Tag: Hybrid

Tech review – Jabra Elite 5

The Jabra Elite 5 have been in our ears some weeks now and some flights which made way for perfect testing environments and how they perform with ANC which is probably the one of the most important features those look out for today, the Jabra elite 5 and some other earbuds went through the same test and stay tuned for other earbud reviews soon but today it is all about Jabra in which there is always a pair with me on my travels regardless where I go on my travels and that is a good thing to be able to say.

First thing is the look and design which is familiar which is fine but for me the colour is what wins the looks department standing out from the usual black colours we tend to see, Jabra do over time often release other colourways later on in their product cycle which is great and I got the lucky end of the deal this time with this colour option and love it and not only that they have been through alot and have not got dirty or has the colour faded. Battery life is great with around 6.5 hours per charge with full ANC and volume for those who do not go the max they will get longer and you have also got wireless charging on deck and a ten minute charge gives you and hours playtime. A big feature to point out is multipoint connection which is often left out at higher priced earbuds and this feature is for those who want to connect more than one device at once so ideal for me and those who work at home or indeed an office environment.

Design is familiar here and in line with the current portfolio of earbuds which we have recently reviewed which for me is fine, if you are a current user of Jabras line this will fit in well and no learning curves or muscle memory to use the earbuds, we have the SoundPlus app to enhance the listening experience and again this is excellent as expected, as mentioned above the ANC works a treat whilst not the best they are excellent for calls and the most important feature I guess is the audio experience.

Highs lows and mids are fine and the volume is loud enough even for me, we have SBC AAC and aptX codex here which the later people look for these days and for a mid priced pair of earbuds that is good. For music movies and more they do a great job and very centred, on my usual test loop they pass my test which is hours of music videos and movies and I cant complain and for the price paid nor should you.

Check the video review for more and check out the app.

 

Jabra Elite 5 key features and specifications:

  • Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) blocks more background noise, powered by the Qualcomm QCC3050 Bluetooth SoC
  • 6-microphone call technology with wind noise suppression
  • Powerful 6mm speakers for goosebump-inducing, heart-racing, soaring sound
  • Customizable EQ and Spotify Tap Playback
  • Up to 7 hours play time with ANC on (up to 28 hours with wireless charging case)
  • Qualcomm® aptX™ Audio
  • Google Assistant and Alexa Built In for hands-free assistance on-the-go
  • Easy pairing with Google Fast Pair* and Microsoft Swift Pair*
  • Bluetooth Multipoint keeps you connected to two devices at once
  • IP55-rated protection against dust and water

BUY

Video review

Intelligent hybrid working: Logitech showcases AI-powered tabletop camera ‘Logitech Sight’ at DTX 2022

DTX + UCX exhibitors Logitech used Europe’s #1 digital transformation event of 2022 to showcase their revolutionary new product the Logitech Sight – an AI-powered tabletop camera that intelligently captures the best perspective of meeting participants and tracks conversations as they move around the conference room.

In today’s hybrid work landscape in which 43% of remote employees report not feeling included, the Logitech Sight helps solve the disparity between hybrid teams by giving remote workers an “at the table” experience when meeting with in-office colleagues.

Logitech Sight is the latest in a series of innovations designed to level the playing field for all workers, regardless of whether they choose to collaborate from the office, home, or anywhere else.

As an AI-powered camera, Logitech Sight provides alternative perspectives—by extending audio and video into larger rooms—to the Rally Bar or Rally Bar Mini camera at the front of the room.

With dual 4K cameras and seven beamforming microphones, Sight captures conversations and nonverbals as they naturally happen. This ultimately enhances employee participation and engagement by helping remote attendees feel as if they’re actually seated at the table.

Scott Wharton, general manager of Logitech Video Collaboration, stated: “We’re no longer all at home in equal-sized video boxes like we were during the height of the pandemic. In a hybrid work world, a mix of in-office and remote workers increases the challenge of delivering equitable experiences to everyone.”

“Logitech Sight, when used with Rally Bar or Rally Bar Mini, uses AI to tackle this problem with a model that is less Silicon Valley and more Hollywood—the art of using multiple camera angles and intelligent direction to bring remote participants off the sidelines and into the room. 

“Our customers have told us that this is one of the biggest hybrid work problems to solve to make ‘return to the office’ work better for teams. We believe, based on years of research and early customer feedback, that we’ve cracked the code on this must-win critical problem for organisations of all sizes.”

