BYOD Archives - My TechDecisions https://mytechdecisions.com/tag/byod/ The end user’s first and last stop for making technology decisions Thu, 31 Oct 2024 17:23:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://mytechdecisions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/cropped-TD-icon1-1-32x32.png BYOD Archives - My TechDecisions https://mytechdecisions.com/tag/byod/ 32 32 Simple Videoconferencing Solutions: Video Bars & More https://mytechdecisions.com/unified-communications/simple-videoconferencing-solutions-video-bars-more/ https://mytechdecisions.com/unified-communications/simple-videoconferencing-solutions-video-bars-more/#respond Thu, 31 Oct 2024 14:34:35 +0000 https://mytechdecisions.com/?p=51284 The global videoconferencing market is expected to reach $20.02 billion by 2030, growing at a 9.4% CAGR from 2024 to 2030, according to a report by Grand View Research. This growth is largely fueled by the rise of all-in-one video bars—Android-based solutions that are optimized for Microsoft Teams Rooms, Zoom Rooms, or even as Bring […]

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The global videoconferencing market is expected to reach $20.02 billion by 2030, growing at a 9.4% CAGR from 2024 to 2030, according to a report by Grand View Research. This growth is largely fueled by the rise of all-in-one video bars—Android-based solutions that are optimized for Microsoft Teams Rooms, Zoom Rooms, or even as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) options. These devices are increasingly favored for their simplicity, ease of deployment, and flexibility — especially in small meeting spaces.

Latest Generation: Simple Doesn’t Mean Less

The latest addition to the all-in-one video bar lineup is Yealink’s MeetingBar A40, launched in September 2024. While video bars are known for their convenience, they can sometimes fall short of the stability, security, and management features needed for robust corporate use. Yealink addresses this with the A40, offering:

  • Improved stability through its one-cable solution that handles sharing, BYOD and PD charging all from one desk cable.
  • Enhanced security with Android 13 and Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) support, protecting against cyber threats and data breaches in Teams environments.
  • Simplified IT management through remote monitoring, reducing downtime and ensuring smooth operations.

All-in-One Solutions: Beyond Video Bars

While video bars are effective for small rooms, Yealink offers a broader range of all-in-one solutions, including devices that integrate touch displays with built-in cameras, microphones, speakers, and digital whiteboards. These solutions offer plug-and-play simplicity but also transform workspaces into collaborative hubs. So how do you choose between a video bar and an integrated board?

Modern Style: MeetingBoard Solution

The MeetingBoard is ideal for newly constructed or renovated offices, where no legacy devices need to be reused. With a similar budget to a video bar, it offers more features like digital whiteboarding for enhanced hybrid collaboration. It’s also perfect for open spaces, executive offices, or even lobbies, as its movable floor stand allows for flexibility without requiring wall mounting. The dual-system compatibility (Android and Windows) ensures it fits into any office workflow.

Traditional Style: MeetingBar Series

For meeting rooms with existing TV setups, Yealink’s MeetingBar series offers a sustainable and budget-friendly solution. It easily attaches to any screen and is perfect for small spaces like huddle rooms or phone booths, where quick setup and affordability are key.

Conclusion

Whether you’re upgrading an existing room or setting up a new collaborative space, Yealink’s all-in-one solutions provide the right mix of simplicity, flexibility, and performance. With options like the MeetingBar A40 and MeetingBoard, Yealink covers a wide range of needs to ensure seamless hybrid collaboration.

Learn more about Yealink’s all-in-one solutions in this guide.

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Soho Works & Tateside Simplify Zoom Room Standard Across Multiple Sites https://mytechdecisions.com/project-of-the-week/soho-works-tateside-simplify-zoom-room-standard-across-multiple-sites/ https://mytechdecisions.com/project-of-the-week/soho-works-tateside-simplify-zoom-room-standard-across-multiple-sites/#respond Tue, 25 Jun 2024 16:30:55 +0000 https://mytechdecisions.com/?p=49327 Tateside ensures a consistent, aesthetic user experience at Soho Works with Neat Bar Pro bundles, enhancing meeting rooms with seamless Zoom integration.

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Soho Works is a global network of workspaces and a creation of the Soho House group. Providing modern and collaborative workspaces for individuals and businesses, Soho Works has a total of four sites across London. AV and IT specialists, Tateside, also based in the capital, led the recent upgrade of AV technology at multiple sites.

