Video Conferencing Security Concerns

There is an interesting discussion going on on LinkedIn right now concerning video conferencing  security concerns.  DUH…’bout time this was brought up and not ignored.  Let me first copy my comment (then you can understand why I am saying DUH), then I link to the original NY Times article, and then others who have responded.

My LinkedIn comment

“Starting video conferencing at Lawrence Livermore National Labs and then furthering H.323 at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, security for us and our customers has always been a concern. This is a very interesting article, and should not take anyone by surprise as these issues (and more) have been with us for a VERY long time. Jim Berry, when he was at Sandia National Lab, pointed out more than a few security issues to the largest vendors at the time and was met with ire. Not a great response.

When not using the VC system…use the ON-OFF button to turn it OFF. Use passwords that are hard to guess, and default to either not auto-answer or to mute audio and video when accepting a call.

Oh, funny story…remember when the vendors first started to put PC / Windows functionality in their VC systems? We got hacked (at Berkeley Lab) the very night we turned it on. The hackers are out there and they will continue to try, and unfortunately, succeed.

Very interesting discussion….Thx David #1 for pointing us to this article and thanks to the replies from Vidyo and Lifesize.”

Original NY Times Article

Friend David Maldow’s LinkedIn comment

“That article is all over the web today. I hope people who read it understand that it is simply an implementation issue and not an inherent weakness of videoconferencing.

Yes, deploying a large VC environment in a company that deals with secure information should be planned out with security in mind (auto-answers turned off, physical camera covers, obvious lights and indicators when mics are live, FIREWALLS, etc.)

Luckily there are a number of top notch VC consultants (not all of whom are named David) to help end-users get this right.”

Vidyo Responds

LifeSize Responds

David Danto (who has been around as long as I have) Responds

Telepresence Options Responds

Friend Jeff Urdan at VeaMea Responds

Teliris Responds

Rapid7 Responds to Telepresence Options!!!! 

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WHEW!

I’m sure there will be more….I will keep you up-to-date on this interesting discussion.

Cisco Umi Update

Cisco is stopping sales of the Umi.  Check out this article.

No real surprise here….I talked about the Umi earlier (here and here) and wondered about it.

See U Umi.

 

 

 

 

Chrome Web Store Apps

Just started playing around with the Google apps that are available (many for free, and many not requiring a log in).

VERY COOL!

If you use Chrome as your browser click the + sign as shown in the picture below.

You can see the following page pop-up.  Well…..these are MY apps, yours will look slightly different.  :-)

Click on the Chrome Web Store app icon in the top left.  This will bring you to a new world of apps that you can access on your computer.

You can see the categories on the left.  Anything from Education to Extensions and everything in between.   Sweeeeet.

I grabbed a few preparing for this blog entry.

“Angry Birds” wanted access to my Google information…..NOPE…I ain’t gonna do that.

“NY Times” gives me the “Top News” of the day for free in a very newspaper like format.  COOL.

Summary

I have a feeling I will be searching for more apps and using them during the day (when I am on my computer…at night I am still a child of TV).

Give them a try!

Oh yeah….if you are not using Chrome as your web browser, you should use it!  Super FAST, secure, and now you can get all sorts of cool apps.  IE is crap (the interface is sooo confusing, and it is sooooo slow….)

VSee: An Introduction

I will be meeting Milton Chen (CEO, VSee) sometime this month.  VSee has, until now, escaped my attention.  No longer!   Here is a Youtube video by VSee giving you quick intro.

What do I like (at least on the surface)?  Multipoint video, multi-user application “sharing”,  the ability to send a document simply by dragging the file to the persons video window (very Personal Telepresence like as we originally envisioned it).  VSee looks like a corporate “cloud” video conferencing service, but, I did not see that stated specifically on the web site (I may have missed it though!).

Initial reservations / questions (at least on the surface)? What does this give me that Google+ Hangout does not?  Skype?  ooVoo?  What about H.323 SIP  interoperability?

I’m sure Milton will inform me later this month.  :-)

I do agree 100% with Milton on one thing:  TeleCommuting.  DUH.  It is 2012 (well, almost) people what the F are you doing driving to a central work location just to sit at your computer?  How stupid (for those who can telecommute…. do it.  Here is my FREE ADVICE on how your company can start a Telecommuting Program).

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Telecommuting = Coworking = Telework 

Geek Christmas Gifts 2011

Buy your geek a great Christmas gift.  But what to get?  Here is what I (and a few friends) would like.  Yup…Geeks all!  :-)  This list is in random order, but, within chaos you can find order.

iPad2

This is pretty easy.  As a video conferencing geek, the video conferencing apps on this are sweeet.  But overall, the iPad2 should warm the heart of your favorite geek.

