Category: Tech News

How Botox & Body Language Are Changing The Face Of Video Calls

The art of communication continues to evolve with personal appearance becoming ever more crucial on video calls, as participants compete to be seen and heard clearly.

That’s the view of Holli Hulett, Co-founder of global conferencing manufacturer Boom Collaboration, who says body language and eye contact can help build an instant bond in an increasingly virtual world.

She says the Covid pandemic triggered a huge ‘Zoom boom’ with more than a 40% rise in the popularity of minimal invasive procedures such as Botox and lip fillers, in some areas of the world – as millions more  people began embracing video calls for work and socialising.

“People are definitely becoming more self-conscious and aware of how they appear.

Other than looking in a mirror, many hadn’t really paid too much attention to themselves and certainly not on camera before,” she highlighted. 

“We’ve read widespread media reports how interest in neck and face work has leapt dramatically in recent years, which reflects what we’re seeing too. In areas of the UK and Europe there’s been a reported 30% rise in bookings year-on-year, compared to the US which has seen a 41% increase in treatments, with 5.5m procedures conducted in one year alone. The industry is estimated to be worth $4.4 billion with no sign of slowing down.”
This increase has also brought more attention to other appearance-related concerns that surface under bright webcam lights—such as excessive facial sweating, which can impact on-screen confidence. Individuals now exploring cosmetic enhancements are often simultaneously considering treatment options including Botox that target facial sweating as part of their self-care routine for video calls. This overlap has positioned non-invasive cosmetic and dermatological procedures as part of the modern “Zoom-ready” toolkit.

 

 

Human interaction

Maintaining face-to face eye contact is crucial for a rewarding and life-like call experience, Hulett says. “Body language is part of the overall call chemistry, with great hardware vs not so great hardware a vital component of overall success. Building a bond and rapport happens in many different ways. Being relaxed, happy and friendly goes a long way.

“So much human interaction happens through body language and facial expressions. A smile can light up a room and make someone happy without any words. Emotion is powerful. A meeting is an encounter between people, where we constantly read each other. First impressions count.

“It’s also important to be flexible as well as natural and adaptable to different scenarios whether that’s teaching, pitching or selling. Being able to adapt is very important on a video call. Some miss that when trying to create inclusivity and equality. This is particularly hard with a large group when everyone is split up into little square boxes on a screen.” 

Boom Collaboration’s own independent research based on discussions with channel partners and backed by various industry studies, shows:

 

  • Around half of people worry about how they look on video
  • Nearly 60% feel more self-aware. 
  • Almost everyone multitasks during meetings
  • Around 40% experience hardware or software issues such as picture and audio performance

Hulett began the business with co-founder Fredrik Hörnkvist in 2020, with Boom now embarking on a global expansion drive including the UK and Europe.

She advises: “To overcome some of the challenges we always suggest putting the camera at eye level on the same wall as the main display so that it’s natural and easy to engage directly with people. 

“We feel something like a 360 degree camera is actually counter intuitive to the way we communicate. Also because more people are using video calls now they want to look their best as they can physically see themselves in a different way on screen. 

“For me, if I’m conducting a big webinar for example, when I’m prepping my content I’m also prepping my appearance. I do pay special attention and take more time.”

Global economies

She added: “Quality equipment does make a significant difference. Quality really matters. It’s one of the many reasons we decided to produce a 4K PTZ camera early on. We believe this is where a lot of the platforms such as Teams will go next. In the future video calls will be conducted in 4K not HD. Raising the bar and raising the game in terms of quality will lead to a greater customer experience.”

Hulett notes how global economies still face many challenges with the most recent report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) showing world growth slowing to 2.9% in 2023, down from 3.4% last year. 

“Through these interesting, challenging and evolving times, from lockdowns to hybrid working, conferencing has been at the fulcrum of dramatic changes in daily and working life; how people interact and communicate, almost from anywhere. Choosing the right equipment is crucial. That could be plug-and-play or more powerful full room integrated systems.

“To survive an unstable economic climate, business leaders are looking to technology solutions that cut costs, amplify productivity, and accelerate ROI. Automation tools are widely considered ‘recession-proof’ because they reduce operating costs, increase efficiencies, and build the strong digital foundation organisations need to weather any storm.”

