Poly Sync vs Konftel Ego

12 Days of Call One | Day 10 | Poly Sync 20 vs Konftel Ego

The Poly Sync 20 and Konftel Ego both have MSRP of $169. Both are compatible with all major UC platforms to include Microsoft Teams. In this overview, we go over similarities, differences, and unique features of each. We also do a mic pickup range test and a new thing we want to start including with Speakerphone videos, we do our best to allow you to hear speaker audio quality of each. Take a look and listen, which would you choose for your use case?

POLY SYNC

Features

  • Enjoy remarkable sound from meetings to music
  • Reduce echo and noise so everyone hears you clearly
  • Slim and portable – take it with you anywhere
  • It goes as long as you do with up to 20 hours of battery life

GRAB THE PERFECT SPEAKERPHONE FOR MEETINGS AND MUSIC, WHEREVER YOUR DAY TAKES YOU

Let’s face it: the audio on your laptop and smartphone aren’t great. Sound like the professional you are with Poly Sync 20 USB/Bluetooth smart speakerphone—for remarkable audio anywhere. The Poly Sync 20 is Zoom certified for a seamless Zoom communication experience.

KEEP THE FOCUS ON YOUR VOICE WITH MULTI-MICROPHONES THAT TRACK THE TALKER, NOT THE NOISE.

Focus on what’s being said and help keep echo and noise out of the meeting with the smart multi-microphone array. You and your remote participants sound amazing with the high-performance speaker.

PROGRAM YOUR FAVORITE FUNCTION SO IT WORKS WITH A SINGLE TOUCH.

A programmable button puts your favorite function at your fingertips—play/pause music, last-number redial and voice assistant—it’s up to you. What’s the status of a call? You’ll know even from a distance by the highly visible light bar.

KONFTEL EGO

Despite its size, the Ego delivers crystal-clear sound thanks to Konftel’s unique OmniSound audio technology. It’s ideal for a meeting with a couple colleagues in one of your smaller conference rooms or in a hotel room when you are away from the office.

Features

  • Small and portable
  • Compatible with Skype for Business
  • Meeting size: up to 6 people
  • OmniSound® with HD audio
  • LCD screen

The Konftel Ego works seamlessly with Skype for Business, Cisco Jabber, Avaya Communicator and other conferencing tools. The Ego has a headset port, and the built-in battery gives you the option of completely cordless use. A smart and clear LCD screen on the Konftel Ego makes it easy to see which function is active. LEDs also light up on the side in different colors to indicate the function. In short, the Konftel Ego gives you full and effortless control. The Konftel Ego also received a Red Dot Award for “Excellent product design” in early 2016!

See how both the Poly Sync 20 and Konftel Ego preform in a head to head test! What are your thoughts? If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us: 1-800-749-3160 or contact us here.

webcams for business

VDO 360 3SEE | All-In-One Camera! | 12 Days of Call One | Day 8

Meet the 3SEE. VDO360 presents the latest addition to the SEE family. 4K video, 90-degree FOV, far field audio, and speakers as well! A single USB cable is all you need.

The Specs

4K Video

Get seen with affordable, high definition 4k video, no matter where you are.

USB 3.0 PLUG AND PLAY

Plug-and-play capability makes the VDO360 3SEE easy to use. When you need to look and sound your best, this is the webcam you want. Work smarter. Communicate better.

ONE YEAR WARRANTY

The 3SEE Comes standard with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty

Camera, Lens Parameters

  • Imaging sensor: 1/3.2 inch CMOS 
  • Effective pixels: Approx. 8 million 
  • Video format: MJPEG, YuY2 
  • Focal length: Pf=2.8mm
  • Minimum illumination: 0.5 Lux 
  • White balance: Auto
  • Focus Mode: Fixed
  • Image color: 24 bit 
  • Backlight compensation: Supports 
  • Picture adjustment: Brightness, chroma, saturation, contrast, sharpness 
  • Field of view (horizontal): 90° 

Interface Parameters 

  • Video interface: Type C 
  • Video Compression Format: USB 3 
  • Power interface: 5 VDC 

Mic Parameters 

  • Array quantity: 4 
  • Arrangement: Linear 
  • Sampling frequency 16KHz / 48KHz 
  • Sensitivity: -29dBFs 
  • Far field pickup distance: 0-8 meters 
  • Horizontal angle: 180° 
  • SNR 65.5 db
  • Mode: Full duplex 

