In today’s hybrid-work environments, individuals work from a variety of spaces, and in nearly every workspace, noise and poor sound quality can negatively affect collaboration and productivity. A recent Equipping Your Employees for Hybrid Work study found that 85% of work-from-home users struggle with audio issues, whether it’s from background noise from other participants or poor sound quality through computer speakers. The same study found that hybrid workforces aren’t properly equipped with modern collaboration tools, such as quality headsets.

“Zone Wireless 2 is Logitech’s top-of-the-line headset for skilled professionals who need technology with a high degree of control, precision and innovation,” says Prakash Arunkundrum, chief operating officer at Logitech. “We built Zone Wireless 2 with advanced technology for uncompromising performance at a lower carbon footprint.”

Zone Wireless 2 Features

Per a statement, the headset notably allows the user to suppress ambient noise from the other person’s side of the call, even if that person is not wearing a noise-canceling headset. The Advanced Call Clarity feature, activated through Logi Tune, uses AI to separate the other caller’s voice from their background. Noise-canceling mics suppress distracting sounds and near conversations through advanced beamforming technology that captures the user’s voice, thus creating a two-way noise suppression system.

Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)

Hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC) blocks out ambient noise around employee workspaces such as keyboard clicks, nearby talkers and HVAC noises; and transparency mode, which helps users stay aware of their surroundings while wearing the headset, the company states. Upon setup on Logi Tune, users can use the Personal EQ feature to customize the headset to fit their individual hearing range through a self-administered hearing test.

Bluetooth and Smart Enumeration

As professionals transition through different scenarios in their workday, they can stay connected with multipoint Bluetooth and smart enumeration. According to the company, the patent-pending feature solves the problem users often experience when they leave their computer, lose connection, then return to a setup that appears to be audio-connected but isn’t. Smart enumeration is the result of communication among headset, USB-C receiver and the operating system to intelligently switch between headset and computer audio without the user having to manually toggle among audio sources or remove a dongle, says Logitech.

Battery Life

To power up professional busy work schedules, Zone Wireless 2 provides up to 40 hours of battery life, with talk time and listening time varying based on whether ANC is on or off. A quick five-minute charge provides up to one hour of talk time, says Logitech.

The headset include breathable earcups, available in graphite, off-white and rose colorways to suit professionals’ personality and style. While enjoying immersive sound, style, and comfort, professionals can tap or swipe on the ear cup to control media and volume using smart touch controls or enable on-ear detection in Logi Tune to automatically play or pause media when wearing or removing the headset.

IT Management

According to Logitech, IT teams can deploy Zone Wireless 2 to their workforce — the headset is certified for Microsoft Teams with a microphone for open office, Zoom, Google Meet, Google Voice, and Fast Pair. Integration with Sync, Logitech’s device management platform, provides a secure and scalable approach to remotely manage Logitech devices. Sync allows IT admins to update firmware and troubleshoot Zone Wireless 2, whether the headset is used remotely or in the office, from a single, cloud-based interface.

Zone Wireless 2 Sustainability Features

Sustainability is core to every design decision from the moment raw materials are sourced to the end-of-life of Logitech’s products, says Logitech. Zone Wireless 2 is designed to give users the ability to extend the life of their device by including interchangeable earpads and a replaceable battery, keeping more headsets on heads and extending the life of the headset.

According to the company, the plastic parts in Zone Wireless 2 include 20% certified post-consumer recycled plastic to give a second life to end-of-life plastic from old consumer electronics, and the aluminum in Zone Wireless 2’s decoration ring and temple extension are made by a process that uses renewable energy instead of traditional fossil-fuel energy.

The paper packaging of Zone Wireless 2 comes from FSCTM-certified forests and other controlled sources. Logitech says it is committed to creating a climate positive world by actively working to reduce our carbon impact. Zone Wireless 2 is certified carbon neutral. The carbon impact of the product and packaging has been reduced to zero due to Logitech’s investment in carbon offsetting and removal projects.

Zone Wireless 2 Pricing & Availability

Per a statement, the Zone Wireless 2 is available globally on logitech.com and through authorized resellers. The suggested price for the headset is $299 USD. To purchase through retail channels, Zone 950 is available in the U.S. and Canada (graphite only).

