TalkingPointz

Dave Michels is the Founder and Principal Analyst at TalkingPointz, bringing a wealth of experience in enterprise communications. He collaborates with global providers, investors—both public and private—and various industry players, including channels and consultants, to offer valuable insights on how industry developments impact workflow and collaboration in businesses. Dave keeps a close eye on the latest news and trends in the sector, sharing his expert analysis and commentary through his posts and reports on TalkingPointz. He also contributes to numerous industry websites, speaks at various events, and offers advisory services to stakeholders in the field. As the Director of the Innovation Showcase at Direct Connect, he stays updated on all aspects of enterprise communications. His comprehensive knowledge and straightforward approach—free of ads and fluff—are highly valued by those in the know.

National, Trade/B2B

English

Blog

Outlet metrics

Domain Authority

Ranking

Global

#6493717

United States

#2220423

Computers Electronics and Technology/Telecommunications

#4305

Traffic sources

Monthly visitors

Articles

NAB Show 2025 - A Tale of Two Events

1 week ago | talkingpointz.com | David J. Danto |Click Nathan |Dave Michels

If you’re looking for a comprehensive recap of all the products and software suites announced at the just-completed NAB Show – this article ain’t it. Plenty of people have already covered the press releases and booth announcements. For many years now – including this one – the NAB conference has been in search of a cohesiveness that’s been lost to the evolution of the industry.
8×8: Game Set Match

1 week ago | talkingpointz.com | Dave Michels |Click Nathan

8×8 analyst event, TL/DR: 8×8 is on offense, working its UCaaS+CCaaS+CPaaS mojo into customer-focused outcome magic. The company is innovating, excellent at storytelling, and seeing improvements across most metrics. But there’s more to the story, and it’s not just an 8×8 story. It was a thought-provoking event for me. The industry is changing rapidly. Enterprise comms is simultaneously imploding and exploding. Southampton? Last year, 8×8 hosted its analyst event at the San Diego Zoo. That was clever.
Insider Report March 2025

3 weeks ago | talkingpointz.com | Dave Michels |Click Nathan

Curated Enterprise Communications News and Insights from March 2025Curated Enterprise Communications News and Insights from March 2025FeaturedThe bombing in Yemen turned out to be much more explosive than US government officials had intended. The accidental inclusion of a reporter in the group chat is what’s known in clandestine circles as an “oops.” Watching this unravel has been filled with shock and awe.
Back to Basics: The UC Company That Gave Up on AI and Rediscovered the Joy of Actual Communications Between People Not Bots

3 weeks ago | talkingpointz.com | David J. Danto |Click Nathan |Dave Michels

In a stunning turn of events this April Fools’ Day, one Unified Communications vendor has decided to zag while the rest of the industry zigs straight off a cliff. Meet ZeroAISystems (pronounced like it was named by a Silicon Valley brand consultant during a microdose), the first major UC firm to announce a total and complete pivot away from AI. That’s right. No more smart summaries. No more generative recaps.
Bundles: The Rise of Certified Mixed-Manufacturer Systems in Unified Communications

1 month ago | talkingpointz.com | David J. Danto |Click Nathan |Dave Michels

The unified communications world is evolving rapidly. Artificial intelligence is transforming the power of both hardware and software, enhancing human-to-human connections over short and long distances. But as the industry changes, so does the way we design and certify collaboration solutions. A handful of collaboration platforms from four major players dominate the video collaboration space – Microsoft, Zoom, Cisco, and Google.
MWC25 CPaaS RCS and More

1 month ago | talkingpointz.com | Dave Michels |Click Nathan

I attended my first Mobile World Congress (#MWC25) in Barcelona. I believe it’s the biggest tech conference in the world. In this post, In this first MWC25 post, I wanted to share thoughts about CPaaS, RCS, and Infobip. But first, just a bit on the general event. I was already in Europe, so thought this was the year to finally attend MWC. American tech is dominant in so many areas, but Europe is the leader in mobile. Nokia and Ericsson are European companies, and so is so much of the ecosystem.
The Power of Eye Contact in Videoconferencing

1 month ago | talkingpointz.com | David J. Danto |Click Nathan |Dave Michels

Eye contact is one of the most fundamental human interactions, shaping trust, perception, and communication. Throughout history, the ability to lock eyes has played a crucial in communication. Hundreds of research studies prove the benefits of real or perceived eye contact. The importance of eye contact isn’t just theoretical – it directly impacts business, education, and therapy outcomes.
Insider Report February 2025

1 month ago | talkingpointz.com | Dave Michels |Click Nathan

Curated Enterprise Communications News and Insights from February 2025Curated Enterprise Communications News and Insights from February 2025FeaturedFebruary 2025 was a surprisingly busy month. We kicked off the month in Barcelona with Integrated Systems Europe (covered in AV below). Then Michels attended Cisco Live EMEA (below) and CCW Berlin (in CX). Danto attended Collaboration Week NY (in AV). Cisco Live EMEA: This was a big month for Cisco.
Collaboration Week NY 2025: A Look Back at Three Days of Insightful Discussions

1 month ago | talkingpointz.com | David J. Danto |Click Nathan |Dave Michels

We just wrapped up Collaboration Week New York 2025, hosted by the IMCCA , and I couldn’t be more pleased with how the event unfolded. Over three days, we explored the latest trends in collaboration, unified communications, and workplace technology – fostering meaningful conversations between industry leaders, experts, and attendees. Read the article below for details on the three days at Cisco, Crestron and Pace University.
I’ll Have What She’s Having: AV and Building Management May Finally Click

1 month ago | talkingpointz.com | David J. Danto |Click Nathan |Dave Michels

(Published by rAVe on February 25, 2025)If you’ve ever seen “When Harry Met Sally,” you know it’s a great example of a relationship that didn’t work the first time. Or the second. Or even the third. But eventually, after years of near misses, misunderstandings and stubborn resistance, Harry and Sally found themselves perfectly matched. That’s an apt analogy for what’s happening in the AV and collaboration space and its long-overdue dance with building management systems (BMS).