The just announced keyboard solution, along with the company’s new Signature M750 mouse provides users with work solutions that are designed for seamless device swapping to support a single mouse and keyboard across users’ work and personal computers. Logitech states the new Signature Slim Combo MK950 enables users to streamline their workflow processes through the ability to customize keys, buttons, and ready-made Smart Action templates using the Logi Options+ app, which is available for both Windows and MacOS operating systems.

Logitech also points out that its latest product can be used as a visual upgrade to users’ work and home spaces through the Signature Slim Combo MK950 keyboard’s laptop-like typing experience that provides users with a familiar and comfortable feel. The global company stresses the keyboard 62% recycled plastic for the graphite finish and 48% recycled plastic for the off-white (K950) model.

Some of the other features the Signature Slim Combo MK950 offers include a quiet typing experience using the company’s Silent Touch technology, as well as the ability to provide 8-degrees of typing angle, and as much as 36 months of battery life for the keyboard and 24 months of battery life for the companion mouse.

The post Logitech Introduces Signature Slim Combo MK950 appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Several options are available for high-quality audio and video experiences when working from home. My advice is not to just buy the cheapest device available and possibly have a poor experience as a result. First, let’s look at use cases; then, we can dive into the device types themselves. 

There are several questions to ask before considering a new device. Are you on video calls several times per day or a few times a month? Alternatively, are video calls a rare occurrence that you need to be ready for just in case? Do you have a dedicated home office or are you mobile, taking calls in other parts of your house, on the road or at a coffee shop? Are your video calls always on a single device, such as a laptop, or do you use multiple devices as the need arises? 

Understand the Environment 

Once you understand your use case, it’s a good idea to understand the environment where you’ll have calls. Primarily, that refers to the lighting and typical noises you may be faced with. Variable lighting conditions — say, through a window — require either a camera that auto-adjusts to the conditions or a method of controlling the light (e.g., blackout drapes). Acute noises, such as that of cars with loud mufflers driving by or barking dogs, can be difficult to control. This should be considered when you choose a device. Lastly, there is the difficulty level of the device as regards its setup and use. For this article, we will classify the solutions as beginner, intermediate or advanced. 

Now, let’s talk about the devices. We can break down the options in the categories of cameras, audio and hybrid devices. Cameras include USB webcams, DSLRs and integrated options, such as those in laptops and tablets. Audio devices include those integrated into laptops and tablets, headsets, earbuds and speakerphones. Audio devices can also be wired or wireless. Hybrid devices, known as USB video bars, include a camera, microphone and speakers, all built into a single device. Although service-based video bars that have an embedded operating system are included in this class, they are not included in this particular discussion. 

Considering Cameras 

USB webcams are a good all-around choice for PC and laptop users. They suit beginners to advanced users, and they’re appropriate for rare to frequent use. They are considered portable, but they work very well when attached to a single computer in a permanent setup. Better USB cameras have management software to update firmware and to adjust settings either for controlled or variable lighting conditions. Many webcams include microphones. 

For those who want the highest quality of video — both for videoconferencing and for recording — many people choose a DSLR camera. With a DSLR, you can control multiple settings, including depth of field, to present the best view possible. However, there are a few cons to using a DSLR camera. Typically, you will need an extra cable to get the video feed to your computer. The cable required may vary by the camera manufacturer. These cameras are also much larger than webcams are, and they aren’t considered ultra-portable. The learning curve associated with using a DSLR makes it best for frequent, expert users. DSLR cameras will likely be much more expensive than webcams are. 

Laptops, tablets and smartphones have integrated cameras that are an excellent choice for beginners or infrequent users. Laptop cameras, while getting better over time, still lag in quality behind webcams. If you’re a frequent video user, a webcam is recommendable. Typically, integrated cameras have limited settings to control the scene or enhance the quality of the image. The main benefit of integrated cameras is their ease of use; a secondary benefit is not needing any extra pieces of equipment. 

Audio Devices 

Laptops, tablets and smartphones also have built-in capabilities for the transmission and broadcast of audio. However, the typical laptop and tablet audio experience can often be lacking, featuring substandard microphones and speakers. Smartphones have exceptional audio for voice calling, but, when video is added to the equation and the phone moves away from the user’s mouth, the quality can be less than ideal. Device-integrated audio rarely has built-in noise cancellation; thus, you’ll need to rely on the meeting service to block unwanted noise from reaching the people you’re talking to. That said, these audio solutions are extremely easy, good for all levels of expertise and the least-expensive ones in this article. However, I wouldn’t recommend using this method if you are anything more than an infrequent user, as the experience for you and the remote participants is typically less than ideal. 

