Poly Customers with Studio X30 and X50 Get First Mover Advantage to Deploy

Remember web conferencing? That’s what we used to call online meetings and cloud collaboration. They’ve been around quite a while, almost as long as the Web itself, but arguably really started in earnest in May of 1996 when Microsoft announced NetMeeting as an included component in Internet Explorer 3.0.

Of course, a lot has changed since then- computing power, connectivity and most recently Covid have made online collaboration ubiquitous across Windows, Android and iOS, and the introduction of platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom has made video meetings as convenient and familiar as email.

There has been, however, one final frontier to cross, and that has been the ability to collaborate seamlessly beyond the boundaries of specific video platforms. Thankfully that is no longer the case, with the announcement that Zoom meetings can now be joined directly by Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android devices, via Direct Guest Join.

As a strategic alliance partner working in lockstep with both great partners to deliver the future of work, we’re delighted to confirm that Direct Guest Join is supported from launch by the Poly Studio X30 and X50 video bars.

Poly customers with Studio X30 and X50 video bars will have a first mover advantage in deploying this new feature. To utilize Direct Guest Join, simply schedule a new meeting on Zoom or forward an existing meeting to your Microsoft Teams Room and it will appear on the calendar. Simply click on “Join” from your Teams Rooms device to enter the meeting.

The benchmark for performance in Android Appliance devices for Microsoft Team Rooms, Poly Studio X family delivers radical simplicity in a small and elegant package.  The familiar Microsoft Teams Rooms interface will have users connected to meetings in seconds, with innovations such as Poly DirectorAI smart camera technology, NoiseBlockAI and Acoustic Fence ensuring everyone is seen and heard clearly.

Poly offers the most comprehensive line-up of video bars certified for Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Easy to install, easy to manage and best of all, easy to use, the Poly Studio X line of video bars with Direct Guest Join will ensure for seamless meetings regardless of what platform your invite is coming from. Visit Poly.com to see the full line up of meeting room solutions.  For more information on enabling Direct Guest Join visit Microsoft.com.

Back in 2007, Bill Gates caused a sensation when he announced that voice software would spell the end of the PBX. He was speaking at the launch of Office Communications Server, the centrepiece of Microsoft’s unified communications strategy to bring together e-mail, instant messaging, presence, voice, and video. Although there was a lot of scepticism around that remark, he knew a new era of communications was starting that day.   

Fast forward 17 years, and we have the latest evolution of that vision with the launch of Front Row, Microsoft’s latest innovation to help further blur the lines between virtual and in-person meeting participants.  

With Front Row, Microsoft has moved the video gallery to the bottom of the screen, so remote participants are eye-level with people in the room. Microsoft has also made it possible for everyone in a Teams Room call, whether virtual or in-person, to see and react to chat comments during a meeting. 

 Of course, some things never change – as has always been the case, the experience is only as good as the enabling technology, and that’s where Poly comes in. Since those early days of OCS, Poly has worked hand in hand with Microsoft, partnering with them to bring their vision of seamless collaboration to life with the absolute best of Video, Audio and Wearable solutions, maximizing the power of Microsoft Teams. 

Poly has an unparalleled track record of innovation in video conferencing, and now with Front Row available to further drive meeting equality, we are thrilled that our Pro-grade range of intelligent cameras will continue that tradition of facilitating the best possible experience for every meeting participant, whether in person or virtual, levelling the playing field and ensuring an equal environment for all.  

Whether you’re in a focus, small, medium, or large room or not in the room at all, Poly MeetingAI intelligent features like Acoustic Fence, NoiseBlock AI and Group Framing will provide effortless collaboration and enhanced experience every time.  

In addition, speaker tracking, which includes industry-firsts conversation mode and presenter mode, will be particularly powerful with Microsoft Front Row, as it will highlight the speaker in the room rather than just a group shot. With the recent certification of the Poly Studio E70 camera, this unique Poly experience will now be available in medium and large rooms.   

And watch this space- our continuous drive for improvement is set to deliver an even more innovative and inclusive experience in the future, further leveraging the power of Microsoft Teams Front Row to create a truly blended world where all have a seat at the table.   

Please see the original announcement and latest from Microsoft here and on LinkedIn here.  

