Category: Tech News

Pivo launches ‘Lock-On Tracking’ mode to track one person in busy environments

Pivo Inc, a leading developer of AI-technology for content creators, is upgrading its smart pods to include ‘Lock-On Tracking’ mode. Whether users want to capture themselves in a crowded place or record footage with more people in the shot, this new feature means Pivo will follow the star of the show’s movement, keeping them in the frame at all times, regardless of what is happening around them.

Using Pivo is like having a personal camera crew. Powered by AI-technology, the Pivo smartphone mount, which can rotate 360 degrees, automatically tracks a user’s face and body movements. It follows them at all times, zooming in and out, to make sure they are always in focus and in the frame. The new ‘Lock-On Tracking’ mode gives users even more control, by allowing them to manually select themselves in an environment where there are other people. This ensures the Pivo Pod stays locked on the correct person at all times.

“Our vision at Pivo is to become the creator-tech brand for the next digital era. Our community is at the heart of this — we want to support them to make sure they get the best experience. So when our users asked for single person motion-tracking, we prioritised it with our development team to get the feature ready as soon as we could. ‘Lock-On Tracking’ will make content creation even easier as you will no longer have to worry about who else is in the frame. This is a huge milestone for Pivo and we’re excited to share this with the world.” says CEO Ken Kim.

Pivo Pods enable users to capture videos and photos of themselves. With powerful app-driven motion tracking and easy-to-learn editing modes, creating content solo has never been so easy. Pivo has two models to choose from including:

Pivo Pod Active:

The Pivo Pod Active offers accurate tracking for faster movements, making it ideal for sports and fitness content creators and activities like dancing, athletics, skating and horse riding. Pivo Pod Active can be used in both portrait and landscape orientation, has four different speed modes as well as face, body and horse tracking, ensuring every moment of fast-paced content is captured, eliminating the need for a costly videographer or expensive camera and equipment.

The Pivo Pod Active comes with a companion remote and charging cable and is easy to use out of the box, no technical photography expertise required — users can focus on creating content they’re passionate about immediately.

The mount is compatible with tripods, including Pivo’s own standard Tripod and Tripod Mini (purchased separately) which both have a ¼″ UN thread universal mount, making them compatible with other devices including cameras.

Pivo Pod Lite:

For content creators whose videos don’t involve lots of high speed movement, Pivo’s entry level tracking mount, Pod Lite, uses the same AI tracking technology, freeing up their hands and allowing them to create content solo, without having someone else filming.

Pivo Apps:

In addition to the hardware, a free companion app, Pivo+, integrates with Pivo Pod Active, allowing creators to host live fitness classes and video calls using the same auto-tracking technology, taking fitness and sports content to the next level and allowing for more interactive content.

A second standalone free app, Pivo Play (available on Google Play and App Store) allows creators to create fun edits designed with social media engagement in mind.

Pivo Pod Active is available now for £124.99 from the Pivo website, Amazon and Currys. Pivo Pod Lite is just £69.99 and available in seven stylish colours. To use the new ‘Lock-On Tracking’ mode download or update the Pivo+ app which is available from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

TCS is New Title Partner of TCS London Marathon: Promotes Technology for Sustainability and Healthy Lifestyles

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) today announced its priorities and new innovations as title partner, to enrich the TCS London Marathon experience through technology, and to make the event more sustainable, inclusive, accessible, and enjoyable.

Through the six-year partnership, TCS will prioritise enhancing the participant and supporter experience of the event to deliver on TCS London Marathon’s vision of inspiring sports-related activities and charitable giving. TCS has launched several new features for its official race app, which in 2021 set a record by being downloaded nearly 500,000 times. It is now available for download on the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.

The new app features include:

  1. The Belief Booster feature enables supporters to share encouraging messages for participants. A selection of messages will be displayed on the finish line LED gantry as runners approach the famous TCS London Marathon finish line on The Mall. Messages will also be shared in a post-race email to the participant, along with an option to upload to social media.
  2. Event participants could already allow up to three spectators to find their live location on the course in London. This feature is now available for virtual participants too, so they can share their actual live location, as opposed to their distance run being shown on the TCS London Marathon course.

