Logitech UC Keyboard 725-C: Desk Phone Gets Attacked From Yet Another Angle

Desk phone makers probably aren’t looking for yet another device angling to take its place in the new age of Unified Communication, but this device looks like it aims to do just that.

This keyboard aims to take the place of your physical desk phone by providing caller ID/call length timer/date/time screen, dedicated voicemail , Pickup/Hangup and video buttons and other call control right on the keyboard in what is a first in the industry. (at least that I am aware of)

The keyboard has quite a few dedicated communication keys:

• Nine dedicated phone/video control keys
  • Voicemail messages
  • Select handset
  • Select headset
  • Select speakerphone
  • Call Hold
  • Answer / hang-up
  • Video mute
  • Audio mute
  • Volume up/down
• Illuminated keys display call/video status
  • New voicemail messages: red
  • Handset, headset and speakerphone select: white
  • Call-on-hold: green
  • Answer/hang-up button
    • Incoming call: red
    • Call-in-progress: green
  • Video and audio mute buttons: red
• Two-line display, 40 character LCD

Only for Cisco Jabber at this time. It looks the price will be around the $169 mark. (source)

At $169 this new keyboard provides UC buttons/small display and saves desk space. The question: Will companies pay this price for deskphone/UC buttons and display? In the Lync world one can get buttons/display/handset and speaker phone USB device in the form of the Polycom CX300 for a similar cost. Or if you go the IP Phone route you can get the Polycom CX500 for $20 more.

See the excellent video below:

Below is Logitech details on the product:
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/logitech-ucsolution?crid=1252
Logitech Press Release:
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/press/press-releases/ucsolution725c