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on October 16, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

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

Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex

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

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

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

Jabra Evolve2 55 and 50

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

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

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

Key Features of Evolve2 Products

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

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

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

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

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Engage AI utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) technology to provide real-time insights to improve customer calls and support employee wellbeing. The launch comes on the back of Jabra’s findings on how 76% of customers who contact customer service do so over the phone and how voice interaction remains the preferred channel for customers. With customer experience being a key performance indicator for businesses, Engage AI is built for agents to improve customer satisfaction through monitoring elements like tone of voice.

Real-time Insights with Engage AI

Engage AI assesses both the caller and agents’ conversation and levels of engagement. The solution, which works with most contact center systems, provides an instant measurement of the customer experience and live coaching on how to manage given situations. When agents deliver a friendly and energetic voice, it demonstrably improves customer satisfaction and conversion rates, and reduces call length, thereby saving costs.

Such real-time insights allow agents to adjust their approach during calls immediately to better suit the caller’s needs as well as post-call in the form of engagement scores to understand areas of improvement. The engagement score and data can also be integrated into existing analytics platforms via API.

Tools for Development

The SaaS solution comes with tools to support skill development and improve team management. Contact center agents can get access to self-coaching assessments and performance evaluations which are strength-based, inclusive and personalized for each agent and team.

Contact center supervisors can also get insights into their team’s performance to further improve customer experience on an individual and team level. On top of receiving real-time updates on praiseworthy and coachable moments, supervisors can use the platform to monitor employee wellbeing based on real-time event updates and dashboards with call analytics and data.

The AI model is based on over 20 years of research and millions of analyzed conversations by the world’s most prolific voice AI scientists at audEERING, a Munich-based technology operation.

Engage AI works across all dialects and languages.

Jabra Engage Headsets

To improve contact center customer experiences, Jabra has added two new Engage headsets: Engage 50 II and 40. The company says the Jabra Engage 50 II headset ensures that no calls will ever be missed with its SmartRinger feature. Meanwhile, the Jabra Engage 40 delivers speech optimization and background noise cancellation, enabling agents to focus on conversations with customers.

Jabra Engage 50 II

The Jabra Engage 50 II uses advanced algorithms to create a beamforming pickup of users’ voices and analyses the noises in the background. Its 3-microphone system surpasses the standards of Microsoft’s Premium Microphone for the Open Office, according to the company. Jabra attributes this to its ability to remove up to 36 decibels of noise, enabling the clearest call experience and spot-on call transcriptions.

The Engage 50 II headset also features an adjustable, audible SmartRinger feature that alerts the user of incoming calls even when they are not wearing the headset. It is on a detachable link controller with a volume wheel designed to sit on the desk next to the keyboard to give a no-look access to all controls.

Jabra Engage 40

With contact center agents having their headsets on all-day, comfort is key. The Jabra Engage 40 headset is lightweight with angled ear cushions and in a maze-shaped pattern inside each ear cup to relieve pressure. Its built-in hearing protection, two microphones, noise-isolating earcups and advanced speaker technology helps to optimize every spoken word. The Jabra Engage 40 also has an inline control unit so agents can handle calls with speed with the programmable buttons.

Bringing transparency to call center operations

With hybrid work, it can be difficult for contact center operations and agents to understand if they are delivering great audio quality and conversations. Data is available through Jabra’s SDK and can be accessed through pre-built integrations with, amongst others, Nectar, Operata and Virsae. Or it can be accessed with Jabra’s free Engage+ desktop app that provides real-time call insights to improve conversation quality.

The Engage+ desktop app assesses whether the background noise, microphone position and voice quality are good prior to a call. During the call, it helps to correct any issues and provide conversation guidance and wraps up every session with a post-call report. According to Jabra, the app is non-intrusive, easy to use and can be easily deployed via the Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI) file.

Both headsets work with contact centers platforms and are Microsoft Teams certified.

This story originally appeared on MyTechDecisions’ sister-site Commercial Integrator.com.

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