The health crisis and the development of work outside the office, whether at home or anywhere with an Internet connection, means that employees must be equipped with tools to facilitate this new mode of operation.
Among these tools are headsets and earphones, which have become essential for working with confidence and easily following videoconferences. Among the criteria sought, they must be comfortable, because sometimes worn for several hours, Bluetooth, and have good battery life, with a high-performance noise reduction system, and an easily usable adjustment wheel.
To respond to this trend, On the sidelines of the induction of its new Surface Laptop 4, Microsoft has just announced that it is launching a range of new audio accessories for teleworkers. These include a Microsoft Teams certified version of the Surface Headphones 2 with the included USB dongle, two Modern headsets with built-in boom microphones, a Modern USB-C speaker, and a Modern webcam.
In this age of telecommuting and videoconferencing galore, it is important to be well equipped. And not just on PC. Microsoft has understood this and, in parallel with the presentation of its new Surface Laptop 4, the Redmond company has unveiled new complementary accessories.
Headsets, speakers, and even a webcam: all are obviously there to make the most of Microsoft Teams and are certified in this regard.
Modern Headset For All Tastes
Under the name of the Modern range, Microsoft thus adds a wired headset with a microphone, light, and comfortable, called Modern USB Headset. The emphasis was on sound quality with a noise-canceling mic and intuitive call controls. These padded on-ear headphones promise to be worn all day long without discomfort. In particular, it is designed to be an affordable version of a headset for using Microsoft Teams, the in-house video conferencing tool.
Wireless version, the Microsoft Modern announces 50 hours of autonomy in music listening and 30 hours in voice calls. Enough to work for a long time and in complete freedom. Apart from the sound quality with voice optimization and noise reduction, the latter has several advantages, such as controls on the ear cups and the microphone cut off by winding it up with an LED to indicate your status. And it also has a rotary dial on the right earcup to adjust the volume.
Microsoft Modern wireless headset for working in silence
After the release of its Surface Headphones 2 and its famous command dials, Microsoft is launching a version for business, the Surface Headphones 2+ for Business. This model intended for professionals promises up to 18.5 hours of music listening or 15 hours of voice calls. It has 13 levels of active noise cancellation to make calls or work in peace. Like Modern, the Headphones 2+ headphones can be connected using a dongle or via Bluetooth. It also takes advantage of its microphones to control the voice to better manage Microsoft 365 tools and its various functions, particularly with a dedicated button for Microsoft Teams, as on all new headsets.
Microsoft Modern USB-C speaker
And if you're not a fan of headphones, there is a solution: the Modern USB-C Speaker. This speaker packs intuitive controls in a compact design. Its power cord is stored within it, enough to easily carry it anywhere.
Microsoft Modern Webcam
But what we were finally waiting to see is the Microsoft webcam. The Modern Webcam has a 1080p HD camera for high video quality and an optimized 78 ° field of view. Using its USB-A socket, it can be fixed on your PC or on a tripod to facilitate HDR video recording. It also has a button to hide the sensor, and thus activate or deactivate the video stream.
It is compatible with Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, but also with macOS Catalina and Big Sur.