Smart appearance

The quality of audio and video plus user friendly technology all have to combine to create the ultimate life-like video call experience, according to Hulett who stated: “It doesn’t happen by chance.”

She concluded: “A video call has become part of daily working life for many people. It’s probably one of the biggest lasting legacies of the pandemic. There’s no going back. Jumping on a video call is now part of working culture. However it doesn’t matter how good the technology is. If it’s not being used on a regular basis in the right way then the whole investment and experience is undermined. It has to be reliable, easy to operate and effective.

“Being smart and professional is hugely important. Equally people need to be seen and heard clearly too.”

Twelve South’s BackPack storage shelf now available for Apple Studio Display & iMac

BackPack, Twelve South’s innovative and discreet storage shelf that was previously only available for iMac, is now available for Apple Studio Display and M1 iMacs.

BackPack gives users an additional storage solution without cluttering desks — use it to house hard drives and dongles or hide messy cables. The ventilation holes mean peripherals can be charged or plugged in without overheating concerns.

An included optional strap enables users to also attach items to the area underneath the BackPack too, ideal for those with limited desk space.

For setups where the rear of the monitor is visible to the rest of the office or customers, BackPack can be used as a display shelf for company branding, small awards trophies or perhaps even plants or figures, to inject a little personality.

No need for tools to assemble BackPack, simply attach to the L-shaped desk stands in seconds using the two included clips and allow gravity to do its work. iMac models and Apple Studio Display can hold multiple BackPack stands, offering even more storage space.

BackPack’s aluminium design blends in seamlessly with Apple’s displays and the silicone landing pad and gravity centric design ensures no scratches for monitors or peripherals.

The Twelve South BackPack is available now from Amazon for £39.99.

Expleo boosts eir customer responsiveness with €1M robotics deal

Expleo, a global technology, engineering and consulting service provider, today announces that it has provided eir with an award-winning robotics programme that has transformed the company’s responsiveness to standard customer requests and increased customer care ratings. The deal is valued at €1M.

The project is part of eir’s large-scale customer-focused digital transformation programme, made possible by a multi-million euro investment into digital enhancements to transform the sales and self-serve customer journeys.

eir is Ireland’s largest telecoms provider, and its Customer Operations team receives thousands of calls every day. Prior to engaging with Expleo’s hyperautomation team, 18% of those calls related to requests for 13 common, repetitive processes, including moving home, adding authorised users, and changing installation appointment dates.

eir sought a new way to interact with customers which would be both cost-effective and time-effective while also improving overall customer and employee satisfaction. Using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and process optimisation techniques, Expleo streamlined the 13 requests identified by eir, enabling customers to manage their requests online, 24/7, without ever having to pick up the phone. Customers who prefer to speak to someone on the phone can still do so.

Using AI and robotics, Expleo’s technology is enabling eir to process more than 10,000 customer requests each month, with approximately 70% of those requests being fully automated. Typically, 80% of requests are completed within the same day. The solution relies on the principle of hyperautomation, which sees process-burdened organisations automating at scale across multiple tasks to see significant cost and time benefits.

By helping to greatly reduce the number of calls coming into eir’s contact centre, Expleo’s solution has freed up time for the company’s customer service agents to focus on customer-facing activities that are more complex to resolve and require the management of a trained team member. In doing so, it has helped to reduce the average time it takes for a caller to speak to an agent to below three minutes.

Agents have also been trained by Expleo on the implementation of robotics and are now involved in identifying areas that would benefit from hyperautomation in the future.

In a highly customer-centric industry with high levels of switching between providers, the robotics programme has had a significant impact on eir’s customer satisfaction rating. It went up 22 points in 2022 versus the previous year. Complaints, meanwhile, have decreased by 65%.

Rebecca Keenan, Global Head of Intelligent Automation, Expleo, said: “Businesses are seeing huge value not just in automation, but hyperautomation: many are burdened by simple, repetitive tasks when they could be taken care of by robots. eir’s digital transformation programme is an excellent example of this and our partnership helps them ensure that as many high-volume but straightforward tasks as possible are being automated. In turn, customer service agents have more time to focus on customer-facing tasks, while also learning new skills in the area of automation.

 “As enterprises continue to embrace digital transformation, the role of hyperautomation will grow, enabling organisations to innovate at speed and excel in customer experience.”

