HP on Monday launched a new videoconferencing product, marking its
ambition to become a leading player in the enterprise collaboration market.Dubbed the HP Halo Collaboration Studio (Halo), the e-conferencing package encompasses digital visual products and collaboration software tools which, senior executives said, challenges traditional videoconferencing.
According to HP, Halo is capable of recreating realistic collaborative interaction through a unique deployment of colour-calibrated visual experience, a key differentiator compared to traditional products.
Vyomesh Joshi, HP's executive vice president of imaging and printing group, said: "It's something we believe will not only disrupt the traditional videoconferencing market, but will also change the way people work in a global market."
He noted that HP drew from its experience in developing colour science, imaging and networking technology, and built the concept for Halo with the help of its long-time partner DreamWorks Animation, the maker of animated films such as Shrek and Madagascar.
According to DreamWorks chief executive Jeffrey Katzenberg, the animation company first broached the idea to design a new solution because it experienced "great frustration" with existing products in the market.
"We found ourselves [after the terrorist attacks on 9/11] in a difficult position of having to bring together the right creative designers who were located in different places," he said.
"We looked for a conferencing solution but those in the market didn't fulfil our needs," he added. For example, with traditional videoconferencing products, participants in a videoconference could not smoothly hold multiple conversations or share visual images of smaller details on physical items.
DreamWorks then approached its technology partner HP, and offered its expertise in enabling realistic visual interaction and "instinctual" collaboration, said DreamWorks chief technology officer Ed Leonard.
Conference setting
Currently available only in one standard configuration, each Halo room
is set up for six people and consists of three plasma displays and
studio-quality audio and lighting equipment. Three cameras reflect
images on the middle, left and right sides of the room.
Running on a 54Mbps T3 line, a typical Halo room is controlled via a centralised software interface which allows participants to switch between rooms and enable documents to be shared directly from their notebook computers.
Participants are able to see each other in life-size images projected on the plasma displays and use a dedicated camera to project and zoom in on physical products on a table. Although HP is marketing...
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