It’s been a monumental 12 months for the IT professional. As their people rushed to home offices, they were the heroes responsible for sourcing whatever they could to ensure their dispersed organization could work remotely. The tools selected to keep teams connected virtually took center stage. Thankfully, companies that leveraged the powerful combination of Poly and Microsoft Teams were able to thrive no matter where work was getting done. That’s why we’re excited to ramp up our Teams portfolio with two new audio solutions certified for Microsoft Teams Rooms for Windows: the Poly Trio C60 and Poly Sync 40.

NOW FOR THE NEXT CHALLENGE – HYBRID WORKING

According to the World Economic Forum, as we begin to exit the pandemic, 83% of organizations plan to provide more opportunities to work remotely.  A new hybrid working reality has emerged with some employees returning to offices and others remaining remote. Whichever working scenario you find yourself in, organizations are going to need to level up in-office collaboration experiences to accommodate the array of working arrangements among team members and external partners.

Poly has a long history of providing innovative solutions for Microsoft in conference rooms and huddle spaces. Our Poly Room Solutions for Microsoft Teams deliver collaboration greatness by combining the familiar interface of Teams with powerful Poly audio and video. 

POLY TRIO C60

Our latest and most powerful addition to the iconic Trio family, the Poly Trio C60 sets the standard for Microsoft Teams conferencing. This smart yet intuitive to use conferencing device keeps the conversation going from any meeting space. Also certified for use as a Microsoft Teams Phone, The Trio C60 is ideal for medium to large meeting rooms accompanying the Poly G85-T.

POLY SYNC 40

The Poly Sync 40 USB/ Bluetooth® smart speakerphone that combines premium sound with simple connectivity will ‘wow’ you with truly flawless meetings. A member of the ground-breaking Poly Sync family, the Sync 40 is ideal for huddle rooms and small-sized conference rooms. It’s the perfect complement to the Poly G10-T.

PREPARE FOR WHATEVER IS AHEAD

As our colleagues in IT turn their sights toward facilitating a seamless transition for those returning to the office, it will be essential that office collaborators are able to use the same infrastructure in the conference room as they have grown accustomed to using from their home offices. To ensure ease of deployment and user adoption, it is vital that in-office technology delivers seamless Teams experiences – and that’s where Poly comes in.

Learn more about Poly solutions for Microsoft Teams Rooms.

Our working world has changed profoundly this year – Organisations of all types, sizes, and verticals are realising that to succeed, they must embrace the new ways of working. The Hybrid Working phenomenon has become the ideal solution for organisations attempting to plan for an opaque future. From now on, large numbers of associates will need to be prepared and equipped to work from multiple locations – all while delivering meeting room quality experiences and interactions. For this to be possible, employees must be equipped with the right gear and a powerful video platform to facilitate collaboration.

NATIVE STARLEAF MEETINGS ON POLY’S NEXT GENERATION VIDEO SOLUTIONS

To address this need, StarLeaf, the global provider of meeting room solutions and video conferencing services for enterprises and public service, has announced they have chosen Poly as their platform vendor. This means that StarLeaf meetings can now be launched natively from Poly’s newest Studio X30/X50 and G7500 video solutions.

The Poly Studio X family of video bars are stand-alone network connected, Android-based multimedia collaboration platforms. The Studio X simplifies the user experience and deployment by eliminating the need for a dedicated PC, keyboard, and mouse to run and control the collaboration application. Instead, it is easily managed using a touch screen monitor or the Poly TC8 desktop controller. This solution provides a delivery platform for customers and providers that is powerful and sophisticated, yet easy to deploy and manage ­– wherever their associates are.

SECURE MEETINGS MEET EXCELLENT AUDIO AND VIDEO

With StarLeaf meetings available on Poly’s latest room solutions, you can enjoy the feature-rich StarLeaf experience with Poly video and audio innovations such as automatic camera framing, advanced microphone design, NoiseBlock AI, and Acoustic Fence.  These features allow users to be seen and heard clearly while reducing distracting noises.

RELIABLY SECURE. FEATURE RICH.

Is security a key concern? Because StarLeaf is ISO/IEC 27001 certified, with 99.999% service availability guarantee, and data jurisdiction, you can be sure that your users and data will be kept safe – making StarLeaf and Poly the secure, reliable choice.

So, whether your organisation is working from home or in the office, StarLeaf and Poly offer intuitive solutions to keep your business running smoothly.

Furthermore, because of the tight integration between Poly and StarLeaf, the user experience is further enhanced by the ability to order the Studio X from their preferred partner with StarLeaf meetings already pre-installed. For more information, please visit https://www.poly.com/gb/en/solutions/platform/starleaf.