Eamon O’Doherty, Enterprise Director EMEA at Logitech added: “2022 has seen further confirmation that the home is just an important workspace as the office is. Of course, a home office is a different set-up to a conventional office, and has different benefits and challenges when it comes to communication.

“In response, there’s been a noticeable development in products aimed at improving the home working experience, such as docks that double as speaker phones both for conference calls and music, and which feature physical buttons that integrate with a chosen video software. 

“At the same time, these hubs can also wirelessly connect to a wireless headset, meaning a user can switch to more personal communication should there be background noise at home (an inevitability when there are kids and animals around!).

“Going forward, we’ll see more business technology that is designed for the home working space – whether that’s lighter and more compact solutions that fit in smaller, often improvised workspaces, or wireless-first products that help to reduce clutter by removing wires.”

The Logitech Sight will also enable RightSight with Smart Switching, adaptive intelligence that selects the best view between the tabletop camera and front-of-room camera, intuitively switching between camera views of in-person interactions and tracking conversations naturally

By integrating with leading video conferencing platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet, Sight makes it easy to use hybrid-friendly meeting layout features like Zoom Smart Gallery and Microsoft Teams dynamic view.

Compatibility with popular platforms also gives IT teams assurance that their smart room technology will continue to meet the evolving needs of their hybrid workforce.

Jabra Connect 5t – First look and unboxing

Only recently Jabra announced their latest product the connect 5t and we now have them here in the hand, the design language here is familiar which is fine and looks fine inside their product portfolio. The great thing here is you get a wireless charging pad with your earbuds which is certainly a first for me to see in the massive collection of earbuds I own and will make life easier, not only that you can charge as normal with USB-C.

The Connect 5t, based on the recently announced Elite 5 earbuds, lets you stay connected to two devices at once, like a laptop and a smartphone, with its Bluetooth Multipoint feature. For Android or Windows users, the Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair will connect the earbuds in seconds, allowing effortless switching and manoeuvring. With Spotify Tap playback, all the music the user could ever wish for is accessible on tap.

Features

  • 6-mic technology – Clear calls for virtual meetings
  • Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation – Blocks out surrounding noise for better concentration
  • Smart connectivity options – Connect to two devices at one time with the Bluetooth Multipoint connection and enjoy Google Fast Pair and/or Microsoft Swift Pair to be connected in seconds. Spotify Tap gives easy on tap access to music
  • Up to 7 hours battery, 28 hours with the case – All-day work calls. Wireless charging pad included
  • 6mm speakers – Ensures rich, satisfying sounds in and out of office hours
  • Hands-free voice assistants – Google Assistant* and Alexa built-in for hands-free assistance on-the-go
  • Wireless charging pad included

BUY

Video

HP expands product portfolio in the Irish market to Make Hybrid Work, Work

At the HP Amplify Executive Forum, HP Inc’s annual partner roadshow, the company announced a new device which is now available in Ireland to help people thrive in their hybrid work environments.

 “Ways of working have changed significantly over the past few years, with people seeking the flexibility to collaborate and create wherever they need to be, and the technology they use is fundamental to this,” said Neil Dover, Country Manager of HP Ireland. “HP is in a strong position to support the hybrid working world through hardware, software, and services, and we are thrilled to bring this new PC to the Irish market; the HP Dragonfly Folio G3 – the hybrid-ready convertible PC for business.”

With nearly half of workers having at least some flexibility in where they work in 2023, workers want devices with personalised experiences that enable them to securely collaborate, create, and be productive no matter where they get work done.

 

Your new mobile office

HP continues to deliver premium experiences in its expanded Dragonfly portfolio. With a pull-forward design that seamlessly transitions from laptop to tablet, the HP Dragonfly Folio G3 empowers collaborative thinkers to create, capture, and share ideas whenever they strike.

The PC combines laptop productivity with the convenience of a tablet in one device to enable true productivity when working from anywhere. The PC makes brainstorming and whiteboarding ideas a personalised experience with natural and intelligent inking with the HP Dragonfly Folio Pen. The pen magnetically attaches to the device, features three programmable buttons, and can wirelessly charge to 100% in 30 minutes. Users can unleash even more creativity by using their pen on the display of the PC to ink on a secondary connected display with HP Indirect Inking.

Never miss an opportunity to whiteboard and naturally capture ideas on with the HP Dragonfly Folio Pen.