Headsets have been around for a long time, and USB wired versions for use in meetings can be inexpensive. The low price does not necessarily mean low audio quality on your calls. However, lower-end models may have poor music playback, depending on the device. There are as many opinions in the wired versus wireless debate as there are headsets out there. In my opinion, it really comes down to the individual’s use case, device-portability needs and simplicity of use. If you’re going mobile, wired likely won’t cut it. If your headset stays in one place all the time, there may not be a need for wireless. Wired headsets have plug-and-play simplicity and are always ready for use, whereas wireless versions may not be as user friendly. 

In general, wireless headsets are going to be more expensive than their wired counterparts are. They also may be heavier due to having integrated batteries. The sound quality of wired vs. wireless is entirely subjective to the user, and I haven’t found one type to have better quality than the other. Wired headsets are for users of all difficulty levels, for infrequent to regular use, and are best for those working from one device in a permanent setup. Wireless headsets might seem slightly temperamental for infrequent or beginner users, as there can be Bluetooth connectivity issues that stem from a lack of use. Wireless headsets are excellent for mobile users in noisy areas, and they can be swapped easily between devices. 

Wireless earbuds are becoming more common in business communications. Not only do they work well with mobile devices via Bluetooth but, in addition, a few recent models have included a USB Bluetooth dongle that maintains a better connection with a PC or laptop. They might not be the best choice for those on calls all day long due to the potential of ear fatigue and the batteries not making it through the day. However, the pros are numerous: Higher-end earbuds typically have excellent noise cancellation for the wearer; they can serve as your audio device for music listening; and they are the ideal device for multi-device mobile professionals. 

The final audio-only device category in this article involves USB/Bluetooth speakerphones. Speakerphones are an excellent option for people who are on calls all day long, as headsets or earbuds can get uncomfortable after long periods of use. Modern speakerphones are connected to a computer either via USB or Bluetooth. Although primarily designed for conferencing, they can replace dedicated speakers for music listening. They are also typically easy to use. They’re good for beginners through advanced users, and Bluetooth-enabled models are an option for multi-device users. The primary concern is using a speakerphone in a noisy space or an open area. Privacy can be a concern, as can be the imperative not to disturb nearby people. If you are in a loud space, the device might pick up noises and transmit them to the person to whom you are talking. However, many speakerphones have built-in noise suppression, as do many meeting services that can greatly suppress static noises in the room. If two people are in the room for the same video call, a speakerphone is the logical choice over headsets or earbuds. 

Hybrid Devices 

For an excellent hybrid device with microphones, speakers and video, a USB-based video bar might be right for you. There are many positives with this type of device: the primary benefit being that you’re not forced to juggle between two or three separate devices, each of which is taking up a USB port. Hybrid devices typically include a robust set of audio and video features that are manageable via a software download. Individual pieces of gear might also have software downloads for management, and it can get cumbersome to deal with multiple software downloads for multiple devices. With a USB video bar, it’s all in one place, making device management easy. 

USB video bars are best in a permanent setup connected to a single computer, as they are not exceptionally portable and aren’t mobile-device friendly. This lack of portability due to their size is the primary downside with this type of device. They are also more expensive than other solutions are. However, realize that, by the time you buy a high-end webcam, a high-end microphone and a top-of-the-line speaker, your cost might be close to — if not more than — just buying an all-in-one video bar. 

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on July 31, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience. For more Collaboration Today and Tomorrow content, check out Commercial Integrator’s website archives.

Bryan Hellard is a product evaluator in unified communications, AV and smart home. 

The post Choosing the Best Video and Audio Devices for WFH Setups appeared first on My TechDecisions.

According to the Lowell, Mass.-based company, the new Evolve2 headsets thus empower users with the most useful and professional features. With this, users can protect their focus zone and take calls and meetings, no matter their environment. Additionally, they boast optimized sound for professional use and music. As a result, there is no need to switch headsets during break times.

Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex

To provide maximum flexibility, the Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex has a unique fold-and-go design. It also comes with a collapsible hinged headband and slimmed-down earcups. The Evolve2 65 Flex also features a soft sustainable pouch. This allows users to easily tuck it into even the smallest bag or pocket. With the headset, audio is clear even in loud locations, thanks to a powerful chipset, advanced digital algorithm and beamforming Jabra ClearVoice microphones for the open office. The chipset and noise-cancelling technology delivers optimal Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), says Jabra. Additionally, the close-fitting memory foam earcups help seal out even more of the surroundings.

