Unified Collaborative Devices (UCDs) are not created equally – so here’s what you need to ask before making purchasing decisions for upgrading your meeting room or remote collaboration assets. 

We understand that most businesses add pieces of the communication puzzle over time, as and when they became necessary for collaboration. But if you’re looking to upgrade or re-furnish a meeting space, it will cost both time and money to continue attempting to connect seven or eight disparate communication devices in one room with multiple operating systems, cables, power, and connection setups. Not ideal, when business goals involve productivity gains, better use of time, and more streamlined asset management.

And then there’s the time sacrificed in IT support, losing valuable meeting time, and possible reputational damage associated with presenting a potentially unprofessional corporate persona to staff or clients. 

The UCD addresses all of these issues. It incorporates all the common meeting technology you’re familiar with into one device that looks just like a monitor or display. Our range of Newline Q+ UCDs contain the collaboration technology needed for amazing presentations and consistent connections to almost anywhere. A UCD is fast becoming an indispensable office tool, because of the way it brings technology together, potentially lowers business investment, and works easily, thanks to an uncomplicated user interface.  

A UCD is not just for the meeting room. Personal UCDs like Newline’s Flex device incorporate several of the Q+ features but are ready to go with one click at home, hotel, airport, or anywhere in between. 

What to look for in a UCD 

It’s a simple premise – you want to save time and money. Staying connected to staff, clients, and contractors off-site, on the next floor, or across the world is a large cost of doing business today, so it makes sense to understand the value in the choices now at your disposal. 

A UCD should include the functionality of at least seven communication tools that work together. This should just ‘work’ with minimal effort on the part of the user, other than plugging in one power source and logging in to their personal profile, just like a laptop. 

Compare these main components:

display

Look for a range of sizes to suit the conference room or meeting space, and check the weight and durability of the screen (accidents do happen!)

Ask:

  • Is it statically fixed, or mobile? A major downfall for meeting spaces is inflexibility in device configuration, which limits layout and occupancy.
  • Can the screen height be adjusted for ergonomic safety?
  • Can the screen be taken elsewhere in the office to meet a particular accessibility issue?
  • How durable is the screen for frequent touchscreen use by many people?
  • Will the LED panel be easily damaged by accidental impact?

vision icon

Look for accessibility from any point in the room and safety features. Most devices have some kind of blue light filter, but again, they’re not created equally.

Ask:

  • Does it produce at least 4K resolution for clarity and rich colour, with backlit LED?
  • What is the maximum viewing angle? (should be around 178o)
  • What is the display response time? (should be 10 milliseconds or less)
  • What type of blue light filter technology is used?
  • Does the screen have optical bonding for reduced glare and image depth?
  • How many hours per day can the screen be used continuously, and what is the lifetime of the device?

audio

Look for high-wattage speakers – at least two speakers. Check the quality and range of microphones – nothing worse than running around the table so a person can be heard when using a microphone.

Ask:

  • Is there a subwoofer speaker to enhance sound quality and clarity?
  • How many microphones are embedded?
  • What is the microphone pick-up range? Are they multi-directional?
  • What is the speaker wattage?

cursor icon

The specification of the touchscreen is important; all users should feel comfortable and require no training to use the screen. So not only for health and safety maintenance, but you should also look for the type of touch sensor, transparency quality, and surface hardness, which all add to the writing/using experience.

Ask:

  • How many touchpoints are there?
  • What touch technology the screen uses? What tools can be used – what kind of pen, or only fingers?
  • Does the surface contain anti-fingerprint and palm rejection technology?
  • Does the screen have antimicrobial treatment? If so, Is it TUV third-party certified? (an international, fully audited quality accreditation).

team

Keeping the staff connected is paramount. And unclear connections and poor camera quality don’t contribute to productive meetings.

Ask:

  • What is the camera resolution, and is it ultra-high definition?
  • What is the field of view?
  • What is the resolution distance?
  • What is the camera tilt range?
  • Can we change presenters/speakers at will, using our personal devices?

wifi icon

Look for speed and easy connections with minimum effort and maximum integration built in.

Ask:

  • What can I do with the digital ecosystem in this device?
  • How does the phone/virtual connection work? Do I need to dial?
  • Is the device Wifi6-enabled?
  • What are the broadcast and cast (share screen) specifications? How is this controlled or managed?
  • What apps or access to apps for business are included?

office

Look for the possible load on the IT helpdesk and in-room support requirements. Check the difficulty level of installation and what connections are required. For ESG considerations, check the power usage and also the environmental credentials of the suppliers.

Ask:

  • What is the embedded operating system?
  • How does this assist with data and privacy security?
  • Can the device be remotely managed via a web-based dashboard system?
  • Look for power consumption figures, and check if there’s an eco-setting and a standby mode that minimises power use.
  • What are the room requirements – data management ports, power points, etc.?
  • For storage, check the temperature requirements and whether humidity is an issue or not (displays without optical bonding may experience condensation issues between glass layers).

Choosing the right UCDs for your business 

That’s quite the checklist! But it shows that meeting room (collaborative) technology is converging and developing into one of the fastest-moving fields in business today. FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia is proud to partner with Newline to supply and support best-of-breed collaborative device solutions. 

If the solution you’re considering doesn’t include the high-quality design features outlined above, we invite you to look at the way Newline’s Q+ and Flex range answers the most demanding requirements. Say goodbye to the pain of marshalling pieces of equipment into order, especially when you’re counting on the tech working seamlessly for a productive meeting. You’ll wonder how you ever managed without one.

Leading from the front is what we’ve done for the past six decades when it comes to keeping business on the front foot with collaborative technologies – and the Newline Q+ and Flex range is no exception.

Our team is standing by to explain how Newline devices can replace complexity with simplicity and flexibility. Visit www.fujifilm.com/fbau or call 13 14 12.