Cisco’s much anticipated business tablet, the Cius, has been orderable for a month or so now. As any diligent technology evangelist would do, I made sure we submitted an order right away. A pair will be for customer demonstrations in the TBL office, of course, but I was also excited about the idea of being the trial user for the tablet at TBL Networks. I am a pretty mobile user, with several different use cases that would put the Cius to the test – and I wouldn’t feel right about making anyone else at TBL the guinea pig other than myself. What better way to chronicle the adoption of such a revolutionary new device than to keep a regular diary of my use of it on the blog.

So, Part I: The Wait. As with any new piece of technology, supply and demand kicks in and I anxiously await the delivery of the Cius tablets. So while we wait, let’s review the stats. It’s got a 7” diagonal, high-resolution color screen with contact-based touch targets delivering an elegant, intuitive user experience, HD video (720p) with Cisco TelePresence solution interoperability for life-like video communication with the simplicity of a phone call, HD audio with wideband support, and Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) support with Bluetooth 3.0 to help employees stay connected and mobile. Loaded it with software to make it most effective, the Cius runs the Android operating system, with access Android marketplace applications, and has virtual desktop clients to enable highly secure access to cloud-based business applications, collaboration applications including Cisco Quad, Presence, IM and integrated, one-click access to WebEx Meeting Center, and of course, HD video as a Cisco TelePresence endpoint. With a detachable and serviceable 8-hour battery for a full day of work and a HD media station dock that supports Bluetooth and USB peripherals, 10/100/1000 wired connectivity, a monitor, mouse and keyboard, and a telephone handset, the Cius is the ultimate device for the user at their desk or on the road.

I look forward to reporting more on how the Cius effects my life.