Speaker Parameters 

  • Quantity: 2 
  • Power: 2W x 2
  • Impedance: 4Ω 
  • Size: 27mm *16.5mmH

Take a look at this chart comparing other VD0360 solutions:

1SEE2SEE3SEE
ImageVDO360 1SEEVDO360 VDOS4M 2SEEVDO360 Webcam
SKUVDO1CVDOS4MVDOSMS
MSRP$75$139$299
MicsNo44
SpeakerNoNo2
MagnificationFixedFixedFixed
Special FeaturePassthrough USB port on rear of camera for data. Use headsets, USB thumb drives, wireless mouse dongles, even when the camera is off. Solid billet aluminum construction.Great video with a far-field mic array that picks up your voice from up to eight meters away.All-in-one solution. Has 4k video, the same four-speaker array as the 2SEE, and stereo sound. Connects via USB C for power and data.
Great ForWFH, Distance Education, Call CentersWFH, Distance Education, TeachersWFH, New Normal collaboration spaces at the office, Streaming
BUY NOWBUY NOWBUY NOW

The VDO360 3SEE puts out an outstanding 4K picture. In terms of audio, it receives the same ranking. This camera is truly an all-in-one solution, built and priced properly. If you want to learn more about this product check out our YouTube video below where we overview, test, and share our opinions on the VDO360 3SEE camera: Feel free to reach out with any question Via YouTube, Social Media, or directly to our call center: 1-800-749-3160 or contact us here

Jabra Evolve75 Evolve2 65

12 Days of Call One | Day Seven | Jabra Evolve 75 vs Evolve2 65

This has been a highly requested topic; what is the difference between Jabra Evolve2 65 and Evolve 75? Which one is better? We answer those questions in this video and do a quick side by side mic test! Both units are UC and Microsoft Teams certified. Both offer connectivity to PC and mobile device. Both can be used via corded USB cable if you forget to charge! Before we dive into the video, lets take a look at the Jabra Evolve75 ans Evolve2 65 and what they feature.

Jabra Evolve 75

Features

  • World-class speakers and HD voice for crystal-clear calls and music
  • Superior ANC and integrated busylight to reduce noise and interruptions and increase productivity
  • Dual Bluetooth® connectivity to two devices at the same time for calls and music and wireless range of up to 100ft/30m from your connected device

Give your concentration an added boost with the Evolve 75. If you spend a lot of time walking the corridors, the noise-isolating design of the Evolve 75 makes it a great choice, and the added boost from Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) allows you to really focus when you need to. Stop interruptions before they happen with a built-in busylight that acts as a do-not-disturb signal to your colleagues, letting them know when you’re too busy to chat. The light comes on automatically when you’re on a call, or you can also enable it manually when you’re trying to concentrate.

The Evolve 75 provides crystal-clear calls wherever you are. Professional-grade microphones and a boom arm give all of your calls over multiple UC platforms including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco and 8×8 a competitive edge with crystal-clear incoming and outgoing audio – whether you’re sitting at your desk, walking between meetings, or grabbing half an hour in a break-out room – compatibility with multiple UC platforms keeps you truly flexible.

The battery in the Evolve 75 gives you all-day freedom, and then some. With up to 18 hours of talk time, you can roam as much as you like, without ever needing to worry about running out of battery in the middle of a call. And with the optional charging stand, your headset is always fully charged and ready for the day. Be available from anywhere with dual Bluetooth connectivity that allows you to connect your headset simultaneously to both your computer and your smartphone, so wherever you wander, you don’t have to worry about missing that all-important call.

Jabra Evolve2 65

Features

  • Binaural Wireless Headset with charging stand and USB-A dongle
  • Noise-isolating design
  • Up to 37 hours battery life
  • On-ear wearing style
  • 3-microphone call technology
  • Microsoft Teams Version

Jabra Evolve2 65 can give you better calls for seamless collaboration everywhere. Jabra has made the incredible call performance of our world-leading Evolve series even better, with an advanced digital chipset that’s three times more powerful and three strategically placed professional microphones, filtering out 23% more background conversation noise from your calls. Since the Evolve2 65 is UC-certified, collaborating is easy and everyone is happy, with both their Unified Communications (UC) platform and their headset. The headset works with all leading UC platforms and is optimized for Zoom for truly seamless communication. Evolve2 65 also has an MS variant, which makes it Microsoft Teams-certified with a dedicated Teams button.

