Photos: How HP goes "beyond videoconferencing" with Halo

In this photo, AMD CEO Hector Ruiz (third from left) explains how his microprocessor engineers are now using Halo between sites in California and Texas to collaborate, with code or images shared on the higher monitor – in this case we see a Quaker Oats box and a Shrek DVD.

Ruiz said: "I had a one-to-one with [HP CEO] Mark Hurd when he took over but now I can't remember whether that was over Halo. This is not a videoconferencing tool – it's in a separate class."

Weighing in at a hefty £287,000 per Halo room and £10,000 per month service fee, Halo won't be for minnows but HP says it is starting by targeting its main accounts and moving on to all Fortune 500 companies and also governments.

There are now still only about 25 Halo rooms in use worldwide but HP forecasts "one hundred plus" by the end of next year. What chance a G7 meeting over Halo one day?

Photo: Tony Hallett