Intel Unite: 5 New Security, Collaboration Features That Will Create 'Huge Opportunity' For The Channel

Intel Unite For Businesses

Intel Wednesday unveiled new features for Intel Unite, its conferencing software that gives businesses a cost-effective way to transform existing conference rooms into connected meeting spaces.

Intel Unite, which powers secure, connected meeting spaces, is the latest addition to Intel's vPro technology and is powered by Intel Core vPro processors to promote a wireless and increasingly mobile workplace.

"I think there's a huge opportunity for the channel with Intel Unite," said Chad Constant, director of business client marketing at Intel, Santa Clara, Calif. "We need our partners' understanding of the environment. The opportunities for partners run the whole gamut, from selling this solution to installing and maintaining it."

Following are five new security and collaboration features that boost Intel Unite's capabilities.

Security

Intel Unite originally was built with security measures for workplace conferencing systems, such as encryption of data with 256-bit Secure Sockets Layer to ensure it will stay in the conference network. The software also protects meeting access with a secure, rotating PIN code.

To extend this security, Intel added a feature that allows a meeting using the Intel Unite solution to be "locked," preventing additional attendees from joining a given session. For partners, this ensures clients that sensitive content is not displayed or viewed by unknown participants.

Scheduled Meetings

Intel Unite now offers a scheduled meeting feature that integrates PIN scheduling for business employees, enabling them to book a given room with the Intel Unite solution and create a shortcut URL to the meeting invite.

This feature helps employees include meetings with the Intel Unite solution in their invites or forward along to missed attendees who would like to join a meeting using the Intel Unite solution.

According to Intel, additional integration with Microsoft Exchange and Outlook will assist in providing greater enhancement and usability with scheduled meetings.

Video Playback With Audio Support

Intel Unite now offers a feature for in-room conference participants that enables employees to play back video with audio support, as well as share simple video and audio files. According to Intel, this feature is particularly beneficial for partners working with clients in niche and vertical markets.

"The audio and video support allows users to play those back at up to 1,080p, 20 to 30 frames per seconds," said Constant. "This is important for customers in vertical markets who spend a lot of time with audio and video."

Intel Unite Plug-In For Protected Guest Access

Intel also has improved its guest access plug-in as part of another way to improve the collaboration software's security.

According to Intel, the plug-in has been put through stringent security testing and has been extended to rooms with the Intel Unite solution where guests may have a need to present wirelessly without being able to access the corporate network.

Apple iPad App

Finally, the Intel Unite app is now available for the iPad and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store, allowing iPad users to connect to meetings using the Intel Unite solution and view content that is being presented and annotated.

"On the client side, today Intel Unite supports all Windows devices and Mac OS solutions, but for the first time we're allowing support for viewing content through Unite on the iPad," said Constant. "Typically, we're seeing interest from potential iPad users in education or health-care verticals for Intel Unite."

Constant added that Intel's goal is to give any device the ability to connect and will look at including other devices in the future.