Wainhouse Research scooped us on Magor Communication's launch of their HD Meeting Room at InfoComm in the last edition of the Wainhouse Research Bulletin.  I am disappointed that I didn't get to check it out while I was in Orlando for the show.  Here is Wainhouse's summary of the company and offering:

"Magor, a Terry Mathews-backed Canadian company, introduced a line of "telecollaboration systems" at the show. What the company really ships is a "telepresence" software kit supporting 1080p H.264 video and running on commercial, off-the-shelf hardware. Channel partners put it all together for customers, a business model followed by at least two other players in this space. Magor has signed up industry veterans HB Communications as a North American reseller, and Saudi Delta Company for the Saudi market. We got a quick demo of the system at InfoComm. The design appears to be very focused on collaboration, and the interface is on the techie side, more like a traditional videoconferencing system than a 2009 "telepresence" system (in our opinion). Magor claims to require less bandwidth than competitors and that their solutions do not require expensive, dedicated network services. One interesting tidbit: the cameras are located near the bottom of the screens for improved eye contact."

You don't hear a lot from Teliris on a day to day basis.  They do not publish press releases on every deal they win, or every incremental improvements in their product and while the general business press is covering their much larger competitors because of their size relative to the economy as a whole (and/or their marketing & PR muscle) Teliris tends to stay off the media radar.  They tend to save up their news and drop big bombs a couple of times a year with InfoComm being their favorite target.
2009 is no different.  This year the company with half a decade head start on Cisco, HP, Polycom, and TANDBERG in the telepresence game has proven again what persistent, practical, focused research and development can do for you.  Oh yeah... $51MM in venture capital over the past couple of years hasn't hurt either.

We continue to add to our Solution Snapshots Catalog of the leading telepresence systems, managed service providers, and inter-networking solutions. These detailed Solution Snapshots feature important information for those evaluating their Telepresence Options including: minimum bandwidth required, minimum space required, and inter-operability information. Solution Snapshots feature information not found any place else on the internet including top-down floorplans showing minimum space required for each telepresence system for architects, engineers and facility professionals trying to determine the best location to deploy telepresence environments. You can received new Solution Snapshots as they are published by subscribing to our RSS Feed or via e-mail. All the Solution Snapshots will be published in the upcoming hard copy Telepresence Options Yearbook which you can receive for free by subscribing here.

Overview:  The Cisco TelePresence System 1000 (CTS 1000) is a modular small group telepresence system that can display two life-size primary participants.  The system features ultra high definition 1080p video, a 65" high definition plasma screen display, CD-quality audio, and collaborative tools for sharing data.   When connected with the company's flagship Cisco TelePresence System 3000 (CTS 3000) the CTS 1000 participants are displayed on one of CTS 3000's screens the same size as participants connected via another CTS 3000 with the same directional audio and collaborative capabilities.

We continue to add to our Solution Snapshots Catalog of the leading telepresence systems, managed service providers, and inter-networking solutions. These detailed Solution Snapshots feature important information for those evaluating their Telepresence Options including: minimum bandwidth required, minimum space required, and inter-operability information. Solution Snapshots feature information not found any place else on the internet including top-down floorplans showing minimum space required for each telepresence system for architects, engineers and facility professionals trying to determine the best location to deploy telepresence environments. You can received new Solution Snapshots as they are published by subscribing to our RSS Feed or via e-mail. All the Solution Snapshots will be published in the upcoming hard copy Telepresence Options Yearbook which you can receive for free by subscribing here.



Overview: A modular telepresence group system, accommodating up to 6 participants per room creating a virtual table for 12 participants when connected to another Cisco TelePresence System 3000 (CTS 3000). The system features ultra high definition 1080p video delivered to three 65" plasma screens. Multi-channel CD-quality spatial audio comes from the direction of the remote participant that is speaking. This system will fit into an existing space with a minimum amount of make-ready and features an integrated table, lighting, microphone, and camera all optimized for the environment. Calls can be scheduled using groupware applications such as MS Outlook and Lotus Notes and then launched with the push of a button or launched ad-hoc by dialing another room's phone number from a handset in the room.

We have added another Telepresence System, the Digital Video Enterprises Executive Telepresence System, to the Solution Snapshot Catalog. You can receive new Solution Snapshots as they are published by subscribing to our RSS Feed or via e-mail. All the Solution Snapshots will be published in the upcoming hard copy Telepresence Options Yearbook which you can receive for free by subscribing here.

