The new global worker gadget: Videophones

At $599, plus $25 a month for service, Cisco’s (CSCO) new consumer videoconferencing product might seem pricey for the average household. But corporations could use these home systems to allow global employees to connect with headquarters during business hours. Srinath Narasimhan, CEO of Tata Communications (TCL), says remote employees are loath to go to the office for a 3 a.m. call in a video “suite.” With a home setup, workers can stumble out of bed and into a meeting — so long as they remember to comb their hair first.