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.

The company calls the Logi Dock Flex a new fully-featured managed docking station built for shared desks in flexible work environments designed to help companies optimize their office space and provide insights on how work spaces are being used.

According to Scott Wharton, general manager of Logitech B2B, the Logi Dock Flex and new hotdesking service is designed to help companies encourage employees to come back to the office by helping them plan their in-office days.

“We took a multidimensional approach to building Logi Dock Flex that not only solves desk booking and management issues, but promotes social collaboration and gives IT and workplace managers data on how the tech and space are being used,” Wharton says in a statement.

Helping employees plan their office visits

With Logitech’s desk booking service–which can be used without the Logi Dock Flex and is free through the company’s Sync management portal–employees can plan days in the office with their teams, book a desk through Logi Tune and notify their teammates in-app. Once on-site, they plug into Logi Dock Flex with a single USB cable and get to work, the company says.

The Logi Dock Flex is an 8-inch display with six USB ports that supports dual display, network connection and up to 100 wats of power, allowing for secure standard-issue device connections and BYOD scenarios.

According to Logitech, the device allows employees to personalize their workstation with their own background photo and away message, and join meetings with one touch through calendar integrations with the Logi Tune app. For ad-hoc booking, the display signals whether the desk is available or not.

Helping IT manage hybrid work

For IT teams, the Logi Dock Flex allows them to install and deploy the device at scale with secure cable management, and the Logitech Sync management software allows IT to remotely monitor and manage the device, including adjusting booking settings, managing equipment and customizing according to the organization’s hybrid work policies.

In addition, the Logi Dock Flex’s multiservice capability allows IT to choose Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Logitech’s own desk booking service. Other services will be available at a later date.

However, the Logitech desk booking service is managed through Logitech Sync and can be deployed with either Logi Dock Flex or by using QR codes to work stand-alone, not requiring any purchase of Logitech hardware, the company says.

Logi Dock Flex also provides real-time insights and analytics on space usage to help organizations understand how flexible office and return-to-office policies are performing, the company says.

Availability

The device will be available in Fall 2023 with a suggested price of $699.

The desk booking service is available for free now. Premium features of the booking service like usage insights, alerts, and floor plan maps are free during the public beta through July 1, 2024.

The post Logitech Wants to Help Solve Hybrid Work Issues With Logi Dock Flex appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Like many others in the all-in-one conferencing bar category, Logitech says the Rally Bar Huddle is easy to set up, manage and integrate with Tap IP through CollabOS. The newest device for small rooms and huddle spaces joins the Rally Bar portfolio, which currenlty includes the Rally Bar Mini for small to medium rooms, the Rally Bar for medium to large rooms, and Rally Plus system for large to extra large rooms.

The Rally Bar Huddle comes as companies are heavily investing in conferencing technologies and outfitting meeting spaces with video and audio solutions designed to help support hybrid workers and turn office space into flexible conferencing spaces.

AI audio, video to support hybrid work

According to Logitech, the Rally Bar Huddle is designed for rooms of up to six meeting participants to ensure each is seen and heard clearly thanks to built-in AI video intelligence and 4K image quality. Six beamforming mics and AI-based noise suppression adds to the bar’s ability to keep participants focused on the meeting.

In addition, a redesigned ported-audio system makes Rally Bar Huddle two times louder than Logitech’s MeetUp solution, the company says.

Going even further, Logitech is adding ongoing software improvements to make Rally Bar Huddle even more intelligent, with updates that add advanced features.

Those advanced features include RightSight 2, Logitech’s AI tool that tracks the active speaker while also showing the entire room and also gives each participant equal representation by detecting faces and zooming in on each person to give them their own frame.

These features are integrated with similar tools from Zoom Rooms and Microsoft Teams designed to solve some of those meeting equity issues inherent in hybrid work, the company says.

Logitech says Rally Bar Huddle can be deployed three ways: with a dedicated Windows or ChromeOS computer, in BYOD mode, or in appliance mode to support video conferencing applications without an external computer.

