The sheer proliferation of platforms, abilities, and features can be a minefield for identifying the best, more secure and user-friendly hybrid working solutions for your business.

The good news is that tech companies are talking to, and working together more than ever, creating partnerships to deliver solutions for a more collaborative future.

So, we know the tools are out there. Choosing the right ecosystem will not only save time and money in the future, but also enable your team to hit the ground running at peak productivity sooner. Let’s look at the most important features to look for.

True hybrid collaboration

While the option to be fully remote will still exist for many companies, in-person collaboration continues to be the benefit that employees enjoy most about the office. According to a survey by Microsoft on hybrid work, more than 65% of those surveyed crave more in-person time with their teams to collaborate.

At the same time, employees have also acknowledged the benefits of physical workplaces and offices that are harder to replicate virtually – one of them being the interpersonal connections and relationships they are able to forge in person.

With these considerations in mind, leaders developing a digital transformation strategy should focus on space design and technology that supports flexible collaboration, leaning on physical office space for in-person collaboration.

Employees should be able to move from each style of work fluidly, whether they’re in a conference room in the office in the morning and at home working after the school run in the afternoon.  Collaboration and UC technology can enable this seamless transition by replicating the in-person experience through video display technology, and vice-versa.

Wherever they are based, employees need to benefit from the meeting equity and interactivity UC tools can deliver, with the same functionalities, regardless of location. They should be able to enter any workspace, physical or virtual, and immediately be able to collaborate with fellow team members without wasting time on set-up.

Another great feature to look for is real-time annotation. The ability to show cloud-based real-time annotations in a meeting with (and from) everyone on a call, and then to save and share the new ideas and edits, gives all participants an equal opportunity to provide input. Features like this help to foster a sense of connectivity by eliminating siloed conversations and opening the possibilities of how teams must work today.  

Scalable solutions to support a wide range of services and platforms

Workspace apps such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Ring Central, and Google Meet have become a standard part of the office IT set up.  Ensuring compatibility and compliance with all of the tools that people are using is essential for business leaders to keep both productivity and employee satisfaction high.

Some of the common challenges with rolling these changes out include an assurance that the installed technology will work seamlessly with an enterprises’ existing OS and applications, that it will be totally secure and that it will be easy-to-use for their entire employee base, including those who are not stationed within the main office.

There are also logistical challenges around system design and choosing products that cut down on the number of devices you have in a meeting room or huddle space. Decision-makers should therefore look for all-in-one displays that feature audio/video capabilities, embedded cameras, and a full suite of native support for all the tools and platforms that employees use across the enterprise.

Data is key

Analytics and data have always been an important driver in decision-making for the enterprise, but with the return-to-work post-COVID, this information is even more critical to ensure operational efficiency, as well as employee comfort and confidence.

Also, commercial real estate and office space are at a premium, from the basic cost-per-square-foot to the amount it costs to manage those spaces. Workspace intelligence analytic solutions built into workplace hardware, such as meeting room displays, allow enterprise decision-makers to take immediate action to re-evaluate meeting rooms, UC hardware and software ROI, as well as guide future planning.

The way forward

Planning a digital transformation strategy that encompasses the multi-faceted needs of the new workplace will position leaders, and their organizations, to have the best chance of success, business continuity and employee satisfaction.

In the initial 12 months of the pandemic, organizations were focused on digital enablement for workers, making sure they had tools to be productive at home and contribute to continuing to drive business with the provision of laptops, webcams etc. We’re now at a place where we need to supercharge these tools and provide all the capabilities of office-based tools, for the home-office home too.

Consistency is key to building company culture and supporting productivity. The enterprise needs a slick and user-friendly hybrid ecosystem that can be rolled out company wide. It’s my view that this approach will be widely adopted by businesses, providing a standardized ecosystem that gives every employee the same view, functionality, experience, and style in meetings, whether in the office, the boardroom or in the home-office. Hybrid harmony is on the horizon!

The post Building Blocks for True Hybrid Collaboration appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Then 2020 happened, and suddenly, tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams became household names with workers everywhere having to quickly learn the ins and outs of these new-to-them platforms. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we explored changing our virtual backgrounds, screen sharing and the other features of these platforms – many of us for the first time.