Evolve2 65 Flex features Jabra Air Comfort technology and flexible earcups that rotates to move whenever users do. This makes the headset incredibly comfortable, no matter how long it is on. Jabra also notes that the unique technology layers ultra-soft perforated foam inside the collapsible headband for a gentle cushioning effect.

The headset has a 360-degree busylight, a shorter hide-away boom arm and it is certified for all leading virtual meeting platforms. This includes Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Zoom. Moreover, workers are equipped for all-day work and play with the headset promising up to 32 hours of music time and up to 20 hours of talk time with ANC/busylight off.

Jabra Evolve2 55 and 50

With more flexible working, and therefore more potential for distractions, Jabra says it is bringing Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) into more professional headsets. This comes in a wireless option, the Evolve2 55 and a corded version, the Evolve2 50. The headsets are built with powerful ANC that has a unique acoustic chamber design, 28mm custom speakers, a specially designed chipset that powers speech-separating, and two premium noise-cancelling microphones.

Both products are certified for all leading virtual-meeting platforms. This includes Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Zoom. Moreover, the products provide a comfortable fit with Jabra Air Comfort technology.

“The current generation of hybrid workers are in search of comfortable, flexible and easy to use devices for both work and music. Meanwhile, headsets are evolving from mere accessories to a business necessity for productive work,” says Holger Reisinger, SVP for enterprise solutions at Jabra. “This was why we sought to create high-quality, mid-range headsets so we can meet the needs of both the business and end-users. Particularly with the foldable version, everyone will have the ability to look, sound and be professional, working from anywhere.”

Key Features of Evolve2 Products

• Maximum comfort with Jabra Air Comfort technology
• Jabra ClearVoice Microphone systems that meet premium microphone for the open office standards
• Integrated 360-degree busylight
• 28mm custom speakers deliver premium sound for music
• Certified for leading virtual meeting platforms (UC-certified and Microsoft Teams-certified variants available)
• Up to 30m wireless range (Evolve2 65 Flex & Evolve2 55 only)
• Personalization with Jabra Sound+, Jabra MySound and voice assistants (Evolve2 65 Flex & Evolve2 55 only)
• Connect two devices at the same time with dual connectivity (Evolve2 65 Flex & Evolve2 55) and connect to another device via Bluetooth while plugged in (Evolve2 50)
• Boom arm mute and answer call
• Available in stereo and mono (Evolve2 55 & Evolve2 50 only) – Evolve2 65 Flex available in stereo
• UC and Microsoft Teams variants
• Optional charging stand (Evolve2 65 Flex & Evolve2 55 only)

According to Jabra, all new Evolve2 products will be available in April.

Check out Jabra’s complete line of audio and video solutions on our sister-site AV-iQ here.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on March 27, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post Jabra Expands Line of Evolve2 Series Headsets appeared first on My TechDecisions.

In today’s WFH-prevalent world, most of us have Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex and several other video apps working on our laptop in our home office. We can successfully connect and participate in video calls without any problem. So, now that we finally have just about everything working, why would we need anything more?

Well, it’s pretty clear that, if you want to become one of the people who starts creating video content for YouTube, or who livestreams their content anywhere, you’ll want to research and utilize higher-quality video and audio gear.

But what about if you’re only on video a few times a day, or even just a few times a week? What if you only use it to check in with team members and clients? Should you be concerned with the quality of your home-office setup then? Well, yes. Yes, you should….

I believe most of us have learned to be concerned about how we appear on video over the course of the pandemic. We have seen ourselves onscreen, in our little video boxes, right next to our colleagues, who are in their own little boxes. We’ve noticed how people with better framing, lighting and audio quality have a more professional presence in our online meetings. We might even feel that, as they make their points, people who are “good on video” have more impact than others do.

Just as we care about our appearance when we are at the office, we should care about how we present ourselves over video — even when it’s just meeting with our work teams. At the end of the day, you don’t want to stand out in a bad way over video any more than you’d want to stand out negatively in the office. You might think that, if your company and team have a casual vibe, you can be more casual about your appearance and your home-office video setup. Even if you’re casual, though, you still want to look good. Having some clutter behind you is casual. Having terrible lighting and bad camera angles doesn’t come off as casual, though — you just look bad. And it can affect the way you’re perceived professionally.

