Cisco Announces Cius – Jumps on the Tablet Bandwagon
Cisco recently announced they would enter into the tablet market with their new Cius tablet. The Cius is an Android based device which features a 7″ 720P HD display, a camera, WiFi and 3G support. The huge success of Apple’s iPad has sparked renewed interest in tablet computers by device manufacturers and Cisco is the most recent to announce their device plans.
Cisco is targeting the Cius for the enterprise market and intends to leverage their strong enterprise presence and sales force to push the new device into corporate IT departments. The Cius software features focus on sharing, collaboration and communication to help mobile professional’s stay connected with colleagues and customers. Cisco plans to integrate their ”Show and Share” video conferencing, WebEx collaboration app and “Cisco Quad” social networking tools with the Cius to help businesses increase productivity and stay better connected.
Cisco is not the only player targeting the enterprise market with tablets. HP, who recently acquired Palm, has continued to push forward in this segment of the business. They announced they would leverage the Plam WebOS in all of their new connected devices and they see great potential in the enterprise market.
Apple has not detailed an enterprise market plan for their iPad but we have already seen initial adoption of the iPad in a number of industries. With more and more enterprises adopting the iPhone, IT departments are familiar with supporting an iOS device and many companies have already invested in iOS applications and development.
The enterprise segment will be a hotly contested market segment for tablet manufactures in the coming years. Currently Apple seems to lead the way with it’s rich application eco-system but powerhouse companies like HP, Dell and Cisco should not be underestimated, especially when fighting on their home turf.
Cisco is targeting the device to sell for under $1,000. No word yet from Cisco on when the device will be available.
