Category: Tech News

Nokia announce three new iconic feature phones and a new Nokia tablet to enhance HMD Global’s 2022 portfolio

HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, today announces three new feature phones to offer an alternative for people seeking to escape technology fatigue and ‘always on’ culture. As a leader in the $1 billion feature phone market in 2022 HMD Global’s new feature phone launches cement the Nokia phone legacy of unbeaten durability and battery life.

Taking inspiration from the resilient trio of feature phones, is the durable Nokia T10 – a tablet designed for work, home and family life. It comes in an affordable, compact 8” package with handy capabilities. It is a great all-rounder for juggling a busy life, whether you’re taking video calls from home, streaming your favourite TV shows, using the second screen feature to make it an expansion of PC display or keeping the kids entertained on Google Kids Space.

The latest portfolio additions reaffirm HMD Global’s commitment to ensuring everyone has access to affordable and long-lasting technology in both the phone and tablet categories. More importantly, these value devices are being released at a time of anxiety for consumers as the cost of living continues to rise. And the feature phones land at a time when 90s consumer culture is seeing a resurgence and resonating with customers.

Florian Seiche, CEO, HMD Global: ” Classic Nokia heritage is combined with innovation in our feature phone portfolio. This iconic range is gaining momentum as your trusted companion for all your communication needs.  At the same time, we have brought our signature longevity promises to the tablet market.

Innovation is just as important as heritage in our range which shines through with Nokia Aquila – a feature phone built for the 21st Century.  The Nokia Aquila delivers audio freedom through game-changing design.

Nokia T10: Quality that outlasts the competition

Small but mighty, the newest Nokia tablet is durable inside and out. Its unibody polymer design and nano-textured finish hide scratches so it looks almost as good as new when you pass it down to a family member or friend. Inside, the latest Android 12 software, two years of guaranteed Android upgrades, and three years of monthly security updates (twice as many as the competition) future-proof the device.

It also comes with Google Entertainment Space and Google Kids Space to make life easy whether the kids are enjoying tablet time, or you’re searching for your next favourite show. Meanwhile, a new range of accessories complements the Nokia T10’s functionality. This includes the Nokia Flip cover which handles most workplace environments and guards the entire device against bumps and scratches. It is available in Dark Blue or Cyan (green-blue shade) so you can stand out while keeping the tablet protected.

Nokia 8210 4G: Reviving a style icon

Nokia 8210 4G – a new addition to the ‘Originals’ family – celebrates the iconic Nokia 8210 launched in 1999 at Paris Fashion Week. Inspired by the classic feature phone, the new Nokia 8210 4G turns heads by combining memorable design and signature durability with 4G, VoLTE capability, a large 2.8” display and intuitive user interface. Things just got so much simpler! Plus, it has weeks of standby battery like the good old days.

Nokia 5710 XpressAudio: Game-changing audio meets 21st century innovation

The Nokia 5710 XpressAudio takes what people loved about the Nokia 5310 and makes it even better. A bigger battery, dedicated audio control keys, and a built-in wireless earbuds ramp up the audio experience to the next level and meet the needs of modern users. When not in use, earbuds are housed beneath a sleek slider on the back of the phone, so you always know where they are and charged. That, together with loud dual speakers means you can enjoy music privately or together with friends just like the artist intended with rich bass, clear highs, and natural vocals..

Nokia 2660 Flip: accessibility and durability in a flip phone

The flip functionality and thoughtful design of the Nokia 2660 Flip makes call handling simple by bringing the mic and earpiece closer to you. Enhanced, confidence-boosting accessibility features mean it is loved by everyone, especially those over 55. Its big display, hearing aid compatibility, stellar battery life, and big buttons provide a seamless experience for those who need it the most. The dedicated emergency button provides peace of mind by allowing quick contact with your loved ones. In case the unexpected happens, five contacts will be notified, so they can ensure help is on the way. And, if you’d like to always know where your phone is and that it is charging when not in use, the sturdy Nokia Charging Cradle[iii] is the perfect accessory.

Pricing and availability

  • The Nokia T10 will be available in Ireland in early August from €169. The Nokia Flip Cover will be available in Nordic Blue for €34.99
  • The Nokia 8210 4G will be available in Ireland in early August in blue for €74.99
  • The Nokia 5710 XpressAudio will be available in Ireland in August in black/red for €84.99
  • The Nokia 2660 Flip will be available in Ireland in early August in black for €84.99. The Nokia Charging Cradle is available for €19.99.  For launch, Nokia.com customers can buy the Nokia 2660 Flip with Cradle bundle for €94.99

Commonwealth Games photography tips: Capture sporting action like a pro this summer

Mario So is a filmmaker and photographer specialising in visual story telling as well as high impact product commercials. He is part of ZHIYUN creator’s club. Mario So is also an educator in the field. You can find him teaching tutorials or talking about gear on his YouTube channel.