Read Next: 10 All-in-One Videoconferencing Bars For Huddle Spaces and Small Meeting Rooms

Easy for IT to deploy, monitor, manage

Like others in its category, the Logitech Rally Bar Huddle supports the most popular videoconferencing platforms, including Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet.

Again similar to other vendors in the all-in-one conferencing bar category, Logitech markets the Rally Bar as a simple solution that IT teams can deploy out of the box. IT can also monitor and manage the device with the company’s cloud-based Logitech Sync solution, which now includes Sync Insights to give IT teams data on how meeting spaces are being used.

Citing research firm Futuresource, Logitech says 68% of companies plan to invest in AV technology for small meeting rooms and huddle spaces.

In a statement, Scott Wharton, general manager of Logitech B2B, says huddle rooms are popping up faster than companies can deploy conferencing devices to support them.

“We designed Rally Bar Huddle from the ground up to have the optimal AI functionality for modern equitable meetings while coming in at a price point that is affordable for every single huddle room out there,” Wharton says.

When will Rally Bar Huddle be available?

According to Logitech, Rally Bar Huddle will be available globally in July 2023 through authorized sellers and logitech.com with a suggested retail price of $1699. RightSight 2 features will be available in Fall 2023.

The post Logitech Launches Rally Bar Huddle for Small Meeting Spaces appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The new app and features give content creators the ability to use iOS and Android devices they already own, whereas before they would have to use dedicated hardware to use the Mevo Multicam system.

According to Logitech, the Mevo Go app allows content creators to stream and record multicam videos in 1080p HD resolution with any combination of dedicated Mevo cameras and mobile devices.

Mevo Go is included in a new Mevo subscription plan called Mevo Pro, an all-in-one solution designed to introduce creators to the Mevo portfolio of multicam streaming and recording products. Creators can upgrade to Mevo Pro via an in-app purchase within the Mevo or Mevo Multicam app.

According to Logitech, a 14 day free trial is available to all streamers and creators to unlock premium features with Mevo’s ecosystem of hardware and software. By subscribing to Mevo Pro, streamers and creators can access features across all Mevo apps, including multi-destination streaming and many more tools to come.

Mevo Go can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play and requires a Mevo Pro subscription, which is available for $19 per month or $149 annually in the U.S., Canada and select countries in Europe.

The post Logitech Launches Mevo Go, a New Multicam App for iOS, Android Devices appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Because of that shortsightedness, organizations largely sent employees home with the bare minimum: their laptop and the built-in camera, microphone and speaker. As the pandemic drags into a third year and business leaders continue to embrace distributed work, it is now clear that employees need far better tools to work effectively from home, according to new research from Logitech.

The hardware peripherals giant surveyed more than 1,000 IT hardware decision makers in large organizations to understand whether their standards changed over the course of the pandemic, and also interviewed and surveyed 3,000 end users to learn about their struggles.

Despite a massive reliance on videoconferencing, the Logitech survey revealed that many organizations failed to equip workers with video and audio-optimizing tools. According to the data, fewer than 40% of end users said their organizations provided external webcams, headsets or other conferencing accessories. Just 37% say their organization provided a headset or webcam.

With little change in the strategy of IT leaders to outfit home offices with necessary equipment, end users are taking it upon themselves to source the technology they need in a video-first hybrid environment, the research finds. As a result, users are struggling with inefficiencies.

According to Logitech, 89% of end users say they struggle with video issues, and 85% struggle with audio issues. When it comes to lighting, 64% of end users say they struggle with poor or inadequate lighting in their homes during video calls, and 63% say changing daylight and seasonal lighting changes impact their video calls.

The webcam manufacturer also found that built-in cameras in laptops are not getting the job done, as 65% of end users said the angle of their built-in camera is unflattering, 64% feel that they are always looking away from the camera and 63% feel they don’t look their best on camera.