The Home-Studio Journey

The good news is this: You can take the journey of improvement at your own pace. And the better news is this: The home-studio journey is an approachable, manageable and affordable process. There is no need to bring in a construction crew, tear things down and build an entire home studio from scratch following a common plan. You can take a piecemeal approach, based on your current setup and budget, and gradually work to improve your video experience.

Ideally, you should start with the low-hanging fruit. If everyone is complaining about your audio, then, to start, investigate improving that. If you feel that everyone else in your meetings looks better lit than you do, then start by researching lighting options. A small strategic spend can often give you a more significant improvement than a bigger, less strategic spend can. For example, if you have terrible audio and decent video, you can spend $50 for a headset and realize a massive improvement; that’s better than spending $500 on a higher-end camera for a less-significant improvement.

Home-Studio Spending

There is no definitive answer to the question of how much you should spend on your home studio. Every aspect of the home-studio-upgrade process exists on a sliding scale based on needs and budget. Whether you are talking about lighting, audio, video or room elements, you can start with affordable options and spend more as your needs grow.

For example, at some point, you will probably assess where you are on the scale of video quality. If you currently have no video, you can get a webcam for around $30 that will do the job. If you increase that to around $80, you have options that do an excellent job and that can handle HD. For about $200 and up, you start getting into advanced features like 4K resolution. At the top end — for those who have larger budgets and the need/desire to look as good as possible for content creation and livestreaming — it is possible to spend hundreds on a high-end home professional camera or thousands on a DSLR or other kind of ultra-high-end camera.

Whatever energy you put into being sharp at the office can be and should be transferred to optimizing your video setup at home.

This is your personal journey. If you’re already happy with the resolution, clarity and quality of your video image, then focus on another element of your home studio. If you feel that your webcam experience stands out in a bad way as compared to your peers, ask them what models of camera they’re using and pick one that’s in your price range. And if you’re looking to stand out in a positive way, start saving up for the higher-end gear.

The same kind of sliding scale applies to lighting, microphones, speakers/headsets, audio mixers, PCs/laptops, software and other room elements. This might sound overwhelming, but here’s more good news: These items are all independent. You can work on one at a time as your schedule, and your budget, allows. Also, they can all be revisited at any time for additional upgrades, should your video needs change. If you focus on products “certified” for the platform you’re using (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Zoom), then that platform has done the legwork to ensure you can swap something out and swap in an upgraded component without losing features or functionality.

The Ideal Home Studio

As I keep saying, building your ideal home studio is a journey — not an all-at-once upgrade. However, it’s helpful to understand what’s at the end of the path. Many of us may never have the budget or need for a perfect home studio, but, if we understand the ideal setup, it can help us decide upon reasonable improvements for our personal setups.

The ideal setup would achieve the ultimate goal of a home studio — namely, for you to appear within your video window in the way that a newscaster appears on TV during their closeups. That is what we’ve been conditioned, since childhood, to perceive as the way a professional appears on video. That look is our goal, and any adjustments to our setups that bring us closer to that look will improve our effectiveness in business video calls.

Although fewer than 1% of video users at home will achieve everything on the list below, we can all pick and choose areas to improve for immediate results. For me, the ideal home studio should include the following:

• Framing: As stated earlier, you should be framed in your video window just like a newscaster is framed on your TV. If you’re sized and positioned properly, there should be about 10% of screen space above the top of your head (you don’t want your head up against the top of the screen) and the bottom of the screen should cut you off about at the armpits. This makes you as big as possible, so your facial expressions can be easily seen, while still allowing you to gesture with your hands. If framed properly, your mouth should be approximately at the center of the screen. Of course, you want a straight-ahead angle with the camera at your eye level — no “up the nose” or “top of the head” shots. Almost everyone should be able to achieve this.
• State-of-the-art camera: Although most of us, including I, will probably top out with a high-end camera meant for at-home use, it doesn’t hurt to research your dream camera. Then, try to find an affordable option that gets you as close as possible in performance. My dream home studio would have several extremely expensive cameras to capture me from multiple angles.
• Professional-audio setup: Audio quality is often more important than video quality is. In an ideal home studio, I would have a full mixer board setup and all the compressors, equalizers, noise gates and other fancy equipment you’d find in a music studio. This would allow me total control of all audio sources, enabling my microphone and any other shared audio sources to be perfectly balanced and optimized. I would also have the walls of the studio treated to eliminate reverb, thus enabling a higher-quality sound. For most of us in the real world, simply getting a decent headset can significantly improve our audio.
• Perfect three-point lighting: Ideally, I would be lit in the same manner as during a professional photo or video shoot. With three-point lighting (key light, fill light and back light) covering me from various angles, it not only would properly illuminate me from the front but also would eliminate shadows and improve the effect from the sides and back. Although a full lighting setup might not be prohibitively expensive, the space it can take up in your office, and the heat it can generate, can make it a less attractive option. For most of us, making sure we don’t have a light or window behind us — this puts our face into a shadow — and having some kind of decent light in front of us will achieve acceptable results. If you do invest in lighting for your home setup, keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be with expensive, “built-for-video” lights. Well-placed consumer lamps usually will do the job just as well.
• Dual high-end PC setup: In my dream studio, I would have a dual-PC setup. There would be one powerful PC with a top-end graphics card to handle the video itself, connected via local network to a second, equally powerful PC running my work apps and any content that I’m sharing. This would allow me to run resource-intensive programs on the work PC without lowering the quality of my video. In reality, today’s typical, mid-range computers are more than powerful enough to run our common work apps at the same time as a video call, without a perceptible quality reduction. The dual-PC setup is simply more than 95% of us will ever need. I would recommend that any setup have dual screens, however. Even if you’re working with a single PC, you can connect two monitors to it — one for your video calls and the second for work apps.
• Amazing background: Your background is now literally a part of your appearance. Just as people can associate you with your style of clothes, they also will associate you with your video background. We’ve all seen impressive video backgrounds, including bookshelves with great books and cool knickknacks, as well as other items that can share our personality while still being professional. You might not have the space to set up your background exactly as you would like it, but you can at least move the pile of laundry offscreen.
• Removable greenscreen: Even if you have a great background, you might want to use a greenscreen (thus allowing you to utilize a virtual background more easily) for some purposes. Ideally, you want something collapsible or otherwise easily removable so you can use your real background whenever you want, and you can pop up the greenscreen when required. For most of us, we will choose to use a greenscreen all the time or not at all.

Your Video Feed is You

For the first time in history, we live in a world in which many of the important people in our lives see us more frequently over video than in person. We might never actually meet in person some of the people we work with. For some of us, most of the people in our lives will know us primarily over video.

It might be superficial, but there is a reason we put time and effort into our appearance when we show up at the office. Being framed and properly lit is the video equivalent of being freshly showered and having a new haircut at the office. It shouldn’t matter, but it does. It shouldn’t have an impact on your career, but it does. You can be sloppy and successful, but it almost never hurts to be sharp. Whatever energy you put into being sharp at the office can and should be transferred to optimizing your video setup at home.

Start Your Journey Today

Take a look at your current setup. It might be a laptop with a terrible internal camera in a corner of the kitchen, or it might be a fairly decent setup in a designated office area. Regardless, compare what you have to the elements of the ideal setup. That will empower you to see where you would get the most bang for your buck. Obviously, if people on the other end of your calls are complaining that it’s hard to understand you, then improving your audio is the place to start. Otherwise, you can chart your own journey as your transform your home office into a home studio.

For more Collaboration Today and Tomorrow content, check out our website archives.

David Maldow is founder and CEO with Let’s Do Video. 

The post Tips for Upgrading Your Home Office to a Home Studio appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Providing internet connectivity in a corporate office environment entails several layers of advanced technology, and a team of qualified experts must manage and monitor what should and should not be happening. In many cases, this even involves external experts and services from specialized partners. Amid explosive growth during the past decade in costly cyber-incidents, we’ve even seen this at the level of small and medium-sized enterprises. That is a positive development. 

Your private internet connection is exposed to the same risks as enterprise internet connections — although we are not always aware of them — and those risks get significantly larger when a home office comes into play. Enterprise-grade security solutions and private internet connections are not an equal match. And yet, there is an imperative to “play along” when home office or work from anywhere becomes the standard. This is the new reality, commonly known as hybrid work. 

All that multi-layered, advanced technology that secures internet connectivity at the enterprise level is wrapped up into a simple and mostly small box for the home — namely, your internet router. What about that team of experts that manages the security solutions, monitors the traffic and, when needed, takes corrective actions? Well, that’s now you! Welcome to your new job as chief security officer for your home office and your personal internet connection! 