The Commonwealth Games will be held from 28 July to 8 August 2022 and are set to be the biggest sporting event of the year. If you’re lucky enough to have tickets for this or any other major fixture, taking the perfect video will be something to share and marvel at in many years to come. Film like a pro with these top tips.

 

  1. LIVE AND BREATHE YOUR SPORT

Having extensive knowledge of the sport you are shooting will show in your footage. By being passionate about the sport you are filming, you will be more able to anticipate where an athlete is going to move for those next level shots.

It takes practice and dedication to be able to feel your shots by instinct, so the more events you capture, the more you will understand where to go for the best shots. Watching lots of sports games will also give you a better idea of what players to look out for and understand what the audience likes to see.

  1. FREESTYLE SHOTS FOR AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

Filmmakers (whether amateur or pro) can create an immersive experience for their audience in so many ways including by following the action with close-up shots of, for example, in outdoor or extreme sports.

Raise the camera, we like using the Sony a7siii for it’s great video capabilities, above your head for an overhead view of the action or sweep in lows for added drama. One way to do this while keeping the camera steady is by using a gimbal.

Gimbals offer versatility, and lightweight models like the Weebill 3 or smartphone champions such as the SMOOTH Q4 offer more freedom for you to move around and try different techniques such freestyle shots and can be used to get the perfect dolly shot.

Why not capture the classic push-in or pull-out shots you see onscreen by moving your camera steadily forward or backwards?

Alternatively, you can hold your camera or gimbal vertically or inclined, push in at a low angle, tilt up or down, and pan. The options are almost endless. As long as the camera is steady and facing your subject, you can shoot some excellent sports footage.

  1. SMOOTH, DYNAMIC ACTION SHOTS

To get the best out of your footage, ensure your camera is in focus and steady. The Sony A6600 offers a compact body with excellent autofocus. With many sports, like basketball you still want to be mobile – which is not always possible with a tripod.

Standing in one place, follow your subject with the camera by rotating your body and camera in the same direction as your subject is moving. This is a great shot for those sports that require the camera to stay focused on a moving subject over a shorter distance, such as a cricketer running between wickets or for swimmers.

  1. CAPTURE ACTION FROM ALL ANGLES

With a gimbal, you’ll get smooth footage that shows the action from all angles. This is called a parallax shot  – a 180 or 360 rotating motion that places the subject in the centre of the frame.

Parallax shots are particularly suited for slower, indoor sports like snooker, darts, or chess and work best if you’re a short distance from what you’re shooting. Your subject can be stationary or mobile.

  1. BEAUTIFULLY UNBROKEN SHOTS

This type of shot is called the handover. Equipment like gimbals make it possible to hand over the camera to another operator mid-shot for continuous, unbroken filming.

Take parkour for example. Users stand on different levels, handing the video stabiliser to another operator while the initial subject leaps and rolls over obstacles. For extreme sports like these it’s always a great idea to get a gimbal with a secure locking system for your smartphone or camera.

 

  1. FAST PACED, LONG DISTANCE ACTION

For fast paced, long-distance sports such as cycling or marathons, be ready to capture the action from a moving car or motorbike. You can film as you walk, run or bike alongside your subject too, depending on the sport.

Professional photographers should consider the Sony A9 Mark II  to capture shots that need to be delivered to a news desk or website quickly…with super-fast WiFi transfer, a class-leading autofocus system and attractive burst shooting, this camera is leading the way in sports photography.

  1. NON STOP WIDE SHOTS FOR BREATHTAKING ANGLES

For extreme or winter sports, filmmakers can opt to record the action while also participating in sport such as skateboarding, skydiving and skiing. While it does take fitness and certain skill from the videographer, the potential results are worth it.

Stabilise your camera as you follow your subject for a start-to-finish action scene. Make sure you choose equipment durable enough to withstand a few bumps along the way.

  1. GETTING GREAT AUDIO

Great audio is a key component of the video. When shooting outdoors or where there is an audience, there are various factors that you need to be aware of, such as the weather.

