Google Unveils Video Conferencing Hardware For Post-Pandemic Offices (cnet.com) 18
Corporate workplaces around the world are empty due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Google on Tuesday unveiled new devices for when people eventually return to office conference rooms. From a report: The system of gadgets, called Google Meet Series One, includes a camera, soundbar with eight mics and touchscreen remote. Google partnered with the Chinese manufacturer Lenovo for the hardware. The setup relies on Google Meet, the search giant's Zoom rival, which has surged in popularity as people began to hunker down in their homes earlier this year to fend off the spread of Covid-19. Google boasts that its artificial intelligence software can automatically pan and around the room and focus in on people who are speaking. The company also says its audio tools can use noise cancellation to block out the sounds of typing and people shuffling around and instead amplify peoples voices. Google is charging $2,700 for small room setups, $3,000 for medium-sized rooms and $4,000 for large rooms.
Not sure when we're going back (Score:1)
Re: Not sure when we're going back (Score:2)
My employer is remote until at least January and possibly later. I'll be surprised if we're back before spring to be honest.
Re: (Score:2)
Ours would be 10/19, (we've been promised a minimum 30 days notice.) Like you, I doubt it'll be before the end of the year.
I'd speculate that, in my case, the company is waiting for a vaccine, which could end up being a long wait indeed. Beyond that, there are some indicators that I, personally, may never have to go back at all.
Back on topic, Google's new toys certainly aren't going to motivate any companies to get back into the office.
Re: (Score:1)
The vaccine scam. They are six different mutations for corona virus already in months, they like to call them 'cough' 'cough' variations otherwise it expose the scam. Just like the common cold, it mutates so much and new $3,000 vaccine is required every season. Yeah, sucker you are immunised against variants 'A' through 'F' watch out for 'G' though, that's a new shot, new patent and another $3,000.
Everything has changed in the story as lie after lie exposed, number of infections (played down at first on pu
Don’t let it happen. It depends on you. (Score:1)
There's nothing post-pandemic specific about this (Score:2)
This is just hardware for conference rooms. Those who don't believe in Covid can use it before the pandemic is over, and it includes no features inspired by the pandemic.
Stop trying to make everything about Covid.
Re: (Score:2)
What we need is photorealistic VR (Score:2)
The kind of people I always end up working for (Score:2)
Day 0: Boss: "We only need a small room setup, and we can save $300" Me: "But that's only a 10% uptick to the bandwidth we'll need soon!".
Daily, Day 180 thru infinity: Boss: "Why can't we get more people into the video conference room?"
Re:The kind of people I always end up working for (Score:5, Interesting)
Day 0: Boss: "We only need a small room setup, and we can save $300" Me: "But that's only a 10% uptick to the bandwidth we'll need soon!". Daily, Day 180 thru infinity: Boss: "Why can't we get more people into the video conference room?"
Definitely this. Nothing I hated more than setting up conference room talking head events and telling them, "Okay, this will get you done for what you're asking for now, but in less 6 months, you're going to need something that costs 1.5 times as much, so I'd recommend buying that and saving yourself from buying it twice..."
"Oh, we'll never need that! Besides, we're way over our budget for this room already!"
[3 months later]
"We need that thing you said we would, can we trade this in?"
"Sure, the company will give you about $0.20/$1 for it..."
So tired (Score:5, Insightful)
The trendy thing to do nowadays is to have a hardware product that fundamentally could service any number of providers of a service (in this case, zoom, teams, jitsi, google meet, bluejeans, webex, probably many more) but gets locked to a service.
It's both lock-in without good reason as well as driving waste when the company pivots to another solution. It also seriously messes with ability to meet between organizations when you are meeting with a group that selected product X instead of product Y and one of you has to forfeit your fancy conferencing equipment and just break out your laptops.
Re: (Score:2)
Cisco has lead this front with their devices. Not only have they been H.323 and SIP based for calls, you could register them to any registrar. They have started to continue the unwalled garden approach by offering USB pass through on their equipment. The Desk Pro and Room Kit Mini can be both used as a SIP device or a USB audio/video device.
The hope is for them to bring the USB pass through to their other devices. So far no other product from another manufacturer can touch the Room Kit Plus with Quad-cam.
In the future all you have to do is shout "Google" (Score:2)
and Google will automatically connect you with the person you've been thinking of. It works everywhere, especially on the toilet. And you'll be autosubscribed because it's technically free!
Back to the office (Score:2)
Meeting Owl (Score:1)
https://www.owllabs.com/meeting-owl [owllabs.com]
A Cheaper Version... (Score:2)
My wife and I teach a homeschool co-op, so we have had to do a lot of searching for low-cost solutions for mixed-mode classes. The same results would probably work well for less in corporate offices.
https://mindmatters.ai/2020/08... [mindmatters.ai]