TCS will continue to promote the innovative use of technology to transform marathon experience for everyone. This year TCS is providing an enhanced data warehouse with conceptual data modelling, which has helped London Marathon Events (LME) derive customer insights from diverse datasets to support decision making and strategy.

The TCS Mini London Marathon and TCS in the community

This year, the first ever mass TCS Mini London Marathon, where children of all abilities aged 4 to 17 can run, walk or wheel a 1 mile or 2.6km course. TCS has pledged to donate £10 per participant to the schools taking part, to be used to buy new IT equipment. The new mass TCS Mini London Marathon will also include the traditional Championship events for the best young runners across the UK.

TCS is working with its chosen charity of the year, City Year UK, to register all 20+ of its schools for the Mini London Marathon this year. TCS is also partnering with City Year to help address education inequality in some of the UK’s most disadvantaged communities. The Mini Marathon events will be held on October 1st, 2022 in London, and between September 26th and October 21st in schools across the UK.

To enhance its sustainability, LME will be using the ReScore app for the 2023 TCS London Marathon, developed by TCS for the Council for Responsible Sport. This will help LME verify the event’s sustainability progress to help reach its goals of net zero carbon emissions across its own operations by 2024 and remove more carbon than it emits across all operations by 2025. ReScore is a TCS-designed, cloud-based application, which enables event organisers to measure, track, report, and verify their progress on a broad range of environmental and social indicators for sports events.

Amit Kapur, Country Head, TCS UK and Ireland, said: “In our first year as title partner of the TCS London Marathon, we will use technology to promote inclusion, sustainability, and healthier choices for communities. We believe in using technology to reimagine and transform companies and communities to drive a positive impact in society.”

Hugh Brasher, Event Director, TCS London Marathon, commented, “We are delighted that TCS is now our official title sponsor and are excited about all the different initiatives we have planned. As we build and develop our six-year partnership with TCS, we are working together to drive forward LME’s digital transformation, allowing us to inspire millions more to build a healthy, active lifestyle, as well as raising even more for charities.”

In addition to the TCS London Marathon, TCS is also the official title partner of other distance running events around the world, including the TCS New York City Marathon, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, the TCS Amsterdam Marathon and TCS Lidingöloppet.

TCS’ mission is to provide trusted and innovative, best-in-class consulting, IT solutions, services and digital transformation support to ensure enterprises achieve their key business objectives. TCS is the number one supplier of software and IT services to the UK market, by revenue. It currently employs over 20,000 people in the UK and Ireland, including over 1,000 people located at the TCS Global Delivery Centre in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.

Creative launches Sound Blaster Blaze V2

Creative Technology today launched Sound Blaster Blaze V2, which succeeds the original Blaze gaming headset with new features to energize the gaming experience on PC, Mac, Playstation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch consoles.

The Sound Blaster Blaze V2 looks the part, with an all-black color theme that means the business; plush premium velvet padding on the circumaural ear cups and headband combine with a lightweight form factor (187g) to raise the level of comfort for extended gaming.

But beyond making gamers look and feel empowered, they hear it too. Precision-tuned 40 mm Full Spectrum Neodymium drivers deliver impactful bass and crisp audio designed to create an exhilarating experience. With Creative app (on Windows), users get to access the Sound Blaster Studio Essential suite to enable sound processing technologies like virtualized 7.1 Surround Sound, Acoustic Engine (with features like Surround, Crystalizer, Smart Volume, Dialog Plus), built-in audio presets for various gaming profiles, movies and music, and CrystalVoice (with features like Acoustic Echo Cancellation, Smart Volume, Microphone Equalizer).

Sound Blaster Blaze V2 is equipped with a detachable, noise-cancelling microphone so that gamers can communicate efficiently without unwanted distractions. A gold-plated 3.5 mm 4-pole combo jack makes connecting easy, with its high-purity oxygen-free copper wire cable helping to transmit distortion-free audio. An inline remote control provides instant access to volume adjustment and mic mute.