Since then, the collaboration and videoconferencing industry has exploded, with Zoom and Microsoft Teams reporting record growth as other players like Google Meet, Webex and GoTo Meeting making a strong case as well.

However, it wasn’t just the platforms themselves that saw the demand and innovated – it was also collaboration hardware manufacturers like Logitech, Poly, Barco, Sony, Bose, Sharp, Avocor, Samsung, Sennheiser and more that developed remote work solutions to meet the demands of a distributed workforce.

The collaboration industry is now bringing new features designed for hybrid work, making it seamless to transition from the home to the office. But still, the market is flooded with collaboration platforms and ancillary devices like cameras, microphones, headsets and more that can overwhelm the technology decision maker.

To help you develop your collaboration stack and adopt hybrid work solutions, we partnered with collaboration and audiovisual leader AVI-SPL on a regular podcast called “The Collaboration Space Podcast.” The episodes dive into topics that can help organizations create hybrid work policies and equip employees with everything they need to be productive – regardless of where they are.

The modern office is changing, so let My TechDecsisions, AVI-SPL and other office technology leaders help guide you along that path.

The episodes, listed below in order of publication, can be consumed right here on the My TechDecisions website and anywhere else you consume podcasts:

Multi-Platform Video Collaboration

In this video episode, guest host John Bailey welcomes Barco’s David Fitzgerald to talk about how Barco ClickShare enables your teams to collaborate using video.

Hybrid Learning Technology & CARES Act 2.0

Learn about hybrid learning environments and ways for funding these programs from Crestron representatives on AVI-SPL’s Collaboration Space podcast.

Making Sense Of Hybrid Work and School Trends

AVI-SPL and Sony discuss hybrid work and school trends and more during this Collaboration Space Podcast.

Addressing HyFlex Learning Technology Challenges

AVI-SPL and Bose discuss hybrid learning technology and trends for higher education institutions in this episode of the Collaboration Space Podcast.

How Collaboration Is Driving the Return to Office

AVI-SPL and Sharp discuss how collaboration is driving the return to office and what that means for you and your team. In today’s new normal, simplicity, flexibility and versatility are essential to meet in-office as well as for hybrid collaboration needs.

Support the Transition to Hybrid Work with Robust AV Solutions

Join AVI-SPL and Legrand AV for an insightful discussion about making changes to support a hybrid work environment, as they share ideas about robust audiovisual solutions to help make the transition smoother.

How To Turn Your Office into a Robust Digital Workplace

In this video edition of The Collaboration Space podcast, collaboration experts from Poly discuss considerations for creating a technology plan to support your organization’s return to work.

How One University Made Their Hybrid Learning Vision a Reality

In this video edition of The Collaboration Space podcast, we discuss how AVI-SPL and Sennheiser helped one university create a hybrid environment.

Audiovisual Considerations for Higher Education E-sports Gamers & Spectators

Explore E-Sports in higher education with AVI-SPL and HARMAN in this video edition of The Collaboration Space Podcast.

The Many Benefits of Electronic Message Centers

In this episode, we focus on digital signage. Samsung’s Cole Barnes joins us to discuss the ROI and other benefits of electronic message centers (EMCs).

Essential Tools For The Hybrid Workplace

Logitech joins AVI-SPLs latest Collaboration Space podcast to discuss hybrid workplace essentials.

Remote Meeting Management Solutions

Biamp joins AVI-SPLs latest Collaboration Space podcast to discuss remote meeting management solutions.

How to Achieve Meeting Equity For All Employees

Explore the concept of meeting equity for remote and in-person meeting participants with AVI-SPL and collaboration display provider Avocor.

Creating ‘Wow’ Factor In-Person Experience Environments

Christie Digital’s Larry Paul to The Collaboration Space to chat about finally getting back in in-person experiences.

Technology That’s Driving the Return to Work

Liberty AV’s Christopher Gazdic joins The Collaboration Space Podcast to chat about the technology that’s driving the return to work.

