Subscribe
  • Home
  • /
  • Computing
  • /
  • Online meetings level up with ASUS Google Meet kits

Online meetings level up with ASUS Google Meet kits


Johannesburg, 10 Jun 2021

The work from home wave has driven online meetings as the new de facto way to meet, making tools to simplify and enhance the online meeting experience a growing priority.

Charl Van Den Berg, Product Manager at distributor Tarsus Distribution says most local organisations have switched to online meetings, whether their workplace model is remote, in-office or hybrid: “Due to the convenience of online meetings, we find around 70% now prefer to hold their meetings online, with only around 30% still doing face-to-face meetings,” he says. However, the mass shift to online meetings has uncovered some challenges – including poor audio and video quality, and the need for every participant to have a laptop. In situations where a number of people assemble in a face-to-face meeting and other participants log in, challenges can arise with live participants distracted by other work on their individual screens, and audio feedback occurring from multiple mics and speakers in the room.

To address these challenges, the new ASUS – Google Meet hardware kits combine a compact compute system, with dedicated 4K UHD camera, touchscreen control panel and speakermic to simplify online meetings from the boardroom or classroom. ASUS – Google Meet hardware is the latest smart one-touch video-conferencing solution with HD visuals for Google Meet.

“While there are several online meeting platforms out there, Google Meet is a particularly popular one, which is why these hardware kits are optimised for Google Meet,” says Van Den Berg. At the start of the pandemic, Google Meet was reported to be adding three million users a day, for around 100 million active participants a day.

The ASUS – Google Meet hardware kit, available in three sizes, optimises the Google Meet experience and allows all participants in one room to participate in an online meeting without each one needing to use a laptop. The ASUS – Google Meet compute system is the hub of the kit, powered by an Intel Core i7 processor and 128GB of upgraded SSD storage. Featuring a new version of Chrome OS, it is optimised for Meet, and with a magnetic chassis, the slim hub can fit discreetly behind the screen or be mounted anywhere. The hardware kits feature the compact ASUS – Google Meet compute system powered by an Intel Core i7 processor and each offers a revolutionary magnetic chassis for easy installation. To ensure long-term reliability under prolonged use, the newly designed Meet compute system is built and tested to exceed industry requirements. The kits include a speakermic for 360° sound, a touchscreen control panel or remote control and a UHD camera.

The system is designed to deliver enterprise grade reliability and performance and includes enhanced security with verified boot and on-device encryption and automatic firmware updates for qualified peripherals. You’ll find additional information on licensing here: https://meet.google.com/

The medium kit, designed for a small to medium room and up to eight people, also includes a touchscreen control panel; 4K UHD camera with a 120-degree ultra-wide field or view and up to 4x zoom; a Google Meet 360-degree speakermic; and a remote control. The large kit, supporting up to 20 people in a large room, includes the compute system, Google Meet speakermic and touchscreen control panel. Available separately, a PTZ PRO2 camera with enhanced zoom is recommended for large rooms. Van Den Berg notes that in the large kits, additional speakermics can be added in a daisy chain, allowing each participant to hear – and be heard – clearly.

“The system is ideal for offices, virtual conferences and teaching environments such as schools and universities. And because there are so many ways to access the system – such as just dialling in to the meeting using a cellphone – we expect to see Google Meet and the ASUS – Google Meet kits really taking off locally,” he says.

Share