Sound Blaster Blaze V2 simply expands the possibilities in all aspects, so that users can enjoy every gaming adventure.

Pricing and Availability

Sound Blaster Blaze V2 is priced at £39.99 and is available at the Creative online store.

For more information, visit creative.com/SBBlazeV2.

TP-Link Unveils Its Very First Tri-Band WiFi 6E Whole Mesh System, the Deco XE75

TP-Link®, a leading global provider of consumer and business networking products, today announces the first WiFi 6E whole home Mesh system, Deco XE75, has launched in the UK, expanding Mesh networking into a new era.

WiFi currently plays one of the most important roles in our daily lives. We work from home, play video games, stream movies, and rely on a smooth data connection for everything we do. The latest WiFi technology will take your network performance to the next level. Deco XE75 is your best choice as an entry-level 6E product.

Mesh WiFi Evolved with the Latest 6 GHz Band

Unleash the latest WiFi technologies and enjoy congestion-free networking. WiFi 6 brings about upgraded performance in network efficiency and capacity. Opening the 6 GHz band changes the game for WiFi 6, allowing WiFi 6 to meet its potential. The 6 GHz band is also clean and congestion-free, being exclusive for WiFi 6E devices to eliminate interference from legacy devices.

Deco XE75 testing shows that its 6 GHz channel usage is 20%-40% cleaner than the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band, bringing less interference to the network. It also features 300% larger throughput and 50%-90% lower latency than the 5 GHz band. ‡

Blazing-Fast WiFi Speed up to 5.4 Gbps

The Tri-Band WiFi with 1024-QAM and 160 MHz channel technology boosts overall speeds up to an incredible 5400 Mbps for up to 7,200 ft2 coverage. Deco XE75 utilises the capabilities of 6 GHz to enable high-bandwidth applications that require faster data throughput. Enjoy smooth 8K streaming and VR/AR experiences without buffering. The lower latency connectivity ensures every online gaming experience remains seamless and immersive.

Cover Every Corner of Your Home

Deco XE75 eliminates weak signal areas with clearer, stronger whole-home WiFi generated by BSS (Base Service Station) Coloring and Beamforming technologies as the WiFi dead zone killer. BSS Coloring detects and marks data frames from neighbouring networks. It reduces slowdowns and interference while allowing more simultaneous data transmissions. Beamforming identifies devices and concentrates wireless signal strength towards them. With BSS Coloring and Beamforming, there will be no more searching for a stable connection.

Engineered for More Devices

No matter how many screens or devices are on at once, the newest generation of WiFi enables congestion-free signals. Deco XE75 builds a more efficient network with more throughput on connected devices in dense environments. You can connect up to 200 devices to your Deco XE75 for a lag-free wireless experience. Say goodbye to poor performance when playing immersive online games.

AI-Driven Mesh, WiFi Tailor to Your Home

Walk through your home and enjoy seamless streaming at the fastest possible speeds. The Deco Mesh system forms a unified network with a single network name. Also, built-in AI roaming creates the ideal Mesh WiFi solution with its sophisticated algorithms and self-learning.

Keep All Elements Secure — HomeShield§

With the enhanced WPA3 encryption and TP-Link HomeShield, Deco XE75 is one of the most secure WiFi Mesh systems, keeping your home network safe. TP-Link HomeShield manages online time and blocks inappropriate content to keep families healthy online with Parental Controls. Quality of Service (QoS) and Network Protection keep your home network smooth and safe. With comprehensive reports, you can check all the statistics and insights to help you get to know your home network better.

