Five years later, you can finally buy Google Beam

It’s been five years since Google first offered a glimpse of Project Starline, a three-dimensional videoconferencing platform billed at the time as as a “magic window” that enables realistic and immersive calls. On Wednesday, Google announced that Google Beam — as the software element of the product is now called — is generally available for purchase, built into HP’s Dimension video meeting hardware. The Dimension hardware reportedly costs around $25,000 per unit; Google did not provide details for costs related to hardware or additional software licenses. The combined products will be sold in six countries at first: Canada, France, Germany, Japan, UK, and US. Google has also partnered with co-working space provider Industrious to make Beam available to try at its locations across the US, including Atlanta, Chicago, New York City, and Palo Alto. Beam “offers the potential for immersive, 3D engagement, without the challenge of wearables,” said Irwin Lazar, principal analyst at Metrigy. “This is one of those ‘you have to try it’ experiences to understand the value proposition,” said Avi Greengart, president and founder of Techsponential. “It really does feel like you’re talking to s…

≈