If working through the pandemic has meant that you’ve been at home more than usual, then you’ve likely run into challenges that have made you wish for equipment upgrades. One of my biggest pain points has been virtual conference calls. Having to do so many virtual meetings in the past year has exposed how insufficient my iMac’s built-in webcam has always been. If you’ve felt let-down by your video conferencing set-up, then the new AnkerWork PowerConf C300 Webcam and the PowerConf S500 Conference Speaker might be of interest.
Steven Yang, Founder and CEO of Anker Innovations, has this to say about AnkerWork, their new product line, which has just announced these two new devices:
For many, working from home has been a dream come true, but it also brings its own unique challenges; distracting pets, family, poor lighting, as well as power and cable management issues, to name a few. AnkerWork products have been designed to help address many of these issues, while providing solutions that are portable and can be easily used in the home, the office, and on the road.
AnkerWork PowerConf C300 Webcam
The AnkerWork PowerConf C300 is the line’s first 1080p HD webcam. It features a built-in AI chipset for higher quality images than the 720p found on most laptops (and, in my case, desktops), as well as accurate color reproduction. Most importantly, they are saying it will perform well in crappy lighting.
The PowerConf C300 will have three field-of-view choices: 78-degrees for close-ups, 90-degrees for a mid-view, or 115-degrees for the widest field of view. If you don’t want the people on your video calls to see that you have a stack of laundry on the couch, you can tighten that field of view, making it look like your workspace is neat as a pin. Clever.
There are also dual noise-canceling microphones to make sure that you always sound great on the other end, even if the pets get excited and start barking or one of the kids forgets that you have a critical business meeting. There’s even a snap-on privacy cover, so you don’t have to worry about being snooped on when you aren’t using the camera.
Artificial Intelligence drives the smart framing that will keep the AnkerWork PowerConf C300 centered on you or on the group members you have gathered around the camera — even if someone deliberately moves. The AI is smart enough that it will only reframe your deliberate movements. If you need to scratch your leg or take a sip of wine, you can do that without the camera shifting its focus and highlighting that you’re getting antsy.
The AnkerWork PowerConf C300 features include:
- 1080P
- 60FPS
- Dual Stereo Microphones (Without Speaker)
- Adjustable FOV UP to 115°
- USB C connection
- Plug & play
- Privacy cover
If you’ve stopped yourself from ordering a webcam because you didn’t want to spend $175 or more to get something decent (like I recently did, no joke), you’ll be pleased to know that the $129.99 AnkerWork PowerConf C300 is available right now from Amazon, Anker, and other retailers.
AnkerWork PowerConf S500 Conference Speaker
If your computer has anemic speakers, you’re going to want to check out the AnkerWork PowerConf S500, which offers even more features than the original PowerConf products. Four upgraded microphones utilize Anker’s new proprietary VoiceRadar tech, which uses beamforming and enhanced Digital Signal Processors to pinpoint and focus on your, or another person speaking’s, voice while ignoring other background noises.
You can use the AnkerWork app, which is available for Android and iOS, with your PowerConf S500; it lets you choose one of the three pickup patterns that include traditional conference room environments with multiple people, a single person presenting to others, or you can use the S500 as a microphone for live streaming. If you need something that will work in a larger conference room, you can pair two PowerConf S500 speakers together for even better pickup during conference calls with a louder sound so everyone can clearly hear everything being said.
The AnkerWork PowerConf S500’s features include:
- 4 MEMS Microphones Array that captures 360º conversation
- Works in meetings with up to 12 people
- 10W output with customizable driver
- 32Khz Ultra-HD voice codec
- Up to 16-hour call time
- USB-C / Bluetooth connection
- Wirelessly pair two for larger rooms
- Built-in wireless USB-A adapter
- Universal compatibility
- Anker Work App for Smart functions
We don’t yet have pricing or availability for the PowerConf S500, but it’s coming soon.