[New Release] PowerConf

Insider · January 20, 2020, 1:06pm

Anker has just released its first conference speakerphone… Take a look at PowerConf!

Features & details

Omni-Directional Voice Pickup: 6 microphones arranged in a 360° array pick up voices up anywhere in rooms for up to 8 people.
Smart Voice Enhancement: A custom DSP algorithm offers real-time echo cancellation up to 70 dB, de-reverberation, and reduces background noise by 20db to ensure your voice is picked-up without distracting noises.
Optimized Clarity and Volume: PowerConf Bluetooth speakerphone automatically balances the sound of your voice to make up for differences in volume and distance from the speakerphone.
Instant Setup and Universal Compatibility: Connect to your phone via Bluetooth or to your computer with a USB-C cable with no need to install drivers. PowerConf Bluetooth speakerphone is compatible with all popular online conferencing services.
24 Hours of Call Time: PowerConf Bluetooth speakerphone has a built-in 6,700mAh battery to power days of calls. Integrated Anker PowerIQ technology allows you to charge other devices via PowerConf at optimized speeds.

Pricing and Availability: Anker’s PowerConf is available to order now from amazon.com for a cost of $129.99 and should begin shipping immediately.

What are your thoughts on Anker’s first conference speakerphone? Be sure to let us know with a reply!

paulstevenewing · January 20, 2020, 1:15pm

I love the posed photos that are used for this sort of thing.
Each of the people in the picture are looking to the person on their left.

Anyway, as for the conf unit, ill be interested to see the reviews.

ikari04warrior · January 20, 2020, 1:33pm

Maybe it’s just me but I think the price is a bit too high

paulstevenewing · January 20, 2020, 1:51pm

If you look at it as essentially a Bluetooth speaker with built in microphones you’re correct.
But the conference unit market is full of much higher priced units than this so i think, if marketed well, this will be a big seller.

ikari04warrior · January 20, 2020, 7:27pm

Wow I had no idea they go for much more!

paulstevenewing · January 20, 2020, 7:38pm

Hey @ikari04warrior
We supply some IP PoE Polycoms units are work from £250 to £650 ($325 to $845)
But they are an actual phone to so can connect to a PBX as an extension or to a handset on a hosted system.

Nhi · January 20, 2020, 8:53pm

First off, I love the design. It’s small, wireless, aesthetically pleasing to look at, and sounds impressive. I could definitely business people rejoicing for something that isn’t so cumbersome to set up and stationary. I’d even say that the price is decent, especially for portability and ease of use. My husband would have loved to use it at his job back in the days when he had conference meetings between different hospitals.

Tony_A · January 22, 2020, 4:05am

This would be very helpful to me!

Roger_Miksad · January 22, 2020, 7:31pm

@AnkerInsider Is the AUX port on the back of the unit only for stereo audio out, or will it connect to a wired microphone cable?

Insider · January 23, 2020, 5:06am

Hi @Roger_Miksad, I believe it is for audio out only.

ikari04warrior · January 26, 2020, 9:11pm

Bet the audio it’s pretty good

professor · May 5, 2020, 10:13pm

I am not claiming 100% error free interpretation but I am getting the impression Anker is working on a Powerconf like product which transcribes the audio of a meeting and converts to text which is then stored in the device along with the original audio.

So add a bit of storage and Internet connection so it becomes a recording device and has access to a voice-to-text conversion server to then also record a text version. Seems the Internet connection is via phone or PC.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20200118569.pdf

I think Oceanwing owns Anker and that’s how I am tying them together.

If i am in error gladly delete!

Shenoy · May 5, 2020, 11:48pm

Good deduction, theory.

Why do all this on a Hardware when this is already possible on Cloud solution? Webex, zoom do this and can be stored on OneDrive.

I got my own powerconf delivered today… Need to pick it up. Finally get to test it out myself

professor · May 6, 2020, 6:50am

I think its because it’s a box which does it , rather than purely in software in phone / PC ?

But yes a puzzling patent.

Their older patents are dull, it’s the Zero, the Neo case and a Powercore II design.

paulstevenewing · May 6, 2020, 6:34am

You’re right to a point.
As I find I use my mobile a fair bit to make conf calls so a recording facility would be handy for me.

Shenoy · May 6, 2020, 7:09am

Though recording on local device may be good… What happens if you lose the device? Cloud Conference option makes the data for voice and screen available, independent of the device, anywhere…

Cloud solutions makes life easy to some extent

paulstevenewing · May 6, 2020, 7:14am

I was hoping for removable storage.
Cloud helps but can be uploaded easily from a USB or SD card.

professor · May 6, 2020, 9:39am

Within the caveat I’m quite possibly in error, I’d say you’d have a local copy and the cloud copy, it uploads, transcribes, downloads, so it exists in both. Probably rotates oldest data as it gets full locally.

But your point why would anyone want it given most calls are conference services which do their own recording…

Plus very few now record voice they record video conferencing, screen capture.

Florian.h · May 6, 2020, 10:19am

If you’re in a video conference it’s probably not useful but if you’re doing a video presentation, and want to upload the replay after, you’d instantly get the video from whatever service you use plus a transcript of what you said. That would be saving you a lot of time for the subtitles.
You’d just have to upload a file and boom you’d have a video with subtitles !

And even though the patent doesn’t give much details, it seems to be relying mostly on software, so maybe just a firmware update on the PowerConf ?

professor · May 6, 2020, 5:10pm

It mentions local storage, I don’t think the Powerconf has it? So add, say, a SD slot? Anker has had SD slots in other products, like the original Soundcore Mini.

If you did add SD card, then it can also simply have MP3 on it and become an MP3 player. Not it’s primary purpose but a very low cost feature to add so it becomes your central sound device, playing, recording, speaker, microphone and recharges your phone which runs most of the apps.