“Tateside has been the preferred technology partner of London’s Soho Works sites for several years now,” explains Jack Cornish, technical director at Tateside. “Before the pandemic, the technology didn’t need to be focused on videoconferencing, but the working environment has since shifted and the client requested an update that would enable better bring-your-own-device (BYOD) and plug-and-play capabilities as well as a system that could support their preferred Zoom room functionality.”

Tateside Implements Neat Bar Pro for Consistent, Aesthetic Meeting Spaces at Soho Works

With high-end interior design and a focus on maintaining immaculate aesthetics across all sites, Tateside needed to honor the unique identity of the various Soho Works sites whilst rolling out a solution that could be replicated to provide a consistent user experience across the brand’s workspaces.

“Our team provides both IT and technology integration for Soho Works,” explains Cornish. “The new meeting room standard is a Neat Bar Pro bundle housed within a Leon Tonecase to hide the technology and improve the overall room aesthetics, plus a Samsung screen. This standard has been rolled out across all Soho Works meeting rooms, based on a Zoom Room system, with adjustments made for specific sites.”

The chosen Neat Bar Pro bundle provides crystal-clear audio via three full-range loudspeakers while the advanced microphone array ensures clear vocal pick-up, with Neat Audio Processing built-in. Thanks to the wide-angle lens and image depth sensor, Neat Bar Pro can detect, enlarge and follow all in-room participants, resulting in more lifelike engagement during video meetings. Furthermore, seamless integration with Zoom ensured a Neat Bar standard was the ideal solution for the Soho Works project.

Ashton Bentley USB-C hubs, which can be neatly mounted under desks, are integrated to support network connectivity and provide fast charging of devices. The Neat Bar Pro bundle provides in-built camera and microphone functions plus a Neat Pad for easy-to-use room control. Each site required a slightly different configuration and solutions for other room styles, including a podcast studio at the Dean Street site and subdivisible meeting rooms at 180 The Strand.

Soho Works Enhances User-Friendly, BYOD-Ready Systems with Neat Solutions

“Overall, Soho Works are aiming for systems that are easy to use with minimal technical knowledge,” continues Cornish. “During these recent updates, we’ve completely done away with Crestron controls for input switching and have implemented a complication-free standard with auto-switching and bullet-proof BYOD connectivity.”

He continues, “Finding that balance between function and aesthetics can be a challenge, but with the solutions available from Neat combined with our bespoke integration, Soho Works now have an easy-to-operate, future-proof set-up suited to the modern working environment.”

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Barco Streamlines IT Management with Microsoft Integration https://mytechdecisions.com/unified-communications/barco-streamlines-it-management-with-microsoft-integration/ https://mytechdecisions.com/unified-communications/barco-streamlines-it-management-with-microsoft-integration/#respond Thu, 22 Feb 2024 15:20:04 +0000 https://mytechdecisions.com/?p=49237 Barco, the global provider of meeting room technology, has formally entered into an agreement with Microsoft around Teams devices. As a first outcome of the agreement, Barco will enable ClickShare devices to provide data that will be available through Microsoft’s Teams Rooms Pro Management portal, and through tPro Portal to offer IT managers insights into […]

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Barco, the global provider of meeting room technology, has formally entered into an agreement with Microsoft around Teams devices. As a first outcome of the agreement, Barco will enable ClickShare devices to provide data that will be available through Microsoft’s Teams Rooms Pro Management portal, and through tPro Portal to offer IT managers insights into room and device utilization.

Research by Frost & Sullivan reports there is greater adoption of meeting insights and analytics tools to gain a better understanding of space utilization, performance, and engagement, with 76% of the decision-makers indicating this is a key capability. Companies are looking into implementing emerging technologies that provide insights on the workspace and meeting room utilization.

Today’s workforce has become accustomed to the Bring Your Own Meeting (BYOM) or Bring your own Device (BYOD) concept in meeting rooms. The Barco ClickShare solution enables users to host calls from their own laptop with their preferred videoconferencing platform, using the audio and video equipment in the meeting room. According to Barco, ClickShare has been leading the market with its wireless BYOM approach, as market research company Futuresource Consulting has previously estimated that ClickShare’s portfolio makes up over 50% of the global wireless conferencing market.

Clickshare & Microsoft Integration

With more than 240,000 ClickShare Conference devices in the field, ClickShare will be a significant data source for Microsoft Teams Rooms management capabilities and will feed into future initiatives. This first step provides valuable insights for IT decision makers without changing the user experience. When initiating a Teams call, the user’s Teams desktop client identifies the connected microphone, speaker, and camera via the ClickShare Base Unit and Button, passing the data into the Teams Pro Portal. Once multiple users have connected to the same ClickShare Base Unit, the information is populated for IT managers as a potential shared space within the Pro Management portal, enabling registration and management of the meeting space.