Power Your Hybrid Workplace with Microsoft Teams Rooms

Microsoft’s Frank Bucholz joins The Collaboration Space podcast to chat about powering your hybrid workplace with Microsoft Teams Rooms and Surface Hub.

How To Quickly Install Easy-to-Support Meeting Room Solutions

Paul Gunia, director of technology partnerships at Shure, joins the podcast to talk about making meeting rooms simple to install and manage.

Delivering Meeting Equity with a Portable Collaboration Solution

Jason Lewis from Bose joins The Collaboration Space podcast to chat about delivering meeting equity in today’s hybrid workplace.

The post Learn About Hybrid Workplace Trends With The Collaboration Space Podcast appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The new Webex releases include an integrated augmented reality platform, new collaboration devices and new AI audio and video features.

The announcements come during the company’s WebexOne virtual event, after nearly two years of rapid innovation in the videoconferencing and collaboration sector that has made Zoom a household name and elevated other unified communication platforms like Microsoft Teams, Slack and Google Meet, along with Webex.

Like others in the collaboration space, the new features and products largely focus on hybrid work and making it easier for employees to connect internally and with customers – regardless of where they’re logging on from.

Webex Hologram

Cisco is bringing augmented reality to video meetings with the launch of Webex Hologram, a new solution hat combines the Webex platform and new features with immersive 3D holograms.

According to Cisco, this solution leverages augmented reality to close the gap between virtual an din-person collaboration, providing real-time photorealistic holographic experience to improve remote collaboration.

Hailed as a next-generation hybrid work product, Cisco calls Webex Hologram the industry’s only real-time meeting solution that leverages AR headsets and Webex meeting functionality with 3D holograms.

In a press release, the company cited data from its Hybrid Work Index that found 64% of employees value remote work so much that 64% of them say the availability of remote work directly affects whether they stay at a job.

Jeetu Patel, executive vice president and general manager of Cisco Security and Collaboration, commented that Cisco has a responsibility to help digital workers participate equally regardless of where they are.

“Webex Hologram represents a large step toward our mission of delivering a delivering a work experience so seamless that there is no gap between virtual and in-person collaboration,” Patel said.

Cisco says users of Webex Hologram can share physical and digital content. For example, an auto manufacturer can use the platform to interact with a physical prototype of a vehicle to examine and provide feedback on the design. Renderings and other digital content can also be shared on the platform.

The platform also provides for multi-dimensional support for multiple users, which enables remote participation from multiple users and gives each a multi-dimensional experience, according to Cisco.

The company says the platform is also headset agnostic and compatible with several industry-leading AR headsets, including Magic Leap and Microsoft HoloLens.

Webex Desk

Other Webex products announced include the new Webex Desk Mini, a 15.6-inch interactive 1080p display with a 64-degree camera and integrated speakers and microphone designed for hybrid workers. The Mini, along with the larger 24-inch Webex Desk, now come in multiple colors and start at $995 and $1,249, respectively.

AI camera, audio features

Cisco also announced a new People Focus camera feature, available in December, that is designed to provide better clarity and optimize visuals of in-room attendees and their facial gestures and body language.

Other camera intelligence features coming early next year are expected to improve the view of people in meeting rooms, including showing conference room participant sin induvial boxes on screens, regardless of meeting service used.

New audio intelligence features help remove background noise and isolate only the user’s voice. However, the company early next year will release a feature that allows each person to be heard equally in group settings.

Webex Board, room scheduling

The company also announced a new Webex Board Pro, a collaboration display available in 55 inches and 75 inches, that comes with dual 4KI cameras, two active pen and more.

Cisco also announced a new room scheduling feature in the Webex App, new wellness features, and expanded interoperability with Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and coming soon, Zoom.

For more information, read this Cisco Webex blog.

A version of this article originally appeared on our sister site Commercial Integrator. 

The post Cisco Unveils New Augmented Reality Platform, Webex Devices and AI Features appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The platform, GoToConnect Legal, is designed to address the needs of legal professionals by streamlining collaboration with clients and colleagues to maximize billable hours, according to the company.

