NewsUC&C20 Jul 2020 · 4 min read

Big News You May Have Missed

Why workplace buyers should care: AWS, Slack, Zoom and Cisco Webex are adding video, home working and virtual background tools. Published on UC Today.

Rebekah Carter

Welcome back to another weekly roundup here at UC Today.

Over the last 7 days, companies of all sizes have been planning the return to work, continuing with home working strategies, and exploring new ways to improve their communication strategies.

As teams struggled to get used to the new landscape post-COVID-19, communication and collaboration vendors are rolling out tools to support the current marketplace. This includes new video conferencing solutions, virtual backgrounds, and more.

If you haven’t had a chance to keep on top of all the recent stories, we published here at UC Today, don’t worry. Here’s an insight into some of the best reports from the last 7 days.

AWS Introduces Video Platform as a Service

Leading cloud solutions provider, Amazon Web Services, recently announced an updated partnership with the collaboration company, Slack. The updated partnership will allow Slack to unlock all of the power of the AWS architecture for video meetings and calling.

Using the intuitive Chime SDK from Amazon, Slack should have all the tools they need to continue competing against other market leaders like Microsoft Teams. The updated partnership between Slack and AWS will give Slack a full video conferencing solution. Recently, Rob Scott from UC Today caught up with the General Manager of Product Marketing from Amazon, Eron Kelly. Eron told Rob all about the rising demand for the Chime SDK from AWS, and what it means to the future of companies developing through Amazon.

Zoom Launches New Home Solution

Zoom, one of the biggest companies in the video collaboration landscape, recently announced a new solution for the era of at-home working. In the last few months, demand for Zoom has skyrocketed, driven by new demands for convenient anywhere-working opportunities for teams who can’t make it into the office. Responding to this new need, Zoom is creating the Zoom for Home service.

Zoom for Home is a collection of new software and hardware solutions dedicated to supporting remote work. The portfolio responds to the unique challenges that current business leaders are facing and helps remote workers to get more out of their conversations. Check out the new Zoom for Home solution here.

Virtual Backgrounds for Webex Meetings

Virtual backgrounds are a popular feature of modern video conferencing solutions. As more home-based workers try to engage in productive conversations from anywhere, many are looking for ways to block out the distractions behind them. Although things like background blur have been around for a while on video conferencing platforms, virtual backgrounds are a lot more appealing.

Today’s users can transform their background into anything they choose – whether it’s a professional-looking office space, or an open field. If you’re wondering how to take advantage of virtual backgrounds on Cisco Webex Meetings, and in Cisco Events, we’ve got you covered. Here’s the complete guide to setting up your Webex virtual backgrounds.

Introducing Kona for Slack

Interested in improving the relationships between your virtual team members? Sike Insights could have just the thing you’ve been looking for. For years now, companies have been working on strengthening remote working opportunities with video conferencing tools and instant messaging apps. However, as more of us moved into the remote landscape in response to Covid-19, many organisations are noticing how hard it is to keep remote employees engaged.

The Kona bot for Slack helps you to strengthen your relationships with team members by getting insights into what motivates them, and how they like to communicate. Kona can tell you how your team members like to get feedback, and what kind of guidance they respond best to. Check out the new solution for more connected teams here.

Get to Know Dashbase for Remote Working

Everywhere you look, new opportunities are opening up for companies interested in the remote working landscape. Since the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, more organisations are operating outside of the office, and they need the right tools to help them thrive in these new spaces. Dashbase is an app that can help to strengthen work-from-anywhere teams.

Dashbase shows business and team leaders the full collaboration and communication lifecycle for their teams. This makes it easier to see where gaps in processes are causing problems for your teams. The technology works by pulling log data together from various communication environments. Just like an old-fashioned call-log, you get insights into where problems occurred, and how long people used different tools. See how Dashbase works here.

What were your favourite stories from the last week? Did we cover them here? Let us know in the comments or join the conversation with us on social media.

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