Deco XE75 Key Features

  • Whole-Home WiFi 6E  — Cover up to 7,200 ft2 (3-pack) with next-gen seamless WiFi, making dead zones and buffering a thing of the past

  • Brand-New 6 GHz Band — Experience the latest frequency of WiFi, eliminating interference from all legacy devices. The 6 GHz band also delivers a powerful dedicated backhaul to streamline the WiFi performance of non-6E devices

  • True Tri-Band Speed — All three WiFi bands work together to unleash your network’s total speeds up to 5,400 Mbps for 200 devices

  • AI-Driven Mesh — Unite your home under one name and password while delivering the best connections as you move room to room

  • TP-Link HomeShield — Keeps your home network safe with cutting-edge features for network and IoT protection§

  • Setup Made Easier Than Ever — The Deco app walks you through setup and installation, step-by-step

  • Universal Compatibility — Backward compatible with all WiFi generations and works with any internet service provider (ISP)

For more information about the Deco XE75, please visit https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/deco/deco-xe75/

PSB Speakers Announces the Launch of the Alpha iQ, Streaming Powered Speakers with BluOS

PSB Speakers, long renowned for excellence in loudspeaker design, announces the Alpha iQ, Streaming Powered Speakers with BluOS, an all-in-one audio system that sets a new benchmark for modern, tangle-free, audiophile-grade listening. Attendees of the CEDIA Expo will be among the first to experience the product.

PSB’s Alpha iQ will be available for pre-order online on October 19, 2022, for US$1,499 / GBP£1,299 / EUR€1,499 / CDN$2,199. Retail availability will begin in late November 2022.

Comprising two bookshelf speakers with built-in amplifiers and a network streamer based on the award-winning BluOS multi-room music platform, the Alpha iQ lets listeners enjoy PSB’s acclaimed “True to Nature” sound with more than 20 streaming services and hundreds of Internet radio stations. The Alpha iQ has a wide array of inputs so users can connect source components such as a turntable, TV, disc player, or game console. Listeners can share their music over a home network with up to 63 other BluOS-enabled components.

A World of Music

Setting up and using the Alpha iQ is simple. Plug the speakers into power outlets, then connect the Alpha iQ to a home network using the intuitive BluOS Controller app on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. Now the speakers are ready to play music from more than 20 streaming services supported by BluOS, including several that offer high-resolution audio, such as Amazon Music Ultra HD, Deezer, Qobuz, and Tidal. BluOS also provides access to hundreds of Internet radio stations around the world, covering all musical genres.

 

The Alpha iQ has built-in two-way Bluetooth, with support for the high-quality aptX-HD codec for wireless streaming from any mobile device. Apple AirPlay 2 compatibility allows listeners to stream CD-resolution music from any app on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect are both supported, so listeners can cue up music in the apps for those services, then transfer playback to the Alpha iQ.

Tangle-free

Users don’t have to clutter their living spaces with speaker wires to enjoy “True to Nature” sound from the Alpha iQ. The left and right speakers communicate via a wireless link that can cover most rooms in an average-size home, so that music stays synched and clear regardless of speaker placement.

Audiophile-Grade

Available in satin white and satin black finishes, the Alpha iQ has a sleek, modern design. Inside each enclosure is a 4″ polypropylene mid-bass driver with steel basket and rubber surround, and a 0.75″ aluminum dome tweeter with neodymium magnet and ferrofluid damping.

Each woofer has its own 60W class-D amplifier, and each tweeter its own 30W class-D amp, for total system output of 180W. Thanks to their powerful amplifiers, tuned bass ports, and DSP-enabled low-frequency extension, PSB’s Alpha iQ speakers can deliver bass output that completely belies their diminutive size.

The Alpha iQ employs a DSP-based active crossover. As with many PSB designs, the tweeter is placed below the woofer. This arrangement provides greater flexibility in listener position because the blend between woofer and tweeter remains consistent whether one is sitting or standing.

High Resolution

The Alpha iQ’s audiophile-grade DAC supports resolution to 24-bit/192kHz and has full MQA decoding and rendering capability for high-res streaming from Tidal. BluOS also lets listeners enjoy four stations with MQA-encoded high-resolution music from Radio Paradise.

Well Connected

The Alpha iQ boasts an extensive range of input and outputs. The primary speaker has a built-in MM phono preamp and RCA jacks plus ground terminal, so vinyl fans can connect a turntable. An HDMI ARC port lets users experience sound with TV and movies. There’s also an optical input for connecting a disc player or game console, and a 3.5mm auxiliary input for connecting analogue sources. Listeners can also use the BluOS app to play music files stored on an external drive connected to the Alpha iQ’s USB port.

