Unify, the Atos brand for communications software and services introduced new features and an expansion to their Circuit platform, Circuit Meeting Room, the collaboration-space enabler of the digital workplace. Designed to support today’s mobile and distributed workforce, Circuit Meeting Room combines the value of video conferencing with the power of social collaboration for more effective and productive meetings. Additionally, Unify is adding new functionality to Circuit, offering a new desktop option and increased features and functionality for mobile users.
“Circuit Meeting Room is designed to help businesses turn any conference or ‘huddle’ room into an audio and video collaboration space that works for them,” said Luiz Domingos, Head of Product House, for Unify. “We’re elevating videoconferencing to the next level by combining collaboration software with video and audio conferencing to bring together mobile workers and capture the knowledge and results of meetings in real time. We remain focused on delivering new innovations with Circuit, so we can continue to deliver superior collaboration capabilities to users.”
The trend towards open office designs and a more mobile and distributed workforce have created even greater need for conference and huddle rooms, leaving businesses scrambling to outfit these spaces with the right technology. Circuit Meeting Room serves as a complete huddle room conferencing and collaboration solution that fills the gap between the expensive and often difficult to manage big room systems and PC-based solutions that don’t scale. This offering is more compact, easier to install and administrate and integrates the collaborative capabilities of Circuit.
Unlike traditional video conferencing solutions, Circuit Meeting Room comes at a fraction of the cost and it easily scales, unlike PC-based solutions, making video conferencing available for everyone leveraging the technology they already have in use. Circuit Meeting Room is designed to integrate easily with standard audio and video devices, so users have numerous choices regarding their needs for conferencing quality. Additionally, it does not require proprietary remote controls, keyboards or other components, but is easily controlled with just the Circuit client. No proprietary components or hardware are needed, reducing support costs and risk without compromising customer needs.
Unify also has introduced several significant new capabilities in the Circuit platform, responding to user interest in a desktop application and enhanced mobile functionality. The newly released Circuit desktop app offers all the same functionality found in the web version, but supports those users who have a preference or an IT requirement for a solution that is not browser-based. The Circuit desktop client offers the same robust collaboration experience as the web-based Circuit application, and adds an auto-start feature, so Circuit is launched when a user logs onto their computer. It also automatically updates the app upon start up, so users can be assured of always having the latest version. Additionally, when using screen share in the desktop app, viewer can click on the screen share to ‘point’ to specific item, enabling enhanced interaction.
Unify will also soon release Circuit updates have focused on improving mobile functionality. Circuit will include support for Apple CallKit and SiriKit on iOS 10 devices, giving Circuit calls the same priority as cellular calls and enabling users to operate many Circuit functions hands-free while on-the-go. Circuit will also offer 3D touch support on iOS 10 devices, simplifying navigation in the Circuit app. Additionally, push notifications will alert mobile users to new activity within the Circuit application, even if the app is not currently open. Users can control these notifications, making it easier for mobile users to stay connected quickly and easily.