While every week in Web-based real time communications (WebRTC) is a big week, this one was bigger than usual with some exciting new developments and plenty of news. But what was the biggest news of a big week in WebRTC? Thanks to a newly-arrived weekend, you can settle in, catch your breath, and prepare to run down the high points of the week that was with our Week in Review coverage.
First, new and exciting word emerged about Amazon's Kindle Fire HDX, which would have a whole new WebRTC twist in the form of the “Mayday Button,” a single control that can be used to contact technical support. The button is said to be in the form of a life preserver, and includes a live video image of a support technician, though said technician cannot actually see the user. But said technician can check the status of a device via remote, and can even make drawings on the device's screen so as to show a user how to address certain problems.
Next, Saypage introduced a new feature, allowing users to create online meeting rooms that allow for voice and video conferencing, as well as messaging and sharing, to its video conferencing lineup. This allows users to collaborate on material that was started during a conference, instead of forcing users to find other means to get together and collaborate when a conference has ended. This allows better advantage to be taken of momentum, and can help keep work flowing along.
A new suggestion then emerged that, maybe, WebRTC has matured as a technology sufficiently that there's not much more room to get excited about the whole thing. Now, said suggestion recommended, was the time to bring out more advanced applications for WebRTC as a whole, since the basics could now be covered in grand fashion by most anyone with a Notepad application, a Web browser, and the WebRTC API. So with the basics in hand, it was time to get advanced.
Then we took a closer look at WebRTC and how it relates to the call center. The news was overwhelmingly positive, allowing for a whole new method of contact to step into place and give users an easier, perhaps more convenient, way to call in. It also gives the call center a way to better strike while the metaphorical iron is hot; a customer placing a call from a website contact—which WebRTC can provide to a degree not previously seen—is likely more interested than normal, meaning a great opportunity to land a sale.
Finally, a report from Dialogic rounded out the week, with the announcement of the PowerMedia XMS 2.1 solution from Dialogic. PowerMedia XMS 2.1, which was implemented in beta recently, is geared toward a less traditional, more mobile office that is ready to use data centers and telephony tools to get an edge over competitors. But PowerMedia XMS 2.1 also offers interconnection to Dialogic's WebRTC client, a move which should yield a significant advantage in the long term.
That was the week that was in WebRTC, and clearly, a lot was going on. Our global online community was in full force, aggressively bringing in all the freshest news for consideration right here, and giving some much-needed perspective on how that news fit into the larger overall market. Be sure to join us back here next week for all the latest in WebRTC, and of course, every weekend for our Week in Review.
