Google introduced Chromebox for Meetings today, a new device for businesses that will revolutionize the way companies hold meetings. The new Chromebox costs $999 and features Vidyo and UberConference.
Google's vice president Product Management Caesar Sengupta introduced Chromebox for Meetings, saying that he hopes it "will transform meetings and meeting rooms. When you think of a meeting room, they have looked the same for the last 25 years." Even though video conferencing software has improved by leaps and bounds in the last decade, businesses rarely take advantage of it. Google aims to change that.
The enterprise Chromebox combines all of Google's apps with Google+ Hangouts, making it the ideal device for businesses, Google says. The Chromebox takes Hangouts to a whole new level, allowing as many as 15 people to participate in the video conference. This is particularly useful for businesses with employees all over the globe who would not be able to be together in the same room otherwise.
The device can connect via Wi-Fi or Ethernet and users anywhere around the world can join the meeting via the Google+ app on their smartphone, tablet or laptop. Users also don't have to worry about the hassle of entering a pin or dialing a number to join the conference call. Each time someone joins the conference, they are muted, so that background noise remains at a minimum.
The Chromebox for Meetings package includes the $179 ASUS Chromebox that debuted earlier this week; a full HD Carl Zeiss camera with autofocus and low-light correction; dual omni-directional microphone and speaker, complete with a noise filter and wideband frequency response; a QWERTY remote control and a nano USB adapter. The Chromebox itself is powered by a Core i7 processor from Intel and four USB ports. It's a pretty amazing package for just $999. Buyers will also have to pay $250 for management and support fees each year, though.
Google plans to work with Dell, HP and other manufacturers to offer more Chromeboxes for business users in the coming months. Google has offered the new Chromebox for Meetings to fellow tech companies Eventbrite, Gilt and oDesk. Google, Lytro, Gilt, SoftBank and Yelp have already tested the Chromebox for Meetings and so far it has received lots of positive reviews.
Chromebox for Meetings is already available in the United States, but Google will soon release it in Australia, Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the U.K., too.