“ClickShare has always put the user at the heart of the experience, while guaranteeing IT managers have the necessary insights to equip meeting rooms in the most optimal way,” says Jan van Houtte, head of product at Barco. “Through this integration, Microsoft and Barco will work together to build easy management systems at scale for their customers. The joint forces in the Shared Spaces initiative are a first yet crucial step to explore market opportunities and establish a future portfolio.”

“Barco shares a clear focus with Microsoft on creating the best meeting experience. This focus drives our decision making, strategy, and partnerships, which has led us to take this step,” says Dan Root, head of global strategic alliances at Barco. “We are very pleased to be a part of the Microsoft Teams Devices ecosystem, and to bring Microsoft into our partnership program. Through this collaboration we will work together to build industry-leading solutions that take collaboration to the next level.”


Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on February 22, 2024. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

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Preparing for the Future: Why Schools Need a Digital Transformation Strategy With DaaS https://mytechdecisions.com/it-infrastructure/preparing-for-the-future-why-schools-need-a-digital-transformation-strategy-with-daas/ https://mytechdecisions.com/it-infrastructure/preparing-for-the-future-why-schools-need-a-digital-transformation-strategy-with-daas/#respond Mon, 12 Jun 2023 19:46:00 +0000 https://mytechdecisions.com/?p=48754 When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, many school districts scrambled to provide students with the tools they needed for remote education. This included purchasing millions of Chromebooks students could use at home. However, many of these devices are breaking down earlier than expected. Instead of generating savings, this digital transformation strategy backfired for many […]

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When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, many school districts scrambled to provide students with the tools they needed for remote education. This included purchasing millions of Chromebooks students could use at home. However, many of these devices are breaking down earlier than expected. Instead of generating savings, this digital transformation strategy backfired for many districts.

Reportedly, a single replacement part, such as a keyboard, costs nearly half the cost of a complete Chromebook. As a result, many school districts are buying extra devices to serve as spare parts.

This is just one example of the technological dilemmas facing school districts today. What’s more, limited capital prevents them from buying the newest hardware or upgrading to the latest software versions. With technology rapidly changing, how can educational institutions keep up?

For school districts, a hardware purchase will need several years to get a substantial return on investment (ROI). Unfortunately, this comes at the cost of students using older technology.

The Wave of Device-Agnostic Systems

A growing wave of educators also allow learners to use their existing smart devices when attending remote classes—a so-called Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) policy. Instead of providing the required equipment or specifying specific operating systems (OS), they run systems that accommodate devices regardless of OS or hardware configurations. As long as they meet minimum requirements, any smart device will do.

While this benefits many students, some school districts may have trouble implementing this system. Even if they don’t have the funds to provide students with ideal devices, they’re also unable to maintain the necessary system that accommodates virtually all types of devices.

In addition, when class hardware requirements get more complex due to evolving software, many students become marginalized as their devices can’t keep up. As a result, schools either abide by the lowest common denominator or require students to make costly upgrades.

Unlocking the Power of DaaS: How It Can Revolutionize Education

Can school districts actually implement a digital transformation strategy that doesn’t involve hardware purchases? Yes, through a Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) approach.

Schools usually operate on the premise that students log into the system through either school-issued or personal devices. However, advancements in software development often require users to ensure their hardware keeps pace. For cost-conscious organizations such as school districts, it’s a never-ending cycle of hardware and software upgrades.

A DaaS service provider solves this problem by supplying the computing environment students need and giving customers the choice to upgrade their hardware.

Instead of getting stuck with their initial investment—even when it turns obsolete—DaaS ensures users always have the latest hardware to go with their software. In return, clients pay a fixed subscription that covers hardware and software costs and maintenance and management tasks.

Planning for Change: Steps to Develop a Digital Transformation Strategy for Schools

As you develop a digital transformation strategy, there are a few things to consider:

  • The needs of your school, teachers, and students: What are your pain points, and where could you use more support?
  • Your current technology: Is there anything you can keep? What gaps need to be filled?
  • Key stakeholders: Your digital equipment must serve students, teachers, and IT administrators, so get buy-in from each group.
  • The technology you actually need: Don’t just follow trends. Look for solutions that meet your needs now and can be scaled up or down as things change.