You’re Now Chief Security Officer

Your internet router is at the heart of providing the Internet and Wi-Fi through which most devices connect to the world. All modern internet routers have a web interface, and, if you haven’t yet seen the web interface of your internet router, you have some important homework to do. In many cases, you will find a label at the bottom with details, including how you can get into your router from a connected device. 

If you cannot find that information, go to your preferred search engine, type the brand and type of device, and then type “connect to web interface.” You will most likely find the instructions to connect to your internet router, and, surely, there will also be a link to a user manual. I recommend you save that for later so you can look for what you need as we start securing things. 

You are now connected to your internet router. You logged in with the default credentials or the credentials you found on the label, right? Let’s start with a very important step: Change those credentials to something that only you know. And please do not put a Post-it note on the router with the new credentials. Instead, use a password manager to make sure your credentials are stored safely. If you are unfamiliar with how to change the credentials, just search in your preferred search engine for brand and type, followed by change password. 

The next essential thing to secure your internet router is to make sure that the latest firmware is installed and the patches are up to date. This will often be an option in the system settings, and most devices now offer the option to check the current version with the supplier. When a newer version is found, it is very important that you install it immediately. The process will vary by brand, but, in most cases, it means that the latest version is downloaded to your router. Once done, you should give the OK to install it. This will almost always mean that the device will restart after the installation. It’s important that you don’t turn off the device during the update process; if you do, you could end up with a useless device. 

Get Your Walking Shoes

With your administrator account protected and all updates installed, your first level of defense is now in place. Now, we get to the walking around part! You likely have many devices connected to your internet router — mostly of them through Wi-Fi. All these devices form a potential risk for your home-office setup; with that, they also pose a risk to the teamwork between your home office and the enterprise network. Hackers might not have tremendous interest in that so-called smart device on your network — but it might be a conduit to attack something else. For example, hackers could target your company notebook or the connection with your company network. 

Integrators have the potential of becoming ‘trusted partners’ for home cybersecurity issues and in other areas.

Read next: Future Technology & the Impact it Will Have on Collaboration Workflows

Exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities is the easiest path for hackers and cybercriminals. To avoid that, you will need to put in the work at regular intervals. Each device that connects to your network and internet service must be checked for updates and patches, as well as for risky default login credentials. Your internet router could easily become your best friend in this exercise; it can offer you an overview of all the devices that have connected with the router in the past. You can use that as a checklist to make sure no device ever escapes your attention. 

You will need to check updates and credentials device by device. You might discover that some older devices no longer receive updates from the suppliers. You might want to consider replacing those devices. A relatively good alternative is to place them in a separate segment of your home network and configure that network segment not to allow communication with other devices and segments.  

Segmenting Your Network

Segmenting your network is a good example of what’s already common practice for enterprise networks, and it’s definitely not a bad idea for home networks, either. Most modern internet routers support it, but users might be scared away by the perceived complexity of doing so. I use the word “perceived” because, in reality, it’s not as complicated as it might sound. It’s beyond the scope of this article to describe all steps for all routers on the market, but very good step-by-step guides are available. They’ll help you make the necessary changes to your internet router. 

One thing to consider is to make a few of these segments, each of which is properly separated from the others. One might be the above-mentioned segment for older devices, where you want to contain the risks posed by devices that no longer receive updates. There could be another segment where you place all other personal devices. Finally, there could be a segment in which you place all devices related to your home office. That can be more than just a notebook, of course, and it’s fully dependent on your situation. For example, when you have a network printer that you want to use for private and work documents, you can place that in a segment without internet connection with which other segments can communicate. 

Considering Alternative Solutions

For the reasons described, it’s always a good idea to make sure your devices have the latest patches and updates. It’s not just related to securing your home office, either. And, as noted, it’s possible to take additional steps, such as segmenting to separate traffic between personal and professional devices. However, I must admit that this is not everybody’s cup of tea, and it will most likely involve some trial and error until it all works perfectly. 

Thus, a growing number of enterprises have chosen a different path to secure their employees’ hybrid-work environments. We see, for example, some opting to provide their employees with a remotely managed router, which they can connect to their private internet router. All work-related devices will only connect to that company router, and that router will use the available internet connection to create secured and encrypted connections with the company network. 

Although this takes away a lot of pain points and risks, as well as the burden of depending on everyone to secure their own devices and routers themselves, it is not a workable solution for frequent travelers or for work-from-anywhere setups. In these cases, solutions like forced VPN and its smarter successors, as well as encryption and hardening of all devices, come into play. 

