Microsoft unveils unified communications hardware <br/>

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Microsoft this week will take centre stage with nine partners to officially unveil some of the hardware that will help make its vision of unified communications a successful reality.

Some 15 internet protocol (IP) and universal serial bus (USB) phones and other devices, such as monitors and headsets, primed to work with the Redmond giant's unified communications software will be unleashed into the hands' of those taking part in the public beta programmes of Microsoft's Office Communications Server 2007 and Office Communicator 2007.

The names behind the hardware offerings, which are designed to work out of the box and reduce communications overheads for businesses, make for an impressive line-up and include NEC and Samsung among others.

"Today's office phone is marooned on an island, separate from the rest of the communications tools that information workers rely on to do their jobs," said Jeff Raikes, president of the Microsoft Business Division.

"By weaving the business phone together with e-mail, instant messaging, presence, conferencing and the productivity software people use most, we are putting voice communications back into business."

The new products, which are nearing the finish line of Microsoft's qualification cycle, are being showcased at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) 2007 in LA.

They will help strength Microsoft's push into the business voice applications arena, where the software giant hopes to mirror the success it has thus far enjoyed in the desktop, mobile and server worlds.

Shortly before the launch of the Office Communications Server and Office Communicator betas in March, Raikes - speaking at VoiceCon Spring 2007 - made a bold prediction that there would be 100 million people using voice over IP (VoIP) to make calls from Office applications by 2010.

"Software is set to transform business phone systems as profoundly as it has transformed virtually every other form of workplace communication," he said.

"Over time, the software-based VoIP technology built into Microsoft Office Communications Server and Microsoft Office Communicator will offer so much value and cost savings that it will make the standard telephone look like that old typewriter that's gathering dust in the stockroom."

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