For school districts, enacting a digital transformation strategy means going beyond the cycle of sticking to what they can afford. School districts typically mandate their IT department to keep using existing equipment until it breaks down or becomes unusable. But the DaaS model enables schools to acquire new technology regardless of whether funding is available.

DaaS also reduces the time your IT team spends evaluating and purchasing devices, making them work together, and then keeping them in line with user needs. This frees them to look toward the future and propose systemic improvements to the learning process.

Maximizing ROI: Evaluating the Benefits and Costs of DaaS in Education

A DaaS digital transformation strategy provides many benefits. For instance, school districts won’t have to manage hardware or get stuck with old equipment until achieving an ROI. Additionally, administrators will no longer accumulate obsolete hardware in their storage areas or be tasked with disposing of old devices cheaply and ethically.

Instead, school administrators can breathe easier knowing that, regardless of how computing requirements change from year to year, their tech budget will remain fixed. In fact, they won’t have to worry about capital expenditures every time better and more powerful technology arrives. DaaS provides predictable operational expenses.

Common Challenges and Solutions in Implementing a Digital Transformation Strategy in Schools

To keep the school district’s entire device fleet synced with each other, you’ll need powerful and reliable device management software. Modern cloud technology can maintain secure, encrypted, and reduced-latency connections when monitoring or updating devices.

For this purpose, outmoded software that uses legacy protocols should give way to platforms that harness modern solutions like Amazon Web Services (AWS). This way, even the smallest IT staff can perform remote updates, fixes, and installations to a single device or the entire fleet with just a few button clicks.

The platform should be OS agnostic to easily connect to and manage all allowed devices. What’s more, the task of protecting each connected device means better management and security options. Forget device access as a yes-or-no equation; the ideal device manager should have no problem creating different user access levels that match their job descriptions.

In addition, security means having the capability to remotely disable units or erase data from compromised devices.

Prioritize DaaS Providers Using a Central Device Management Platform

A DaaS approach enables school districts to build a digital transformation strategy that maintains the most updated hardware and software while keeping costs static. Look for a partner that can help your IT team manage, maintain, and secure all subscribed devices.

When choosing the right DaaS vendor to support your digital transformation strategy, choose the one that places a premium on superior device management capabilities. A central device management platform should be easy for your team to use, OS- and device-agnostic, and built for multiple users under one account. It should also enable app and device management, remote support, monitoring and analysis, and automation.


Nadav Radix TechnologiesNadav Avni, CMO of Radix Technologies

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Crestron Unveils AirMedia Connect Adaptor https://mytechdecisions.com/unified-communications/crestron-unveils-airmedia-connect-adaptor/ https://mytechdecisions.com/unified-communications/crestron-unveils-airmedia-connect-adaptor/#respond Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:31:13 +0000 https://mytechdecisions.com/?p=47650 Rockleight, N.J.-based Crestron Electronics, prominent provider of workplace collaboration technology, announced the new AirMedia Connect Adaptor, a one-touch, plug-and-play wireless presentation solution for wireless conferencing. On the heels of Microsoft’s keynote at Enterprise Connect 2023, Crestron and Microsoft will launch an AirMedia collaboration bundle for Microsoft Teams software. The companies thus aim to bring BYOD […]

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Rockleight, N.J.-based Crestron Electronics, prominent provider of workplace collaboration technology, announced the new AirMedia Connect Adaptor, a one-touch, plug-and-play wireless presentation solution for wireless conferencing.

On the heels of Microsoft’s keynote at Enterprise Connect 2023, Crestron and Microsoft will launch an AirMedia collaboration bundle for Microsoft Teams software. The companies thus aim to bring BYOD and Microsoft Teams meetings to more spaces.

Per Crestron, the AirMedia Connect Adaptor is the only dongle optimized by Microsoft for wireless collaboration. Thus, it helps eliminate the need for an application to present and conference.

“Whether you’re in a huddle room, lounge or mixed-use room, effective hybrid work requires the ability to easily present and conference without jumping through hoops,” says Lauren Simmen, director of commercial product marketing for Crestron. “The plug-and-play AirMedia Connect Adaptor allows users to collaborate more freely using their personal devices and any outfitted display to riff on an impromptu brainstorm or deliver a formal business presentation.”

Enabling BYOD Collaboration

women talking with colleagues in meetingCrestron adds that the AirMedia Connect Adaptor works with various platforms for added flexibility. However, the Microsoft Teams software variation adds even more convenience for organizations that have a standard meeting platform.

With the press of a button, users can instantly join virtual meeting participants using their device of choice. Here, they can also take advantage of the high-quality audio and video in-room peripherals.

