Cisco Releases Webex Meetings PWA for Chrome OS; Poly Reveals Video Bar DeviceCisco Releases Webex Meetings PWA for Chrome OS; Poly Reveals Video Bar Device
In this No Jitter Roll, we cover the latest news from Cisco, Poly, and Jabra.
May 11, 2022
Welcome to the Wednesday, May 11, 2022, edition of the No Jitter Roll, our regular roundup of news and product announcements. In this edition, we start off with news on Webex Meeting for Chrome OS users, and then we look at a pair of device announcements from Poly and Jabra.
Webex Meetings Now on Chrome OS
At Google I/O today, Cisco announced that Webex Meetings is now available for Chrome OS devices with the Webex Meetings Progressive Web App (PWA).
With the app, Chrome OS device users can join a Webex meeting by clicking the Webex Meet icon in the launcher or join that meeting via URL or meeting number. Chrome OS device users can also keep browser tabs separate from the live meeting interactions. Additionally, Webex Meetings Progressive Web App will come with existing Webex features like meeting recording, noise removal, screenshare, language translation, and transcription with the Webex Assistant, to name a few. IT admins also have the option to pre-install Webex on Chromebook before distributing them to users.
Poly Expands Video Bar Portfolio With Device for Small Meeting Rooms
Device maker Poly this week introduced a new video bar device and announced an update to its IT admin tool, Poly Lens.
The Poly Studio R30 video bar is a USB video bar designed for small meeting rooms. It comes with a 4k camera with a 120-degree field of view and Poly's AI-based smart-camera technology (DirectorAI) for framing speakers in a room and background noise suppression. Additionally, admins can manage devices remotely through the device's Wi-Fi capabilities, and users can personalize settings for their workspace. The Poly Studio R30 costs $799 and is available on Poly's website and select global resellers.
The company also announced an update to its Poly Lens App, which IT admins use to provision, manage, and monitor Poly devices. Available soon, the Lens App for mobile devices will allow IT admins to manage Poly Bluetooth devices from their mobile devices. The Poly Lens App will be available for no additional cost.
(See related: Poly Releases Speakerphone, Lifesize Updates Interoperability Service)
Jabra Releases New Headset
Audio equipment provider Jabra launched its latest headset, the Engage 55. The wireless head features a connectivity range of up to 490 feet and features a built-in busy light on the earcup and boom-arm of the device to signify when a user is busy. The device is available in several wearing styles, including stereo, mono, and convertible, and it works with unified communications and contact center services like Alcatel Lucent, Amazon Chime, Avaya Cisco, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Unify, and Zoom.
The Engage 55 also features several features aimed at improving audio. The Jabra SafeTone 2.0 allows the user to adjust the volume level of incoming calls, and the BalancedVoice feature removes sudden loud noises. Additionally, the device comes with Jabra's background noise suppression technology.
Available starting in June at selected retailers, the Engage 55 will cost approximately $250 for the mono and convertible option and $260 for the stereo version.