Audio issues also plague remote end users, as 60% say they struggle with poor sound quality through their laptop speakers. Another 66% say background noise from other meeting participants impacts their videoconferencing meetings, and 58% struggle with distracting noises in their own homes, Logitech reports.

Common complaints include laptop speaker angle, poor microphones of meeting participants and consumer-grade headsets and earbuds not getting the job done.

However, it’s not just technology issues impacting videoconferencing meetings and the work lives of remote end users, as Logitech finds that end users also struggle with ergonomics in their home offices. Nearly 60% say they have to sit in an uncomfortable position to be on camera, and 70% report physical discomfort after sitting for long meetings.

All of these issues force users to make adjustments that can disrupt meetings and the flow of work, such as checking to make sure audio equipment is working, eliminating noise distractions, fixing their hair or clothing, adjusting lighting, rearranging backgrounds and finding the right camera angle.

These challenges were reported by employees from across the board, including management or executive leadership (57%), senior employees (19%) and early career workers (22%).

With videoconferencing being leveraged for critical meetings, Logitech recommends organizations and their IT leaders take several steps to equip remote end users with the necessary tools.

IT leaders should:

• Raise awareness among leadership of the challenges end users are having when joining virtual meetings.
• Survey end users in the organization on their collaboration and productivity challenges
• Deploy necessary tools, such as webcams, noise-cancelling earbuds or headsets and collaboration docks. Ensure that selected devices are certified for cloud collaboration platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and others.
• Define organizational requirements and keep hybrid work plans open to modifications.

The post End Users are Underequipped for Remote Videoconferencing appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The company says the Sight is its latest in a series of innovations designed to level the playing field for all workers, regardless of where they’re signing on from.

Rather than the front-of-room cameras framing individual speakers as they talk, the Logitech Sight provides alternative perspectives with dual 4K cameras and seven beamforming microphones to capture conversations and non-verbal cues as they naturally happen.

This is designed to enhance employee participation and engagement by helping remote attendees feel as if they are actually sitting at the conference table. After the product is launched, Sight will enable RightSight with Smart Switching, a new adaptive intelligence from Logitech that selects the best view between the tabletop camera and front-of-room camera to intuitively switch between camera views of in-person interactions and tracking conversations naturally.

Sight can also integrate with Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet, so it can use meeting layout features specific to those platforms like Zoom Smart Gallery and Microsoft Teams dynamic view. This compatibility also gives IT teams assurance that their conference room tech will continue to meet their hybrid work needs, Logitech says.

The camera comes with mounts and integrated cable management, making it easier for IT teams without an audiovisual background to install collaboration equipment in a flexible and scalable way.

In addition, IT professionals can manage the camera via Logitech Sync, the company’s free software that enables device monitoring, updating and troubleshooting from a cloud-based interface.

Scott Wharton, general manager of Logitech Video Collaboration, says hybrid work structures increase the challenge of delivering equitable work experiences to a distributed workforce. He says the Sight uses AI in a style reminiscent of Hollywood to use multiple camera angles and intelligent direction to give remote participants a more natural meeting experience.

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

The post This New Logitech Camera is Designed to Make Hybrid Meetings Better appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The company says the new products are designed to be easy for IT professionals to deploy and maintain, and users can customize the devices to meet their needs.

The MX Master 3S for Business mouse includes added features for tactility, performance and flow, including quiet click technology with 90% less noise than its predecessor. In addition, an 8,000 DPI sensor makes work on high-resolution monitors faster and more precise.

Logitech says MagSpeed electromagnetic scrolling allows users to scroll 1,000 lines per second or with line-by-line precision. The mouse was designed to be comfortable for long periods of time to reduce forearm muscle fatigue.

The MX Keys Combo for Business Gen 2 pairs the MX Master 3S for Business with the new version of the product family’s enterprise-grade keyboard that features smart backlighting, precise tracking and productivity shortcuts. The keyboard and mouse are both certified carbon neutral.

