Cisco To Sell Videoconferencing Box For The Home

SAN JOSE (AP) - Cisco says it's going to sell a $599 box that turns living-room TV sets into big videophones.

It's the first entry by the world's largest maker of computer networking gear into home videoconferencing, a market that's been dominated by free, PC-oriented services such as Skype SA.

Cisco Systems Inc. said Wednesday that the "umi" device will include a camera and will be controlled by a remote. The service will cost $25 per month in addition to the purchase price.

Cisco emphasizes that the system will produce high-definition, life-like video, but the quality will also depend on the speed of the home's broadband connection.

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