The way we do business and corporate life has definitely changed drastically these past few months and moving forward, this may be the new way of life for a lot of offices. Google has been pushing Google Meet as one tool that companies can use as they adapt to this “new normal” where video calling and conferencing is now a way of life. They have now partnered with Lenovo to bring the Series One meeting room kits, with a focus on Google Meet and the physical distancing that we’ll have to do over the next few months (or years).
The Series One has several hardware components. The Smart Audio Bar brings eight beam-forming microphones and will be able to process 44 channels simultaneously. It is able to give you TrueVoice, Google’s noise cancellation and application technology that will filter out the unwanted and accidental noise and amplify the voices of participants but at a consistent level. You also get a choice if a regular or extra-large true 4K smart camera that lets you pan, tilt, zoom automatically using Google AI.
The kit comes with a 10.1” touch-screen controller while the small room kits have a rechargeable remote control. The system uses a single power source architecture with PoE (Power over Ethernet) as well as a color-coded cable management system so installation is not such a hassle. When your meeting room expands, it’s also easy to add components like mic pods, add-on audio bar, etc.
Software and tech-wise, the kits will be using the same thing that Google uses in their data centers and these are built into the audio bars and the Meet Compute System itself. The system is purpose-built for Meet on ChromeOS and everything is securely managed through the Google admin console. Since Google Assistant is built-in, you can use voice control for your entire meeting or video conference call.
The Google Meet Series One will be available in several countries including the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. The Small Room Kit which is good for up to 6 people will cost $2,699 while the Medium (6-10) is $2,999 and the Large (10+) is $3,999. Pre-orders will be starting soon.