Overview: DVE's Executive Telepresence System (ETS) is the culmination of more than a decade's effort in creating the world's best conferencing systems. Unlike web cameras and common videophones, the ETS delivers an amazingly realistic and natural experience. The ETS provides real-size images of people in high definition appearing to be sitting on the other side of your desk. The patented display, included with the ETS, ingeniously hides the HD camera behind the image so that perfect eye contact can be experienced among the participants. Legacy conferencing systems from other providers have a camera mounted on top of the display screen which creates the impression that people are looking down. The ETS also delivers the highest quality video and audio. Codecs, microphones and cameras from other vendors such as Life-Size, Polycom and Tandberg easily integrate into the ETS substantially improving their real world performance and increases user satisfaction.

We are continuing our detailed Solution Snapshots on the leading telepresence systems, managed service providers, and inter-networking solutions. These detailed Solution Snapshots feature important information for those evaluating their Telepresence Options including: minimum bandwidth required, minimum space required, and inter-operability information. Solution Snapshots feature information not found any place else on the internet including top-down floorplans showing minimum space required for each telepresence system for architects, engineers and facility professionals trying to determine the best location to deploy telepresence environments. You can received new Solution Snapshots as they are published by subscribing to our RSS Feed or via e-mail. All the Solution Snapshots will be published in the upcoming hard copy Telepresence Options Yearbook which you can receive for free by subscribing here.

Overview: Teliris InterACT Collaborative Options are a suite of natural, intuitive easy to use collaborative tools that allow participants to act as if they were in the same meeting room , complimenting telepresence which makes participants feel as if they are in the same room, The Teliris InterACT Collaboration portfolio follows common architecture principles developed by Teliris that defines surface, location, content, and user persona. Physical-to-digital and digital-to-physical transferal capabilities integrate the two separate worlds of content. The content, in turn, is independent from the underlying display surface and - of course - location. Teliris InterACT Collaboration Options are available in a wide variety of formats and features to align with wide variety of customer use cases and all are multipoint-enabled to allow the experience to extend to any number of locations.

The tools include:
 
The Teliris InterACT TouchTable is the only commercially available multi-touch computing environments for telepresence and allow users, for the first time, to share content naturally over distance. The multi-touch virtual table understands participant gestures and supports a wide variety of content including video, text, photos and audio files, without using keyboard or mouse.

Telepresence Options has put together the most comprehensive and intelligently organized On-Line Catalog of  the leading Telepresence systems, managed service providers, and inter-networking solutions available anywhere.  You can start with our comprehensive overview of the various Telepresence Options and then drill down to evaluate telepresence solutions in various intelligently organized categories.

Telepresence Conferencing - On-Stage Telepresence & Telepresence Podiums
Telepresence Conferencing - Group Systems
Telepresence Conferencing - Large Group / Classroom
Telepresence Conferencing - Small Group Systems
Telepresence Conferencing - Executive Systems
Telepresence Managed Service Providers
Telepresence Inter-Networking Solutions
Telepresence Video Infrastructure, CODEC, Display, and Peripheral Manufacturers
Telepresence Resellers and Systems Integrators
Telepresence Consultants

After a long hiatus we are starting to publish Company Profiles on the leading firms in the telepresence industry again. You can browse our Company Profile archive for previous companies profiled including Teliris, Cisco, Polycom and others. You can subscribe via RSS or e-mail to receive Company Profiles of other leading telepresence firms as they are published. All the Company Profiles will be published in the upcoming hard copy Telepresence Options Yearbook which you can receive for free by subscribing here.

TelePresence Tech is a manufacturer of telepresence systems and telepresence display systems including systems that offer true eye-contact by hiding the camera at eye-level behind a piece of silvered glass. The company makes a variety of telepresence solutions including group telepresence systems, small group systems, and mobile systems. The company was founded by Duffie White, a member of the telepresence "old-boys club" who has been developing telepresence solutions before Cisco, HP, Polycom, and TANDBERG began focusing their efforts on the space. The company's partners include Regal Research and Manufacturing and Teleportel Europe. The Company's Resellers and Distributors include: AVI/SPL, Spire Global, Sony Europe, Right! Systems, AIT, and EUS Networks.

We are beginning to publish detailed Solution Snapshots on the leading telepresence systems, managed service providers, and inter-networking solutions. These detailed Solution Snapshots feature important information for those evaluating their Telepresence Options including: minimum bandwidth required, minimum space required, and inter-operability information. Solution Snapshots feature information not found any place else on the internet including top-down floorplans showing minimum space required for each telepresence system for architects, engineers and facility professionals trying to determine the best location to deploy telepresence environments. You can received new Solution Snapshots as they are published by subscribing to our RSS Feed or via e-mail. All the Solution Snapshots will be published in the upcoming hard copy Telepresence Options Yearbook which you can receive for free by subscribing here.

