Cisco just announced the Cius, an iPad-like device for business users that will run Android and allow HD videoconferencing.

Cisco Simplifies Mobile Collaboration With First-of-Its-Kind HD Video-Capable Business Tablet. The new Android-Based Computing Device Uses Cisco Collaboration Architecture and Virtual Desktop Integration to Deliver Mobile Computing, Collaboration and Communication Services

Cisco Cius is an ultra-portable device weighing just 1.15lbs (0.52kg) that extends the productivity benefits of Cisco collaboration applications to a highly secure mobile platform. In addition to full telepresence interoperability, Cisco Cius offers HD video streaming and real-time video, multi-party conferencing, email, messaging, browsing, and the ability to produce, edit and share content stored locally or centrally in the cloud.

Based on the Android operating system, Cisco Cius is an open platform for communication and collaboration whose form factor and applications are designed to more securely connect employees on-the-go with the right people in real-time, and to provide those workers with the ability to access and share the content they need from any place on the network.

Cisco Cius offers IT professionals new options when it comes to equipping mobile workers with computing devices. Through virtual desktop integration, Cisco Cius offers flexible computing options with cloud-based services, providing dramatically lower capital costs and cost-per-user for desktop maintenance.

Businesses can also tap into the growing Android developer community that is building business-class productivity applications with appropriate IT controls. The combination of applications and flexible computing options provides a compelling alternative to todays PC-on-every-desktop paradigm.

The latest iPhone operating system – iPhone OS 4 has been released and contains some exciting new capabilities that will have dramatic ramifications for the mobile networks.

As we have detailed before, the new OS4 contains many new features, but the most significant one is the new multi-tasking capability, allowing multiple applications to run in the background. This feature is crucial for unifying communications because now the iPhone user can be automatically alerted of incoming chat, voice and video over IP calls, something that was previously impossible.

This new multi-tasking capability of the iPhone OS will spawn the release of several new Unified Communications applications that will ultimately integrated and deliver better communications to enterprise and businesses alike.

Of course all this new technology is only useful if the mobile networks are up to it which means either optimising their existing 3G networks to support video and voice over IP or eventually upgrading to them to 4G LTE technology. 4G LTE (long term evolution) technology is already being tested by mobile networks across the globe including Verizon in the USA and O2 in the UK and can offer speeds of up to 40mb download and 2mb upload – more than sufficient for good quality video conferencing and video calling.

Things are really starting to change in the communications industry, and it has been mentioned once or twice that we really are on the brink of a technology shift, unheard of for a generation.

The forthcoming proposed tube strikes throughout the summer have been widely covered recently on news sites, and are likely to leave thousands of London commuters stranded and place a massive strain on other forms of transportation.

It isn’t just strikes however, which can effectively directly impact the productivity of an organisation; inclement weather conditions, terrorist alerts, volcanic eruptions and viral outbreaks, particularly in large urbanised areas such as London, can affect whole offices. Indeed, during the winter of 2009/2010, most employees affected by the snow were advised to stay at home, despite the economic domino effect.

It is therefore vital that all commercial and public sector enterprises familiarise themselves with the term unified communications. Many are still of the opinion that they are unable to afford an upgrade in technology at this time but are unaware of the benefits that unified communications can deliver, and the cost savings that can ultimately be made.

Unified communications is effectively a step up, technologically-speaking, from remote working facilitation. Now, rather than simply being able to dial into your office system from your home PC, you can effectively transfer your whole office – software applications, data and telephone communications, into your living room.

Once considered an unaffordable luxury to many businesses, managers are now being forced to realise that working practices are changing. Increased workloads and the demand for flexible working hours, as well as increased geographic dispersement has meant that unified communications are moving from a “nice to have “ to a “need to have”.

So what could be the turning point for some managers and business owners? What will convince them to look at unified communications as a serious option? Well, apart from the fact that it can offer substantial cost reductions, looking at an empty office with employees unable to make it into work might do the trick….

Carter Allen are proud to have been selected as a Finalist for the Prestigious “Comms Business, Reseller of the Year Awards 2010″. Carter Allen CEO, Daniel Allen comments” This nomination is great recognition for a hard year’s work and the continued investment we have made both to our network and staff, we are looking forward to what 2011 has to bring”.

Independently judged, The Comms Business Awards are designed to genuinely recognise excellence in the Channel. Acknowledging the successes of the reseller community, the vendors, distributors and service providers as well as those successful individuals who truly set the standard, these Awards are the industry’s most sought after accolade.

You can read more about the awards here