Sometimes, seemingly random events, upon further review by jaundiced eyes, lose that randomness, and, like the Chaos Theory, start showing patterns.

HP releases SkyRoom on September 22.

On October 1, Cisco announces the $3.0 billion USD purchase of Tandberg.

Coincidence?

In a vacuum, Cisco’s purchase of Tandberg might at best be a head-scratcher. You know, Cisco+Tandberg???

However, when put in the perspective of HP’s release last week of HP SkyRoom, then you can see that Cisco probably heard the pounding-hoofs-from-behind from HP, as a bid to topple its (Cisco’s) leadership position in that market.

In SkyRoom, HP has a product that is priced right, is technologically superior to anything on the market today at that price point, is resource-light, does not require expensive hardware, does not require special communications provisioning, and is backed by HP.

I have no doubt that Cisco will bring their communications heft into this space as well.

Can I thank Jim Zafarana and his team at the HP Personal Workstation Group for the innovating with SkyRoom, and the forthcoming new innovations in this space once Cisco digests Tandberg?

BTW, what becomes of PolyCom? Are they in play, and is HP looking to pick them up?

Is HP’s SkyRoom & HALO poised to redefine telepresence? Or Cisco retain primacy in this space?

Tell me here or email me at john.obeto@absolutevista.com

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