Brian Chapman, eir’s Chief Information Officer: “The communication service we provide to our customers is essential. It is our job to ensure the two million people we serve have the communications infrastructure they need to live, work and connect all across Ireland, every single day. When they need us that interaction has to be seamless. eir has undergone a huge IT transformation in recent years, implementing new systems to provide best-in-class care journeys for our customers. By automating many of our processes we can improve the outcome for our customers and the agents who work with them. We partnered with Expleo to implement a transformational robotics programme. Expleo has been a valuable partner to eir as we work to remove barriers and complexities from our IT services, ensuring that eir is easy to work with and work for.”

Skullcandy launches limited edition buds in celebration of 420. The Grind Haze

The limited-edition Grind HAZE True Wireless Earbuds give off a “buds in a jar” display-worthy look enhanced by a clear-colour, smoked grey case. The “Haze” colorway features a silvery, sage green colouring with a luxuriant texture and is enhanced by purple accents and striking orange highlights, reminiscent of the iconic Purple Haze strain that is undoubtedly going to take centre stage this 420 holiday.

The 420-focused Grind HAZE True Wireless Earbuds are backed by Skullcandy’s voice-driven platform, Skull-iQ™. With a simple “Hey Skullcandy” command, users can play or pause content, accept or reject calls, launch Spotify and more, all without lifting a finger–doesn’t get much more mellow than that. Plus, over-the-air updates provide the freshest features as soon as they’re available.

The exclusive buds have rolled out globally and are available for £69.99 MSRP on Skullcandy.com, just in time for 420.

Derek Steiner, director of global brand partnerships comments “Leaning on the iconic Purple Haze strain for inspiration, it’s no coincidence our 420 limited-edition Grind HAZE buds look good enough to smoke. They also pass the vibe check thanks to hands-free voice control, which makes it easy to maintain a chill atmosphere while mellowing out to a relaxed playlist.”

Product specs:

Limited-Edition Grind HAZE True Wireless Earbuds – £69.99 MSRP

  • Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology – Issue simple, hands-free voice commands to take calls, change tracks, adjust volume, turn on Stay-Aware Mode, activate device assistant, launch Spotify Tap, and more

  • Over-the-Air Updates – Update earbuds via the Skullcandy App to add new features for enhanced functionality and to extend the life of the earbuds

  • Premium Audio Quality – Experience supreme sound thanks to expertly-tuned acoustic drivers, dual noise-reducing microphones for natural and clear call quality and a noise-isolating fit

  • Up to 40 Hours of Battery Life – Listen longer with 9 hours of battery life in the earbuds and 31 hours in the charging case

  • Personal Sound – Tune your audio experience to your unique hearing ability via the Skullcandy App by taking a real-time audio test to create a Personal Sound Profile for optimized audio levels

  • USB-C Rapid Charging Case – For 10 minutes spent in the case, receive 2 hours of battery life

  • Auto On/Connect – Enjoy automatic turn-on and pairing with the last device used

  • IP55 Sweat and Water Resistance – Go on any adventure without missing a beat

  • Built-in Tile™ Finding Technology – If an earbud is misplaced, simply ‘ring’ it from the Tile app

IDA Ireland announces 100 jobs in 5 high growth companies

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney TD and IDA Ireland today announced the creation of 100 jobs in Dublin, Galway, and Cork across 5 high growth companies from Europe and the US.

The investments are supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Making today’s announcement Minister Simon Coveney TD said “I warmly welcome IDA’s announcement today that 5 new companies will be coming to our shores, creating 100 new jobs. The positions will be spread across a range of sectors and indeed cities, demonstrating Ireland’s position as an excellent strategic choice for global business, both in terms of our geographic location and our wealth of diverse and highly skilled talent. I wish all involved the very best in their respective new ventures.”

Commenting on the announcement, Mary Buckley, Interim CEO, IDA Ireland said, “I am delighted to welcome these new companies to Ireland. I particularly welcome the locational spread of these investments which shows that the technology offering, availability of talent and attractive work life balance resonates with overseas investors.”

“Our pro-business environment remains competitive in attracting high growth companies to set up in Ireland.  These companies choose Ireland as the location to serve and grow their customer base due to Ireland’s established track record.  I wish all of these companies well and look forward to a long and successful partnership with each of them,” added Mary Buckley.

