Those of you who read here regularly know how closely I've been following advances in video lately. IFor me, video is one of the hottest action areas to watch. I'll be doing more and more video here in the weeks and months ahead as the tools get easier and friendlier to use. And one of these days (next computer purchase), I'll shift to a Mac making it easier still.

8X8 has been really active in moving the unified communications technologies forward, and they're continually in the news with new patent awards. This is the first one I recall that's for video. Given the way it's written, it's something tied to video conferencing, a solution we've all been watching for, and has something to do with mobile VoIP as well. It will be interesting to see what they do with this one.

8x8, Inc. Awarded New Video Patent

SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 8x8, Inc. (NASDAQ:EGHT), provider of Packet8 (http://www.packet8.net/) broadband Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), videophone and mobile VoIP  communication services, today announced that it has been granted U.S. Patent No. 7,339,604 entitled "Videoconferencing Arrangement Having Multi-Purpose Digital Still Camera." The patent issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on March 4, 2008.

The patent relates to a videoconferencing system with a modular terminal that includes a conventional digital still camera coupled to an input port of the system.

Since its establishment in 1987, 8x8 has been awarded seventy-two (72) United States patents covering a variety of voice and video communications and storage technologies.

About 8x8, Inc.
8x8, Inc., the second largest standalone VoIP service provider in the U.S., offers internet-based telephony solutions (http://www.packet8.net/) for individual residential and business users as well as small to medium sized business organizations. In addition to regular Packet8 VoIP service plans priced as low as $24.99 per month for unlimited anytime calling to the U.S., Canada and eight additional countries, 8x8 offers the Packet8 Tango Video Terminal Adapter along with accompanying monthly service plans also priced at $24.99 per month. Packet8 Virtual Office, 8x8's VoIP phone system for small to medium sized businesses, is a hosted PBX solution comprised of powerful business class features. Companies subscribing to Virtual Office pay just $49.99 per month per extension for enterprise class PBX functionality along with unlimited local and long distance calling in the U.S. and Canada.

The Packet8 Complete Contact Center™ is a hosted multimedia call center distribution and management platform that works with any broadband Internet service and provides enterprise class contact center functionality combined with Virtual Office hosted iPBX calling features and business calling plans.

Packet8 Softalk Office™, 8x8's PC-based soft phone client, offers high quality voice and video in-network calling as well as outbound calling to the PSTN. Packet8 MobileTalk™ is a breakthrough mobile service that dramatically improves the overall mobile international calling experience by routing overseas mobile phone calls over the award-winning, patent-protected Packet8 digital VoIP network. For additional company information, visit 8x8's web site at http://www.8x8.com/.

NOTE: 8x8, the 8x8 logo, Packet8, the Packet8 logo, Packet8 Virtual Office,
Packet8 Softalk, Packet8 Tango and Packet8 MobileTalk are trademarks of 8x8, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.