Do you have loved ones who live far away? How do you communicate with them? With the technology available today, there are several ways to connect with family and friends. But now more than ever, there are technologies and products that will put you face-to-face with the people that matter to you the most.
With Cisco ūmi (pronounced You-Me) — a first of its kind video calling system that works through any HD TV — moms can connect live with their family and friends to share all of life’s special moments live through the television, from the comfort of their living room couch. Mother’s Day is just around the corner and moms, grandmothers, and sisters across the country can celebrate with their loved ones face-to-face, whether near or far.
Party Topic
Join Cisco ūmi and our panel of experts as we discuss ways to stay connected with family and friends using technology. The party will be held on Tuesday, April 26 from 9-11 ET (8CT, 7MT, 6PT). Click here to see details about the giveaway and enter for a chance to win.
For most of us, our lives are full of momentous occasions shared by family – learning to walk, graduating from high school, starting your first job, getting married and having children. For Boston-based public relations practitioner Yumi Bilic , the next momentous occasion in family life was her sister’s wedding. Unfortunately, due to the aftermath of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the Japan native was unable to attend the festivities in Tokyo earlier this month.
After learning about Yumi’s situation, Cisco donated Cisco ūmi telepresence units to her and her family so that they would be able to be together virtually on the special day. With the same name, it was hard for Yumi to pass up the opportunity to see her sister’s ceremony on her HDTV via ūmi.* Not only did Yumi and her husband get to see her family, but she was introduced to her sister’s soon-to-be husband’s family, as well. By attending the wedding virtually with Cisco ūmi from thousands of miles away in Boston, Yumi was able to see, things like her sister’s beautiful bouquet and traditional kimono she changed into for the ceremony as well as finer details like the floral arrangements on all of the tables.
It’s not always easy to see long distance family. My family and I who live in Menlo Park, CA haven’t seen our in-laws who live in Boston, MA in over a year. Fortunately, we use ūmi two times per week for 30 minutes to 1 hour to connect.
Although we won’t see our in-laws in-person for another 5 months, ūmi has definitely proven to be a very interesting way for my 2 ½ year old daughter to play with her eldest nephew, Thomas. They do jumping jacks, play word games, and even practice playing music together.
Check out this video of Thomas showing off his new found trumpet skills over ūmi and teaching Ava how to play.
This article was guest posted by Jen Tilley from MomItForward.com.