The new jobs will be spread across the technology, business services, medical technology and fintech sectors with a range of activities such as Sales and Marketing, Software Development, Engineering and Data Analytics.

Xenon arc, the tech and managed service innovator transforming the way materials producers go-to-market, announced today that the company will open a new office in Dublin, Ireland. These employees will work across sales, marketing, customer support and operations, product management and data analytics for EMEA. Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, Xenon arc deploys advanced technical support and digital solutions to industrial manufacturers of chemical, industrial, food ingredients and more.

Total Processing (25 jobs) is an innovative payments solutions company that helps its clients navigate the complexities of payment processing. The UK headquartered company today announced plans to hire 25 new employees in Ireland under the leadership of Elaine Deehan as the new Managing Director for its expansion into the European Union market. Named as one of the Sunday Times 100 fastest growing UK companies, Total Processing has achieved considerable success in the UK and MENA regions.

Alliance Strategies (15 jobs) the umbrella entity that strategically and tactically serves the Alliance Abroad global footprint as a leading facilitator of global cultural exchange programs, today announced plans to hire 15 employees in Galway, Ireland over the next 5 years.  The company headquartered in Texas, currently has 8 worldwide offices and an extensive network of partners to facilitate meaningful cultural exchanges. The hub in Galway will lead the company’s strategy in areas of global marketing, finance and corporate supports.

QbDVision (15 jobs) the creators of a first-of-its-kind Digital CMC platform, designed to accelerate the drug development lifecycle and help organisations swiftly and efficiently deliver the next generation of breakthrough therapies, has announced the opening of its first international office in Cork, Ireland. With a surging user base in the EU and thriving biopharma market, Ireland was a natural choice for QbDVision’s expanding global team. The company, headquartered in Austin, Texas plans to hire 15 employees in Ireland over 4 years.

Movano Health (20 jobs) a purpose-driven healthcare solutions company at the intersection of medical and consumer devices and makers of the Evie Ring, today announces its plan to grow its Irish subsidiary to more than 20 employees over the next four years or more. Opened in 2021, Movano Health’s Irish subsidiary currently employs 5 people with offices at the Rubicon Centre in Cork to cater for growth. Recruitment is underway with Movano Health looking to hire engineers specialising in integrated circuit design and firmware/embedded software to work towards the summer launch of the Evie Ring, its first commercial product.

HP Expands the Boundaries for Remote PC Management through HP Wolf Connect

At its Amplify™ Partner Conference, HP Inc announced HP Wolf Connect, an IT management connectivity solution that provides a highly resilient and secure connection to remote PCs, enabling IT to manage devices even when powered down or offline.

Using a cellular-based network, HP Wolf Connect’s robust connectivity  helps ensure IT teams can readily manage a dispersed hybrid workforce. It can reduce the time and effort needed to resolve support tickets, secure data from loss or theft to mitigate a potential breach and optimise asset management.

“Hybrid work has made remote management at scale more complex for IT teams, yet even more essential,” comments Neil Dover, Country Manager at HP Ireland. “As we adapt to the hybrid work model the cloud has helped but hasn’t solved IT’s ability to manage devices that are powered down or offline. HP Wolf Connect’s highly resilient connection opens new doors to remote device management, enabling efficient and effective management of dispersed workforces.”

HP Wolf Protect and Trace with Wolf Connect is the world’s first software service capable of locating, locking and erasing a PC remotely, even when it’s turned off or disconnected from the Internet. This capability protects sensitive data on the move and helps lower IT costs by reducing the need for PC remediation or replacement.

Securing and managing the hybrid workforce is a top priority for organisations. New global research from HP Wolf Security found 82% of security leaders operating a hybrid work model have gaps in their organisation’s security posture. The global study of 1,492 security leaders found:

  • 61% say protecting their hybrid workers will get harder in the year ahead.
  • 70% say that hybrid work increases the risk of lost or stolen devices.

“Before today, solutions relied on PCs being on or connected to the internet, but HP Wolf Connect now provides a highly resilient mobile connection to find, lock, and erase lost or stolen devices even if they are disconnected or powered down. This is particularly crucial in industries where devices may contain PII (personally identifiable information) or intellectual property. Now, teams can accurately report where and when devices were lost, and how long it took to lock or erase them,” continues Dover.

