Managed.IT - issue 57

MANAGED.IT 27 COLLABORATION www.managedITmag.co.uk Wired or wireless Panasonic has launched a new wireless presentation system that allows up to four presenters at a time to display visual and audio content on a Panasonic display or projector. Simply connect the transmitter button to a PC’s USB and HDMI ports and press a button to share content, including presentations with video. The presenter’s PC can also be switched by pressing a button. No set-up, software or driver installation is required. The Panasonic Wireless Presentation System is available in two versions: basic, with a set-top-box; or cable-less with an SDM board receiver that fits perfectly inside the Intel SDM expansion slot of a Panasonic SQ1 display. https://business.panasonic.eu/ISE2020 No more manual room checks Utelogy Corporation, a provider of control, monitoring and analytics software, is complementing its recently launched management portal, U-Manage, with a new automation tool designed to optimise collaboration spaces. A Room Readiness feature within the U-Automate module enables IT teams to check that conference rooms and connected devices are online and functioning properly without the need for costly and time- consuming manual room-checks. Kevin Morrison, CEO of Utelogy, said: “With U-Automate, operations teams can reduce labour costs by as much as 75% and reassign those resources to more strategic, core business activities.” www.utelogy . com/utelogy-demo-ise-2020 New RM series Benq’s new RM Series Interactive Flat Panels (IFPs) for the education sector are available in 55, 65, 75 and 86-inch sizes. New features include BenQ’s EZWrite 5.0 software; AMS Cloud Storage; 4K Android OS; voice control; and compatibility with Instashare collaboration software and the InstaShow WDC20. This plug- and-play device lets up to nine devices share content to a screen simultaneously, removing the need to pass around a single cable, run third-party software or acquire network access in order to present to meeting room displays. No additional hardware or software downloads are required; users simply plug the transmitter into their laptop port and push the button to share their screen immediately. BenQ.co.uk Free video conferencing Hot on the heels of its merger with Serenova, video collaboration company Lifesize is providing free, unlimited videoconferencing to help businesses weather the coronavirus crisis. New and existing customers are being offered free licences to use its cloud-based video, audio and web conferencing platform for six months, with no cap on the number of hosts, meetings or call duration. In February, Lifesize merged with contact centre-as- a-service provider Serenova, enabling it to offer a unified, omnichannel experience for video- based collaboration and customer engagement. www.lifesize.com/remote-work Collaboration and digital signage Vivitek has expanded its Novo Ecosystem of wireless collaboration and digital signage solutions with the launch of the NovoConnect NC-X700 and NC-X900 add-ons for a screen or projector. As well as enhancing an existing AV infrastructure with wireless presentation functionality, including the ability to share content from any device to the main screen and a full set of collaboration tools, the devices feature built-in NovoDS digital signage software that enables users to create messages and transform idle screens into digital announcement boards. www.vivitek.eu Boxing clever New from AVer Europe, the CB- 310 interactive control box helps teachers make the most of existing classroom equipment and engage students with inclusive collaboration tools. As a stand-alone Android module, it easily connects to any TV, interactive whiteboard, monitor, projector or visualiser, enabling teachers to use Windows, Mac, Chrome and Android platforms simultaneously by switching input sources. Accompanying ScreenShare technology lets students work on a smartphone, tablet or laptop then wirelessly share their thoughts with everyone. A split screen feature enables up to four ideas or presentations to be displayed simultaneously. avereurope.com Microsoft integration ViewSonic is looking forward to working more closely with Microsoft after becoming a Microsoft Education partner. Its whiteboard software is already available as a desktop application, myViewBoard for Windows 10, giving users the ability to write, highlight, edit and transform documents and images on interactive displays in real-time. This includes integration with Microsoft Education tools, such as Immersive Reader, which provides a full-screen reading experience to increase readability of text, as well as Bing Image Search, Text to Speech, Microsoft Office 365, OneDrive and Skype for Business. www.viewsonic.com/uk What’s New in AV VIVITEK NovoConnect Issue 57 2020