Zoom, the de facto video of the pandemicThe conference software company of your choice is getting into the hardware game. Today the company Announced Zoom for Home: DTEN ME, a 27-inch tablet that comes with Zoom pre-installed. Their $ 600.
The gadget was created in collaboration with DTEN, who makes video-conference hardware. It is a standalone all-in-one device with a 1080p multi-touch screen, three smart wide-angle cameras and eight noise-reducing microphones. It also works like a whiteboard, and you can link it to your calendar so that meetings appear in the sidebar. According to TechCrunchIt will also support “ultrasonic pairing” between the DTEN ME and a laptop or smartphone, in case you need to share your screen. Supposedly that works by emitting a sound between 18 and 22 kHz, which is inaudible to most people’s ears. (This does not seem to appear anywhere in the spec sheet for the device, however).
Sure ok. Just one question: who asks about this?
In an interview with TechCrunchJeff Smith, the head of Zoom Rooms, said The whole trick is to provide remote workers with a simple device that they can easily use from the get-go, just Turn it on, enter a pairing code and you’re done. That sentiment is reflected in the Zoom press release, which also emphasizes that the Zoom for Home device works for anyone with a Zoom license and is compatible with Zoom Rooms devices.
“After experiencing remote work ourselves for the past few months, it was clear that we needed to innovate a new category dedicated to remote workers,” Zoom CEO Eric S. Yuan said in a statement. “I am very proud of the team for continuing to think outside the box and demonstrate why Zoom is the best unified communications platform that can meet the needs of all types of users.”
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To be fair, video calls can be an annoying part of remote work. Someone has shaky wifi, so their video is constantly cut, audio is warped, someone forgets to mute, and there’s always the awkward dance of who’s talking next. Downloading and configuring various video conferencing programs is not exactly fun. I get it. But it’s also not that difficult or complicated that you would be willing to spend $ 600 and yell, “Take my money!” And I’m glancing sideways at Yuan’s comment on how this is evidence that Zoom is thinking outside the box here.
In fact, I have questions. Like, can you use this 27-inch tablet for literally anything else? If not, who has the extra desk space for a 27-inch, single-use oversized tablet that does nothing but receive Zoom calls? What if you and Does your partner use Zoom? Does this support multiple accounts? The spec sheet indicates that while there is an HDMI port, it runs on proprietary software called DTEN OS. TechCrunch script suggests that Bluetooth-style “ultrasonic pairing” will enable the display-share, but that’s not the same as connecting this as an additional monitor whenever you’re no in a call. SSometimes I don’t have a single Zoom call, But I am jumping between Lifesize, Google Meets, Bluejeans and some other video software with an unexplained name. Somehow i I doubt this is compatible with another videoconference services.
Sure, this thing has the ability to sync with your calendar and contacts but does it Does it support any other software? Or is it like one of Those wall-mounted screens in your office conference room that nobody knows how to use when it’s time for a meeting?
I approached Zoom with all of these questions, but did not receive an immediate response. Unfortunately, there is not much to draw from the official Zoom materials.
Honestly, this gadget would make sense in a business environment: seems to be a reused version of the Zoom Rooms Hardware The company already sells to companies. (Surprise, surprise, DTEN is also a partner at Zoom Rooms.) If I had to guess, the company’s hardware might not be booming now that many white-collar office buildings remain closed to comply with local orders to stay in House. Or maybe this is a movement designed to capitalize on the fact that more Americans would like to continue working from home in the future. But even if either of these scenarios is the case, this still seems like a sloppy attempt to make remote workers overpay for something a laptop or tablet (you know, perfectly multi-functional devices that many of us use every day) they cannot do for anything additional cost. Unless my company is paying for this special tabletI do not think so.
Maybe I am wrong and I lack imagination. If so, can you reserve this thing Starting today and tell me how stupid I am when I come out in August 2020.
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