Polycom Introduces Touch Control

Polycom, Inc., a major player in telepresence, video and voice communication solutions, has introduced Polycom Touch Control, an interface device for Polycom (News - Alert) room telepresence systems that allows users to control all aspects of their experience using a touch-screen.

 

According to company officials, by simplifying how users find colleagues, place calls, share content and access advanced features, the Polycom Touch Control shortens the learning curve for new users and facilitates broader adoption of visual communication which helps organizations drive faster return on investment and greater productivity.

The Polycom Touch Control addresses a long-standing issue within the conferencing industry - the inadequacy of the handheld remote control,' said Ira Weinstein, analyst and partner at Wainhouse Research.

Weinstein said that for many casual users, video conferencing remotes have too many buttons and offer too many functions. On the other hand, for many super-users and administrators, the remotes are missing key features and capabilities.

She said that by leveraging the power of a leading mobile platform and user interface design techniques from the mobile phone industry, Polycom was able to create a flexible, configurable remote suitable for users of every level.

Company officials also said that the Polycom Touch Control's seven-inch color screen allows casual and power users to easily navigate key functions from basic dialing and content sharing, to advanced features using finger gestures to touch and slide universally recognizable icons and navigate intuitive arrows and tabs.

The graphical interface, the company officials said, makes it easy for users to locate contacts and dial video calls using a corporate directory, local address book, or presence-enabled contact list.

The Polycom Touch Control also makes it easy for anyone to share content during a video call or to present content using the room's audio/visual systems during a non-video meeting.

'Simplifying the user experience is a key differentiator for Polycom and one that we are leading in a number of ways, from video-enabling applications people use every day like Microsoft (News - Alert) Outlook, to delivering a more intuitive interface like the Polycom Touch Control,' said Joe Sigrist, senior vice president and general manager of visual communications at Polycom.