Cisco Umi brings HD telepresence to the living room

Cisco Umi (pronounced YOU-me) is a telecommunications system that requires a mix between Cisco hardware and hardware you'll already need to own. The Umi service includes a Cisco-issued high-definition camera with an embedded microphone, a set-top box, and a remote, but you'll need your own HD TV (1080p) and Internet connection to use it. There is no external microphone, but you can recalibrate the audio quality. Cisco's algorithms cancel external noice and bring the voices in the foreground.

Umi's VoIP element is also strong, with the ability to place and receive video calls from friends and family from other programs equipped with VoIP video calling, specifically Google video chat.

Cisco will market its Umi system with a mall tour to give prospective customers a chance to try the product hands-on. The $600 price point could be a hard sell for casual users accustomed to free VoIP services like Skype. In addition, Cisco will likely air commercials featuring Canadian actress Ellen Page in a reprisal of her role in a series of ads to promote Cisco's telepresence for business.