Ultimately, Security is Up to You

Although many people are rejoicing at the explosion of hybrid working and working from home, it’s obvious that securing home environments takes a level of effort that the typical user might not be aware of. Therein lies an opportunity for integrators. They might be called upon to help design or set up these home environments, and integrators have the potential of becoming “trusted partners” for home cybersecurity issues and in other areas. Providing education, and in some cases services, to these remote employees could prove the differentiator in a tight marketplace. 

Whether it’s done with external integrator support, via enterprise resources or just by end users’ own savvy, securing the new home office will clearly be a critical task. 

Dr. Johannes Drooghaag is chief information security officer and data protection officer with Wedo. 

The post Securing Your Home Office: A Walkthrough Guide appeared first on My TechDecisions.

According to cve.mitre.org, there were 321 router vulnerabilities in 2021, the highest in over a decade. However, the increase in router vulnerabilities started the year before, when flaws jumped from 130 in 2019 to 206 in 2020, representing a growth of 58%.

Citing data from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Atlas VPN says 2020 was actually the worst year for router flaws, with a total of 603 vulnerabilities, representing a 191% increase over 2019.

However, 2021 was not much better, as vulnerabilities remained alarmingly high.

Out of the vulnerabilities identified last year, 87 of them were marked as critical. Of these vital flaws, 29.9% remained unpatched and without updates of any kind from the vendors.  According to Atlas VPN, 26% of the critical router flaws were acknowledged by the vendors but not fixed as of June 8, 2022.

These vulnerabilities are the doors that allow hackers to intrude a household or corporate network, which makes it easier for them to circumvent password security measures, execute third-party programs, skip authentication, send remote orders to the router or even deactivate it.

How to Protect your Home Wi-Fi Network From Router Security Flaws

To safeguard against router hacks at home, AtlasVPN recommends these cybersecurity best practices:

• Make your wireless network password unique and strong. Don’t use the wireless routers default password. Hackers may easily guess this default password, especially if they know the router manufacturer.
• Change the Default SSID. Change your WiFi network’s default name, usually known as the SSID. Leaving the default can show your router’s manufacturer and model.. You may also instruct your router to stop broadcasting the SSID entirely. To connect to WiFi using a new device, you must manually enter the network name rather than picking it from a list of nearby possibilities.
• Keep your router’s software up to date. Router firmware can have flaws that can lead to serious vulnerabilities if not immediately addressed by their makers’ firmware upgrades. It is vital to install the most recent software for your router and download the most recent security updates as soon as possible.
• Enable network encryption. Almost every wireless router has encryption. Most routers, however, have it turned off by default. Enabling the encryption setting on your wireless router might help safeguard your network.

The post Router Security Flaws Surge to Record Heights appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The transition to remote work places even greater emphasis on connecting through virtual meetings and therefore should warrant more attention and forethought about the overall experience. Improving meetings can help with employee productivity, reduce the dreaded “Zoom fatigue” that was a hot-button topic for all of 2021, and assist in becoming a more remote-friendly organization.

There is so much hidden potential in meeting utility that is mostly unrealized because of our habitual myopic meeting structure. Technology is available to help virtual meetings become more useful, ranging from tools that allow for video indexing to audio transcription solutions like Otter, but these tech advances mean nothing if there is a lack of commitment and top-down execution from management.

There has yet to be a standard or benchmark for improving virtual meeting utilization given that each company structure is unique. But organizations concern themselves with the utility of many communication mediums in almost every context and still haven’t cracked the code of meeting efficiency. However, a few simple questions can help enterprises know they are on the right path.

1. Are you requiring employees to be present for entire meetings when only a portion might be critical to their job function?

Weekly, hour-long all-hands meetings take up approximately 52 hours a year, and that doesn’t account for the numerous other virtual meetings that employees attend daily from internals, client calls, business development, industry event sessions and others. Allowing employees to watch the most relevant moments on their own terms can improve retention and reduce time management inefficiencies.

Internal meetings aren’t of equal importance to all attendees, and as asynchronous work is beginning to trend in the job market, it should carry over into meetings as well. Mandatory participants can conduct the live meeting and allow “fly-on-the-wall” colleagues to view the recording on their own time and locate the specific moments relevant to them. Companies can take advantage of the newfound comfort of recorded meetings and create a new more efficient way to work.

2. Are you making video moments shareable within collaboration platforms?

Platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Webex have become the water cooler of remote work while also serving as a great place to quickly collaborate. Employees instinctively share everything from gifs to YouTube clips, whitepapers and articles, so why not meeting content? Sharing meeting snippets securely internally creates a new vehicle to deliver relevant content to colleagues, giving it more value and purpose.

