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Taking Your Work to the Family Room

by Allison Brill
03.24.2008

In an announcement made Monday, Quanta Computer, Inc., and ooVoo plan to take HD video conferencing into family rooms around the world with a new device that plugs into HD TVs and connects to the internet. People who choose to use this device called Quanta Video Messenger will soon be able to chat it up face-to-face (kinda) with people anywhere in the world who are also using the device, as well as anyone using the software on their PC.

Quanta and ooVoo are also in talks with U.S. phone and cable companies about building the videoconferencing capabilities into their set-top boxes.

The prototype was originally shown at the company's New York headquarters earlier this year. Described as being about the size of a pocket dictionary, the device has plugs for high-definition audio and visual capabilities. In fact, the Quanta Video Messenger can support 1280 X 720 pixel resolution at 30 frames per second. Not bad for a device that allows you to do your job and be a couch potato....at the same time.

According to ooVoo Chief Executive Phillipee Schwarz, the newest in videoconferencing will be available sometime later this year with a price that's "affordable for customers," whatever that means...