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Through May 21, LogicBuy is offering a buy one, get one free promotion on Cisco’s (News - Alert) Umi Telepresence Media System. Priced at $399.99 and $499.99, respectively, the 720p and 1080p Umi Telepresence Media Systems can be discounted at checkout via coupon code HSUMIBOGO.

Using an existing HD television and broadband Internet connection, users can take part in a seamless video calling and recording experience and pan, tilt and zoom the systems to create and share Umi videos on popular sites like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube (News - Alert), and e-mail. With a webcam or video chat service, users can place and receive calls from any computer.

This deal may be quite the catch, but this isn’t the first time the consumer-focused video conferencing platform has been belittled with a price slash. Back in March, Cisco reduced the price tag (News - Alert) of both the Umi 1080 and 720, as well as the 1080’s service fee, to compensate for initial backlash due to its seemingly high price point.

The networking giant initially faced heavy criticism when it launched its Umi 1080 video conferencing solution in October of last year due to its price point, as reported by TMCnet. Listed at $599 plus a $24.99 monthly service fee, the solution didn’t seem to be priced at a level where it would achieve widespread adoption, especially with PC-based video-calling companies offering a similar service for free.

Cisco also recently introduced the Umi 720 as a lower-resolution product requiring less bandwidth than its 1080 counterpart, with the hope that it would appeal to consumers unable to run such a powerful telepresence platform like the 1080.

"We are pleased with the response to Umi so far but we do believe the new price point…will accelerate adoption further and faster,” Gina Clark, vice president and general manager of Cisco’s consumer telepresence business, told the Wall Street Journal, at the time.

This may just be another of Cisco’s methods to broaden the telepresence solutions’ appeal to consumers. However, with Cisco offering them as a buy-one-get-one-free deal, perhaps it’s a sign that the company is attempting to wean these products off the market, much like it did to its Flip video camera. 

Tammy Wolf is a TMCnet web editor. She covers a wide range of topics, including IP communications and information technology. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jennifer Russell