Designers: Eric Call, Aruliden, New York, New York, USA
Manufacturer: Google LLC., Stockholm, Sweden and Avocor Technologies USA, Wilsonville, Oregon, USA
An all-in-one video-conferencing device for personal use, the Series One Desk 27 by Avocor helps those at home and the office collaborate more equitably. The ADA-complaint plug-and-play unit facilitates inclusion regardless of the users’ location, technical understanding, and physical abilities.
Offering a combination of video, voice, whiteboarding, and annotating, Desk 27 supports the different ways people feel most comfortable collaborating and communicating, both in real-time and asynchronously. Although optimized for Google Meet, it works with any conferencing service.
Plus, it also can serve as a desk monitor and laptop docking station. Fitted with a 5 MP camera, integrated soundbar, and dual 4-mic arrays, Desk 27 allows colleagues on- and offsite to see and hear each other clearly. Google’s AI-enabled TrueVoice technology reduces background noise and enhances speech; the device also has optional closed captioning and a headphone jack for the hearing-impaired.
Integrated whiteboarding capabilities powered by the Jamboard app allow users to sketch and annotate on the interactive, 27-inch screen. The latter is slightly tilted, making it comfortable to look at when standing or sitting. The angle also makes the screen easier to write on with a finger or the included stylus.
Approachable and intuitive to use, Desk 27 has a sculptural shape and subtle surface texturing. Its pale hue and matte finish beautifully blend into any environment; areas where users interact with its frame are soft to the touch.
The device is simple to set up: just plug in the power cord and an Ethernet cable. Its recessed ports and minimal cabling minimize visual distractions. A single-cable USB-C port also offers immediate BYOD and access to any file or video app.
When compared to video conferencing on a laptop, Desk 27 offers better-quality speakers and mics, improving the experience of using Google Meet. The device also frees up the memory and processing power that video-conferencing requires, improving the laptop’s data-processing speed.
Desk 27’s hardware and software are holistically integrated, with the device waking up just before a scheduled Google Calendar meeting and returning to low-power standby mode when it’s over. You also can begin a meeting with a single tap or via voice activation by saying, “Hey Google, join the meeting.” Wherever possible, Desk 27 utilizes recycled materials.
The polycarbonate-and-ABS housing incorporates post-consumer recycled content, for example, while the fabric covers contain recycled polyester and nylon. All of the device’s components are enterprise-grade to ensure a long useful life.
That said, Desk 27’s glass touchscreen and aluminum stand are also designed to be recycled easily. In all, Desk 27 reinforces Google’s reputation as a provider of cutting-edge business tools that not only accelerate productivity, but also are gorgeous to look at and a pleasure to use.
