Polycom VVX 600

When Polycom made their major announcements after ringing the NASDAQ bell earlier this month much of the focus was on the video conference side of their business. One of the products that was mentioned in passing and featured on some of the slides was the new Polycom VVX 600. Not much was said about this new phone at that point but this week it got its turn in the limelight. 

What Is It?

The VVX 600 is the newest addition to the Polycom VVX series of the business media phones which already includes the VVX 1500 and VVX 500. The new VVX 600 bears a striking resemblance to the VVX 500 at first glance but with a bigger for form factor. While they do have their similarities when it comes to audio, video and sharing capabilities, there are three main differences between them.

• Larger multi-touch screen. Featuring a touchscreen interface on a desktop phone, the Polycom VVX 600 incorporates a 4.3-inch LCD screen that is 23 percent larger than other business media phones for ease of use and greater functionality.
• Easier and faster access to contacts. The Polycom VVX 600 supports up to 16 line appearances for speed dialing, as well as access to corporate directories, instant messaging and presence status.
• Built-in Bluetooth integration. Now Polycom VVX 600 users can conduct calls with the same Bluetooth headset that they use with their smart phone.

If you are familiar with Polycom phones the differences between these two models remind me of the step up from the IP 450 to the IP 550. The core features stay the same but the newer or higher model has more line appearances, larger display and in the case of the VVX 600 Bluetooth. If you are not familiar with Polycom phones you can use the Polycom Desktop Phone Guide to brush up a little and get to know your IP 331 from your IP 321. Spoiler alert, it’s in the Ethernet ports.

Here are some of the specifications for the VVX 600

• 4.3 in MVA LCD gesture based, capacitive touch display
• Video conferencing and videomail support with VVX Camera
• Polycom HD Voice™ Technology
• Full Duplex Speakerphone with Acoustic Clarity Technology
• 16 lines
• Dual-stack H.323/SIP
• 2 USB 2.0 Ports
• LAN/WAN 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports
• Bluetooth
• Polycom VVX 600 Datasheet

Who Is It For?

Polycom describes the VVX 600 as being targeted towards “managers, executive administrators, small and medium business owner.” Almost any employee could be a potential customer for the VVX 600. Between easy integration with third-party UC and productivity applications, a large touchscreen display and Polycom voice technology it would be at home on any desk.

Availability?

The Polycom VVX 600 is currently scheduled to be released in late November 2012.