The VAR Guy

Millions of iPhone users download applications from Apple’s App Store. Now, Cisco Systems is considering a similar online App Store approach in the corporate market. Eventually, the networking giant may launch an online service or central repository to help you find Unified Communications applications and Widgets, The VAR Guy has learned. Here’s the scoop.

Move over, John Chambers. Apparently, Forrester Research has spotted your future replacement — Jane Chambers — at the Cisco Live conference in Orlando. Here’s the scoop, and the video evidence to go with it.

The VAR Guy has been hyping TelePresence — that next-gen videoconferencing technology — for nearly two years. But is anyone (outside of Cisco Systems Inc.’s own offices) actually using TelePresence? You bet. Here are nine key data points to consider.

Forgive The VAR Guy for his sarcasm. But American Airlines’ decision to charge passengers $15 to check a bag is a joke. The VAR Guy never checks his bags because airlines LOSE bags. Now, there’s a $15 surcharge for such lousy service? Wonderful. Perhaps it’s time for The VAR Guy to really open his wallet and embrace TelePresence videoconferencing as an alternative to expensive travel on antiquated airlines.

If you want to know when a high-tech market is reaching its tipping point, keep a close eye on Dell Inc. Generally speaking, Dell only jumps into high-volume, mass market opportunities. So the company’s decision to offer TelePresence solutions — designed by LifeSize Communications — is worth watching. Here’s why.

After several false starts, TelePresence — that next-generation video conferencing solution — is finally gaining traction in selected high-end vertical niches. Still, TelePresence will need to overcome at least two more major challenges before it goes mainstream, The VAR Guy believes.

Generally speaking, The VAR Guy loves reading The Wall Street Journal. He welcomes longer in-depth reporting and investigative pieces. But he was recently shocked to read a misleading blog entry about Hewlett-Packard and Telepresence on The Journal’s Web site. The piece is a disservice to everyone — vendors, resellers and customers — who are evaluating Telepresence systems at the moment. Here’s why.

At the big VoiceCon conference in Orlando this week, just about every vendor is evangelizing some sort of “unified communications” solution to attendees. Alas, many of these solutions are nothing more than recycled voice-over-IP offerings backed by new marketing spins. But The VAR Guy sees some hope amid all this unified communications hype.

VoiceCon kicks off March 17 in Orlando. But tech vendors are getting a jump on the event with unified communications announcements this week. Here are seven unified communication trends that will emerge at the show, The VAR Guy predicts.