Cisco is in the business of sending bits from one place to the next. Therefore, anything that will allow them to play to their strengths, namely data access, is important. That’s why they bought Flip and that’s why they just announced this odd business tablet.
It’s basically an HD tablet running Android with full video conferencing and email and media access. Obviously there’s no price and they’ll be shipping in 2011, if they ever ship.
This is definitely not a consumer-facing product. It will be part of their Communications package that they sell to business users. My thinking is this won’t ship at all, but that’s just a hunch. Perhaps they’ll farm out the manufacture to an OEM for mass production, but don’t expect it in your local Best Buy.
802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, 3G/4G data and Bluetooth 3.0 help employees stay connected on and off-campus
HD video (720p) with Cisco TelePresence solution interoperability for lifelike video communication with the simplicity of a phone call
Virtual desktop client enables highly secure access to cloud-based business applications
Android operating system, with access Android marketplace applications
Collaboration applications including Cisco Quad, Cisco Show and Share, WebEx, Presence, and IM
Tablet Highlights:
7” diagonal, high-resolution color screen with contact-based touch targets delivers an elegant, intuitive experience
HD Soundstation supports Bluetooth and USB peripherals, 10/100/1000 wired connectivity and a handset option
Detachable and serviceable 8-hour battery for a full day of work
Highly secure remote connections with Cisco AnyConnect Security VPN Client
HD audio with wideband support (tablet, HD Soundstation)
New Android-Based Computing Device Uses Cisco Collaboration Architecture and Virtual Desktop Integration to Deliver Mobile Computing, Collaboration and Communication Services
LAS VEGAS, NV, Jun 29, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — Cisco (CSCO 21.56, -0.86, -3.83%) today unveiled Cisco Cius, a first-of-its-kind mobile collaboration business tablet that delivers virtual desktop integration with anywhere, anytime access to the full range of Cisco collaboration and communication applications, including HD video.
Cisco Cius is an ultra-portable device weighing just 1.15lbs (0.52kg) that extends the productivity benefits of Cisco collaboration applications to a highly secure mobile platform. In addition to full telepresence interoperability, Cisco Cius offers HD video streaming and real-time video, multi-party conferencing, email, messaging, browsing, and the ability to produce, edit and share content stored locally or centrally in the cloud.
Based on the Android operating system, Cisco Cius is an open platform for communication and collaboration whose form factor and applications are designed to more securely connect employees on-the-go with the right people in real-time, and to provide those workers with the ability to access and share the content they need from any place on the network.
Cisco Cius offers IT professionals new options when it comes to equipping mobile workers with computing devices. Through virtual desktop integration, Cisco Cius offers flexible computing options with cloud-based services, providing dramatically lower capital costs and cost-per-user for desktop maintenance.
Businesses can also tap into the growing Android developer community that is building business-class productivity applications with appropriate IT controls. The combination of applications and flexible computing options provides a compelling alternative to today’s PC-on-every-desktop paradigm.
ANNOUNCEMENT HIGHLIGHTS
Product Features
— The Cisco Cius is a lightweight portable business computing tablet
offered with an optional HD audio station equipped with a telephone
handset speakerphone, HD DisplayPort and USB ports.
— The Cisco Cius tablet features a front-mounted 720p HD camera which
refreshes at up to 30 frames per second; a seven inch, high-resolution
widescreen super VGA touch-target display for real-time and streamed
video, and single-button TelePresence interoperability that can be
utilized either when the tablet is docked, or being used remotely via
Wi-Fi.
— The tablet has a 5-megapixel rear facing camera that can transmit
streaming VGA quality video and capture still images, and dual
noise-cancelling microphones for audio conferencing.
— Cisco Cius features an eloquent contacts-driven user experience,
designed to enable users to quickly reach their important contacts.
— An on-board accelerometer readily orients applications for viewing in
portrait or landscape modes as users rotate the device to their
preferred viewing orientation.
— Cisco Cius supports 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi for enterprise campus
mobility and 3G cellular services when off-campus. 4G services will be
available at a later date. Bluetooth and Micro-USB means users can
work untethered and share data with a PC.
— A detachable and serviceable battery offers eight hours of life under
normal usage.
Integration with Business Applications
— Cisco Cius provides support for the comprehensive suite of Cisco
collaboration applications including Cisco Quad, Cisco Show and Share,
Cisco WebEx Connect, Cisco WebEx Meeting Center, Cisco Presence, and
interoperability with Cisco TelePresence.
— Cisco Cius is supported by Cisco Unified Communications Manager and is
easily integrated into existing Cisco customer environments.
— Cisco Cius helps ensure a more secure mobile collaboration experience
by leveraging Cisco AnyConnect VPN Security, part of the Cisco
Borderless Networks architecture.
— Virtual desktop integration provides IT organizations with the ability
to host software applications securely in the data center and to
utilize the Cisco network to deliver those applications ‘as-a-service’
anytime, anywhere. Cisco Cius thereby supports data center
consolidation and reduced software licensing costs.
— Cisco Cius offers businesses the ability to take advantage of the
ever-expanding ecosystem of cost-effective, third-party applications,
supported by the Android operating system, while controlling user
access policy.
— Cisco will help expand Android developed applications for business by
offering Cisco Collaboration Application Protocol Interfaces (APIs) to
developers through a Software Developer’s Kit (SDK).
Availability
— Customer trials of Cisco Cius will begin in the third quarter of
calendar year 2010, with general availability in the first quarter of
calendar year 2011.
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