In the late 1980s firms like BT spent millions telling us that videoconferencing was the next big thing. But the technology was clunky, expensive, and was contradictory to the junket culture that we all know and love. BT and the likes were particularly keen to push the technology in the recession of the early 1990s, putting out press releases with headlines like 'Videoconferencing booming as firms cut expensive costs of travel'.
Seems like videoconferencing as a way to waste a lot of money is back again - now renamed as 'telepresence' - beam me up Scottie.
I haven't had a chance to see it in person but although the quality has probably improved massively the costs still don't seem to add up.
This New York Times piece will make the PR fairly happy but it doesn't point out the rental costs, only giving the full installation cost of $350,000. If it was so good we could expect to see it commercially available in major hotels - but no sign of that yet. Perhaps everyone is doing it for pennies on their webcams anyway.
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