With much of the world still using videoconferencing and unified communication platforms to communicate, the legal industry has suffered with professionals unable to find a solution that allows them to minimize unbilled time, maximize revenue, manage regulations and maintain high security, the company said, citing data that suggests lawyers are underbilling as clients prefer to meet with legal help virtually.

GoToConnect Legal is designed to solve those pain points by providing a secure platform on which to meet clients while integrating commonly used legal tools for billing and tacking.

According to LogMeIn, the legal version of the GoToConnect platform can track billable time through integrations with practice management tools such a Clio and LawGro, and activity from Outlook, Google, Chrome, Fastcase, Westlaw and Casetext can be automatically filed in timesheets.

The platform also provides a more streamlined call logging and the ability to schedule client and internal meetings via Calendly and create video meetings directly from the user’s calendar.

In addition to a secure audio and video meeting solution, GoToConnect Legal icnldues messaging, contact center capabilities and other functions.

Mike Sharp, chief product officer of UCC solutions at LogMeIn, said there are many benefits of adopting a cloud-based collaboration solution for legal professionals.

“GoToConnect helps enable this shift by providing key technology integrations that work seamlessly with the law firm’s existing ecosystem. Combined with the native features of GoToConnect, these integrations create a more streamlined and unified collaboration experience for our legal customers, helping them deliver high-quality, and easily-billable, services to their clients.”

The post LogMeIn Announces GoToConnect For Legal Pros appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The company first announced this feature in March during an Ignite conference, and the company announced during this fall’s version of the virtual conference that the feature will be rolling out public preview.

Microsoft says end-to-end encryption is available for calls made between two parties using the latest version of Teams desktop client for Windows or Mac, or the latest versions of the app on iOS and Android.

For general availability, Microsoft has it pegged for next month on its Microsoft 365 roadmap website. However, it is unclear when Microsoft plans to roll out end-to-end encryption for groups or meetings.

According to the company, both participants must turn on the feature to enable end-to-end encryption, and only the real-time medial flow of video and voice data is encrypted.

However, IT must first enable end-to-end encryption for Teams one-on-one calls in the IT Admin port under Enhanced Encryption policies. There, admins can set which users can use the feature and decide whether the entire organization can use the enhanced encryption or just a select group of users – just like you would normally set other policies.

Admins can also manage end-to-end encryption policies using Microsoft PowerShell to apply policies to the tenant, users and groups.

To make end-to-end encryption calls available by using the Teams admin center:

1. Sign in to the Teams admin center and navigate to Other settings > Enhanced encryption policies.
2. Name the new policy, then for End-to-end call encryption, choose users can turn it on, and then choose Save.
3. Once you’ve finished creating the policy, assign the policy to users, groups, or your entire tenant the same way you manage other Teams policies.

However, end-to-end encryption is still off by default after the policy is configured. After that, users need to turn it on in their Team settings by following these steps, per Microsoft:

1. On the top right of the Teams window, select the profile picture (or the ellipses next to the profile picture).
2. Choose Settings > Privacy.
3. Turn on end-to-end encrypted calls by toggling the switch.

When both users have the setting enabled, they will see a shield in the top left corner of the Teams call. Users can hover over the shield to display confirmation that the call is end-to-end encryption.

Microsoft reminds users that Teams still secures a call or meeting with other encryption measures based on industry standards, and data exchanged during a call is “always secure while in transit and at rest,” according to Microsoft.

Other important points:

• End-to-end encryption will be synchronized across supported devices, so enabling it on one device will also turn it on for other devices.
• In Teams Mobile, users enable it by navigating to settings > calling and enabling it under Encryption.
• The mobile call will also show a lock and shield icon, and users can tap on that encryption indicator to reveal the 20-digit security code for the call. Both users can verify that the code matches to ensure the call is end-to-end encrypted.

The post How To Enable End-to-End Encryption In Microsoft Teams appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The new features, outlined in a Tech Community blog, will be discussed in more detail during Microsoft’s Ignite event next month.

According to Microsoft, the company is adding new features in Microsoft Endpoint Manager designed to support organizations using shared devices, including the ability to locate a lost device, single sing-on and device-wide sign-out across platforms.