Enhanced by HP Presence, the PC offers collaboration features for more productive and engaging video conferencing experiences. The 8MP camera ensures users show up naturally and the 100-degree field-of-view makes it easy for another teammate to join on screen when collaborating in person. When users want to think on their feet, HP Auto Frame keeps them in frame when they want to stand, stretch, or move around – perfect for days with back-to-back meetings. It also automatically adjusts voice volume to maintain consistency whether users are close or far from the microphone. When working remotely, users can worry less about background sounds with AI-based noise reduction that filters outbound and inbound noises. For added security, the HP Privacy Camera allows users to disable the webcam with the touch of a button.

The PC is built with recycled magnesium, aluminum,and ocean bound plastics.

HP Wolf Security for Business provides a resilient defense against malware and hacking, while new seamless firmware ensure 50% reduction in update time and allows users to stay productive and continue working during updates. To go one step further, HP Privacy Alert lets users know when prying eyes are viewing their screen so they can quickly switch on optional HP Sure View to blur the screen from unwanted eyes.

The new thermal solution optimises PC performance without adding significant weight or thickness and the new dimming features helps conserve battery power for long work days.

When it comes to personalising the mobile office experience, the myHP application provides a single dashboard to control and customise PC settings for excellent video, audio, and more.

Pricing and Availability

  • The HP Dragonfly Folio G3 is available now in Ireland for a starting price of €1,499.

Tech Review – Edifier CC200 headset

With the dawn of working from home a big thing new products are en masse and that is not a bad thing for the consumer when it comes to choice and so on, however there seems to be a push back into the office of late but the products can be used both at home or workplace and this new headset can be used just the same.

This one for me however is different,  I do test mostly headphones and having a full earcup missing is funny. Yes I use headphones or earbuds on calls every day as this is what I do but this product is interesting still and so easy to use yet has plenty of features.

The headset is light so can be worn all day literally and the mic arm can swivel both ways, in other products I did test or try this was an annoyance for me having the arm locked on one side so this is a bonus for those who like or want to have the ability to swaps side, this might seem odd for some but probably those who do not use such products trust me it is nice to be able to swap sides.

This not only works with your PC or laptop this works with your phone, some headsets do not and require a USB A connection again some phones allow you to get around that if they support OTG whereby you would simply add an adapter and off you go but not very convenient in my book. This is a bluetooth option rather than cable so for most would work better I would think although it is another device to charge but it is what it is. You do easily get 2/3 days out of this headset which is great and can be charged overnight of course and does not take long to charge.

The sound is where it rest with most but difficult to call it with one side I did a sound test in the video review below so you can make your own call and in real life use fashion you can hear things going on and get a real life sense or what to expect and it is good,calls are good and clear and it can be used for music which for me is great, not the best in the world for music but it works and there is your controls there too to do what needs doing and you get a busy light too which I like.

For the price in question it is a good headset and be be used not only for your office calls and so on but in a personal capacity.

Main Features:

Crystal Clear Call Quality The Caller hears you — not your surroundings, with a noise-cancelling dual mic with DNN noise reduction technology to block out background noise in a flexible microphone boom. Dual MIC AI Call Noise Cancellation

  • The beamforming microphones pick up and enhance your voice with incredible accuracy through DNN noise cancellation technology and AI algorithm, bringing you high-quality even in a noisy environment.
  • Immersive Audio Experience – With a  30mm composite diaphragm driver for more immersive audio experience.
  • Long Battery Life Around 64 hours for music play and around 29 hours for call.
  • Busylight Visible call status.
  • Compatible with Multiple Devices – Support PC of mainstream Windows and Mac operating systems compatible with mainstream Android， iOS mobile phones, etc. Convenient connection in one go.
  • Rotatable MIC boom, 240° back and forth adjustment. Accurately picking up sound at any angle and greatly improving the call clarity.

£49.99

Edifier CC200 Wireless Bluetooth On-Ear Mono Headset with Noise-Cancelling Microphone – HD Voice – 29hrs Talk Time- USB-C Cable -Multiple Calls Control – Ultralight Design – Black: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Video review 

 

Dell Technologies Transformation Made Real Event to Focus on ‘Making Your Business Cyber Resilient’

On June 30th, Dell Technologies will host the latest event in their Transformation Made Real Series focused on theme of ‘Making Your Business Cyber Resilient’.

As business leaders look back over the last two years, it’s clear there has been a seismic shift in how organisations perceive technology and its role in shaping a do-anything-from-anywhere economy.

However, with new technologies shaping a data-driven economy, there is a growing need for businesses to place cyber resilience at the heart of their digital transformation journey. After all, success in a digital economy relies on the ability of businesses to secure data and maintain trust in their IT systems.

