43 F
Indianapolis
Friday, March 29, 2024

Mom In L.A., Dad In N.Y., Kid In S.F. To Meet Via TV

More by this author

Video conferencing on the living room TV has quietly emerged as one of the big trends at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.

Drowned out by the hype over 3-D TV and tablet computers, the ability to do video conferencing from your couch could end up being more important than those other ballyhooed products. The four-day CES opened Thursday in Las Vegas.

TV makers such as LG Electronics, Panasonic (PC) and Toshiba have separately announced plans at CES to build hardware for making video calls using the Internet video telephony service Skype (SKYPE).

And networking gear leader Cisco Systems (CSCO), which makes high-end business video conferencing systems, demonstrated a consumer system for the home.

Skype Chief Executive Josh Silverman said 2010 would be “the year when the TV moves from being the center of entertainment to being the center of communications and entertainment.”

Silverman says a third of Skype calls today are video calls from PCs with Web cams.

Cisco calls its product under development “home telepresence.” It will use a consumer’s existing HDTV and broadband connection to deliver a video communication system.

Cisco plans to begin home telepresence field trials in the U.S. this spring, with Verizon Communications (VZ) as an early partner. It has partnered with France Telecom (FTE) to do field trials in France starting later in 2010.

Cisco Business TelePresence, which debuted three years ago, is the company’s fastest-growing emerging technology.

Cisco Chief Executive John Chambers sees home telepresence as being more than chatting with friends and relatives from across the country or around the world. He says it will lead to new businesses and job creation.

“It will create jobs for hundreds of thousands of people,” Chambers said.

At a pre-show event Wednesday, Cisco executives demonstrated some applications for home telepresence, including personal video calls, health care checkups and home instruction.

Doctors will be able to see patients remotely to check on their well-being. To save time, patients can fill out on-screen questionnaires about their status and activities before the call. They can even upload health data from devices such as a blood glucose meter for diabetes patients.

Entrepreneurs will be able to deliver services to the home without having to drive to customers’ homes. In-home services conducted online can include yoga classes, guitar lessons, tutors for schoolchildren, language instruction and financial consulting.

And as more workers telecommute, “It will have a huge impact on the environment,” Chambers said.

A third of U.S. households, or 32 million homes, have the fast broadband capability to do personal video conferencing, the CEO says.

Panasonic aims to sell a high-definition video conference system for businesses and a version for in-home video communications.

The company expects to roll out its HD Visual Communications System for businesses in April. With the system, businesses can increase collaboration and minimize business travel, says Yoshi Yamada, chief executive of Panasonic’s North American unit.

Panasonic plans to have Skype-enabled HDTVs available in the spring.

Meanwhile, the main buzz at the show is about the coming age of 3-D television in the home.

Sony (SNE), Panasonic, Samsung, Toshiba, LG Electronics and other TV vendors discussed, and in some cases demonstrated, new 3-D TV systems. Vendors expect to roll out 3-D TVs and 3-D Blu-ray Disc players later this year.

After watching a 3-D TV demo from partner Discovery Communications (DISCA), Sony CEO Howard Stringer quipped: “Imagine Shark Week in 3-D. We may have to give everyone who signed up to the network a defibrillator.”

Besides teaming up with Discovery and Imax (IMAX) on 3-D systems, Sony announced a sponsorship of Walt Disney’s (DIS) 3-D sports channel, set to debut in June.

Panasonic announced a partnership with satellite broadcaster DirecTV (DTV) to launch three HD 3-D television channels by June.

Samsung announced partnerships with DreamWorks Animation (DWA), producer of such 3-D animated hit movies as “Monsters vs. Aliens,” and Technicolor.

Speaking at Samsung’s CES press event, DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said 3-D was no longer a “novelty” but a “fantastic creative and business opportunity.”

With blockbuster 3-D movies like “Avatar” in theaters, consumers have a craving for 3-D video in the home, says Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America’s consumer electronics division.

“Consumers are now expecting the same 3-D experience at home that they get in the theater ā€¦ and we’re ready to deliver,” Baxter said.

Four of the top 10 movies at the box office last year were 3-D movies, Katzenberg said, with a total of 10 3-D films among the 170 major studio releases.

Investor’s Business Daily Inc.

Ā© Ā© 2010 Investors Business Daily. Displayed by permission. All rights reserved.

- Advertisement -
ads:

Upcoming Online Townhalls

- Advertisement -

Subscribe to our newsletter

To be updated with all the latest local news.

Stay connected

1FansLike
1FollowersFollow
1FollowersFollow
1SubscribersSubscribe

Related articles

Popular articles

EspaƱol + Translate Ā»
Skip to content