ConferenceSpeakerphone
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Harman Kardon's Esquire Bluetooth speaker doubles as a conference system, fits in a briefcase
Business professionals who've dreamt of having a portable conference system and Bluetooth speaker combo have just had their wish granted. Harman Kardon's aluminum and leather-clad Esquire portable speaker features two drivers, a bass port and noise-cancelling conference microphones. Placing the unit upright adjusts its mics for one person, while laying it flat works best for multiple people. The design is relatively clean, but you'll find physical buttons at its side for power, playback, mute, volume and Bluetooth pairing (NFC-pairing is also an option). An internal battery keeps it juiced for up to ten hours and its wall charger has three USB ports to handle your smartphone and extra gizmos. The Esquire will be available for your business travels later this year in white, black and "camel." Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Panasonic's Conference Speakerphone packs a SIM card
Any of us blessed (or cursed) to spend the majority of our waking hours theoretically locked in a corporate boardroom know very well the form and function of a desktop speakerphone, but Panasonic and Willcom and teaming up to deliver a rendition that relies on cellular technology rather than landlines. Oddly enough, it appears the forthcoming Conference Speakerphone will actually pack a SIM card, speaker, several built-in microphones, a mobile microphone, and even an SD slot for users to easily record conversations. Actually, if someone utilized a third-party battery pack, this entire unit could be taken on the go and used as what would quite possibly be the world's largest cellphone of the decade. The appeal is that Willcom will reportedly be offering a "flat-rate talk plan" that allows companies to equip their employees with these machines and then communicate gratis, similar to many mobile networks with free in-network calling. Although the Conference Speakerphone is slated to ship this Spring, the value here is definitely questionable, as picking up a numerous ¥100,000 ($828) devices can seriously squash that meager IT budget.[Via DigitalWorldTokyo]
