Preview: Cisco Cius Tablet Computer

Times tech reporter Ashlee Vance discusses the announcement of Cisco's Android-powered tablet computer, which the company will sell through existing business resellers as a tool for collaboration and personal video conferencing.

"Forget the frenzy of the consumer market, the jazzy advertising and the retail-shelf-space wars. Cisco Systems intends to hawk tablet computers in the more sedate world of the office.

On Tuesday, Cisco revealed its plans to begin selling a tablet computer named Cius — like “see us” — early next year. Cisco pigeonholed the product as a “collaboration tool” for businesspeople, saying it’s well suited to conducting video conferences and running business software like Cisco’s very own WebEx application. The typical collection of Cisco equipment resellers and partners will sell, um, Ciuses."