Microsoft Office RoundTable, a device scheduled to debut by mid-year 2007, combines the features of a speakerphone with those found in videoconferencing into a device that Microsoft expects will retail for less than US$3,000.I'm currently at a Unified Communication & Collaboration briefing where I learnt more about the Office Roundtable.  It's an amazing bit of kit... in a nutshell, if you need to do some video conferencing and you have a meeting room with alMicrosoft Office RoundTable, camera hiddenl the video conferencing equipment, chances are it'll be busy when you want to use it.  So this new device plugs into the USB port of your PC and uses the VoIP capability via your laptop or a phone line via our Office Communications Server 2007 or Office LiveMeeting services.  And then it creates a panoramic picture of the people in the room (see left)... on the recipients PC, you would see the 'current active speaker'... very cool.  If someone misses the call, it can be recorded for people to see later.

To actually see it in action, check out this site: http://on10.net/Blogs/jesse/office-roundtable-part-four-the-fashion-event-of-the-winter-season/.

For more information, visit http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2006/oct06/10-20officeroundtable.mspx.