To truly thrive in the digital era, leaders must focus not only on the power of new technologies to transform their business but also on the importance of putting in place measures to mitigate against, respond to and recover from the growing threat of cyber-attacks.

With cyber-attacks occurring every 11 seconds globally, what steps can Irish businesses take to strengthen their cyber resilience and ensure they can continue transforming at speed in the months ahead?

Connected and The Business Post, in association with Dell Technologies, will host a Transformation Made Real hybrid event on Thursday, 30 June.

The hybrid event will reveal the growing focus on cybersecurity amongst Irish business leaders. With the cyber risk front of mind for everyone right now, speakers will map out the steps leaders can take to make their business cyber resilient.

Speakers will include Jason Ward, Vice-President and Managing Director and Tom Digan, Cyber Security Director, both of Dell Technologies Ireland. Further members of the panel will be announced in the coming days.

To register, visit: https://partnerships.ie/

 

Hybrid working causes new cybersecurity concerns among Irish business according to Dell Technologies survey

A new survey by Dell Technologies has found that 69 per cent of businesses in Ireland believe hybrid working arrangements will increase the chances of a cyberattack or incident. Amid the evolving world of work, a vast majority of businesses surveyed (91 per cent) took steps to enhance data protection in the past 12 months.

The latest ‘Cyber Resilience Survey’ from Dell, in partnership with the Executive Institute, seeks to understand business leaders’ changing attitudes towards cybersecurity and the steps taken by Irish businesses to enhance their cyber resilience in a data-driven era.

The survey of 113 business leaders in Ireland shows cyber resilience is now a priority, with 91 per cent of organisations recognising its importance at the senior leadership level. Yet, a majority (57 per cent) don’t know how to react in the event of a ransomware attack.

Despite the growing attention placed on cybersecurity by leaders, the Cyber Resilience Survey reveals a knowledge gap in the data protection options open to Irish businesses. Sixty-four per cent of business leaders say they are not sure their organisations have the capability to isolate or “air gap” critical data in the event of ransomware attack.

Moreover, only 28 per cent say they have a well-defined incident response strategy in response to an attack, with less than a third (29 per cent) saying they would restore the data lost from a standard back-up solution.

Looking to the future, a vast majority of respondents (92 per cent) agree that enhancing their organisation’s cyber resilience is important to ensuring the success of their digital transformation plans.

Fifty-five per cent of those surveyed identified the ever-growing number of cyberattacks as the main barrier to enhancing their cyber resilience followed by outdated technology (20 per cent), insufficient in-house cyber skills (16 per cent) and upfront investment (12 per cent).

Commenting on the results of the survey, Jason Ward, Vice President and Managing Director, Dell Technologies Ireland, said: “Our team of cyber experts at Dell Technologies help organisations across Ireland build a resilient infrastructure where business critical data can be placed in a cyber vault that’s inaccessible to cyber criminals.

 “As we look towards a data-driven future, prioritising cybersecurity is critical to ensuring that businesses and organisations are better prepared, not just to survive a cyberattack, but to thrive. Their business resilience is now directly tied to their cyber resilience.”

Conor Morris, Managing Director of the Executive Institute, said: “The results of the survey highlight the increasing importance of cybersecurity for our members. As we enter a hybrid world of work, having a cyber resilience plan is vital in dealing with the challenges and opportunities of this post-pandemic environment.”

Konftel Announces Strategic Wireless Content Sharing Partnership With ScreenBeam

Konftel’s flagship video conferencing cameras and audio devices have been fully tested to work with the wireless collaboration and content sharing innovation from ScreenBeam.

Solutions include the Konftel Cam50 and Cam20 conference cameras along with the Konftel 800, Konftel 70, Konftel Ego and Konftel 300Wx speakerphones. 

ScreenBeam Conference allows meeting room participants to wirelessly connect to the display, room camera, microphone and speaker for flexible presentations, on any meeting app of their choice.

Complete confidence

Konftel Product Manager, Torbjörn Karlsson, says compatibility testing further enhances the appeal of many of Konftel’s most popular conferencing products.

“We welcome the announcement of our testing success which means users can take advantage of ScreenBeam technology with complete confidence and enjoy a seamless collaboration and content sharing experience.

“Sharing information is a key component of any successful meeting and ScreenBeam Conference offers quick and easy wireless set-up. It creates effective hubs for collaboration between in room and remote meeting participants by being flexible enough to use in any space and simple enough to be used by any employee or guest.”