When used for wireless presentation, the AirMedia Connect Adaptor allows for content transmission in up to 4K/30p. As a result, users never have to worry about their image or video quality. Additionally, all content transmitted utilizes encryption. With this, guests don’t have to worry about using new networks. Additionally, hosts won’t have to worry about unwanted intrusions.

With its wireless presentation capability and upcoming wireless conferencing functionality, the AirMedia Connect Adaptor increases meeting efficiency and productivity. It also allows for greater choice in device type, meeting format and location. According to Crestron, each is an increasingly relevant factor as enterprises navigate returns to the office. Users can also plug the AirMedia Connect Adaptor into the local device’s USB-C connector. They can then use the quick-touch buttons to present without installing additional software or adjusting user access.

Streamlining the BYOD Workplace

For Microsoft Teams users constantly moving to and from their office, the AirMedia Connect Adaptor will streamline their BYOD workplace experience. Where Crestron essential room technologies are in place, AirMedia collaboration technology integrates natively to create a robust, intelligent experience. Here, occupancy sensors wake the room up, touchscreens manage schedules and controls, and the Crestron DigitalMedia platform enables wired presentation and content distribution. What’s more, it achieves this without the hassle of extensive programming in each room.

As with all Crestron devices, provisioning and managing AirMedia devices can be done remotely with zero-touch provisioning through the Crestron XiO Cloud Management System, which can also be used to deploy firmware updates, keeping the system updated without needing new installations or hardware replacements.

Availability

The AirMedia Connect Adaptor with wireless presentation will begin shipping in April, says Crestron. Additionally, an upcoming firmware update in Q2 2023 will enable full wireless conferencing capabilities. The BYOD Crestron AirMedia and Microsoft Teams bundle will ship in Q4 2023.

Check out Crestron’s complete line of end-to-end workplace solutions on our sister-site AV-iQ.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on March 28, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

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ClearOne Adds CHAT 150 BT Speakerphone https://mytechdecisions.com/audio/clearone-chat-150-bt-speakerphone-to-product-lineup/ https://mytechdecisions.com/audio/clearone-chat-150-bt-speakerphone-to-product-lineup/#respond Wed, 22 Feb 2023 14:00:04 +0000 https://mytechdecisions.com/?p=47191 ClearOne has introduced the new CHAT 150 BT group speakerphone with USB and Bluetooth connectivity to enhance the conferencing experience. According to the Salt Lake City-based company, the new product allows for a simple and instant connection to personal computers, mobile devices or Bluetooth-enabled desk phones. The CHAT 150 BT group speakerphone thus provides users […]

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ClearOne has introduced the new CHAT 150 BT group speakerphone with USB and Bluetooth connectivity to enhance the conferencing experience.

According to the Salt Lake City-based company, the new product allows for a simple and instant connection to personal computers, mobile devices or Bluetooth-enabled desk phones. The CHAT 150 BT group speakerphone thus provides users with an affordable way to upgrade spaces with BYOD convenience. Examples of spaces include home offices, executive offices and mid-size meeting rooms. Moreover, the speakerphone provides audio clarity for audioconferences and video meetings.

Creating Clear, Consistent Audio

The CHAT 150 BT group speakerphone also has an audio-bridging feature that allows far-end conference participants connected via a software-conferencing application through USB; local users of the speakerphone; and far-end callers on a mobile call connected through Bluetooth, to all join the same call and hear each other clearly.

The CHAT 150 BT has a steerable microphone array with first-mic priority, With this, it intelligently activates the microphone closest to the person speaking. This then reduces interference from ambient noise. Like all microphone products, the CHAT 150 BT group speakerphone is compatible with popular collaboration platforms, says ClearOne. These include Microsoft Teams, Zoom, WebEx, Google Meet and many more.

Enhanced Compatibility

The new BT model retains all the features of the original CHAT 150 speakerphone, ClearOne proclaims. These include advanced noise cancellation, full-duplex, distributed echo cancellation and automatic-level control algorithms. These features help ensure highly intelligible, natural audio capture and playback. It also supports NFC tap-to-pair and includes a wired USB connection. This ensures compatibility with the full variety of modern devices.

At just over one pound, the CHAT 150 BT group speakerphone is easy to take wherever it’s needed, ClearOne reveals. Moreover, its touch interface provides convenient control of volume, mute and Bluetooth functions. And it does so with a sleek, elegant aesthetic.