IT and users can use the Logi Options+ software to enable simple short cuts for an intuitive experience with familiar applications and video platforms, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Both mouse and keyboard can be configured to allow for easy muting during video calls. Users can also navigate between multiple computers with Flow-enabled mice to optimize workflow.

Options+ is mass deployable, meaning IT and install and configure certain parameters of the app to meet corporate requirements.

The new products also feature Logi Bolt, the company’s next-generation wireless connectivity protocol that includes additional security measures designed to give IT peace of mind by minimizing enterprise vulnerability risks in both office and remote environments.

“As we continue to expand our enterprise portfolio, what a great opportunity for advanced professionals looking to maximize output and increase productivity with MX Master 3S and MX
Keys Combo for Business Gen 2,” says Joseph Mingori, general manager of B2B for creativity and productivity at Logitech. “We design for today’s hybrid work with individuals in mind, offering a
portfolio that meets the needs of IT departments and a diverse workforce.”

The post Logitech Releases New MX Series Keyboard, Mouse for Business appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The new product series are the Brio 500 series of enterprise-grade webcams and the Zone Vibe wireless over-the-ear headphones. The Brio 500 series will initially include two products, while the Zone Vibe headphones will include three editions.

According to the Newark, Calif-based Logitech, the Brio webcam line features the Brio 500 and Brio 505, both of which feature enterprise-grade audio and video quality for remote and hybrid conferencing. The webcams feature Show Mode, a tool that makes it easy to share sketches or other physical objects on a user’s desk.

The webcams also come with an innovative mounting system and built-in sensor that allows users to tilt the camera down to focus on objects, and the webcams will flip the image to render the correct orientation on video calls.

Like other Logitech webcams, the Brio 500 series feature AI-enabled technology to automatically frame the user and correct substandard lighting.

Meanwhile, Logitech says its new Zone Vibe series of headphones are the first wireless headphones in the market that “combine business-grade performance with comfort, style, and affordability.” The headphones weigh just 6.5 ounces, making them comfortable to wear throughout the workday. To start, the series includes the Zone Vibe 100 ($99.99), Zone Vibe 125 ($129.99) and Zone Vibe Wireless ($129.99).

Both new product lines also feature some IT management capabilities, the company says. The new Brio webcams are plug-and-pay and are compatible with most videoconferencing platforms and are certified for Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet. An integration between the Brio 505 and Logitech Sync allows IT admins to update firmware and troubleshoot problems .

The Zone Vibe Wireless headphones also offer IT admins the ability to push updates through Logi Tune and Logitech Sync, according to Logitech.

Both new product lines are also certified carbon neutral.

The Brio 500 webcam series and Zone Vibe 100 and 125 headphones will be available globally in September 2022 on logitech.com and at other global retailers. Zone Vibe Wireless headset will be available in December at authorized channels.

Learn more about Logitech collaboration devices at AV-iQ. 

The post Logitech Launches New Brio 500 Webcams and Zone Headphones appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The collaboration industry and the hardware and software companies that provide the innovative solutions that make remote and hybrid work possible have adapted to make those transitions possible while keeping employees productive – regardless of where they are.

TechDecisions saw this on full display at InfoComm 2022, where some of the biggest names in unified communication and collaboration were showing off their newest solutions.

Zoom, now a world-famous brand that has become synonymous with videoconferencing, was showing off its newest Zoom Rooms features, including its Workspace Reservation tool that enables users to book meeting spaces via an interactive map of the office.

Hybrid work, meeting equity and all-in-one devices

However, the name of the game at InfoComm was hybrid work and meeting equity, and Zoom was also highlighting its intelligence video technologies, such as Smart Gallery, a feature that displays multiple video feeds from a single conference room camera, making it easier for remote meeting attendees to see everyone clearly.

During a demonstration at Zoom’s booth, Smart Gallery displayed three video feeds: the whole room and one each for myself and Mark Barragan, Zoom’s manager of Zoom Rooms for the Americans.

