and USB headsets from an assorted number of vendors representing several segments of that market.
Targeted at the mid to upper enterprise, the UC products are heralding into our view a better, more connected way of communication, over the voicemail, (corporate) instant messaging, and email mediums.
As I was given a demo of these products, this first generation based on Microsoft’s reference platform, I now see why presence will be a buzzword, and a big one at that going forward.
The IP phones, of which I am currently enamored, feature a large, 5.6” touchscreen, wideband audio, dual Ethernet ports, full-duplex speakerphones, and, a biometric (fingerprint) reader for securing the device.
As currently implemented, the immediacy of presence notification in the UC devices will improve the communications experience for enterprises, and unquestionably decrease the uncertainty around messaging in larger firms.
Think about it: these are definitely not your father’s PBX devices!
More about my WinHEC Day 1 can be found here.
