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Microsoft Lync Server 2013 Adds Touch Support - Killer Enterprise Tablet UC!

[July 18, 2012]

Microsoft Lync Server 2013 Adds Touch Support - Killer Enterprise Tablet UC!

Originally posted on VoIP & Gadgets Blog, here: http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/microsoft/microsoft-lync-server-2013-adds-touch-support---killer-enterprise-tabl.asp.

Microsoft is continuing to make strides in their Lync platform. While the big news two days ago was the Office 2013 news, including support for touch and cloud support, you may have missed the simultaneous news about the Microsoft Lync Preview 2013 becoming available for download.

Microsoft Lync 2013 is an enterprise-ready unified communications platform that supports instant messaging, voice, HD video, and conferencing, and eliminates the need to use a VPN for encryption. Lync 2013 supports HD video conferencing and it's the first version of Lync to take advantage of Windows 8 “touch first” capabilities to provide fast, natural, hands-on control of communications.

This touch support will give Microsoft an advantage is fulfilling my prediction that tablets will replace the desktop phone. Windows 8 tablets running Lync will become the ultimate unified communications device, performing everything from your traditional voice (VoIP) to HD video conferencing, as well as collaboration, instant messaging, and all the other typical UC features. While the Apple iPad initially came into the enterprise mostly through the back door (employees bringing their personal iPads into office), I suspect enterprises will bring Windows 8 tablets through the front door, adopting Windows 8 tablets because of its superb enterprise communication features. I've already laid down the gauntlet and made the prediction that Windows 8 tablets will beat the iPad in the enterprise and certainly Lync on Windows 8 will help my prediction come to fruition.

According to Matt Landis, here are the new features in Lync 2013:

Multi-Party HD Video
H.264 SVC Support
Skype Federation: Presence, IM, Peer-to-Peer Voice. No mention of video
Voice/Video over Lync Web App
Lync Mobile VoIP

Other Noted Features and Changes

1080p Peer to Peer and Multiparty video
Archiving and Monitoring Server Roles Are Now Collocated on Front End (eliminating another server)
XMPP is now installed on Edge Server (eliminating another server)

Here are some download links to get started:

· Lync 2013 Preview (as part of the Office 2013 Preview ProPlus SKU): http://technet.microsoft.com/evalcenter/hh973391

· Lync Server 2013 Preview (Eval): http://technet.microsoft.com/evalcenter/hh973393

Tags: apple, h.264, hd video conferencing, instant messaging, ipad, lync, lync server 2013, matt landis, microsoft, unified communications Related tags: windows tablets, video conferencing, eliminating another, touch support, microsoft evalcenter, microsoft