Securing the endpoint is ground zero for attacks on hybrid workers

Beyond PC loss and theft, the endpoint i.e., laptops, PCs or printers – continue to face serious threat from ransomware and is ground zero for attacks on hybrid workers. This requires the creation of new cybersecurity strategies and innovative security tools in response to changing employee behaviours.

  • 84% of security leaders say the endpoint is the source of most security threats and where the most business-damaging security threats happen.
  • 66% say the greatest cybersecurity weakness is the potential for hybrid employees to be compromised; with phishing, ransomware, and attacks via unsecured home networks cited as the top risks.
  • 65% say it is challenging to update their threat detection measures (e.g., Endpoint Detection & Response and Security Information and Event Management tools) to reflect the behavior of hybrid employees, making it harder to spot attacks.3
  • Three-quarters (76%) of security leaders agree application isolation is key to protect hybrid worker devices, but only 23% are benefiting from using it at present; with 32% planning to deploy in the next 12 months.

“The shift to hybrid work requires a move away from old perimeter-focused thinking. To close gaps, organisations must put the endpoint front and centre of any security strategy. Adopting hardware-enforced security features and protection above, in, and below the OS – such as application isolation – will be key for protecting users without impinging on the freedoms that hybrid work allows,” concludes Pratt.

Hybrid work security is a key focus for 2023

HP’s new hybrid security research details how security teams are prioritising securing the hybrid workplace:

  • Four-in-five (82%) security leaders have increased their cybersecurity budget specifically for hybrid workers. 71% expect this hybrid investment focus to increase further in 2023.
  • 80% have deployed a different set of tools and policies to protect hybrid employees.
  • 70% are limiting network access of people working remotely to minimise the risk of a breach.

To learn more, download HP Wolf Security’s latest report for IT decision makers and for Security Leaders.

HCS technology underpins Shorla’s operations as it prepares to launch first life-saving oncology drug

HCS, a leading business IT, security and telecoms company, is today announcing that it has delivered comprehensive managed technology infrastructure to Shorla Oncology. This top-to-bottom IT system underpins Shorla’s vital operations which, in turn, is allowing the company to research, develop, and commercialise its products. Shorla is preparing to launch its first life-saving oncology drug.

Shorla’s mission is to re-think, re-imagine, and improve on existing oncology treatments. Working with world-renowned key opinion leaders and first-in-class research scientists, its team merges experience and innovation to solve real-world clinical problems. Its aim is to greatly improve patients’ lives by integrating these innovative solutions into effective oncology treatments.

HCS was tasked with building the company’s entire IT infrastructure from the ground up. Security and compliance are of the utmost importance as Shorla operates in a highly regulated industry, and the company needed to safeguard its sensitive data. With offices in Ireland and the U.S., Shorla also needed to effectively connect dispersed teams who were working across different locations and time zones.

HCS designed and deployed an IT solution tailored to Shorla’s unique needs, and monitors and manages all IT functions for the company. The solution proactively secures the IT systems of the organisation, from employee devices and data storage to email and web hosting. HCS onboards new Shorla employees to the IT system and manages permissions to maintain high levels of security. The system is fully compliant and all of the company’s critical data is securely backed up to ensure peace of mind.

An end-to-end Microsoft365 suite enables effective collaboration between teams operating in different locations, with capabilities across Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. HCS manages and remotely monitors all company devices, meaning a speedy response and little or no downtime in the event of an incident. The solution is primarily cloud-based, and employee devices are the company’s only physical infrastructure.

HCS’ system is flexible and scalable in line with business growth. The company wanted to be as paperless as possible and working from a cloud-based system is helping it to achieve its sustainability goals. HCS provides ongoing support with a remote helpdesk, access to highly trained engineers and a 24/7 emergency support facility.

Orlaith Ryan, Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer, Shorla Oncology: “This top-to-bottom IT solution from HCS gives us the confidence to roll out our services in the knowledge that our data and operations are fully secure and compliant. The system and services provided by HCS ensures our employees are enabled to do their jobs effectively, even when working in different regions and time zones. HCS’ support is proactive and reliable which is crucial for us, particularly as our team is dispersed.”