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PlayStation 3D Display with 3D Glasses

 

3D in movies and, now, 3D on your TV…..a waste of money until they can get it right (my own opinion).  However, 3D in a game?  Wow!  That would be cool, if it can be done right (How to judge?  Go to Disneyland or Disneyworld…you will find 3D done well).

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GoPro HD Hero 2 Camera

I love this!  Stick it on your bike, your head, whatever….then go out and have fun!

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Nest Learning Thermostat

Friend David Maldow suggested this one.  Very cool!  A thermostat with Apple roots.  You can access it via the Internet using your computer or mobile device.  Extremely cool!

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Swiss Army Knife

What geek could fix anything without the proper tools?  I love this golden oldie.  A must for anyone anywhere.

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Logitech M510 Laser Mouse

I need a mouse.  The laptop keypad does not work for me.  I have a laser mouse just like this and I can use it on virtually any surface. Great tool for the mobile geek.

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Nook Tablet or Kindle Fire

 

If you like color, a relatively fast tablet for surfing the Internet, watching movies, playing games, or reading magazines (not for hours of reading or sitting outside reading books…sorry) or newspapers….these are great.  Unlike the iPad2, these mobile devices are basically just  ”consumers” or “watchers”.  With the iPad2 you can also create or “produce”.   Thus the price differential..

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Nook Simple Touch

If your geek is like me he/she likes to READ.  The color tablet’s don’t do it…you can’t read for hours without eyestrain, or outside in the bright sun, on a color thingy.  The e-ink readers are the best, and since I like to go to our local (Tracy, CA) Barnes & Noble STORE…the Nook Simple Touch is the Nook for me.

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Keurig K-Cup Coffee Brewer

 

I like this.  After a long geeky day there is nothing better than a good cup of coffee to keep you awake for the next 50 or 100 lines of code, or the last level of your favorite game.

At AltamontCowork, I could charge $1.00 if a member (or guest) wants a mug of coffee that they choose!

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SodaStream Home Soda Maker

Another cool new item.  Again, if I could charge $1.00 at AltamontCowork for your own soda…I think I could help pay the bills!

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Sharp Aquos 80″ HDTV

When it comes to watching movies at home (since we do movie reviews for charity, we watch a lot of movies at home) there are two requirements: great audio and a great BIG screen.  Awesome!  Only problem is room….

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Lexar 128 gig SD card

Again bigger is better…more pictures, more movies, more data, more, more…128 gig Wow!

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Books

Don’t forget the old fashioned BOOK.

If your geek is like me, Fantasy is a favorite reading genre.  I am in the middle of Book #2 of “A Game of Thrones” (see TracyReaderDad’s Book Review) series (which is also an HBO TV series).  I am loving it!

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ThinkGeek.com

 

Geek heaven…   ThinkGeek.com

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Happy Holiday Season to everyone!  

Cisco Collaboration Rap

OMG…take a look at this.  Cisco Collaboration Rap (hmmm, this can be shortened to: CCRAP…ouch).

I am lost for words…and that is not like me!  :-|

Thanks to LinkedIn connection Gary Hall for posting this on LinkedIn.  :-)

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Comments welcome!

Video Conferencing Product Reviews

Video conferencing / Telepresence  ”no bull” product reviews from an objective, regular user, perspective.

$599.98 per product (click to pay)

**Deliver (or send) the product you want tested to my office (or send me a login).  Or if you are in the Bay Area…I can visit your location.

**I will test the product from set-up / installation, to real-world use (evaluating key features & product support), to tear down.

**I will give your product a “WaterTower” rating from 0 to 5.   See my Rating Rubric here.

**Send your potential customers to this review.

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$599.98 does not buy love, but, great technology does.  :-)

All reviews will be posted on this blog.

Experience

I’ve been doing this for years (way before starting this blog in places like DVC Magazine, Teleconference Magazine, New Media Magazine…..more).

See ALL the Product Reviews posted on this blog.

Google+ Hangout Video Conferencing Meeting, Part 2

Google+ Hangout is the PERFECT way for ANYONE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE  to video conference.  It is FREE, you can meet with up to 10 friends, and the quality is awesome (for a free service).  The technology behind this is from Vidyo.

I will shut-up and let the video do the talking….

AWESOME!!!!!!!!  Sorry, I had to do it.

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Join us in the next Hangout!  Watch this blog, Telepresence Options, or Linkedin for dates and topics!