Being that the Evolve2 65 features bigger speakers, a better chipset, and brilliant audio; you’ll never miss a thing, thanks to powerful leak-tolerant 40mm speakers and Jabra’s most advanced digital chipset ever, delivering outstanding audio that always keeps you in the loop wherever you’re working from. The Evolve2 65 also brings in noise isolation like never before. When you put on your Evolve2 65, feel the noise around you instantly fade, wherever you happen to be working from. Memory foam oval ear cushions and pioneering new angled design cancels 48% more of the noise around you.

The Jabra Evolve75 and Evolve2 65 both feature a busylight, but it’s improved here on the Evolve2 65, which also helps you zone in and focus whether distance learning or working remotely. The new and improved busylight on the Evolve2 65 is four times more visible, allowing you to be seen from every angle, for even fewer interruptions. So, wherever you need to work from today, at least you know you can work in peace. The Evolve2 65 is enhanced for all-day comfort. With soft leatherette ear cushions and a lightweight, flexible design, the headset is engineered to be comfortable enough to wear all day – from the first call of the day, to the last run-through with your boss before tomorrow’s presentation.

Taking it to the test!

Now that you’re up to speed, lets talk about the test. There are a ton of similarities and differences between these two headsets, but which one comes out on top, the Jabra Evolve75 or Evolve2 65? Their output is nearly identical but choosing which one is based solely on your use case. Are you looking for more comfort? Go with the Evolve2 65. Do you want active noise canceling? Go with the Evolve 75. If you need more information on these products click the link below. This video should help you narrow down your decision:

Logitech B525 vs c505e

12 Days of Call One | Day Six | Logitech B525 vs c505e

The Logitech B525 Fold and Go camera is End of Life (EOL) and being replaced by the new Logitech C505e webcam. The new webcam comes in at an MSRP of $54.99 and works with Windows, Mac, or Chrome based computer via USB-A and with common calling applications such as Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business, Google Meet and Voice, Zoom, Cisco Jabber and others. In the video below we show video and mic audio quality between B525 and C505e.

B525

Logitech B525 vs C505e

If you’re looking for something on-the-go, Logitech B525 HD Webcam makes it easy to meet face-to- face, wherever you are. The convenient design lets you pack the camera and take it with you. Just attach it to your device and begin your meeting.

With a 720p HD video captured at 30 frames per second, the B525 HD Webcam delivers clear, crisp video, even in low light conditions. The autofocus feature maintains a distinctive sharpness as close as 10cm.

C505e

Logitech B525 vs C505e

The Logitech C505e provides a 60° diagonal FOV (field of view), a fixed focus lens, HD 720p/30fps, automatic light adjustment features, and one omnidirectional mic, supporting clear conversations up to 3 meters away.

The extended USB-A cable and provides a wide range of mounting alternatives. Secure it on a screen—or mount it up to 7 ft from your computer.

C505e works with most popular video applications, including Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business, Google Voice and Meet, Zoom and others to ensure compatibility and seamless integration in the workplace.

The Showdown

While testing these two webcams, the Logitech B525 and c505e, and to clarify that the Logitech B525 is End of Life (EOL), we were shocked with the outcome. Upon closer inspection, the B525 puts out a much better image and sound then it’s successor. Want to see for yourself? Check out the full breakdown below:

Yealink CP 700 and CP 900

12 Days of Call One | Day Five | Yealink CP700 vs CP900

Yealink offers portable USB/Bluetooth speakerphones for personal use, small groups and on the go. Speakerphones are a great addition to your collaboration devices tool kit along with a great headset. The Yealink CP700 and CP900 support all major VoIP and UC platforms like Avaya, Broadsoft, Counterpath, Google, Microsoft, Vonage, and Zoom. With portable design in mind, the CP700 speakerphones have a lightweight design and are small and compact enough to carry in a laptop bag or backpack. (A travel case is also included.)

The Yealink CP900 is designed with six directional microphones positioned around the base, which pick up sound from any direction in 360 degrees, so participants do not need to huddle round the speakerphone while speaking, enabling them to converse naturally in an immersive, flexible setting. Both models include a dedicated Microsoft Teams button. Not only can they be used for voice and video calls, but you can also stream media like your favorite music! Which Yealink Speakerphone is best for you and your work environment?