Orlaith Connell, Account Manager, HCS: “Security is built into everything we do for our customers, and effective cyber and data security was the priority for an organisation such as Shorla which deals with critical data on a daily basis. HCS is providing peace of mind with 24/7 support, with a particular focus on security. By proactively monitoring and safeguarding against any potential compromise, we are providing resilience as the company continues to grow and evolve.

“In turn, this has enabled Shorla to enhance its own service rollout. We are thrilled to have been chosen by the team to deploy this solution as the company is providing crucial services and making a lasting impact on the science industry and beyond.”

Evolve IP Aspires To Become The ‘Crown Jewels’ Of Cloud Communication

Fast-growing global collaboration provider, Evolve IP, has strengthened its ambitions to become the ‘crown jewels’ of cloud-based communication, after hosting a successful partner day at the Tower of London.

Leading industry figures from across the world gathered at the historic venue for a day of insightful presentations, interactive workshops and an evening of entertainment, as part of a ‘powering partnerships’ theme.

The carbon neutral event attracted more than 110 guests including from the US and Holland. It showcased how to ‘make the future of work better for everyone’ and was sponsored by technology partners Akixi, Dubber, Enghouse Interactive, Intelligent Billing, Snom, Mondago, Poly, Tiger TMS and Yealink. The day began with an early morning private tour of the crown jewels.

Opportunities

Evolve IP’s EMEA Managing Director, Paul Harrison, told the audience how despite tougher economic times, the brightest days for the sector lie ahead; giving a nod to the history of the iconic venue too.

“We have to keep changing and adapting. The biggest opportunity is ahead of us,” he enthused. “It’s important to expand our ecosystem and continue to globalize – bringing best-of-breed solutions together with new technology and partners. We need to stay relevant and learn from history.”

He revealed how:

  • Current cloud comms penetration in the UK has grown by 38.9% with 7.6m installed users today.
  • Total market revenue will grow by 80% from £1.26bn in 2022 to £2.26bn by 2026
  • A five-year forecast will see over 6.8m additional users moving to a cloud comms solution by the end of 2026 reaching a total installed base of 14.5m users at 80% penetration.

Evolve IP works with many of the world’s biggest tech companies and innovative industry leaders to create robust and reliable solutions for a growing reseller base. As a global collaboration provider, it specialises in securely integrating unified communications, collaboration tools, contact centre, voice, and omnichannel solutions into the cloud.

Visitors learned how Evolve IP has a 15-year trading pedigree with 374 staff globally and all of its EMEA offices are now fully carbon neutral. New products and future developments include enhanced Webex functionality, plus the creation of a single ‘Anywhere Portal’ which provides a simplified and more efficient window into the Evolve IP world.

Building relationships

Harrison hailed the event a resounding success and emphasised: “Productive partnerships are becoming ever-more prevalent in today’s dynamic business world, where fluidity, versatility and innovation can help build long term sustainable success.

“We recognise the importance of partnerships which is a key cornerstone of our ethos and evolution. Partnerships can unlock new doors, opportunities and deliver greater customer value and service. We don’t do the one size fits all as we never want our customers to compromise. We want to give them exactly what they want. The market is very demanding. We’re growing and the market is growing too.”

He continued: “It was great to be able to host events like this again. This annual gathering is integral to building relationships with our partners as a team and understanding how we can best support them and their growth.”

The Partner Day included a host of product suites and vendor demonstrations as well as a series of market insights from high profile speakers. MP David Morris provided an interesting insight into his musical past before a series of awards were presented to high performing partners. It ended with guests watching the sunset over the River Thames as part of an evening of entertainment.

International stage

For Jamie Hughes, Sales Director at Evolve IP UK, an exciting new dawn is rising for the company, its partners and customer base.

“I think what is special and unique around us is that we are an agnostic platform, for example across Webex and Teams or even a SIP handset or analogue device. We are the glue that makes everything work together not just in the UK but on an international stage too. We join all the dots together.”

Hughes emphasised the growing role of sustainability and added: “This is huge for us and more importantly our partners where I’d say 80% of tenders now focus on sustainability planning. We want to be leading from the front and pushing our boundaries.”

He added: “The Tower of London was a fantastic venue, steeped in history. To bring everyone together was so rewarding, beneficial, enjoyable and also long overdue. The social side matters too, as well as telling our business story in a compelling and engaging way.”