Strong winds and background noise could interfere with the microphone and negatively impact the sound quality. Noise-cancelling microphones, a deadcat, or capturing your audio with external recorders can be of great help.

Images from Mario So around parkour/gymnastics training and skating:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kFJUSc8pHs0q8-LhZRi5RhitATbeMJTb

Capturing smooth shots of sporting action is easy using a camera stabiliser. Here are three of our top picks:

Crane M3 –  professional, 3-axis gimbal, claiming five industry firsts for looks, unmatched versatility, easy operability and trademark high-performance ZHIYUN design. The CRANE M3 is compatible with smartphones, action cameras, and full-frame mirrorless cameras with certain lenses.

CRANE M3 £329.00 from the official ZHIYUN store

Weebill 3 – portable, high performance gimbal for DSLR cameras. Incorporating a new SLING 2.0 design for improved ergonomics, built-in microphone, fill light and a powerful, inbuilt battery supporting all-day use

WEEBILL 3 £449 from the Official ZHIYUN store

Smooth Q4 – aimed at on-the-move filmmakers, live-streamers, vloggers and influencers, the new 3-axis stabiliser, is designed for super quick-shooting capabilities and ultra-creative output, day or night.

Smooth Q4, from £119 on the Official Zhiyun store

About Mario So

Mario So is a filmmaker and photographer specialising in visual story telling as well as high impact product commercials. He is part of the ZHIYUN creator’s club. Mario So is also an educator in the field. You can find him teaching tutorials or talking about gear on his YouTube channel.

More about Mario So:

www.mariosomedia.com

www.youtube.com/MarioSoMedia

www.tiktok.com/@maritoso7

Integrity360 targets significant growth with launch of new Managed Digital Risk Protection Service

Integrity360, UK and Ireland’s largest independent cyber security services specialist, today announced that it is targeting significant business growth following the launch of its new managed Digital Risk Protection Service.

Powered by the SearchLight platform from leading threat intelligence provider Digital Shadows, the new and innovative service offers 24/7 monitoring and rapid response for digital risks outside of traditional business environments or infrastructure by proactively scanning for threats on the Open, Deep and Dark web.

The solution can limit the potential damage from data leakage with early detection of credentials or documents in online data stores, paste sites or within criminal fora on the Dark web, and offers online brand protection by alerting if an organisation’s identity is being used or impersonated maliciously. It also reduces the potential attack surface by identifying system vulnerabilities, misconfigurations and weak or expiring certificates within a company’s externally-facing infrastructure.

Furthermore, Integrity360’s Digital Risk Protection Service provides curated and tailored threat intelligence reporting to customers including information on threats relating to their wider industry, similar organisations, targeted against their specific infrastructure, and within their specific geographic region.

The service will reduce the burden on in-house security teams, resulting in increased threat visibility and improved threat prevention, while also delivering significant time and cost savings for businesses. It can act as a standalone offering or can be integrated with Integrity360’s Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service for a holistic 360-degree security threat detection solution.

The cybersecurity services specialist will be targeting customers across multiple sectors and industries with this service – which can be implemented within a day – including finance, insurance, legal, manufacturing, retail, utilities, and professional services. It expects to grow its own cyber threat response team to meet demand as the service scales.

Brian Martin, Head of Product, Strategy and Innovation for Integrity360, said: “Most security services focus on threats to organisations once they are on the doorstep or have already infiltrated the environment. However, there is a world of external digital risks and threats to organisations that can be extremely hard to monitor – and that’s the critical blind spot we aim to address with this service.

 

“The new service provides constant vigilance in external risk visibility, but also reduces the noise from this high level of monitoring, ensuring real risks are dealt with rapidly, efficiently, and effectively. After all, rapid response is the key to reducing the risk of negative security incidents. This is increasingly important with the rising volume and sophistication of cyber threats. This proposition, combining a leading managed service provider with a leading Digital Risk monitoring platform, is quite unique within the Irish and UK markets. We look forward to working closely with our customers on helping them to identify and respond to risks and threats targeting them in the external environment.”

Bolt appoint John Buckley to Operations Manager for Rentals in Ireland

Bolt, the European mobility champion, continues to strengthen its Irish team with the appointment of John Buckley as Operations Manager for Rentals in Ireland. John joins Bolt following the launch of the firm’s first Irish electric bike rollout in Sligo, with a number of other cities and towns under consideration

Buckley joins from Bleeper, where he was responsible for the management and supervision of all aspects of daily operations for public bike share schemes throughout the administrative areas of Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, whilst ensuring the service met the strict requirements as set out by the Local Authorities.