Output Options

For late-night listening, listeners can connect a pair of headphones to the combined optical / headphone jack or via two-way Bluetooth. For enhanced bass, there’s a subwoofer output. When a subwoofer is connected, BluOS engages a low-pass filter for the sub and a high-pass filter for the mains, which frees the Alpha iQ from having to produce deep bass sounds

 

Smart and Simple

Listeners can manage every aspect of the Alpha iQ’s operation using the rich, robust BluOS Controller app, which is available for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. For making quick adjustments without using the app, there are touch controls on the top of the primary speaker for changing volume and pausing and resuming playback. Voice control is also possible using Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri (via AirPlay 2).

Like all BluOS-enabled components, PSB’s Alpha iQ BluOS Powered Speakers can be integrated into popular smart-home systems, including Control4, Crestron, ELAN, RTI, and URC. IR command learning is available for listeners who use harmonized remote controls to operate multiple A/V devices.

“The Alpha iQ is a perfect choice for music-lovers who want a sophisticated all-in-one system that delivers great sound without the fuss of cables and multiple components,” said Joe de Jesus, product manager, PSB Speakers. “We think of it as beautiful sound made simple.”

Features & Details

  • 4″ polypropylene mid-bass driver with steel basket and rubber surround
  • 0.75″ aluminum dome tweeter with neodymium magnet and ferrofluid cooling
  • Fully active design, with DSP crossover and dedicated amplifiers for each driver: 60W for each woofer and 30W for each tweeter
  • Tuned port and DSP-enabled bass extension for excellent LF performance
  • Low-latency wireless connection between the primary and secondary speakers for tangle-free installation
  • Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity
  • Built-in network streamer based on the award-winning BluOS multi-room music platform
  • Integrated support for more than 20 streaming services, including several that offer lossless and high-resolution audio
  • Music can be played through as many as 63 additional BluOS-enabled components
  • Audiophile-grade DAC with maximum resolution of 24-bit/192kHz
  • MQA decoding and rendering capability for high-res streaming from Tidal
  • Apple AirPlay 2 support for streaming from iPhones, iPads, and Macs
  • Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect
  • MM phono, HDMI eARC, optical, and auxiliary inputs
  • USB port for connecting an external drive containing music files
  • Subwoofer output with DSP-enabled low-pass and high-pass filters
  • Support for Control4, Crestron, ELAN, RTI, and URC home-control systems
  • Support for Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri voice control
  • IR learning capability for operating the Alpha iQ with harmonized remotes

JOBY and Casey Neistat Raise the Volume with the Ultimate Creator Contest that Showcases the Wavo PRO Mic

JOBY, the go-to brand for content creator gear, announces its collaboration with the multimillion-subscriber YouTube personality and vlogging godfather, Casey Neistat, to shine a light on the JOBY Wavo PRO shotgun microphone. The new go-to, on-camera mic built for storytellers, filmmakers and expert content creators combines broadcast-level audio performance with superior voice intelligibility.

JOBY, being a brand that stands for creators, teamed up with world renowned content creator Casey Neistat to launch the contest of a lifetime. The competition gives the next generation of storytellers around the globe the chance to achieve their dream of becoming the next top creator, thanks to the top prize being not only the chance to co-create a video with the one and only Neistat, but to have it featured on his YouTube channel.

During the contest, running from September 15th to October 17th across the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and India, JOBY and Casey will invite the community to share their most creative and original video ever realized. The mechanics to participate are designed to reflect JOBY’s iconic simplicity: just a few simple steps to great creator possibility!  

 

  • Step 1: Creators simply fill out a form via the contest landing page or JOBY social media channels
  • Step 2: Submit a link to their most creative and original video ever created
  • Step 3: Follow @JOBYinc on Instagram to stay up to date.   
  • Step 4: Win endless prizes and the chance to co-create with Neistat

 

The top 5 winners will celebrate with an all-inclusive trip to a secret location in the United States for the ultimate creator experience: working alongside Casey to create a video with Wavo PRO and all its features. The video will be featured on Neistat’s YouTube page on November 23rd, reaching his current 12.4 million subscribers. To further connect creators with JOBY products, the next best 95 creators will win $100K worth of products and discounts to help them upgrade their content creation.