Overview:Teliris VirtuaLive^TM Telepresence is available as a turnkey facilities package, adoptable to an existing conference room or can be built with an unified look across all rooms. The solution provides accurate eye-lines for single and multiple location meetings, accommodating up to 28 participants on 3 to 8 screens in each room. Teliris offers broadcast quality high-definition video at 30/60 frames per second on 65" screens. With interoperability capabilities the Teliris VirtuaLive^TM Telepresence solution can connect to traditional videoconferencing and other standards-based telepresence systems.

Ashburn, Virginia - May 5th, 2009 - Telepresence Options, the #1 website and sourcebook for telepresence technologies has expanded again with the addition of a comprehensive sourcebook for telepresence technologies: "Telepresence Solution Snapshots".  "Solution Snapshots" is the most comprehensive and intelligently organized catalogue of telepresence conferencing systems, display technologies, telepresence managed services, inter-networking solutions, video infrastructure, peripherals, system resellers, integrators and consultants anywhere.  Solution Snapshots are available free at http://www.telepresenceoptions.com/solutions.

Capabilities and Experience growing at the world's leading Telepresence and Visual Collaboration Consultancy

Ashburn, Virginia - May 7, 2009 - The Human Productivity Lab (HPL), the world's leading independent telepresence analysis, research and consultancy firm, today announced that LeMoyne Zacherl is joining the Human Productivity Lab Consulting Practice with a finance focus on international data networking, managed services and on carrier finance, business planning and financial modeling.

ASHBURN, VIRGINIA - May 4, 2009 - The Human Productivity Lab (HPL), the world's leading independent telepresence analysis, research and consultancy firm, today announced the appointment of Stu Gold a Managing Director of the Human Productivity Lab's Consulting Practice. In conjunction with the appointment of Mr. Gold, The Human Productivity Lab announced the expansion of its practice areas to include visual collaboration managed services, product management, and marketing communications.

An excellent article from Forbes on the impact of the swine flu on the telepresence industry and how telepresence can help organizations looking to manage operations during public health emergencies. 

Plus:  Telepresence Options publisher and Human Productivity Lab President Howard Lichtman's thoughts and analysis including his March 6th prediction of a pandemic and thoughts on how this will impact the telepresence and airlines industries.

Resources for organizations looking to deploy telepresence to manage international operations during a public health emergency.

Telepresence Options is launching the industry's most comprehensive catalog of telepresence systems, managed service providers, and inter-networking solutions on Thursday, April 28th.  Sign up here to subscribe via e-mail or RSS.

An Update on "Telepresence People"

An Update on Telepresence Industry Professionals - Our Linked In Group is now over 720+ professionals! New and Notable Members and New Telepresence Industry Jobs!   

Huawei, Cisco's persistent Chinese competitor has launched their own telepresence offering.

Here we share a video that deals with the new field of collaborative tele-immersion.  With this new technology, participants are able to move into the same space and collaborate with each other in real time - in 3D.  The video can be found here:



Read on for more information.

Howard Lichtman, President of the telepresence consulting firm Human Productivity Lab and publisher of Telepresence Options recently authored an article on Designing Telepresence Spaces for ARCHI-TECH Magazine, a journal for architects and other specialty designers focused on integrating emerging technologies and systems into building design and architecture.  The article covers what architects, designers, and systems integrators need to understand about designing telepresence spaces, environments, and installations. 

Plus: An update on Telepresence People and our telepresence industry networking group on Linked In: Telepresence Industry Professionals is about to hit 650 members!

In honor of their 250 year anniversary the Guinness Brewery in Ireland worked with futurist Ben Hourahine to create a vision of the "Pub of the Future" looking out 250 years to 2259.  New features of the tavern of the future are envisioned to include a robotic doorman who will greet you by name, reading an implanted RFID tag,  beverages brewed before your very eyes using the latest in bio-technology and delivered to your table by a magnetic levitation tray.

Patrons can meet with "virtual" friends using holographic projections, and embedded digital elements within the wall coverings will change in order to give different scenes and create atmosphere.

Get the scoop along with Human Productivity Lab President Howard Lichtman's take on the feasibility of telepresence pubs, restaurants, and sports bars Today!

Plus: A martini recipe for "The TeleSuite" and Telepresence People

A group of British researchers have developed a design for a virtual "cocoon" that will provide a virtual sensory experience that will include not only sight and hearing but smell, taste, and touch.  The researchers have dubbed their effort: "Real Virtuality".  PLUS: Telepresence People ~ HSL

By Alexis Madrigal

Virtual reality schemes have long tantalized geeks with unrealized visions of holodecks and long-distance cybersex.

Now, a group of British researchers want to round out the experience with virtual touch, taste and smell. To simulate the real world, they argue, all five of your senses must be stimulated. Toward that end, they've mocked up a "Virtual Cocoon" with a separate glove that -- at least in theory -- could tickle your tongue as it, uh, nukes your nose.