The company also announced that Endpoint Manager can now manage and protect devices running on Android Open Source Project (ASOP) which the company says are frequently used by workers on the frontline. Now, Endpoint Manager can be used to configure, provision and manage tailor-made devices like RealWear, the first AOSP device available, for either shared or single use.

Microsoft also announced a new Onboarding Wizard found in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center that guides users into creating the right team structure and applying it to the correct licenses and policy packages to get frontline workers up and running.

“By aligning the right channels, apps, and settings a superior workforce interaction experience is created across the organization,” Microsoft said in the post.

Microsoft also announced the impending general availability of Viva Connections mobile, which the company says provides a single, company-branded destination for shifts, news, tasks, resources and more. These are all configurable to an organization’s needs and can be deployed directly into Teams.

Viva Connections mobile comes with adaptive cards purpose-built for frontline workers to access core applications like Shifts, Approvals and Tasks in one view.

For medical organizations, Microsoft has announced improvements to virtual visit capabilities, including scheduled queuing (in private preview) that allows users to view all virtual visits in one simplified location. The feature includes real-time information on patient wait times, missed appointments and staffing delays, and users can send SMS messages and email reminders directly from the queue.

Also available in private preview is the ability to schedule and launch virtual visits from the Cerner electronic health record system via the Teams Electronic Health Record connector for Cerner. This allows patients to launch virtual visits from the patient portal for SMS without having to download an app.

Meanwhile, providers can launch visits from the Cerner PowerChart, and system administrators can manage and configure the EHR integration and access downloadable consumption reports. The teams EHR connector is also available for Epic customers, Microsoft says.

Microsoft is also making available in private preview a waiting room for virtual visits that can be branded with logos and other messaging, SMS notifications for virtual visits and a Microsoft Forms integration for virtual visits.

Now generally available, users can also join a virtual visit from their mobile device on a mobile browser, eliminating the need to download Teams.

Lastly, Microsoft also announced a partnership with DocuSign for electronic signature approval requests natively within the Teams Approvals. This allows managers to add their signature without leaving Teams.

In addition, users can now add the Approvals app right within a Word document to create a request for the entire document or just a particular section.

The post Microsoft Announces Frontline Worker Features For Teams, 365 appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The company is calling the new line of products HP Presence, and it includes conference room technologies like a mini conferencing PC, intelligent room controls, a 4K AI-enabled camera, an audio Video Bar, microphones and more.

However, the product line also features a category the company calls enhanced by HP Presence, which is essentially a combination of existing HP PCs and upgraded camera and microphone technologies.

“With hybrid here to stay, pre-COVID technology simply can’t solve for the new ways people work. Without the right technology, people aren’t being heard and their ideas are getting lost. Every voice deserves to be heard – whether they’re sitting in the meeting room or at their kitchen table,” said Andy Rhodes, global dead of commercial systems and display solutions at HP Inc. “HP Presence fits the work world of yesterday, the world of today, and is future proofed for tomorrow’s collaboration needs, so no matter where you work, no thoughts are left behind.”

For the conference room, the company announced:

• HP Presence Mini Conferencing PC, a high-performance PC to manage the conference room setup.
• HP Presence Control and HP Presence Control Plus, intelligent room control solutions with low-profile designs and adaptive AI-enhanced audio for both small and large meeting spaces.
• HP Presence See 4K AI Camera that combines intelligent audio and video experiences with an automatic sensor-driven privacy shutter.
• HP Presence Audio Video Bar, a large meeting space video bar that combines intelligent video experiences, privacy features and audio custom-tuned by Bang & Olufsen.
• HP Presence Hub and HP Presence Talk Satellite Microphones.

According to HP, the products feature occupancy detection that automatically wakes up meeting room controls, intelligent speaker framing for in-room speakers, speaker tracking, automatic volume adjust and IT support tools.

In addition to being easy to set up and deploy, HP is marketing HP Presence as a secure virtual meeting solution with protection from HP Wolf Security for Business, the company’s integrated endpoint security offering.