However, the prizes don’t stop there: together with the 100 winners that will be announced on October 28th, JOBY will extract an additional four bonus winners for five consecutive Wednesdays, starting September 19th, for weekly prizes in order to help creators to level up their content right away. 

As a brand, JOBY has always supported creators in uplifting their creativity thanks to the development of quality products that simplify workflow, make delivering content easy and ensure fun along the way. JOBY’s ‘born by listening to creators’ mantra, developed in the 2020 Song of Us Campaign, was equally leveraged in the newest JOBY Wavo mic lineup, enabling JOBY to further connect with its global community.

The flagship product of the JOBY Wavo lineup, released in January 2022, Wavo PRO, is the ultimate professional on-camera microphone for creators and filmmakers. The new audio range provides creators like Neistat with crisper and clearer sound for pro-level content. 

The Wavo PRO is packed with features like Active Noise Reduction for clearer sound, built-in LEDs that monitor battery and audio levels in real-time, a second built-in mi input and more. The Wavo PRO is designed to equip creators like Neistat with top-notch quality gear for amazing content. Through the contest, JOBY aims to reach a wider creator audience, helping to uplift their content creator potential.  

Beyond the flagship Wavo PRO, JOBY has microphones that can be used in a variety of scenarios by all creators – whether just starting out or already established. 

  • The Wavo PRO DS is the perfect companion for those just starting out.   This shotgun microphone shares most of the pro-grade components of the flagship Wavo PRO, but is designed to deliver high-quality audio with a more streamlined user experience. 
  • The Wavo AIR is an ‘instant-pairing’ wireless microphone kit designed for creators who need freedom in front of the camera. From food vloggers to virtual fitness instructors, Wavo AIR is perfect for delivering tight, broadcast-quality sound – even at a distance. 
  • Wavo POD is JOBY’s large-diaphragm, USB condenser microphone for audio streamers. The mic is designed for the everyday podcaster or game streamer, featuring the versatility of both cardioid and omnidirectional pickup patterns with 24bit/48kHz high-res sampling rates. 
  • The Wavo Lav PRO is a pro-grade lavalier mic designed for big sound with a small footprint. The Wavo Lav PRO introduces a high-quality lavalier microphone with discreet capsule dimensions and sound fit for the Wavo PRO.
  • More microphones set to come this year, so stay tuned!
  • To learn more about the competition and JOBY check out the campaign, now live. 

Jabra introduces unique AI software for improving customer and agent experience in contact centres

Jabra, a leader in personal sound, video and office solutions, is launching a new Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution, Engage AI. Engineered to transform contact centre call experiences, the solution employs Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology that provides real-time insights to improve customer calls and support employee wellbeing.  

The launch comes on the back of Jabra’s findings on how 76% of customers who contact customer service do so over the phone and how voice interaction remains the preferred channel for customers. With customer experience being a key performance indicator for businesses, Engage AI is built to journey with agents to improve customer satisfaction through monitoring elements like tone of voice. 

Using real-time insights to transform call experiences 

Engage AI assesses both the caller and agents’ conversation and levels of engagement. The solution, which works well with most contact centre systems, provides an instant measurement of the customer experience and live coaching on how to manage the given situation. When agents deliver a friendly and energetic voice, it demonstrably improves customer satisfaction and conversion rates, and reduces call length, thereby saving costs. 

Such real-time insights allow agents to adjust their approach during calls immediately to better suit the caller’s needs as well as post-call in the form of engagement scores to understand areas of improvement. The engagement score and data can also be integrated into existing analytics platforms via API.  

Bringing teams together with upskilling opportunities 

The SaaS solution comes with tools to support skill development and improve team management. Contact centre agents can get access to self-coaching assessments and performance evaluations which are strength-based, inclusive and personalised for each agent and team.  