He joins Bolt as it prepares to invest €5m in expanding its e-bike and scooter operations in Ireland as part of a bid to build a multimodal platform that can provide a sustainable alternative to private car ownership. Bolt is the largest micromobility operator across continental Europe, with services in more than 200 cities and 20 European countries.

Announcing John Buckley’s appointment, Tomas Veloso  Director of Rentals for Bolt said, “As we aim to bring a multi-modal mobility app to cities across Ireland, John will be integral to guiding the strategy behind our electric bike and scooter roll outs, ensuring Bolt thoughtfully and safely integrates with the infrastructure, transport system and wellbeing of the public.”

On joining the team, John Buckley said; “Bolt is at an exciting point in its development in Ireland, with really ambitious plans for growth. I’m eager to unlock the positive benefits micromobility options can bring to the country, whilst staying acutely aware of any concerns held by Irish cities and towns about the introduction of new transport modes.”

John brings a wealth of experience in sustainable transport options and reaffirms Bolt’s long term commitment to the Irish market. He will be responsible for the management of Bolt’s first Irish e-bike rental service in Sligo and the rollout of further e-bike and scooter services throughout Ireland in the coming months.

More About Bolt’s Irish Plans

Bolt offers a range of mobility services including ride-hailing, shared cars, e-bikes, scooters, and food and grocery delivery to more than 75 million customers in over 45 countries across Europe and Africa.

Bolt currently offers ride hailing services in Dublin and Cork, and an e-bike rental service in Sligo. Ride hailing operations are headed by James Bowpitt, who manages a specialist team in Dublin.

Bolt recently announced that it will  commit up to €5m in its bid to roll out e-bike operations across Irish cities and towns. Up to 2000 bikes are available immediately following Bolt’s recent fundraise and investment in micromobility with founder Markus Villig recently committing €150m to expand its light vehicle fleet across Europe.

Launching a 100 e-bike rental service in Sligo in June, Bolt has confirmed it is in talks with several other councils keen to accelerate its active travel services in line with the National Development Plan and the Climate Action Plan. Should all current tender applications be successful, Bolt envisages an additional 50 employees, as well as a significant expansion of its head office facilities in Dublin.

Bolt is keen to add e-scooters to its operations when legislation is in place. Bikes and electric scooters cover a fuller range of travel options across most European cities and could help significantly move Irish transport users away from private car use.

The Bolt app is available on iOS and Android.

WhatsApp gets full emoji keyboard including skin tone selector and file sending now up to 2GB

Mark Zuckerberg just announced that Reactions on WhatsApp is expanding to include a full emoji keyboard meaning people will now be able to use any emoji when reacting to a message on WhatsApp. As part of the full keyboard, users will also have the ability to select a different skin tone for emojis.

In addition, you can now send files within WhatsApp up to 2GB in size at a time, protected by end-to-end encryption. This is an increase from the previous limit of 100MB and we think will be helpful for collaboration among small businesses and school groups. We recommend using WiFi for larger files and we’ll display a counter while uploading or downloading to let you know how long your transfer will take.

Full story HERE

The Importance of Cloud Computing in Business

Cloud computing is an on-demand technology that quickly provides the resources you need to run your business without a long wait for setup or installation.

Nowadays, there are many cloud computing services available, so it can be hard to determine which one is best for your needs. However, this blog post will tell you some factors you should take into account when migrating to a cloud service provider!

1) Security

Security should be one of the top priorities when migrating your business to a new cloud service provider. As many companies, such as APT group, have shown, security vulnerabilities within various popular cloud services are easily exploited for malicious and sometimes financially motivated purposes.

So, take some time to do a thorough assessment and research before you decide which cloud provider or services you want to use. Many providers will ask security professionals if they can perform an audit on the system before you sign up with them, so that should help you get started with the decision process!

2) Support Services and Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Many cloud providers will offer support services in the form of phone calls, online chats, and more. However, it is important to note that most SLAs only offer a certain level of access. Even Microsoft recommends using an independent backup service to protect your data.

If you are considering different Office 365 migration services, make sure you check the SLA to ensure your data is protected. For services like Office 365 Migration and Azure Data Backup you need 24×7 support from cloud provider via email/chat/phone. 

3) Quick and Easy access to Resources

The main reason why companies are interested in cloud computing is the fact that it allows them to quickly and easily access IT resources. This is especially true if you are trying to start up a brand-new business. You or your company will not want to spend hours, sometimes even days, configuring and installing various services.