Zoom has struck up countless partnerships with makers of videoconferencing cameras, such as Poly and Logitech, both of which were showing off their devices and highlighting their relationships with the world’s largest software providers and their purpose-built devices for collaboration platforms.

Poly, in addition to their suite of videoconferencing cameras and speakers, recently released the R30 USB video bar for small conferencing spaces that combines enterprise-grade video and audio tools into one small, easy-to-deploy form factor. The device features intelligent audio and video technologies for speaking framing and noise reduction to ensure all in-room participants are heard equally.

Logitech, a longtime videoconferencing hardware market leader, was also showing off its lineup of all-in-one Rally Bar devices, in addition to its full suite of remote and hybrid work essentials, such as headsets, personal conferencing cameras.

Also highlighting its newest all-in-one conferencing device was Bose, which is marketing its decades-long expertise in audio as the reason its VideoBar VB-S stands out from its competition with six beam-steering microphones that filter out unwanted noise and intelligent video-framing capabilities.

For advanced conferencing experiences where hybrid work meeting equity is a must, Crestron — a brand ubiquitous in enterprise conferencing spaces and other audiovisual installations — debuted its new Sightline technology that tracks the active speaker and displaying the view of the entire room while simultaneously framing individual speakers.

While designed with hybrid workers in mind, Sightline also makes it easier for in-room participants to follow along with remote participants by keeping their video in the line of sight.

For enhanced audio intelligibility, Shure displayed its MXA920 Ceiling Array Microphone featuring the company’s Automatic Coverage technology, the microphones pre-configured audio capture with minimal set up required, dramatically reducing the time and cost of deployments. The conference room microphones include the onboard IntelliMix DSP for noise and echo-free performance.

Collaboration displays

Building on the idea of all-in-one videoconferencing bars, display manufacturers such as LG, Avocor, Sharp NEC Display Solutions, Samsung and others were showing off their enterprise-quality displays with built in cameras, speakers and microphones to take the complexity out of conferencing spaces.

Among LG’s new lineup of impressive DVLED displays, the company was showing off its videoconferencing displays, including the One:Quick series, which features the 55-inch One-Quick Works and the 43-inch Flex model. Both are running on Windows 10 and are compatible with a wide variety of videoconferencing apps.

Like other hardware providers, collaboration display manufacturer Avocor is also looking to partner with leading conferencing software companies, evidenced by its new Google Meet Series One displays being highlighted on the show floor.

Read Next: My TechDecisions Podcast Episode 162: What IT Can Learn About Audiovisual Systems at InfoComm

The family of products, developed in partnership with Google Workspace, includes the Series One Board 65 and Series One Desk 27. While optimized for Google’s flagship business collaboration and conferencing platform, both can run any videoconferencing app.

Both include an integrated camera, microphone and speaker, as well as whiteboarding capabilities and intelligent audio and video features designed to reduce unwanted noise and keep on-site and remote participants engaged.

Similarly, Sharp NEC Display solutions showed off its PN-L2B AQUOS BOARD Smart Interactive Display, which it says it designed for hybrid meetings and classrooms. THe displays feature a single USB-C connector for easy startup and built-in wireless connectivity, among other visual features for which this brand is known. Several operating systems are supported, including Windows, Android, iOS, MacOS, iPadOS and Chrome OS.

Samsung, meanwhile, combines its impressive, interactive display technology with tried-and-true conferencing solutions from providers such as Logitech to provide all organizations need to collaborate with remote workers.

For educational settings, Samsung highlighted the Flip Pro, an interactive whiteboard that enables simultaneous collaboration for up to 20 people.

Monitoring and management tools for IT

However, what IT professionals have been calling for as they struggle to monitor and manage their organization’s new conferencing technology and spaces is visibility into those devices, many of which are deployed on the network. To address that need, Logitech highlighted its device management and deployment software, Sync and Logi Tune.

