Microsoft Lync Launch Recap

If you missed todays official Microsoft Lync Launch event, here is a recap of the highlights:

• Lync will be Generally Available on Dec 1, 2010 in  38 languages in 150 countries around the world.
• Bill Gates made an special appearance over high definition video.  He referred to Lync as being the most important productivity tool for the Office worker since the introduction of the PC.
• “The era of the PBX is over” – Gurdeep Singh Pall.
• “The mother of all redials” – Gurdeep Singh Pall on the  1-click to redial past IM, phone and video calls.
• The Lync client supports multiple monitors – you can undock and place different Lync components on different monitors.
• Lync is “Designed to fit like a glove with Office, Exchange, and SharePoint” – Chris Capossela and Gurdeep Singh Pall.
• Demonstrated high definition video call with a Windows Live Messenger client.
• Demonstrated Lync for XBox and Kinect - ”videoKinect” allows you to use Microsoft Kinect with the XBox to communicate with a Lync client.
  • leverages the Kinect interactive capabilities for communication (i.e. the Kinect camera follows you around the room).
  • more details can be found on this write-up by Mary Jo Foley: Microsoft Lync to link up with Kinect via new video connector.
• Lync will be available on the iPhone in the coming year (I take this as Microsoft developing an iPhone client).
• HP releasing 9 different PC’s with ‘Certified for Microsoft Lync’ audio and video devices (passed Microsoft’s standards for optimized audio and video).
• Good demonstrations of new Polycom devices with Lync support built-in, including the ability to join a conference call with one touch using a new polycom phone.
• Lync OnLine – committed to give customers the choice of running on-premise or have it managed by Microsoft.