Meeting productivity and engagement can sometimes feel like a new issue brought on by the abundance of virtual communication during the pandemic but has been a leading waste of time for many years. A survey conducted by Harvard Business School and Boston University found 65% of senior managers said that meetings kept them from completing work, 71% found them to be unproductive and inefficient, and 62% stated that meetings miss opportunities to bring the team closer together. Not only must we change meeting size or length, but also the way we deliver and engage with each other during and after.

3. Are you enabling employees to “react” to meetings in real-time?

Virtual meetings are simply less engaging than in-person meetings, but there are practices that increase engagement to help close that gap. Just like social media, employees should be able to leave emoji reactions and comments to specific portions of a meeting in real-time.

Introducing reactions allows managers to view feedback in real-time and encourages asynchronous collaboration and commands attention. When Facebook created reactions for their social network back in 2016, which has subsequently been adopted by every other social media or collaboration platform, it drastically increased engagement and companies can achieve a similar lift from their meetings.

Adapting for WFH and Hybrid Workflows

WFH and hybrid working has now become the de facto standard and employers must adapt their workflows to match. If enterprises can answer these three questions affirmatively then they are in a good position to improve the utilization of meeting content to be more meaningful and respectful of employees time.

Many companies are experimenting with ways to reduce meetings, from minimizing the number of participants to “no meeting” time slots or days, but the more effective approach is to maximize their usefulness and ability to bring together an organization rather than alienate participants.

Humphrey Chen is the CEO and Co-Founder of CLIPr, a Video Analysis and Management (VAM) platform using AI and machine learning to help users quickly identify, organize, search, interact and share the important moments within video content. He is a corporatized entrepreneur who has bought, advised, and built start-ups in a multitude of different technology-based industries throughout his career. Prior to CLIPr, Humphrey was also the Head of Key Initiatives for the Amazon Computer Vision API’s, former Chief Product Officer for VidMob, and led the New Technologies division at Verizon Wireless during the launch of 4G LTE networks. Chen currently serves on the Board of Advisors for Noom, DialPad, GrayMeta, and VidMob. Connect with Humphrey, @humphreyc, on Twitter and LinkedIn. For more information about CLIPr, visit clipr.ai/.

The post How To Tell if Your Organization is Utilizing Virtual Meetings Effectively appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Among the many things that have been impacted by COVID-19 is the global workforce. Other than blue-collar trades, many people who work in office environments have been forced to work from home or split their work time between their home and the office. 

Over the past couple years, with more people communicating with their peers from some form of remote environment, and with either all or some of their colleagues working from home, the workforce is discovering that working from home presents challenges. 

Of course, there are the normal distractions of working from home, including the kids and the lure of knocking out a few household chores. More relevant for the MyTechDecisions audience, however, is how the quality of remote workers’ audio and video can affect their ability to participate in meetings and work efficiently. 

Collaboration System Manufacturers Meet the Challenge 

Responding rapidly to the changes that have taken place in the workplace, manufacturers have diversified their product lines to accommodate a wide range of usage scenarios. 

Today, there are a number of collaboration systems for office workers (e.g., traditional conference-room-type components; headphones; compact, all-in-one systems) that can be used in small spaces, including home offices, to improve the collaborative experience, regardless of where it is taking place. 

The category of collaboration also encompasses some of the biggest names in professional audio, including Shure, Sennheiser and Yamaha. And, naturally, the category features companies that focus exclusively on collaboration and communications. Those companies include Poly and Clockaudio. And that’s not to overlook the video side of collaboration market, which includes manufacturers such as AVerMedia, Barco, Kramer, Crestron and Logitech.

To keep up with the changes in the workforce and the collaboration market, including its manufacturers and technologies, consult with the non-profit industry trade group the Interactive Multimedia & Collaborative Communications Alliance (IMCCA). The IMCCA’s purpose is to grow the unified communications category through thought leadership that includes education and information. 

Let’s look at some of the latest collaboration systems for the office from some of the top manufacturers in the field. The content we share represents just a sampling of the conferencing solutions currently available. 

Click “Video Slideshow” to learn more about some of the latest collaboration solutions for workplaces.

This originally appeared on MyTechDecisions’ sister-site CommercialIntegrator.com.

The post 18 Collaboration Systems that Backbone the Modern Workplace appeared first on My TechDecisions.