The Specs

CP700

  • The Yealink CP700 is a portable, personal speakerphone that offers plug-and-play connectivity; plug into your PC, tablet and smartphone via Bluetooth wireless pairing or USB wired connection.
  • The CP700 packs Yealink HD voice quality, with two omnidirectional microphones and Yealink audio algorithms for an elaborate speakerphone experience and 360-degree voice pickup ability.
  • With high-quality echo cancellation, you can keep yourself focused on video conferencing and virtual meetings, without the hassle of feedback.
  • For calls on the go, the Yealink CP700 provides up to 10-hour talk time and premium battery life, as well as call controls accessible on the device directly.
  • The speakerphone also comes with a protective zipper bag, so you can carry it back and forth from working from home to the office.

CP900

  • Premium HD Voice for calls and music
  • 360-degree microphone pickup range of 6.5ft distance
  • Six-microphone beam-forming array for full-duplex performance
  • USB or Bluetooth connectivity for notebooks, smartphones and tablets
  • Portable design
  • Compatible with T53, T53W, T54W and T57W phones if running V85 firmware
  • USB connectivity

So, between the two, which speakerphone performs better? Check out our video where we test, overview, and share our opinions on the Yealink CP700 and CP900. Enjoy!

Jabra Evolve 80

12 Days of Call One | Day 4 | Jabra Evolve 80

Today we’re revisiting the Jabra Evolve 80. We covered the Evolve 80 MS variant back in 2014 when it first launched. As part of Jabra’s Meet the Professionals line of solutions, the Evolve 80 is a great headset for the desk worker. For instance, someone who needs no interruptions and desires freedom to focus. As more people are working remotely or transitioning to hybrid work or remote learning; blocking out background noise to concentrate and focus is something more and more people are starting to realize is becoming a necessity or need in an optimal work environment.

The Evolve 80 features ANC (active noise cancelling) and a busy light for fewer interruptions plus what Jabra calls, ‘passive noise cancellation’, with the help of large over-ear cups eliminating high-frequency noise, such as human voices; coworkers or kids shouting in the background, the excellent passive noise cancellation, helps to dull the sounds of noisy colleagues thanks to specially-designed ear cushions.

Work is becoming less of a place you go to and more of a thing you do. If you’re someone who’s a remote worker or learning from home, can you relate? As more companies encourage their employees to work from home or from the road, demand for solutions that support this new form of working is higher than ever. At home, on the road or in the office, it is important to have reliable ways to connect, collaborate and communicate with others. The Jabra Evolve 80 is UC-certified and compatible with all leading Unified Communications platforms including Cisco, Zoom, Microsoft Teams and 8×8. The Evolve 80 is engineered to keep you versatile and connected. Furthermore, with flexible connectivity, you can choose between USB-A, USB-C or 3.5mm jack.

With easy call control, you can answer calls, mute your microphone and turn the volume up and down, without having to open your UC platform, or interrupt your work flow. This helps you stay productive, even when you’ve got a lot on your plate. Evolve 80 has professional-grade microphones and a boom arm for precision voice transmission, so your calls always sound crystal-clear, even when you’re sitting in the middle of a busy office. Take a look below at our mic test and overview of the Evolve 80 as we go more in-depth and subscribe to our Youtube channel for similar videos like these.

VDO 360 SEEME

12 Days of Call One | Day Three VDO 360 SEEME – $50 Webcam

VDO360 presents an Enterprise-grade personal webcam. Optimized for laptop use, the VDO 360 SEEME connects via USB2.0 with no drivers needed- Easy to use, simply plug it in for a full 1080p webcam with the great audio you have come to expect from VDO360.

Deep Dive

  • 2 million pixels
  • Mic Distance: 40mm
  • Image area: 5.85mm × 3.27mm
  • OS Support: WinXP/Vista/Win7/Win8/Win10 / Linux with UVC(above linux-2.6.26)
  • MAC-OS X 10.4.8 or later / WinCE with UVC / Android 4.0 or above with UVC
  • Field of view: 75°(W)
  • Power: USB 5V

Performance

We have covered a few VDO products in the past, but nothing quite as interesting as this one. The VDO 360 SEEME puts out a surprisingly good 1080p picture, and a strong microphone pickup. With  a sampling rate of 16KHz/48KHz and a Resolution: 1920*1080@30fps / 1280*720@30fps / 640*480*30fps, the $50 price tag is well worth it. Compared to webcams in the same price range, the blows all competition out of the water. Take a look at this graph (Comparing other VDO360 products)