Also…as we learned in this meeting (from Robert..), Google+ Hangout can be a stepping stone to the more advanced video conferencing systems.  A small business can try Google+ Hangout to get a feel of video conferencing then decide if they need to upgrade to a full video conferencing system.

Very cool!

Google+ Hangout Video Conferencing Meeting, Part 1

Before any good, errrr…..AWESOME meeting, there is preparation.   That is especially the case with a video conference.  The initiators of the video conference must work diligently to make sure the meeting goes off without a hitch.

No joking around….deadly serious business.  If you want to get involved in video conferencing and put on an AWESOME meeting (watch for Part 2 of the “Hangout Meeting” here later today)…throw your sense of humor out the window….. and get to work!

Here is a video clip of our Pre-Google+ Hangout Preparations.  We learned from the BEST….kidding around is for losers!  SERIOUS is the only way to make it in this business.

Now watch the video!  Do it!  :-|

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Links

David Maldow, Telepresence Options

Mike Pihlman….you are here!

 

Perfect Video Conferencing Demos LifeSize

I posted a comment on Linkedin the other day telling the world how much I’d love to see the ClearSea from Lifesize work on the iPad2.  But…with no iPad2 and starving blogger….I needed help.

Well, that afternoon Michael Granados (email, mgranados@perfectvc.com) from Perfect Video Conferencing wrote me an email that he could bring some LifeSize stuff out for me to see.  Great!

Well….today was the day!  (Actually…by the time I finish….yesterday was the day)

So what did Mike show me?

1. ClearSea on an iPad2.

2. LifeSize Connections cloud-based video conferencing that is still in Beta but should be released by the end of this month.

3. LifeSize Video Center streaming and recording.

ClearSea

My expectations

Truthfully….my expectations were not very high.  I mean I loved Mirial (you can see some blog entries on this blog) and I kinda like LifeSize (hey…no big heads here), but, video conferencing on mobile platforms is:  1. New and 2. On a mobile platform.

How good can it be?

What I experienced

AWESOME!  Crisp video, super audio, easy to use.  Wow!

We called an H.323 endpoint (using the IP address of the far end) and connected just as I would expect from a “normal” IP VC system…very quickly.  The video was smooth and very crisp and, after the audio caught up, it was clear and sufficiently loud to hear (and I’m sure headphones would have worked as well).

We then dialed in to my friend, Christian Helft’s Codian MCU in Paris, France and entered the “Cafe”.  ClearSea worked like a champ (which means far end camera control worked on it!).

Mike told me I could also call another ClearSea on an iPhone or iPad, (or Android?).

Here is the ClearSea call control panel on the iPad2.

Architecture

Here is a simplified diagram of what I understand to be the ClearSea call connection architecture.  The server can be placed anywhere there is good Internet connectivity.  Using the server, one can connect to H.323 / SIP endpoints or infrastructure and also point-to-point to other ClearSea mobile devices.   Hmmmm, maybe I will start a new service?

Conclusion 

Home run.

There is NO REASON why a corporate video conferencing user could not connect to a meeting using ClearSea.  Since it works over WiFi, 3G, or 4G…..you can now participate in video conferencing anytime, anyplace, anywhere.  Where have I heard that before?  Oh yeah….me….and LifeSize  :-)

LifeSize Connections

OK, you know what I think of cloud-based video conferencing.  I love it!

Mike used his Windows laptop to connect to Spring (see Spring  a few years ago at a demo I attended) on a Mac using Connections.

Connections will launch with the ability to connect up to 9 people at 720p 30 fps. Initially, it will only be able to connect LifeSize Desktop’s (which I just played with for 30 days and it was very good), and the LifeSize 220.  In the future, Connections will probably (hopefully!) connect to H.323 endpoints, and there are plans to increase the multi-point to 16 way, the resolution to 1080p, and to extend “connections” to mobile users.

In other words…Connections will get more robust over time.

Video Center

Mike then showed me some videos that were stored on the Perfect Video web site.  We watched them on the iPad2 and on his Windows laptop.

These streamed videos were recorded during real meetings and can now be accessed by anyone with a browser (sure hope Chrome works…he was using Internet Exploder).  The quality was excellent and at one point I thought he had connected into a live meeting….duh on me.

Overall

I’d like to thank Mike for coming out and showing these products.  Very cool thing to do on such short notice.  If you live in the Bay Area, and need anything video, give Mike a call!

I continue to be impressed with LifeSize’s breadth of their product line.  From mobile to the fanciest “Telepresence” room to cloud-based services…..they cover it all, and I have no doubt they will continue to innovate and improve.