The menu for the weekend was greatly influenced by my decision to make an updated version of pasta carbonara. Therefore, I could be less creative in cooking or so I thought. Friday’s dinner was coconut shrimp and panko crusted shrimp (yes, both). Saturday began with a shrimp omelette garnished with toasted coconut. Saturday dinner was the pasta carbonara made with fettuccine and guanciale. Guanciale is very similar to pancetta but is made from the pig’s cheeks or jowls instead of its belly. That was one change to my original version; the second was to create a richer creamier sauce by adding additional egg yolks. It worked very well. Sunday began with egg whites and cheese omelettes (waste not, want not). Dinner was beer marinated veal chops, Greek salad and scallop potatoes made with Kerrygold Irish Cheddar Cheese. If I had not promised the pasta dish last week as the recipe of the week, the scallop potatoes would have won hands down. What I have learned about cooking scallop potatoes is to use a mandarin or food processor to slice them evenly and to cover tightly for the first 30-40 minutes of baking. I happen to have glass lids for my casserole dishes but you can also use aluminum foil. Uncover to brown and to thicken the sauce the final 20 minutes of cooking. Good stuff! However, also good and the recipe of the week I present Fettuccine alla Carbonara. Enjoy!

Cool

During Enterprise Connect, Logitech introduced an alternative to the laptop webcam and expensive conference room cameras. Available in May of this year, please welcome the BCC950 Audio and Video ConferenceCam. This is one cool looking camera/audio device. It is designed for individuals and small groups of people that require quality video conferencing.
The BCC950 ConferenceCam is described as the “first communications tool to combine a full HD webcam with a high-quality, omni-directional full-duplex speakerphone in one USB device, enabling small groups to collaborate in conference rooms, closed offices or shared work spaces.”  Now that is a mouthful for a device that evokes memories of Stars Wars or ET.

The BCC950 has a motorized 180-degree pan, tilt, and zoom, 8-degree field of view, support for 1080p, and 30fps HD through plug-and-play UVC H.264 video technology.  The omni-directional full-duplex speakerphone allows participants to hear and be heard up to 8 feet away.  While optimized for Microsoft Lync and is Skype Certifed, it also works with most Unified Communications and video solutions.  At only 20 ounces, The BCC950 ConferenceCam is very portable allowing for conference calls nearly every where.  The cost is very attractive at $249.99, however, it will not be available in retail stores. Logitech wants to emphasize that this is a business ready product and is selling it via channel partners and reseller.

So, to all Broadvox Partners, if you have been looking for a conferencing camera to offer your SMB customers this may be the one .