INTEGRATION OF CONTEXTUAL INTELLIGENCE MAKES COLLABORATIVE MEETINGS MORE EFFECTIVE
PGi, (NYSE: PGi) a global leader in
virtual meetings for more than 20 years, and Plantronics,
Inc. (NYSE: PLT), a global leader in audio communications for businesses
and consumers, today launched an integrated solution that leverages the
power of contextual intelligence to make collaborative meetings more
effective. Bringing together the Plantronics Voyager
Legend UC™ headset and iMeet, PGi’s cloud-based social video
conferencing solution, provides users with a more natural and intuitive
virtual meeting experience.
With the integration, iMeet can take advantage of contextual
intelligence through aspects of a user’s physical world, to trigger
specific actions within the meeting. For example, iMeet will know if a
user is wearing their Plantronics Voyager Legend UC headset and whether
they are available to take a video call or if they are busy and unable
to meet. Users can launch an iMeet meeting with a single tap of their
headset, and iMeet will automatically signal other meeting guests if the
user mutes or takes off their headset and when they step away from the
meeting. The result is a simpler, smarter virtual meeting, free from
confusion and the awkward: “Are you there, Bob? … Uh, sorry, I was on
mute.”
“The changing needs of today’s workforce are clear – people need to stay
productive and engaged with their co-workers, partners and customers
from wherever they are, regardless of the device they are using to
communicate,” said David Guthrie, PGi Chief Technology Officer. “PGi has
been on the forefront of creating innovative collaboration technologies
for more than 20 years, and with this first-of-its-kind integration,
we’re again breaking new ground for the industry by making meetings more
effective.”
Plantronics, whose UC headsets have been designed for broad
compatibility using an open development platform, developed the Voyager
Legend UC headset to enable easy integration with software solutions.
PGi has tapped into the Plantronics Spokes™ SDK to enhance iMeet and
support a more natural way for users to interact, from the office, at
home or on the go. PGi is continuing to develop additional integration
features with the Voyager Legend UC headset, such as the ability for
iMeet users to seamlessly transition from a mobile call to a VoIP call
through their desktop computer, which it plans to offer later this year.
“We launched our Plantronics development community to allow ISVs to
improve their applications by responding to the state information from
our wearable technology. PGi is one of the early innovators to utilize
our product’s contextual awareness capabilities,” said Barry Margerum,
Chief Strategy Officer, Plantronics. “Contextual awareness, such as if a
person is wearing a headset or near a video-enabled PC, allows iMeet
users to more naturally and productively interact with remote
colleagues. Our SDK has allowed PGI to bring aspects of a person’s
physical environment into their virtual environments, making meetings
more effective.”
PLANTRONICS’ SPOKES SOFTWARE AND THE PLANTRONICS DEVELOPER CONNECTION
With the Spokes SDK, developers can integrate contextual information
such as mobile phone caller ID, m obile phone call state, proximity to a
connected PC and headset wearing state. By incorporating information
from the physical world, context aware software can dramatically improve
business productivity. If you’re a developer and you want more
information and to download the software developer’s kit (SDK), visit
the Plantronics Developer’s Connection at http://developer.plantronics.com
or learn more about Plantronics’ integration partners here: http://www.plantronics.com/us/partners/developers/
VOYAGER LEGEND UC – THE NEXT GENERATION OF AN ICONIC COMMUNICATIONS
DEVICE
Plantronics Voyager Legend UC is the award-winning Voyager® family’s
latest solution which connects to a laptop, mobile phone or tablet. This
headset understands how and when you want to talk, with industry-first
Smart Sensor™ technology that reacts when you put the headset on,
letting you quickly take a call without a click. Tapping the voice
command button provides battery level, connection status, and more. A
portable charging case and a desktop charging stand mean that it’s
always ready, while precision-tuned triple mics cancel noise and wind.
The Voyager Legend UC is now available for £109 / €149 through
authorized resellers and distributors. For more information, please
visit http://www.plantronics.com/uk/product/voyager-legend-uc
IMEET – AN INNOVATION IN FACE-TO-FACE VIRTUAL COMMUNICATION AND
COLLABORATION
iMeet is PGi’s award winning cloud-based solution that lets people meet
face-to-face online from anywhere on any device. iMeet features a highly
intuitive interface and lets you meet with up to 15 people in HD video.
iMeet can help companies save money on travel costs and still be highly
productive. Common iMeet uses include sales meetings, recruiting
interviews, client service, team meetings and more. For more information
or to get a free trial, please visit: http://www.pgi.com/products/imeet.