“Every product we design has the shared goal of making it easier for companies and individuals to communicate remotely with excellent audio quality and class-leading simplicity,” says Derek Graham, CEO of ClearOne.

“The CHAT 150 BT upgrades our customer-favorite speakerphone to enable even more flexible usage that’s ideal for today’s ever-changing needs and reflects the growth of BYOD conference calls and meetings. ClearOne continues to evaluate the needs of businesses and individuals working in today’s complex office environments; and we’re proud to deliver innovative features and benefits to make every meeting easier and more productive,” Graham adds.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on February 15, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

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Konftel Videoconferencing Technology Streamlines Conferencing for SoCal Sustainable Lithium Company https://mytechdecisions.com/project-of-the-week/konftel-videoconferencing/ https://mytechdecisions.com/project-of-the-week/konftel-videoconferencing/#respond Tue, 08 Mar 2022 14:27:26 +0000 https://mytechdecisions.com/?p=39446 The ultimate achievement for any technology or manufacturing process is to improve performance and efficiency while reducing environmental impact. At Controlled Thermal Resources, a Southern California company that produces lithium battery products in a near-zero-emissions facility, sustainability is at the core of its business. That’s why the company selected videoconferencing equipment from Konftel for an […]

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The ultimate achievement for any technology or manufacturing process is to improve performance and efficiency while reducing environmental impact. At Controlled Thermal Resources, a Southern California company that produces lithium battery products in a near-zero-emissions facility, sustainability is at the core of its business. That’s why the company selected videoconferencing equipment from Konftel for an upgrade of its meeting rooms.

The Swedish technology company manufactures high-performance, easy-to-use cameras and conference phones for videoconferencing. The company also has made sustainability core to its mission – as a Climate Neutral Certified organization.

The Tech Decision

Controlled Thermal Resources required an affordable, platform-agnostic videoconferencing solution that would allow them to collaborate with Zoom, Teams, WebEx and any other service a client or partner might utilize.

“Over the last two to three years, virtual collaboration and videoconferences have become part of our daily work process, and the consumer-grade equipment we were using simply wasn’t up to the task,” said Paul Magana, Controlled Thermal Resources’ real estate manager in a statement. “Being able to clearly see and hear remote partners is vital to our ongoing success, and between the finicky setup process, frequent issues with connections and screen sharing, and sub-par audio and video quality, we knew we could do better.”

The Kontfel Videoconferencing Technology

Controlled Thermal Resources chose several Konftel videoconferencing products, including the Konftel 800 conference phone and Cam50 1080P video camera with pan, tilt and 12x zoom capability, providing full-room coverage in one of the conference rooms.

Related: Konftel Conferencing Solutions Upgrades Marymount Cuernavaca Schools’ Hybrid Learning Experience

“We looked at various solutions, and Konftel’s wireless products that can run on Power over Ethernet provided significant benefits for our space while being one of the most affordable options,” said Magana. “What’s more, the fact that Konftel is one of the industry’s strongest proponents of developing carbon-neutral processes and products made it a perfect fit that exceeded all of our expectations.”

Some of the other solutions the client considered would have required tearing up concrete floors to lay new wiring, with some using proprietary cables. The Konftel 800 conference phone is powered by PoE (power over ethernet) and uses Bluetooth to provide simple, fast connection no matter who is running the meeting.

In addition to the cameras and conference phones, Controlled Thermal Resources’ new conference room includes an 85-inch wall-mounted digital display with an Apple Mac Mini mounted behind it. Through this combination of technologies, users are able to easily and quickly launch meetings without all the fuss of the former setup. Previously, meeting hosts had to connect their laptop to the room’s equipment and ensure everything was running smoothly before each meeting, which reduced efficiency and often required IT support.

The Client Feedback

“The new system we designed is easier and more reliable, and the quality has been fantastic,” Magana said. “The first time we had a meeting with 20 executives from all different locations, there were no glitches, no drop-outs, every word and image was crystal clear, and attendees shared their screens with no issues. The vast difference between the old solution and Konftel’s professional-grade equipment has been a game-changer for our daily meetings.”

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Webinar: Move Over BYOD, It’s Time To Bring Your Own Meeting https://mytechdecisions.com/unified-communications/webinar-move-over-byod-its-time-to-bring-your-own-meeting/ https://mytechdecisions.com/unified-communications/webinar-move-over-byod-its-time-to-bring-your-own-meeting/#respond Tue, 12 May 2020 19:59:37 +0000 https://mytechdecisions.com/?p=23669 Bring Your Own Meeting is a natural extension of BYOD that allows end users to utilize UC platforms they’re most comfortable with. Learn more in our June 10th webinar.

