Categories: Collaboration Collaboration Devices

Webex Devices: Transforming Workspaces So You Can Get Stuff Done

New Devices That go Beyond Video Collaboration

This past year, I’ve been excited to see our collaboration shift from having individual solutions for specific needs to providing a platform that embraces every need. Workplace transformation goes beyond simply placing devices into new conference rooms. It is about connecting devices in different spaces supporting different styles with how you already work. It is about making your workspaces come alive.

We have made great strides toward one unified application for all collaboration, as mentioned in Sri’s latest blog, Cisco’s Single Platform Advantage Drives Workplace Transformation. In my view, Webex Devices are the tip of the spear in experiencing the power of our unified platform. To that end, our software engineers have been hyper-focused on moving all devices to operate on a single operating system: RoomOS (Monthly OS updates released here). I’m excited as I truly believe our devices engage your existing workflows helping you to shorten the time it takes to get stuff done.

As announced yesterday at Cisco Partner Summit, we launched two amazing innovations – all operating on RoomOS and powered by the Webex Platform. I am proud of our entire Webex Device portfolio and am exceptionally excited about the new Room Panorama and the Desk Pro. These new devices go WAY beyond functional video collaboration. We are taking years of workplace transformation research to understand new ways of working and are crafting simple and engaging products that are delightful to install, set up, manage and use.

Cisco Webex Room Panorama for the Modern Boardroom

I haven’t been to a single event in the past 12 months where I wasn’t asked, “When is Cisco going to address the Telepresence portfolio?” “What is to become of the IX5000?” Well, it’s finally here. As we End of Life an old way of working with the IX5000, we are ushering in a new way of working: The Webex Room Panorama is the next generation of Immersive Video Conferencing for the executive board room. The IX5000 invented “cutting the table in half and adding 5,000 miles.” With the Room Panorama, we are Changing the Game Again—but this time, we are cutting the room in half and adding 5,000 miles with rich cognitive and other amazing capabilities taking the experience to the Next Generation.

Room Panorama improves experience and room flexibility. The wall becomes your window to any other room in the world. With a smaller footprint in the room, adaptable design, and video and audio that reflects an in-person meeting, the experience is truly transformative for cross-table communication.

Unlike the IX5000, the Room Panorama runs on the same operating system as our Webex Rooms portfolio. You are no longer required to choose between on-premise and cloud. Gone are the days of having a dedicated room and painful room remediation – we just made it super easy. The Room Panorama allows you to not only experience the new immersive but leverage a consistent video experience with non-immersive rooms. In addition, when you choose to modernize your boardroom with the Panorama system, you automatically get access to Webex Control Hub for unified management and analytics, advanced cognitive intelligence, and the assurance of enterprise security you come to expect from the Webex platform.

The system will be available for order in the first half of CY2020. If you are interested in becoming an early field trial – please contact your partner or account representative.

Cisco Webex Desk Pro Purpose-Built, All-in-One AI workstation

The Desk Pro is incredibly versatile – Whether it’s for one on one or team collaboration. Because it’s AI enabled right out of the box, the Desk Pro gives you the same Room Series features that you are accustom to:

Facial recognition, auto-framing
Webex Assistant
Virtual backgrounds
Digital, pervasive whiteboarding
Control Hub for unified management and analytics

Some people are calling this “a Webex Board for your desk” complete with ideation, rich white boarding and customizable web apps. And they are correct! The Desk Pro has all the features of the Board, but purpose-built for the desktop or jump-spaces with 1-2 people. The 27’’ 4k touch display is built for 1-2 people with its integrated 70+ degree HD camera. The 3.1 sound system with noise suppression was crafted with open-office design in mind. And while the Desk Pro is optimized for the Webex Platform, it becomes software agnostic with USB-C connection. Stay tuned to this blog for more announcements on orderability. Meanwhile visit the Desk Pro page for technical specifications and video overviews.

We are excited to partner with NVIDIA to help power cognitive collaboration with this and other Webex Room devices built for the modern workplace. Commenting on the collaboration, Deepu Talla, VP and General Manager of Autonomous Machines at NVIDIA, noted, “We’re teaming with Cisco to leverage the power of AI to transform the way we work. Cisco’s Webex Devices portfolio, enabled by NVIDIA Jetson, brings advanced intelligence and performance to embedded computing systems at the edge.”

This isn’t just video – this is a new way of working – and it’s changed my own outlook on how I get stuff done. Join me as we continue evolve our workplace.

What does this mean for current Cisco Webex Device Users?

If you are interested in adding these new devices to your workspace, we’ve improved that experience, too. We introduced Webex Edge for Devices which means you can keep your device deployment on-premise while taking advantage of new cloud enabled features. Stay tuned to next week’s blog by Rich Bayes who will explain more.