Logitech Announces Video Conferencing that Works with Your Existing Investment

I received a press release today from Krista over at Logitech. If you've considered video conferencing, this might be a great time to jump in. This setup integrates with Microsoft Lync, Skype for Business, Cisco Jabber, WebEx, and more.

Here's their press release:

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Logitech Transforms the Way Teams Use Video Conferencing

Logitech GROUP Works with Video Conference Apps You Already Use

NEWARK, Calif. — Feb. 8, 2016 — Today Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) announced a transformation in team collaboration. LogitechGROUP provides crystal-clear audio and high-quality HD video conferencing for groups of up to 14 people, or up to 20 with the optional expansion microphones. Logitech GROUP is affordable and enables organizations to use the same room system configuration for whichever unified communications, web conferencing or video conferencing application you already use. The solution deploys in minutes and is simple to use, allowing any meeting space to be a flexible multi-use video collaboration space.

TweetNow: Logitech announces new video conference solution, Logitech GROUP, for mid to large

size conference rooms http://blog.logitech.com/?p=24461

“Until now, people looking to collaborate over video were faced with a choice between installing high priced purpose-built systems or crowding around a laptop that’s placed at the end of a table. This resulted in a poor experience with coworkers packed together like sardines or falling out of the frame,” said Scott Wharton, general manager of the Logitech video collaboration group. “Logitech GROUP provides the best of both worlds, an affordable solution optimized for large rooms with a wide field of view and crystal clear audio quality. Plus, it works with virtually any UC or video collaboration software and is so easy to use that you don’t need IT support to help get your meeting started.”

“Traditional video conferencing systems are no longer the only option for enterprises. We see an expanding variety of category-defying solutions using audio video peripherals in the meeting room to connect to a PC or mobile device,” said Andrew W. Davis, senior partner at Wainhouse Research. "This fast-growing class of easy-to-use and low-cost solutions is creating a new market that traditional solutions could never reach. With its ConferenceCam portfolio, Logitech has a strong leadership position in this emerging market."

Logitech GROUP, the successor to Logitech’s popular ConferenceCam CC3000e, has a full-duplex, sleek speakerphone delivering sound that is crisp, clear, and can be heard by everyone in the meeting. Its metal case helps improve acoustic performance, and by isolating the microphone and speaker it provides premium audio quality. The combination of four omnidirectional microphones, acoustic echo and noise-cancelling technology delivers conversational realism. Conference participants can converse within a 20-foot diameter around the base, or extend the range to 28-feet with optional expansion microphones. It can also be used with a Bluetooth^® enabled mobile devices for audio calls.

The 1080p video quality brings full HD video to conference calls, enabling meeting participants to clearly read expressions, non-verbal cues and movements. A wide 90-degree field of view and smooth pan and tilt controls enhance collaboration by making it easy to see everyone in the room. On-board H.264 with scalable video coding frees up bandwidth by putting video processing within the camera, resulting in a smoother video stream. And the 10x lossless HD zoom allows participants to zero in on close-ups of objects and whiteboard content with outstanding detail and clarity.

GROUP helps businesses facilitate collaboration between distributed workforces with certified software applications (Optimized for Microsoft® Lync® 2013, Certified for Skype for Business, Cisco Jabber® and WebEx® compatible) and enhanced integration with Logitech Collaboration Program members, ensuring a seamless experience with virtually all video conferencing platforms. GROUP works with any computing device with a USB connection (PC, MAC^® or Chromebook™).

Logitech GROUP can be seen in public for the first time at ISE 2016, February 9-12, in booth #9-B125.

Pricing and Availability

Logitech GROUP is expected to be available worldwide in March 2016 at a suggested price of $999, €1199 or £999. The expansion microphones will be available for $299, €299 or £249. Purchased as a bundle, GROUP with two expansion microphones will be available in the U.S. for $1249. For more information, please visit logitech.com or the Logitech blog.

About Logitech

Logitech designs products that have an everyday place in people's lives, connecting them to the digital experiences they care about. Over 30 years ago, Logitech started connecting people through computers, and now it’s designing products that bring people together through music, gaming, video and computing. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI). Find Logitech at http://www.logitech.com, the company blog or @LogitechVC.

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