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Intel Sees Communications As Company's Next Frontier
WSJdpatton writes "Intel is mounting a long-term campaign to turn personal computers into more reliable tools for calling and conferencing. Intel business-client architecture director Steve Grobman argues that instead of exploiting the Internet to lower communications costs, the next phase is about adding new features. Among the benefits for business: broader access to online meetings with advanced features such as TiVo-style playback, instant captioning of conversations — or even translation into multiple languages. 'That technology could be a foundation for companies to add improvements such as the ability to identify the current speaker during a conference call ... He eventually expects advanced features -- such as automatic transcription or translation of conferences. Intel has used deals to advance its plans. A February 2006 partnership with Skype included joint development to tailor the service for Intel's dual-core chips, and free PC-based conferencing for as many as 10 participants.'"
The 'videophone' has a part of the future since 1927 (Metropolis) and has come up in countless visions of the future (ATT exhibit at 1964 World Fair) but for one problem: mass customers just don't seem to want or need it. We had videoconferencing at my last workplace - so you get to see a funky image of the big boss as he speaks, big deal. Might as well let us tele-smell his cologne for all it added to the conference.
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