HP Presence also features update management tools and supports Windows Update and Teams Admin Center, as well as intelligent insights to help maximize room productivity.

HP calls its enhanced by HP Presence offering a solution that combines “hardware and software engineering to bring audio experiences to a more hybrid world.”

To start, products enhanced by HP Presence include the HP Elite Dragonfly Max 2-in-one laptop and the HP EliteOne 800 GB All-in-One PC. Those products now feature upgraded camera hardware, integrated lighting enhancements, auto framing, intelligent noise filtering, and muffled audio enhancements.

The company is not yet releasing pricing details, but the products will generally be available starting February 2022.

The post HP Introduces HP Presence, A New Conferencing and Collaboration Product Line appeared first on My TechDecisions.

• What meeting equity is and how it’s affected by the shift to hybrid work
• The need to provide equal experiences for everyone, including remote workers
• What companies and team members can do to help teams achieve meeting equity
• How to keep everyone engaged and collaboration
• Why it’s essential to get started now

The post The Collaboration Space Podcast: How to Achieve Meeting Equity with Avocor appeared first on My TechDecisions.

In a market heavily dominated by a few major players like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, RingCentral is the latest software provider to announce new features to its platform.

The new APIs include call performance analytics, currently in public beta, that allows users to gather detailed calling and communications data to build a comprehensive analytics report designed to help users ensure proper capacity planning against call volume, optimize call handling and centralize insights for a complete understanding of calls.

The audit trail API give users access to enterprise functionality to track system configuration changes and successful or failed logins to determine breakages that need to be addressed, the company says. Users also have the ability to query and sync log records and perform compliance and anomaly detection.

The company also announced new integrations as part of its RingCentral Add-ins offering, including integrations with applications such as Akazio, Bugsnag, GitHub, JIRA and Trello.

RingCentral also teased a new customer agent and sales integration with Hubspot that allows users to quickly click to dial, view call disposition, automatically log calls and more without having to leave Hubspot.

Also announced were new partnerships in the company’s Independent Software Vendor program, including Akazio, Chili Piper, Enable.us, Keeper, Kustomer and Liquid Voice.

In a statement, Nat Natarajan, executive vice president of products and engineering for RingCentral, said the hybrid world necessitates the integration of existing apps and services with business communications platforms.

“This is why we’ve built an open platform that makes it easy to integrate existing and new apps with our messaging, phone, and video capabilities all built on the cloud,” Nat Natarajan said. “We are helping customers to build customized workflows for their end users, helping them to effectively work from anywhere.”

The post RingCentral Announces New Integrations, APIs appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The new features include what the company calls the “next generation” of the Bluejeans platform that includes BlueJean Spaces, a new integrated virtual office developed to provide a virtual collaboration space for employees, regardless of location.

BlueJeans Spaces includes an always-accessible Collaboration Board, which the company markets as an advancement of the virtual whiteboard that brings content into one single repository that can help teams manage and save work to track progress, gain cross-functional alignment and work more productively. It can be accessed on any device or integrated meeting room system.

Read Next: Verizon to Acquire Videoconferencing Platform BlueJeans

For BlueJeans Rooms, the company announced a partnership with collaboration hardware provider Poly in which BlueJeans Rooms runs natively on all three Poly Studio X series of devices, including the X30, X50 and X70 for small, medium and large conference rooms, respectively.

BlueJeans Rooms is also certified to work with the Poly G7500 for customers what want to deploy a modular system for videoconferencing that allows for flexible configurations in complex room environments.

Verizon also announced support for up to 150,000 interactive virtual participants, meeting demand for massive virtual meetings where people can participate in Q&As, chat, polling and raise their hand to be promoted onto the virtual stage. Features include closed caption translation for over 70 languages, simultaneous interpretation, background blur and embeddable event recordings.

Finally, the company said it is providing a new native meeting experience for Glass Enterprise Edition 2, Google’s smart glasses device, that allows for hands-free videoconferencing for front-line workers. New features include noise suppression and spatial audio to help deliver clear and immersive audio.

A version of this article originally appeared on our sister website Commercial Integrator. 

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