Poly offers similar a similar solution, Poly Lens, to help IT keep tabs on its conferencing devices.

Moving away from brand specific monitoring tools, companies such as software provider Utelogy and global AV integration firm AVI-SPL offer their own monitoring and management tools to help IT ensure conference room systems continue to run without disruption.

Utelogy CEO Kevin Morrison told me that as organizations continue to embrace hybrid work and are building out new conferencing spaces, IT professionals are lacking visibility and management capabilities. The Utelogy platform aims to solve that problem by providing a combination of monitoring, management, control and testing capabilities.

The platform currently supports 2,800 devices, which provides an invaluable tool for IT professionals to manage conferencing systems from the growing ecosystem of hardware vendors.

Meanwhile, AVI-SPL showed off the newest version of its Symphony platform for management and monitoring of multi-vendor collaboration systems and meeting environments.

The new version of the Symphony platform, 6.0, provides a revamped user interface that provides clarify and efficiency for IT administrators and analysts to easily see and understand what is happening across their collaboration technology ecosystem.

What IT can learn from InfoComm

Aside from those vendors, the InfoComm show is becoming heavily tailored to IT professionals, with over 20 sessions this year focused on IT and networked audiovisual systems. That included a panel session focused on the point of view of IT and end users of these products being showcased.

Other sessions explored cybersecurity implications for IoT, AV and workplace technology in enterprise environments, while a three-day course on networked AV systems looked at the impacts of AV systems on networks.

Visit the InfoComm show’s website or AVIXA’s website to learn more about these technologies.

The post The Unified Communication and Collaboration Technology on Display at InfoComm 2022 appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The new combos are the compact and mobile MX Keys Mini Combo for Business and its larger counterpart the Signature MK650 Combo for Business. Each include Logitech’s Logi Bolt wireless security that includes enhanced connectivity for congested wireless environments.

Both packages are also compatible with Logi Options+ software for customization and application-based presets to optimize workflow and increase efficiency. In addition, the software allows IT to install and configure certain parameters of the app to meet corporate requirements.

The company bills the MX Keys Mini Combo for Business as mouse and keyboard package for more advanced, versatile workflows in a minimalist design that opens up more desk space. The package includes the MX Anywhere 3 for Business muse and the MX keys Mini keyboard, both of which are rechargeable and compatible with every major operating system.

The keyboard features a fluid typing experience, tactile response and backlit keys that can be automatically adjusted when not in use to preserve battery life.

The larger MK650 combination features a soft, integrated palm rest and one-key productivity shortcuts and Perfect Stroke typing to help increase efficiency and the employee experience. Logitech markets the mouse as a contoured and comfortable tool with Silent Click and SmartWheel technology for reduced noise, quicker scrolling and more precision.

Both packages feature Logi Bolt, Logitech’s next-generation wires connectivity protocol based on Bluetooth Low Energy wireless technology. Logi Bolt includes multiple security measures to give IT peace of mind by minimizing vulnerability risks for hybrid workers.

In addition to improving connectivity, Logi Bolt is engineered with Bluetooth security mode 1, level 4, which is complaint with Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS).

The new mice and keyboard combos are designed to serve diverse business and employee needs, including information workers, creators and developers. The devices are part of a new approach Logitech is taking, which it calls the New Logic of Work, which is centered around flexible workplace solutions, easy IT management and a shift from the one-size-fits-all approach to enterprise technology.

“These new mice and keyboard combos, designed to serve diverse business and employee needs, expand our enterprise product portfolio,” said Joseph Mingori, vice president & general manager of B2B for Creativity & Productivity at Logitech, in a statement. “With this new approach, called The New Logic of Work, we acknowledge that the one-size-fits-all model is no longer viable, and everyone should have the devices that best suit their work styles for the ideal experience in the workplace.”

The MX Keys Mini Combo and Signature MK650 Combo will be available in August 2022. For pricing, contact a reseller or visit Logitech.com/workdesk.

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