Select Microsoft Stores Demonstrating Beam Telepresence Units

Select Microsoft stores in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and Australia are showcasing Suitable Technologies’ Beam telepresence systems, said the companies Tuesday. The Beam units will provide communication for retail store management and showcase the technology’s potential use in the home for personal connections and interactions. Beam units are billed as a way for people to “enjoy dinner with their families while traveling on business” in a way that offers more personal interaction through "eye-to-eye" connection than is possible via video chat. Consumers can see the units in stores and buy them on Microsoft's e-commerce site for $2,140, they said.