Logitech for Hybrid Work

Covering Unified Communications as a Service (UcaaS) at CDW requires several pieces of equipment to conduct testing and daily meetings and calls. Recently, I made the switch to Logitech as my primary provider of the equipment I use daily to conduct my work across Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams and RingCentral.

Logitech has built a beautiful docking station in its Logi Dock. It allows me to consolidate all my wiring to one cable to my MacBook, while everything else connects directly to the dock. It’s nice to have less clutter in my space and charge my MacBook at the same time. 

With many docking stations, you get port functionality but not charging. Another item usually missing is some sort of speaker/microphone built into the dock. Logitech considered these issues with Logi Dock and paired it with a downloadable app in Logi Tune. 

I can now use my BRIO webcam connected to my dock, and for every meeting I have, Logi Tune reminds me on Logi Dock that it is time to attend via the app’s integration to my O365 account. It is nice to have that visual indicator on top of Logi Dock to remind me to attend another meeting, and I can join by just pressing the button on top of the dock. I personally opted for the UC version since I cover multiple platforms, but for those that live in Microsoft Teams all day, they have a dock just for you coming soon with some additional features focused on Teams.

The BRIO Ultra HD Business Webcam provides crystal-clear video and accommodates a wide adjustable field of view. Within the Logi Tune app, it is easy to adjust between a 65-degree close-up, 78 degrees to provide more of an overview of your workspace, or 90 degrees to show more of your environment.  I’m impressed with the image quality across all the UCaaS platforms that I use daily.

I use my Zone True Wireless Earbuds for several of my calls throughout the day. If I’m not taking an ear break and using Logi Dock, I am using these earbuds. I own several headsets from multiple partners. Some I purchased and some were demo units to try out. I can tell you that out of everything I own or have demoed so far, these earbuds are stellar. They have a rich sound quality, are comfortable to wear for an extended period and the active noise cancellation works well. 

Whether it’s my dogs barking, someone mowing the lawn or my kids going crazy around the house, Zone True Wireless tunes it all out, and no one is the wiser on my meetings. I also love the fact they are IP68 rated, so moisture, sweat and dust are not an issue. I can work hard and play hard, and they keep up with whatever I am doing. I also like that I can pair them to my iPhone and continue calls while traveling.

I utilize the Logitech MX Keys keyboard and the MX Anywhere 3 mouse. They are wireless, support up to three workstations and the charge lasts a long time. I use the same monitor across my MacBook and my PC. It is nice to be able to pair these devices to distinct Unifying or Logi Bolt receivers and press a keyboard key or toggle a switch on the bottom of the mouse to move between the two systems. 

I was using a virtual KVM before, and while it worked, it led to some oddities between Mac and Windows. For me personally, changing the input on my monitor to the other workstation and simply flipping a switch or pressing a key made life a lot easier. Not to mention that I have room to grow up to three systems. These devices support macOS, iPadOS, ChromeOS, Windows and Linux. It’s nice that no matter how I work, I have multiple OS support systems for the future.

I wanted to take the time to point out how I have made some changes to my gear and how it has increased my productivity and usability during the workday. In a world where we’re all utilizing multiple UCaaS platforms to conduct business, it’s nice to be able to pair equipment together and just have it work flawlessly.

Story by Corey Buskirk, a technical architect at CDW with more than 11 years of experience in collaboration solutions.