ScreenBeam Senior Director of Alliances, Jay Taylor, outlined: “We are delighted to partner with Konftel and extend our reach and compatibility with Konftel products. Konftel is a major industry player and together our products make a compelling combination for even more engaging online meetings. 

“Enabling the hybrid workforce to be successful requires technology that is flexible and simple enough for any employee to use. As we look to the future we see offices as places for collaboration with many different types of spaces.  Konftel’s solutions empower that future with products that meet the needs of those varied spaces.”

Jabra research reveals technology increases employee inclusion in hybrid work

In a world where 60% of employees say a hybrid work model is their ideal work arrangement, only three in ten (30%) strongly agree that their organisation provides them with the necessary technology to collaborate equally and inclusively from anywhere. This is according to Jabra’s 2022 edition of the Hybrid Ways of Working Global Report, carried out amongst 2,800 knowledge workers across six countries worldwide to understand the employee sentiments and motivations in this hybrid working era.

The future of work is virtual-first. With hundreds of millions of people collaborating on Teams, Zoom, and other unified communications platforms every day, these digital environments are the new standard for how we connect to one another. In fact, many employees have only ever met some of their colleagues on these platforms. Because of this, it is critical that leaders do all they can to get the most out of the virtual workspace, so employees can create more human and authentic relationships with their colleagues.

Professional audio technology impacts meeting inclusivity

Jabra’s research found that users of professional audio devices reported feeling more included in virtual meetings than those using either consumer audio devices or the microphones and speakers built into their laptops. In fact, users of professional headsets globally were 11% less likely to feel left out of the conversation in virtual meetings than consumer device or built-in audio users. Similarly, professional headset users were 14% less likely to report not being able to hear what’s being said in the meeting than built-in users and 12% less likely than consumer device users.

At present, only 29% of workers are using professional audio devices. As 87% of all meetings are either fully virtual or hybrid, with only 13% happening fully in person, it’s crucial that employees are able to make the most of them with purpose-built technologies. A lack of proper technology may make relationship-building in these virtual environments more tenuous and difficult than it needs to be.

Organisations that prioritise meeting equity have higher hybrid meeting engagement

Since the start of the pandemic and alongside the rise of hybrid work, the term “meeting equity” has entered the discussion to explore how organisations can create equitable virtual environments. In a traditional meeting room, every meeting participant has a place at the table and has equal opportunity to contribute to the meeting. However, a hybrid meeting setting consists of both physical and virtual meeting participants, so true meeting equity becomes harder to achieve.

Luckily, the research finds that organisations that take active steps towards achieving greater meeting equity are likely to increase engagement in hybrid meetings. In fact, 48% of hybrid workers say that their organisation priorities meeting equity, resulting in 53% saying they’re just as engaged in hybrid meetings as face-to-face meetings. This is compared to only 34% of full-time in-office workers who say that their level of engagement in hybrid meetings matches that of face-to-face meetings; amongst in-office workers, 32% feel their organisation prioritises meeting equity. Leaders need to take decisive steps to address meeting equity, regardless of the primary type of work model their organisation practices.

Video increases inclusion and productivity in virtual environments

Roughly half of all employees (49%) consider their office to be their laptop, headset, and wherever they can get a strong internet connection. But the research found a key location-agnostic way to impact an employees’ wellbeing and productivity levels: video. Sixty-two percent of employees say they feel more included and present in meetings when everyone attending has their camera turned on.

Similarly, 53% feel they can collaborate more productively on video calls than on audio-only calls. This is likely why 68% of employees say that standardised professional video cameras would help everyone participate equally in hybrid meetings. Moving forward, leaders have an urgent need to look into the best technology to inclusively connect all employees and business partners no matter where they’re working. This will be an essential part of achieving greater meeting equity and succeeding in the hybrid future.

Holger Reisinger, SVP at Jabra, said: “The way we work has changed forever and the current state of knowledge work requires access to digital platforms and technologies to be successful. As such, leaders need to prioritise the employee experience and ensure that they can thrive in virtual meetings regardless of location. It starts with identifying technologies that will enable both in-office and remote employees to collaborate on an equal playing field, so employees can seamlessly move between these places without feeling left out, unheard, or distracted. Only then will employees truly be able to work a flexible arrangement on their own terms and have a stronger emotional connection to both their digital and physical workspace.”

To download a copy of the full research report, please visit: https://www.jabra.co.uk/hybridwork/2022