Google’s impressive Beam video conferencing technology has finally been integrated into an actual product that will be available for purchase. That’s the good news. The bad news? The HP Dimension system is going to cost a whopping $25,000. This is an enterprise product through and through.
However, the device certainly looks spiffy. The HP Dimension with Google Beam combines six cameras, a spatial audio system and adaptive lighting to allow for highly immersive virtual meetings. AI wizardry brings eye contact into the mix. All of this helps deliver “a deeply immersive experience that replicates the feeling of being in-person, with no headsets, glasses or wearables required.”
We actually tried this tech, back when it was called Project Starline, and came away impressed. It makes calls “appear fully 3D from any perspective.” Algorithms combine live footage from the six cameras to render a pseudo-holographic version of the caller. It tracks head movements to ensure it delivers all of this visual data to eyes at the correct angle, all at 60FPS.
We found that the simple act of the person on the other end of the call holding out an apple for us to touch “was so realistic” that it felt like we could reach out and grab the fruit. This is a telepresence dream.
In addition to the Dimension system, HP is releasing a microphone that integrates with the new teleconferencing tech. The Poly Studio A2 Table Microphone works to extend “crystal-clear audio” further away from the Beam system, which should be a boon for medium or large-sized conference spaces. Users can daisy chain up to eight microphones together, though everything requires a standalone bridge device to operate. The microphone costs $329 and the bridge costs $549. This tech can also be used with more traditional setups.
All of this stuff will be available later in the year. There’s one caveat: Not only does the system cost $25,000, plus any of the aforementioned audio accessories, but users have to plunk down for access to the Beam service itself. Google has yet to release a pricing model for this.