SEEME1SEE2SEE
IMAGEVDO 360 SEEMEVDO360 VDOS4M 2SEE
SKUVDOCMEVDO1CVDOS4M
MSRP$50$75$139
Mics2No4
SpeakerNoNoNo
MagnificationFixedFixedFixed
Special featureBudget minded, great video and audioPassthrough USB port on rear of camera for data. Use headsets, USB thumb drives, wireless mouse dongles, even when the camera is off. Solid billet aluminum construction.Great video with a far-field mic array that picks up your voice from up to eight meters away.
Great forWFH, Distance Education, Students, general useWFH, Distance Education, Call CentersWFH, Distance Education, Teachers
BUY NOWBUY NOWBUY NOW

Compared to the 2See, the only thing you get is two extra microphones and an $89 price difference. You can almost get two VDO 360 SEEME webcams at that price! On the other hand, the 2see is used for much different use cases, therefore quality, FOV, and range will be a little bit better. However, for the average WFH employee, distance education student, and other general users, this is the webcam to go with.

Overall, we were blown away with the VDO 360 SEEME. Checkout the video below and see for yourself. If you like the video, don’t forget to give it a thumbs up, share, and subscribe! Feel free to leave a comment or suggest a new products for us to cover.

Best headsets and speakerphones for Zoomsgiving

Best Webcams and Speakerphones for Zoomsgiving and other celebrations!

The year is 2020 and we’ve done virtually everything…virtually. The holidays are no different. Many will be celebrating physically apart connected via video meeting platform from Zoom, Microsoft, Cisco, Google, or other available options.

The focus of this blog will center around things to consider when selecting a webcam or camera to capture the moment this Zoomsgiving or other celebrations! Two key things to consider are the field of view (FOV) and audio. Celebrations will range from one to one, one to many, and many to many. In order to capture everyone in the frame, a wider field of view is optimal. FOV ranges from 54 degrees to 180 degrees depending on brand and camera model. Some brands offer software that allows you to adjust FOV and other settings to improve overall video quality.

Smartphones and tablets today have nice built-in cameras that can access multiple video meeting and conferencing apps like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, Google Meet, etc. Enjoy the moment by getting a stand or mount to hold the phone or tablet. Depending on where you position the smartphone, you may want to consider a Bluetooth Speakerphone to set in the middle of the table so everyone can hear and be heard.

Best Webcams and Speakerphones for Zoomsgiving
Mobile image quality

Many laptops have built-in cameras, microphones, and speakers. The video quality may not be the best and almost always, the built-in audio in laptops is horrendously bad. It’s best to look at an external webcam and audio device for Zoom or Teams conferencing.

Best Webcams and Speakerphones for Zoomsgiving
Laptop image quality

The new Logitech C505e offers a FOV of 60 degrees. (Watch Logitech C505e Video). This tighter shot is great for one person.

These cameras offer a wider field of view that can be adjusted via remote control or software:

Watch the video to see these cameras in action to see some of the best webcams and speakerphones for Zoomsgiving!

Lastly, you will want to look at a good USB or Bluetooth speakerphone designed to work with the various video meeting platforms and applications. Strongly consider a speakerphone that offers full duplex for more natural conversation. The new Jabra Speak 750 and Poly Sync 20 offer full-duplex audio while on Zoom calls!

Jabra Speak 750 video https://youtu.be/ANwzNdCEXrY

Poly Sync 20 video https://youtu.be/GkbPGy-aYWg

See a full list of webcams and speakerphones here!

Video Collaboration 2020 Konftel

Video Collaboration in 2020

Video Collaboration is crucial for companies in 2020.

Video conferencing and collaboration was already being widely used in business thanks to easy to use cloud-based platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Cisco Webex. The pandemic accelerated it to new heights. What solutions are best for you are highly dependent on use case.

Leading video conferencing solution providers offer a wide range of options to fit all use cases and applications. How does your company use video collaboration in 2020? If this is an option for your team, joining the collaboration train can boost site, video, and project attraction. For more information check out our video:

Why Jabra PanaCast?

By Danny Hayasaka

August 13, 2019

Jabra acquired Altia Systems in February 2019. In June 2019 they announced Jabra PanaCast. Since then, there’s been a lot of buzz.

 

Why? Jabra PanaCast has a lot of really cool technology in a small little package.

Read more