You and Me. That’s Umi, Cisco’s consumer-level HD video conferencing system. It’s HD baby! The system consists of a 1080p camera module, remote, and a separate set-top box. Cisco says Umi will allow for full 1080p video calls with 720p/30 recording, with a fallback to 720p / 480p if bandwidth is constrained. The camera itself has a glass lens with an optical zoom, autofocus, auto exposure and auto white balance, as well as motorized pan, tilt, and zoom. There’s also a motorized privacy shutter, which is a nice touch. The service is compatible with Google Voice and Video Chat, and Cisco says it’s looking into FaceTime integration as well, since they’re buddies with Steve Jobs. No words on Fring and Skype to be friends thought, but we’d expect them to be anyway. It’s in the blood, I think.

“Cisco is bringing people together, driving new video experiences that change the way we communicate, connect, and enjoy entertainment – in the home, at work, and on the go,” said John Chambers, chairman and CEO of Cisco. “Cisco ūmi will bring the unique telepresence experience into living rooms and change the way we are able to be together with family and friends. We envision a future where technologies like this will play a role in connecting consumers with businesses to enable the delivery of new services, ranging from education, to health care, to financial services – to the home.”

“Cisco ūmi is the ultimate way to capture the simple joys of being together with our distant friends and loved ones, whether they are around the corner or across the country,” said Marthin De Beer, senior vice president of Cisco’s emerging technologies business group. “From singing happy birthday every year to reading bedtime stories every night, ūmi lets friends and families experience life’s special moments together.”

“Verizon’s high-IQ networks are incredible incubators of innovation that connect our customers to the things andthe people they care about, how and when they want,” said Eric Bruno, vice president, of consumer product management at Verizon. “We plan to be the first service provider to offer Cisco ūmi to our customers, delivering an amazingly clear and lifelike experience that brings family and friends into your living room.”

The Umi will have a $24.99 monthly / $275 annually You’Me service plan and $599 MSRP. And I thought that video conferencing has been free all this while.

Cisco ūmi Key Features and Benefits:

• Users enjoy amazingly clear and lifelike full HD experience.
• 
  
• An existing HD television and a broadband Internet connection are all that is needed.
• 
  
• Cisco ūmi is easy to set up and simple to use – users can be together at the touch of a button.
• 
  
• Video calls can be placed and received on any computer with a webcam and Google video chat.
• 
  
• Users will never miss a ūmi call with video messages.
• 
  
• Cisco ūmi videos can be created and then shared on Facebook, YouTube, or email.
• 
  
• Video messages can be checked on on-the-go with a laptop.
• 
  
• New video message notices arrive via text on a mobile phone.
• 
  
• From the comfort of the couch, users can pan the room and even zoom in to get up close and personal, or pull back to include the whole family.
• 
  
• Privacy features like call screening and blocking, and a camera shutter that closes, keep users in control of their privacy.
• 
  
• Personalize with a unique video greeting, ringtones, and calling favorites.
• 
  
• The stylish design is a perfect match for the living room and HD television.

SOURCE via Cisco