Contact centre supervisors can also gain instantaneous actionable insights into their team’s performance to further improve customer experience on an individual and team level. On top of receiving real-time updates on praiseworthy and coachable moments, supervisors can use the platform to monitor employee wellbeing based on real-time event updates and dashboards with call analytics and data.  

“Our partners in the contact centre space are obsessed with their customers and are constantly seeking ways to enhance the customer experience. At Jabra, we believe in getting it right from the first second and see the value in improving conversation qualities,” said Anders Hvelplund, SVP for Call Centric Solutions at Jabra. “Engage AI has cracked the code of human sentiment, enabling agents to react instantly and be the best version of themselves. We are also keen to use the platform to bring supervisors and agents closer together in this era of remote working and create more opportunities for coaching.  

The AI model is based on over 20 years of research and millions of analysed conversations by the world’s most prolific voice AI scientists at audEERING, a Munich-based technology operation.  

Jabra Engage AI is easy to implement as it works across all dialects and languages. It is ideal with Jabra Engage headsets, which enable additional features such as measuring background noise, but works well with all professional headsets.  

Jabra Engage AI will be available from September 15. Find out more here: jabra.co.uk/engageai

Jabra announces the Engage 50 II and 40 headsets

Jabra, leader in personal sound, video and office solutions, expands the Engage line with two new products set to empower digital contact centres to enhance customer experience. The Jabra Engage 50 II promises to be the best headset for clear customer calls and ensures that no calls will ever be missed with its SmartRinger feature. Meanwhile, the Jabra Engage 40 delivers innovative speech optimisation and background noise cancellation, enabling agents to focus on conversations with customers at ease. These features are key to improving customer experience, especially since customer satisfaction is ranked the top key performance indicator in most contact centres.   

Power and clarity with the Jabra Engage 50 II 

Speech clarity is an important attribute for contact centres as it directly impacts the customer experience. Bearing that in mind, the Jabra Engage 50 II uses advanced algorithms to create a beamforming pickup of users’ voices and analyses the noises in the background. Its 3-microphone system surpasses the standards of Microsoft’s Premium Microphone for the Open Office with its ability to remove up to 36 decibels of noise, enabling the clearest call experience and spot-on call transcriptions. 

 

The Engage 50 II headset also introduces an adjustable, audible SmartRinger feature that alerts the user of incoming calls even when they are not wearing the headset. It is on a detachable link controller with a volume wheel designed to sit on the desk next to the keyboard to give a no-look access to all controls. The feature makes hybrid work easier on the go as agents will never have to stress about missing a call if they are ever away from the desk. 

 

Comfort and intelligence with the Jabra Engage 40 

Contact centre agents have their headsets on all-day, dealing with customers as well as remote onboarding, coaching, and training – so comfort is key. The Jabra Engage 40 headset is ultra-lightweight with cleverly designed angled ear cushions and an innovative maze-shaped pattern inside each ear cup to relieve pressure. Its built-in hearing protection, two high-quality microphones, noise-isolating earcups and advanced speaker technology optimises every spoken word. Engage 40 also has an inline control unit so agents can handle calls at lightning speed with programmable buttons. 

 

Bringing new levels of transparency to call centre operations 

Jabra Engage 50 II and Engage 40 transcends the traditional role of headsets, by acting as sensors delivering critical data on audio quality and conversation performance. In hybrid work, it can be difficult for contact centre operations and agents to understand if they are delivering great audio quality and pleasing conversations. The data is available through our SDK and can be accessed through pre-built integrations with, amongst others, Nectar, Operata and Virsae. Or it can be accessed with Jabra’s free Engage+ desktop app that provides real-time call insights to instantly improve conversation quality. It assesses whether the background noise, microphone position and voice quality are good prior to a call. During the call, it helps to correct any issues and provide conversation guidance and wraps up every session with a post-call report. The app is unintrusive, easy to use and can be easily deployed via the Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI) file, providing agents with the right support to enhance customer satisfaction. 

