Hewlett Packard Co. announced on Wednesday that they are going to start using new technology to make Halo video conferencing less expensive.  Halo is video conferencing technology that allows individuals to talk with someone across the globe through television monitors.  It allows for an interactive experience where companies or individuals can collaborate face-to-face, without actually being in the same room, or even the same country.  Halo is ideal for large corporations with a global presence or with employees dispersed around the country.

Halo Video Conferencing

Customers are required to buy expensive life-sized monitors, starting at $125,000, to video conference, but now users will be able to use the video-conferencing technologies on their own desktops.  HP will use technology from Vidyo Inc. to allow Halo video conferencing to work on desktop computers. This will ultimately lower the cost of using the Halo service and it will allow the service to be more affordable and accessible.

HP and competitors, including Cisco Systems Inc., are interested in the video conferencing technologies because the services require many products that those companies make.  The new products and  technology will be sold later this year.