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Even prior to the Covid-19 shutdown, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) had become a key component of the Digital Workplace strategy of many organizations, with 67% of people using their own devices at work.

Now that workers have proven they can be productive while working at home, businesses will quickly move to a hybrid model and more workers will be remote than ever before.

What’s next? In Barco’s most recent research on “The Future of Meetings,” they found a shifting preference for business technology that enables flexible, remote work environments and intuitive devices that allow users to collaborate seamlessly from anywhere they want.

Bring Your Own Meeting (BYOM) is an extension of BYOD, allowing people to use familiar conferencing platforms more effectively. IT departments prefer standardization when it comes to unified communications platforms. Often, when outfitting multiple meeting rooms, the IT team will prefer a uniform AV solution across them all.

6/10/2020: Move Over BYOD, It’s Time To Bring Your Own Meeting – Click here to register!

This can lead to long waiting times, bad connections, poor video quality, and struggles to join. Not all UC solutions will be compatible with these uniform AV systems. Users prefer their to utilize devices they’re familiar with, so if those devices aren’t compatible with the AV system in meeting rooms it poses a problem. They want to work with the technology of their choice, they avoid working with equipment that they don’t understand or find difficult to operate. They prefer conferencing solutions that appeal to them, are easy and intuitive to use. If they can’t do so, they’ll simply ignore the meeting room equipment in favor of the platform that makes them comfortable.

Bring Your Own Meeting allows people to host a conference call using their preferred platform, whether it be Teams, Webex, Zoom, or any number of alternatives. This webinar, sponsored by Barco and presented by Commercial Integrator and TechDecisions, will explore how BYOM initiatives help organizations address the many dimensions of a highly effective Digital Workplace strategy, and how integrators and their customers can get started on creating a BYOM environment.

Click here to register for this webinar of June 10th at 2:00 PM ET, and learn more about how Bring Your Own Meeting can work for you!

 

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BYOD Management for iOS and macOS Now Available from Scalefusion https://mytechdecisions.com/mobility/byod-management-for-ios-and-macos-now-available-from-scalefusion/ https://mytechdecisions.com/mobility/byod-management-for-ios-and-macos-now-available-from-scalefusion/#comments Mon, 08 Jul 2019 20:03:37 +0000 https://mytechdecisions.com/?p=17487 The new capabilities to the Scalefusion platform from ProMobi Technologies will allow for organizations to include personal devices that run iOS and macOS into their management portfolio.

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Scalefusion, the Enterprise Mobility Management Solution from ProMobi Technologies, announced that it now supports Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) management for iOS and macOS devices. Using Scalefusion, IT teams will now have the ability to manage any Apple devices owned by employees. Easy user enrollment, secure policy deployment, and seamless application management are some of the key features Scalefusion touts as reasons to adopt the platform.

“This extended capability adds more value to Scalefusion in positioning itself as a multi-platform EMM solution for diverse device and deployment types. With the growing prominence of BYOD as a policy in most companies & the eagerness of modern employees to use their iOS and Mac devices for work due to the enriched user experience and the convenience offered by device familiarity, extending BYO management is a need of the hour,” says Sriram Kakarala, Vice President of Mobility at ProMobi Technologies.

According to a press release, key functionalities of the new capabilities of the Scalefusion platform include:

  • Quick and easy device enrolment.
  • Simplified configuration of company policies and essential settings such as WiFi.
  • Seamless application management for publishing enterprise and business-specific apps and books to drive resource availability on employee-owned devices.
  • Protection against data-breach by disabling users from taking screenshots.
  • Work data settings that restrict the corporate data flow between work and personal apps.
  • Securing corporate data without accessing personal data to maintain employee data privacy.

More about Scalefusion:

ProMobi Technologies provides a leading Enterprise Mobility Management Solution under the brand Scalefusion. Scalefusion EMM allows organizations to secure and manage endpoints including smartphones, tablets, laptops, rugged devices, mPOS, and digital signages, along with apps and content. It supports the management of Android, iOS, macOS and Windows 10 devices and ensures streamlined device management operations with Scalefusion InterOps.

More than 4500 companies across the world are unlocking their true potential using Scalefusion, which is used across various industries such as Transportation & Logistics, Retail, Education, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Construction & Real Estate, Hospitality, Software & Telecom, Financial Services & others.