Quick and easy access to resources is one of the biggest benefits of cloud computing. Services such as Office 365 allow your employees and customers to access their data from anywhere they want while providing security at all times. By using a cloud service provider, your business can literally go global within minutes!

4) Affordability

Cloud computing is a great way to cut down on IT costs. For example, 82% of SMBs report reduced costs from adopting cloud-based services.

5) Scalability and Flexibility

With cloud computing services, your business will be able to easily upgrade or downgrade your service plan anytime you want. This is important as your business will change over time, and different services might need to be added or removed. For example, it is obvious that if you have a lot of employees today, you will need more licenses for a certain app.

For most Azure users, this flexibility is the main reason why they want to use the cloud service. 

6) Cloud Services are Ideal for Startups and Growing Businesses

Cloud computing services are ideal for startups and growing businesses because they allow companies to focus on how to best serve their customers instead of worrying about technical issues.

If you are interested in migrating to cloud computing services, be sure to research your options. In addition to the tips above, look at each provider in terms of how they offer support and service level agreements, as well as their reliability and reputation.

Also, take into account the security of the data, especially if you are hoping to use cloud service providers for storing customer or company information.

Ultrahuman launches world’s first smart ring with a focus on metabolism

Ultrahuman, the world’s most advanced metabolic fitness platform, has today announced the launch of its newest wearable, the Ultrahuman Ring. The metabolism-tracking wearable will measure movement, sleep and the body’s energy dynamics coupled with intelligent activity or recuperating recommendations, in real-time, to balance and take control of your health.

The Ring provides a minimal form factor with no screens or vibrations keeping you away from constant notifications. You check your details when you want to, on the app, ensuring no intrusion in your daily activities. It also comes with a power packed 5-day battery life.

The Ultrahuman ring is designed for enduring rough usage conditions and workouts. The ring’s outer surface is made of a titanium body coated with tungsten carbide which is 5 times harder than tool steel making it remarkably scratch resistant. At the same time, comfort and minimalism is at the core of the product.This is ensured by the smooth inner shell of the ring that makes it comfortable during sleep and rest scenarios.

Ultrahuman Ring works standalone or in combination with the existing advanced glucose monitoring platform, Ultrahuman M1, to offer users even deeper metabolic insights and more precise actionables for optimizing your health.

New ring from Ultrahuman – techbuzzireland

Mohit Kumar, Founder and CEO, Ultrahuman commented: “We have always believed in the power of biomarkers in terms of their ability to make health optimization more efficient. With the Ultrahuman ring and a new suite of metabolic biomarkers, you can now understand not just what’s affecting your glucose metabolism but also how to act on the insights in an efficient way.  For eg. You could figure how much of your glucose metabolism is affected by the lack of sleep vs the food itself. This is a phenomenal leap in the world of biomarkers and allows us to study various factors around human health in a unique and much more impactful way than ever.”

Some of the insights that will be available with the Ultrahuman ring would be around understanding your NEAT ( non-exercise activity thermogenesis ), sleep efficiency and its effect on glucose metabolism and food’s impact on recovery and performance.

The Ultrahuman Ring will be available for pre-order globally from 7th July 2022 and shipping will start August 2022 onwards.

Ultrahuman is a venture-backed startup that has raised $25m to date. Their investors include Alpha Wave Incubation (AWI), which is backed by DisruptAD and managed by Falcon Edge, Steadview Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, Blume Ventures and Utsav Somani’s iSeed fund, and a range of marquee founders and angel investors including Tiger Global’s Scott Schleifer.

ZHIYUN Unveils its Best Gimbal Discounts on 2022 Amazon Prime Day

ZHIYUN, the world leader in professional stabilization systems, will offer its best gimbal discount deals on 2022 Amazon Prime Day for a wide range of its products including, SMOOTH 5, CRANE M3, WEEBILL 2, CRANE M2S, CRANE 3S. Get up to 51% off or save up to £350.

ZHIYUN Amazon Prime Day Deals officially kicked off on 6 July and will continue till 20 July 2022 on the ZHIYUN UK Amazon Store and ZHIYUN Official Store. For any amateur or professional photographers who want to improve their skills, this is the right time to purchase their dream gimbal(s) for cameras or smartphones.

Below is a complete list of the discounted gimbals:

CAMERA GIMBALS

Crane 3S —  is a powerful redesign of previous ZHIYUN gimbals with the addition of detachable handle options, more powerful motors with a large 14.3 lb payload, an updated axis-locking system, and an external power input, and the ViaTouch 2.0 remote control system.