 

“Over the years, contact centres have undergone a significant transformation with the move to digital platforms and hybrid ways of working. Agents are relying on technology more than ever to do their job efficiently. This is why we doubled down on our research and development to produce solutions that are intelligent, comfortable, and durable companions for contact centres,” said Anders Hvelplund, SVP for Contact Centre Solutions at Jabra. “We want to help agents focus on delighting customers and give them peace of mind while our Jabra Engage products can handle the rest.” 

Both headsets work with leading contact centre platforms and are Microsoft Teams certified. They also work with Engage AI, Jabra’s new Artificial Intelligence technology that assesses both the caller and agents’ conversation and levels of engagement, and provides real-time actionable insights. 

Engage 50II and Engage 40 pricing and availability  

The new headsets are available now in selected retailers, Engage 50II Stereo MSRP (£279), Mono MSRP (£259). Engage 40 Stereo MSRP (£219), Mono MSRP (£199). 

Find out more about the new Jabra Engage 50 II at www.jabra.co.uk/engage50ii and Engage 40 at www.jabra.co.uk/engage40.  

Fairphone 4 joins Android Enterprise Recommended programme

Fairphone, the Dutch social enterprise building a market for ethical smartphones, is proud to announce that it has received Android Enterprise Recommended (AER) Certification for Fairphone 4. The AER program aims to make it easier for enterprise businesses to integrate mobile solutions into their operations, providing a security and management framework built into Android.

By joining the program, Fairphone is working to provide enterprises with the best and most secure mobile experience possible. Fairphone’s inclusion in the program gives customers added assurance that Fairphone 4 meets Google’s strict enterprise requirements for hardware and software and they can feel comfortable about setting their business up on mobile with Fairphone 4. AER also means that customers get timely security patches and clear information about major updates.

Wayne Huang, Vice President of Product at Fairphone states: “We’re proud to have received AER certification for Fairphone 4. As a small smartphone brand, it’s quite a challenge to meet Google’s high hardware and software standards. Our inclusion in the program allows us to expand our reach into the enterprise space by demonstrating that although we are a small company, we can offer customers the same standard of support in terms of frequency and longevity of security upgrades, zero touch updates and mobile device management (MDM) as other major smartphone companies around the world. The enterprise space has been dominated by bigger brands and there hasn’t been a sustainable phone that meets all of Google’s high standards in the AER offering until now.  And now that we have overcome these challenges, we want to encourage businesses to include more sustainable smartphones in their mobile offering”.

With Fairphone 4, the company is raising the bar for itself and the industry by introducing a five-year warranty at no additional cost to encourage people to use — and enjoy — their phones for longer. This is an unrivaled commitment in the electronics sector and is an addition to Fairphone guaranteeing long-term availability of spare parts combined with software support. For Fairphone 4, software support is guaranteed until the end of 2026 and includes upgrades to Android 12 and Android 13 (and aiming for Android 14 and 15). With this unparalleled ambition, Fairphone aims to repeat what it succeeded in doing with Fairphone 2: almost seven years of software support from the launch of an Android device. Joining the AER program goes hand in hand with the company’s plans for extended software support for Fairphone 4.

About Fairphone

Fairphone is building a market for ethical phones, motivating the industry to act more responsibly and pioneering more sustainable ways to make smartphones. Our latest device, Fairphone 4, is described with the tagline ‘Sustainable. Long-lasting. Fair. Fairphone 4 offers an unprecedented 5-year warranty*, is a unique electronic waste-neutral handset and contains fairly sourced materials, challenging the electronics industry to take a more responsible approach. It is the only smartphone on the market certified with the German eco-label Blue Angel and TCO Certified (for sustainable IT products).

  • 5G and dual SIM
  • Modular design for easy repair
  • 5-year warranty* for maximum longevity
  • 48MP dual rear cameras with supporting sensor and 25MP selfie camera

The smartphone was launched in 2021 at a suggested retail price of €579 (6GB RAM, 128GB internal memory) or €649 (8GB RAM, 256GB internal memory). The two variants of the device are available in Europe from a wide distribution network of (online) retailers and network operators and Fairphone’s website. To learn more about Fairphone 4 click here.

*if bought before 31/12/2022, and warranty activated within 90 days on Fairphone.com/warranty

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