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How to Maintain Security When Employees Work Remotely https://mytechdecisions.com/network-security/maintain-security-employees-work-remotely/ https://mytechdecisions.com/network-security/maintain-security-employees-work-remotely/#comments Tue, 19 Mar 2019 09:00:37 +0000 https://mytechdecisions.com/?p=15124 Many companies are allowing employees to work remotely more frequently as a recruitment and retention strategy, but that can't interfere with the security of the company's network.

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Working remotely as a concept is not new to the corporate world; however, it wasn’t always supported or preferred by employers of the yesteryears. Fast forward to today, global village and employers are actually comfortable with, if not encouraging, employees working remotely.

This change in attitude is largely attributed to tech, especially the connectivity introduced by the internet and the growing culture of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to work. And, it isn’t like employers are supporting this culture for the sake of employees only. The employer gets to cut the many costs associated with employees working in house. So, it’s a perfect win-win situation if we ever had one.

With Convenience Comes Threat

There are many different types of threats associated with employees working remotely. From an employee holding corporate data for ransom to corporate espionage; from regional restrictions to corporate network access; employees working remotely introduced employers to previously unknown challenges and threats.

A Digital Solution for Digital Problems

Since most threats associated with working remotely are digital in nature, the solution too needs to be digital, and a smart one at that. Thankfully, businesses have Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to thank for making their remote employees safe against hackers, data thieves, regional restrictions, keeping their corporate networks safe.

Don’t Know What a VPN Is? Allow Us to Explain.

Similar to the internet, which is a network of computers, VPNs are designed the same way, except for the fact that unlike the internet, this network is private, as the name implies. Normally, when you want to visit a website, you type URL into your browser, and it sends the request to your ISP. This is how your ISP knows which websites you visit and your other digital activities.

However, when you use a VPN, all the data sent and received by you on the internet is routed through the servers of the VPN provider. The data is encrypted and tunneled to the server, giving you impenetrable security, and blinding the ISP and hackers in the process. Since no one sees your data, no one knows what you do online.

Also, a VPN masks your IP address, making you anonymous on the internet and affording you the ability to access websites that might be blocked or restricted in your country or region.

Enough Mumbo Jumbo. How Does it Help Remote Employees and Employers?

Good question.

Let’s start with some question:

  • What if your remote employee’s device gets infected with a virus, and the virus then infiltrates your corporate network?
  • What if the sensitive data sent and received by your remote employee gets hijacked midway during transmission?
  • What if you had to restrict your corporate network to specific IPs? How would your remote employee connect to your network then?
  • What if regional restrictions stop your remote employee from accessing certain websites?
  • What if your corporate laptop, the smartphone or other device gets infected with malware?

The one simple solution to all these and other similar problems is a VPN. By having your remote employee install a VPN on their device, you can not only ensure the security of data but also the digital safety of the device!

There are many VPNs out there offering their services, some of the big names include PureVPN, ExpressVPN,PIA VPN and NordVPN. I’ll be taking PureVPN as an example to build my case.

Data Security

PureVPN offers top-of-the-line AES 256-bit encryption, which when translated into English means impenetrable security for your data. Even if the data is hijacked midway, the hijacker will only get to see gibberish data that’s impossible to decipher.

Furthermore, since all the traffic is routed via the VPN’s servers, viruses, malware, and similar threats are automatically blocked at the server end, leaving your device virus-free.

Kevin Austin is a cybersecurity expert and has many years of experience in the tech industry, He enjoys writing about information security, ethical hacking, IOT and anything related to technology. Also, Kevin spends most of his time learning new stuff and exploring new things around the world.

Overcoming Restrictions and Censorships

Even in countries like China and Iran where the internet is controlled by the government, a VPN gives you uninterrupted access to every website blocked or censored by the country. So, if your employee is at a location with rampant restrictions and censorships, they will be able to access any website with complete ease. Additionally, they won’t have to fear any backlash or repercussions since a VPN protects them and nobody can see what they are doing online.

Limited & Targeted Access

Even if you limit access to your corporate network to certain IPs only, your remote employee will be able to access your corporate assets securely, thanks to a VPN. Top-tier VPNs like TorGuard,PureVPN and NordVPN offer dedicated IPs, which make it easier for you to have a twofold cover of protection on your corporate network. You can allow the dedicated IP access to your network and remain free of any worries about viruses or malware wreaking havoc.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many benefits offered by VPNs for businesses and remote employees. If you want to grow your business without investing in infrastructure or additional IT costs, then empower your employees with a VPN and watch their productivity soar.    

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