Original price: £ 799
Discounted price: 30%  –  £ 559

Crane M3 — upgraded motors with stronger torque guarantee stable movements and filming with cameras in different sizes. Easy compatible with smartphones, action cameras, compact cameras, and full-frame mirrorless cameras with certain lenses.

Original price: £ 369
Discounted price: 11%  –  £ 329

Crane M2 S — is highly portable, just like a phone gimbal, but with the capacity to hold cameras up to the Sony A7SIII with small prime lenses. The super-lightweight body is combined with stronger motors and extended axes compared to the standard CRANE-M2 series, making it a must-have for high velocity, run-and-gun filmmakers.

Original price: £ 259
Discounted price: 12%  –  £ 229

WEEBILL 2 — has enhanced responsiveness and stabilization capabilities to accurately eliminate shaky movements in a lightweight frame sporting an industrial design that gives users maximum control through a flip-out touch screen.

Original price: £ 509
Discounted price: 8%  –  £ 469

Crane 2S — the upgraded version of the legendary gimbal CRANE 2 with optimized motor control algorithms and motor power that handles BMPCC 6K, Panasonic S1H, Canon EOS 1DX Mark II, and Nikon D850 with total ease.

Original price: £ 599
Discounted price: 35% –  £ 389

SMARTPHONE GIMBALS

Smooth 5 —  the industry-standard 3-axis design allows movements in all angles to be amazingly smooth, even at extreme angles.

Original price: £ 159
Discounted price: 13%  –  £ 139

Smooth X — the world’s first pocket-size selfie-stick phone gimbal that makes phone shooting such fun. It comes with the ZY Cami APP featuring functions like gesture control, object tracking, beauty camera, and smart filmmaking.

Original price: £ 59
Discounted price: 51%  –  £ 29

Smooth  Q3 —  from a rotatable fill light to 17 smart templates, the Smooth-Q3 is a compact, feature-rich three-axis gimbal with simplified and detail-oriented design and unrivalled functionality.

Original price: £ 85
Discounted price: 12%  –  £ 75

Konftel Aims Higher To Solve Ceiling Mount Challenge For Greater Room Lay Out Flexibility

Collaboration endpoint specialist Konftel is creating greater installation flexibility with the development of an innovative speakerphone ceiling mount kit that promotes a neater and more natural meeting room experience.

Specifically designed for its flagship Konftel 800 device, the new development provides an alternative to traditional desktop placement. It addresses growing market demand for smarter and more flexible room configurations, especially for education and training purposes.

The special kit includes a dedicated bracket and ceiling mount plate – and is compatible with tripod mounting systems.

Room flexibility

Konftel Product Manager, Torbjörn Karlsson, says the kit can dramatically improve room flexibility by providing cable and device-free desk configurations – as well as encouraging more natural meeting behaviour.

“The Konftel Ceiling Mount Kit ensures seating can quickly and easily be rearranged which is perfect for hybrid lectures or corporate presentations. The overall experience can be further enhanced by connecting two other devices via daisy chain for extended pick-up in larger areas.”

He emphasized: “In addition, by placing the Konftel 800 in the air this encourages users to stop looking at the speakerphone when talking. When the device is placed in the ceiling people will tend to forget about it and speak naturally in the direction they want, such as towards the screen when addressing a remote participant.”

Lecture mode

In a further boost Konftel is developing a new ‘lecture mode’ function (via a free software upgrade) that will enable wireless connectivity between tested and approved headset models and the Konftel 800. This feature is due to be available from September and is also particularly useful for both training and education presentations, according to Karlsson.

“When a teacher or presenter is talking via their headset, all room participants are automatically muted from the Konftel 800’s microphones. Once the person is silent, the Konftel 800 mics open again,” he explained. “So wherever the teacher is located, perhaps facing a whiteboard, they can still be heard clearly by all remote participants.”

Reach further

Further complementing Konftel’s room flexibility ethos is the launch of the Konftel Reach USB 5+15. This comprises two active optical cables that provide more installation opportunities when users bring their own laptop to a meeting room to start a video call. 

Karlsson added: “They are used to replace USB cables connected between the Konftel OCC Hub, the Konftel conference camera and a user’s laptop. Konftel Reach enables longer distances between the parts in the ‘Bring Your Own Meeting’ video solution and neater, hidden cable routing in the meeting room. It is another welcome addition to our evolving product portfolio.”