Members of the company’s Netherlands team came over too, reflecting Evolve IP’s growing presence not just in the UK but across EMEA.

Harrison concluded: “Our ultimate objective is to enhance today’s hybrid workplace and help make the future of work better for everyone. The Tower of London event provided the perfect platform to showcase strategies and plans for this year and beyond – reinforcing why partnerships take centre stage and how we aim to become the crown jewels of cloud communications.”

 

Sony announces new WF-C700N headphones and WH-1000XM5 Midnight Blue

Sony is making it even easier to enjoy music anywhere with the announcement of its new truly wireless earbuds – WF-C700N. 

The WF-C700N are ideal if you want to make the switch to truly wireless earbuds without compromising on comfort and stability while enjoying immersive sound quality and noise cancelling.   

Comfort, quality and fits in your pocket 

The WF-C700N have been designed with comfort and stability in mind, no matter the size of your ears. Sony has designed the WF-C700N by looking at extensive ear shape data collated since it introduced world’s first in-ear headphones in 1982, as well as evaluation of the sensitivity of various types of ears. The WF-C700N earbuds combine a shape to perfectly match the human ear with an ergonomic surface design for a more stable fit, so you can listen for longer without needing a break. 

The cylindrical charging case is small and easy to carry around in a pocket or bag so you can take the earbuds anywhere you go. Its case has a geometrically patterned texture for a stylish, luxurious look and feel. 

The texture, quality and colours of WF-C700N are designed with your style and comfort in mind. With black, white, lavender and sage green to choose from, you can find the one that suits you best. 

More music, less background noise 

With the WF-C700N it’s just you and the music. You can cancel out background noise with noise cancelling or use the Ambient Sound Mode to stay connected to your natural surroundings.  

In Ambient Sound mode, the feedforward mics capture more of the ambient sound around you, so you can enjoy a natural listening experience while staying connected to your environment. You can personalise the settings within the Sony | Headphones Connect app or use the Focus on Voice setting to chat without removing your earbuds. You can step into a coffee shop and quickly order with ease, then just as quickly sit back, and enjoy your favourite entertainment distraction-free. 

The WF-C700N also feature Adaptive Sound Control which adjusts ambient sound settings depending on where you are and what you’re doing. It recognises locations that you frequently visit, such as your workplace, the gym or a favourite cafe, and switches the sound modes that suit the situation. With this, you can seamlessly move through your surroundings all while letting your favourite artists and entertainment play on. 

Hear every beat in high quality  

The WF-C700N deliver high quality sound thanks to DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine). Plus with the help of Sony’s original 5mm driver unit the WF-C700N pack a punch, producing powerful bass and stunningly clear vocals despite their small size, bringing out the best in whatever genre or entertainment you choose. You can also change your music to fit your taste with the EQ settings on the Sony | Headphones Connect app.  

Enjoy an effortless listening experience 

With a long lasting battery life of up to 15 hours, IPX4 water resistance and smart features, the WF-C700N truly wireless earbuds are made for everyday life. 

For total convenience, the WF-C700N feature Multipoint connection3 which means they can be paired with two Bluetooth devices at the same time. So, when a call comes in, your earbuds know which device is ringing and connects to the right one automatically. 

The WF-C700N also provides reliable call quality thanks the Wind Noise Reduction Structure which delivers your voice clearly, even on a windy day.   

 

The WH-1000XM5 now in Midnight Blue 

Since the launch of the WH-1000XM5 in 2022, the wireless headphones have received numerous awards and critical acclaim for their industry-leading noise cancellation and superior sound quality. Now Sony is offering all the much-loved technology from the hugely popular WH-1000XM5 in a new stylish Midnight Blue colour, allowing you to further personalised your listening experience.  

Designed with sustainability in mind 

Sony has not only designed the WF-C700N and the WH-1000XM5 Midnight Blue to be stylish but also with sustainability in mind. Zero plastic is included in the packaging material for both models, reflecting Sony’s commitment to reducing the environmental impacts of their products and practices. 

Pricing and availability  

·         The WF-C700N is available from April 2023 priced at approximately €119/£99.99. 

 

·         The WH-1000XM5 Midnight Blue is available from April 2023 priced at approximately €399/£349.