This story appears in the
June 1998 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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It's invaluable for meetings where participants are
scattered around the country--or even around the world--but there
are some limitations to teleconferencing, namely not being able to
see the body language of the participants. St. Paul,
Minnesota-based product manufacturer 3M takes teleconferences to
the next level with its new line of user-friendly remote meeting
products.
The 3M Videoconferencing System VCS3000 takes advantage of a
fast 128 Kbps ISDN line to provide high-quality video images as
well as audio-only teleconferencing via analog lines. A built-in
Web server allows users to share PC-based graphic presentations
(which can be displayed at the same time as the video feed by using
the picture-in-picture window feature) as well as perform remote
diagnostics of the unit. Unlike many higher-end units, the VCS3000
doesn't require technological expertise to operate. Setup is
automatic, and the user interface is easy to understand. Priced at
around $6,000, the VCS3000 supports all major audio and video
standards.
Another 3M product designed to make meetings a little easier,
the Ideaboard IB3000 ($4,299) may resemble a common wall-mounted
whiteboard, but it's actually a porcelain-coated steel surface
that uses laser scanner technology to digitally capture anything
written or drawn on the board with standard dry-erase markers. The
information is automatically saved to a PC and can be displayed and
edited when used with an electronic multimedia projection system,
such as 3M's MP8620 ($5,995). Meeting notes can also be
distributed to participants over a LAN or via e-mail.
Contact Source
3M, (800) 328-1371, http://www.3M.com