Logitech is releasing a new portfolio of appliance and PC-based videoconferencing solutions for mid-size and small rooms, reflecting the tech industry’s doubling down on a wide adoption of a hybrid work strategy that will necessitate flexible and high-quality conferencing hardware.
There are two new devices are the Rally Bar and the Rally Bar Mini, which can natively support videoconferencing applications like Microsoft Teams and Zoom, or they can connect via USB to endpoints like PCs or Macs.
Or, users can bring their down device and plug in a laptop and run their chosen videoconferencing service. The new portfolio also supports other popular platforms like LogMeIn’s GoTo portfolio, Pexip and RingCentral.
According to Logitech, the Rally Bar and Rally Bar Mini boast resolutions up to 4K with motorized pan and tilt in a video bar form factor. The Rally Bar is advertised as being capable of image quality up to 5X optical zoom that will be digitally enhanced up to 15X optical zoom.
The company also announced the Logitech RoomMate, a computing appliance that allows customers to run videoconferencing services on Logitech cameras like Rally Plus without a PC or Mac.
The new video bars also provide audio features that ensure every voice is heard clearly, including ultra-low distortion speakers, an adaptive beamforming mic array and a patented anti-vibration suspense system.
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Both video bars come with Logitech’s RightSense technology and AI Viewfinder, a second camera dedicated to computer vision. It detects human figures and processes where they are in real-time to enhance Logitech’s RightSight auto-framing and camera control technology.
This keeps meeting participants in focus – even as they join the meeting or move around the room rather than focusing on a single participant at a time.
The bars are also designed to be versatile and easy to set up, manage and monitor with cable management and flexible mounting options. Users can manage and monitor the video bars from one single platform using the Logitech Sync or a preferred device management dashboard.
Users can also get insights into how devices are being used thanks to metrics like people count that can help ensure COVID-19 protocols are being followed.
“We’ve always methodically focused on what customers want, and that’s products with premium quality at a reasonable price,” said Scott Wharton, general manager and vice president of Logitech Video Collaboration, in a statement.
“From ease of use and manageability, to bringing scale to businesses, we want to make products bigger and better, while reducing complexity. Our goal is to put video in every meeting space in the world. In order to do that, we need to make it easy, simple and cost-effective, which is what we believe we’ve achieved with this new portfolio of products.”
Rally Bar will be broadly available for $3,999 by the end of this quarter, and Rally Bar Mini and Logitech RoomMate will be available for $2,999 and $999, respectively, shortly after.
