Video Hands On: Creative's inPerson Wi-Fi Video Conferencing Device [Hands On]

If you were curious to know more about Creative's inPerson Video Conferencing device, we have a video that shows it up close. As you will see, the UI is fairly straightforward and simple to use. During the demo we made a call to a rep in Miami and the process was pretty smooth. It connected quickly and the call quality was decent, but admittedly, it was hard to hear over the ambient noise. Plus the headset is crazy big and ridiculous. More info and a full press release with specs after the break.

Unfortunately, the $699 price tag combined with a $10-$15 monthly fee (depending on the number of years usage purchased up front) may still be a little too pricey for some smaller businesses.

Creative Announces a Breakthrough in Video Conferencing with inPerson

Public Unveiling of inPerson Conferencing at Consumer Electronics Show

MILPITAS, Calif. - Jan. 7, 2008 - Creative, a worldwide leader in audio and video innovation, today announced inPerson, a breakthrough in technology, design, price and ease-of-use that introduces the entirely new category of inPerson Conferencing. Creative will demonstrate inPerson from January 7-10 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV at the Creative exhibit, South Hall #30642 in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Resellers of networking and video communications systems will have the chance to learn more about inPerson at the Creative booth.

"Imagine having seven meetings on seven continents in seven hours, and everyone wants you to be there. With Creative inPerson, you can join a board meeting in Geneva, a one-on-one in Africa, and your child's birthday party in California while you're stuck in the airport in Australia," said Jeff Stoen, PhD, general manager of video and imaging for Creative Labs, Inc. "inPerson is a breakthrough for small group meetings and multi-party, multi-location meetings, and it's great for one-on-one meetings. It enables high-quality inPerson Conferencing with video and audio with the impact of actually being there, from the road, a hotel, coffee shop or meeting room where you have open web access or can enter a security key for access."

"Creative inPerson will revolutionize the way people can communicate. You can be there inPerson without having to travel. As soon as you try it for business, you'll want to have it in your home for inPerson calling with friends and relatives," continued Stoen. "inPerson is lightweight and wireless, and has a high-quality seven-inch screen for high-resolution video, and it can connect to a large flat panel screen, TV or projector for life-size high-resolution video presence. We designed inPerson to increase companies' productivity and reduce the need for costly and burdensome travel while enabling more employees and customers than ever before to meet inPerson. At only $699.99, companies can now equip all of their meeting rooms and even people's desks with inPerson. Now all employees in a company can have the advantage of inPerson Conferencing. Past-generation video conferencing systems have been far too expensive and complicated to provide video communications throughout an organization, and have typically been relegated to just the board room. inPerson changes all of that."

You Can Be There inPerson

• Reduce your carbon footprint - With inPerson you can have your most fuel-efficient meetings ever. Improve your productivity by spending your time closing the deal instead of logging hours and miles just to get to a meeting.

• A fraction of the cost of past-generation video conferencing systems - Priced at only $699.99 with a low-cost monthly service fee, inPerson provides a breakthrough in cost so companies can now equip all of their meeting rooms and communicate with customers and vendors at a dramatically lower cost than with past-generation video conferencing systems.

• Inexpensive inPerson Conferencing - With the monthly service plan you get free inPerson Conferencing with any other inPerson or with anyone with a PC with a web camera and Creative inPerson for PC software.

• Sets up in seconds - and boots up quickly.

• Wi-Fi or LAN connection - For inPerson Conferencing from the board room, coffee shop, hotel, airport or anyplace you can connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot or Ethernet that has open web access or where you only need to enter a security key for access.

• Sure Connect Technology - Designed as part of the monthly service plan to help ensure that you can get a fast and easy connection to inPerson Conferencing.

• Multi-party capability - For an optional monthly service charge, multi-party inPerson Conferencing capability can be added, supporting up to four inPerson locations all on the screen at the same time.

• Stunning seven-inch LCD screen - Supports up to 16 million colors so you can see multiple meeting participants and their facial expressions and body language clearly.

• Video output - You can inPerson Conference in high resolution on the built-in screen or output your video to a flat panel screen, TV or projector for a life-size presence in any important meeting.

• inPerson Audio Technology - inPerson is equipped with dual microphones and Integrated Acoustic Echo Cancellation technology for crystal clear voice, with equal sound quality for one-on-one or group meetings even if you're several feet away. For a more private conversation, you can even connect a headset with microphone.

• High-quality audio output - inPerson features a built-in speaker, or connects to a speaker system for large group presentations. Ultra quiet design with passive cooling eliminates the need for a fan and prevents unwanted background noise.

• Intuitive inPerson interface - A very simple keypad with color-coded control buttons enables quick and easy access to contacts and menu choices.

• Compact and lightweight - inPerson measures only 7.5" x 6" x 1" and weighs only 1.6 ounces, so it's easy to move around the office or fit into a bag or briefcase.

• Wide-angle lens - Built into a rotating bezel so you can easily see more than just one person.

• Excellent low-light performance - If you're joining the meeting from a place with less than ideal lighting conditions, the high-grade sensor delivers superb low-light performance without compromising image quality.

• Battery or AC power - With the optional rechargeable Li-ion battery pack, inPerson goes wherever you go.

• Wireless remote - Designed for ease of use, including all the same buttons that are on inPerson.

More information about inPerson will be posted in coming weeks on www.creative.com.