In March 2010, America’s Wall Street Journal published their Top 50 Next Big Things List – The Top 50 Venture Backed Companies. Included on that list is an enterprise called Vidyo. So who are they, what do they do and why are they a sure fire winner? Well, to surmise, they claim to produce Telepresence quality Video Conferencing and Software Solutions that work over general purpose IP Networks, including the Internet. Translated into simple terms, there products work on PC’s, Mac’s and HD room systems but most important of all, because it’s Internet friendly, it’s affordable! (more…)
Science and Religion Join Hands on The Climate Change Debate but The War Rages On?
Climate change is a topic under relentless, unresolved debate. Split into two camps, believers versus non-believers, both sides argue ferociously about the future outcome of mankind and the planet. The topic is almost religious and has ethereal undertones throughout. But what actually are the hard and fast facts, and what is down to interpretation? (more…)
Project Chainsaw – Potential to Slash Your Travel Spend?
Project Chainsaw With a headline name like something from the next Bond Movie or Mission Impossible, how could anyone not be enticed into learning more? How could it fail to provoke interest? In fact it was the code name for Nortel’s Enterprise Virtual Collaboration Product, better known as Web.alive. Not quite so exciting? Read on and make up your own mind…. (more…)
WWF Report – The Government Set to Dampen Down Air Spend with Greener Options?
A recently publicised WWF-UK report claims that the Government could save in excess of £100 million over the next three years if it simply reduces the number of unnecessary flights it books. According to the paper - Excess Baggage: the case for reducing government flying, domestic journeys accounted for 90% of all UK Central Government Department flights. (more…)
A Merger: The Virtual and The Real
Defining a Virtual World; separating the virtual from the real? A tough call. Now I could embark on a long philosophical debate about what constitutes reality, what is actual and what is perceived and that would be a post in itself, but this blog is looking, in general terms, about how we are adopting the virtual into our lifestyles.
It has to be said that we are making rapid progress in creating Virtual Worlds (VW’s), in the technological sense, and through multiple paths. Engineers, technologists and psychologists are all coming together to design virtual environments that mimic our real world, to provide us with a true sense of immersion. (more…)
Time’s Ticking but the Countdown to the Car Conundrum Continues
The key to any projects successful delivery comes about through understanding and commitment by all involved. Yet as humans, we still look to continue with out of date patterns rather than dedicate ourselves to real change and seem content to ease our environmental conscious by offsetting our actions. So what am I talking about today – the car. (more…)
Brave New Budget, Brave New World?
Last week, The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, outlined the Government plans to cut spending by a total of £6.2bn. This is an across the board, first financial year, figure. It’s my job to pick this apart, read through all the literature, find the relevant content in regards to travel and climate, correlate that information, speculate on what the real implications may be and, finally, relay that back to you the reader. So here goes. (more…)
ESP – Extra Sensory Perception or Embodied Social Proxies?
While we’ve all been gasping at the latest Telepresence (TP), but cringing at set up costs, the people within Microsoft’s Cambridge Research Labs. have been tucked away busily developing their very own TP/VC , plus extras. A unique solution to meeting without moving. This came about through joint collaboration between the Human Interactions in Programming (HIP) and the Visualization and Interaction for Business and Entertainment (VIBE) groups within Microsoft Research Redmond. They’ve selected a more specific approach, drilling down to an identified target audience and basing their product on solving the problems of that group.
Introducing, currently in prototype only in the UK, the ESP.
Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda….Used Technology Instead of Travelling
With the latest set of strike dates announced by BA cabin crew, there’s yet more misery ahead for travellers. The allotted times are scheduled to disrupt both business and private passengers for close on a month. Flights will be cancelled or interrupted for a total of 20 days and this will be spread over the Half Term and May Bank Holiday to generate maximum impact.
Is What’s on Our Screens Really Changing? Skype Thinks So…
One of this years hot topics is 3D TV. Manufacturers such as Sony, Panasonic and Samsung are hitting us with spectacular adverts and program makers, like Discovery are teaming up with them, to deliver a showcase mix of 3D content to our sets. Will this be the product that will finally get HD moving? Maybe this new dimension of viewing will get us up off the sofa and back into the shops. (more…)







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