The development of Cisco System's new iPad-like multimedia device, the gnomically named Cius, was coordinated out of the networking giant's RTP campus over the past 18 months.
Cisco unveiled the 1.15-pound Cius (pronounced "See Us") today as the company, known for its switches and routers, continues its vaunted move into consumer products.
The Cius runs on the Android operating system, allows high-def video streaming and docks with Cisco TelePresence technology for video-conferencing. It has a front- and rear-facing camera and functions as a virtual desktop with standard features like Wi-Fi and text editing.
Cisco describes the device as a "business tablet." The target retail price is projected to be less than $1,000. At the risk of pushing analogies too far, one could say the Cius combines elements of the iPad and Kindle and Blackberry.
The Cius is expected to be available for purchase in the first quarter of 2011.
The company began developing the product about 18 months ago under the guidance of P.J. Barber, a Cisco director based at Research Triangle Park.
Barber led a small team of engineers spread across RTP, Richardson, Tex., and San Jose, Calif.
According to Cisco, Barber's team is responsible for the early incubation of the business tablet, including concept development and early focus group testing.
Subsequent product development was led primarily by engineers at Cisco’s campus in Richardson, Tex., but a group of about 30 to 40 engineers in RTP continue working on Cius testing and development.
John Murawski has been a full-time newspaper reporter since 1991, with stints at Legal Times and The Chronicle of Philanthropy (both in Washington, DC), The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Palm Beach Post (in South Florida) before arriving at the N&O in December 2004. At the N&O he covers energy (nuclear, coal, renewable, efficiency), hydralic fracturing (or "fracking"), public utilities (both electric and natural gas) and health care. His beat includes Progress Energy, PSNC Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, PowerSecure International, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Biogen Idec and others. You can reach him at 919-829-8932 or
Comments
I don't want one
Tue, 06/29/2010 - 23:40 — bellaparolaI just spent two hours restarting my Cisco-branded Time Warner cable box over and over again before it finally started working again, after just locking up in mid-show. I've subscribed to this service for 6 months, and had to take back three boxes already, and am on my third remote control. I have never had problems with another cable box - including Dish and DirecTv and two other cable providers - except an earlier model of the same box from the same cable system three years ago. If that's the standard of Cisco's consumer products, they can stick that Cius where it will never be seen.