CIMB to offer digital financial solutions in ASEAN with PLDT's Smart, Voyager

Source: CIMB. At a signing ceremony between CIMB Group, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), and Smart Communications: Tengku Dato’ Sri Zafrul Aziz, Group Chief Executive, CIMB Group (second left) and Manuel Pangilinan, Chairman, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), Smart Communications, and Voyager (middle) accompanied by Gurdip Singh Sidhu, Group Chief Strategy Officer, CIMB Group (second right), Orlando Vea, President and CEO, Voyager Innovations (left) and Angelito Villanueva, Vice President & Head, Fintech, Digital Inclusion & Alliances, Voyager (right).

CIMB Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CIMB Group Holdings (CIMB), is collaborating with Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company’s (PLDT's) wireless services provider, Smart Communications (Smart) and its wholly owned digital unit, Voyager Innovations, (Voyager) to offer digital financial offerings and solutions for customers in the Philippines and across ASEAN.

Tengku Dato’ Sri Zafrul Aziz, Group Chief Executive, CIMB Group said, “This partnership comes at an opportune time when the roles of telecommunications providers and banks are increasingly converging. It is especially exciting that the partnership may, among others, be able to leverage on PLDT’s experience and insights in serving its sizeable customer base. Further, through this partnership, we are then able to offer innovative and differentiated digital banking and financial technology solutions in the Philippines and across ASEAN.”

Manuel Pangilinan, Chairman of PLDT, Smart and Voyager commented, “CIMB is among the largest and most diversified ASEAN banks and its regional banking knowledge and presence across ASEAN will provide depth to this digital partnership.”

CIMB, which has been at the forefront of banking innovation, has deep regional banking knowhow and an extensive understanding of the needs of customers in the region, whilst the fintech solutions and digital payments ecosystem of Smart and Voyager strengthen the value proposition of PLDT, which is the market leader in the telecommunications industry in the Philippines in terms of customer base.

Plantronics releases Voyager Focus UC Bluetooth headset with active noise cancellation

Source: Plantronics.

Plantronics, a global player in audio communications, has unveiled the Voyager Focus UC, which it says is the industry's first wireless Bluetooth stereo headset with active-noise cancellation (ANC) technology. 

A premium product for unified communications (UC) and multimedia applications, Voyager Focus UC was designed for enterprise workers in an open office or simply to reduce distraction. The headset provides all-day comfort and includes smart sensor technology, audio alerts, and wideband audio and hi-fi stereo sound. 

"No one can dispute the positive impact a great audio experience has on effective communications and collaboration," said Rich Costello, Senior Research Analyst, IDC. "But audio experiences are increasingly being challenged, especially as traditional office environments expand to include workers in more remote and non-traditional, open-office environments that introduce more external noise factors." 

The Voyager Focus UC headsets feature an immersive on-the-ear design to reduce high frequency noises like office sounds and background voices. Low frequency sounds, like noise from air conditioners, is reduced through ANC. In order to reduce the noise that is transmitted and overheard by others, three precisely-tuned microphones and noise-cancelling algorithms reduce noise caused by keyboard clatter, close-talkers, and movement, while optimising voice intelligibility. 

"We tried to think of every collaboration challenge and built a solution that solves for them. We created a premium design that will convey confidence and competence during a video call. We've used sensors and context to adapt the user experience to the wearing style and state so it just works as expected," said Bill Loewenthal, VP, enterprise solutions management, Plantronics. 

"But our real innovation is in the audio performance. We adapted our best-of-breed microphone technology with improved algorithms to ensure clarity of the user's voice, while suppressing background noises and tuning the audio listening profile to ensure that your favorite playlist sounds dynamic and impressive." 

Highlights include: 

• Class 1 Bluetooth with adaptive power to deliver up to 45m of wireless range while preserving battery life. 
• Dynamic Mute Alert technology - an industry first - senses speech and then alerts that the mute function is still active. Additionally, the headset will automatically mute when a user takes it off and unmute when it's put back on. 
• Leatherette ear cushions wrapped around pillow-soft memory foam deliver all-day comfort, while a cushioned metal headband provides durability and helps maintain a comfortable, secure fit. 
• On-board sensors create an intuitive user experience. Examples include answering a call by simply putting the headset on and pausing mobile audio when the headset is taken off, restarting it when replaced. 
• Rigorous testing of the Voyager Focus UC with the predominant collaboration solutions from Microsoft, Cisco, Avaya, and Huawei ensures the best possible experience when using these applications. 

Interested?

The Voyager Focus UC will be available in Singapore with a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of S$499. Check retail locations in Asia

Plantronics launches new audio devices for communications, collaboration

Plantronics has announced new unified communications (UC) audio devices designed to deliver audio quality and noise management technology to help people effectively communicate and collaborate, regardless of workplace or location. 

Source: Plantronics. The
Blackwire 725.

"Everywhere is the new workplace. We know office noise is increasingly becoming a concern due to more open working environments that promote collaboration, but workplace noise isn't just a problem for those in the office," said Bill Loewenthal, VP, enterprise product solutions, Plantronics. 

"You can't always control your environment and you certainly can't control your caller's environment, so we help ensure workers have solutions they need to block out the noise, allowing them to have a high-quality communication experience wherever their workplace is." 

"There's been increasing emphasis on the importance of a reliable, high-quality, seamless user experience when communicating and collaborating today, and rightly so," said Rich Costello, Senior Research Analyst, unified communications, IDC. "The new Plantronics offerings not only address these important requirements, but also the surrounding noise factor on both sides of the call." 

Source: Plantronics. The Calisto
610.

The shift to open office environments and hot desks creates new noise challenges for individuals and their colleagues which can often undermine productivity gains. 

The following solutions address the inherent ambient noise challenges and potential audio quality concerns associated with today's smarter working scenarios and environments: 

The Blackwire 725 is the company's first UC stereo headset with active noise cancelling. It combines wideband audio, digital signal processing and a noise cancelling microphone in a corded option that is ideal for managing PC calls and listening to multimedia.

Source: Plantronics. The
Voyager UC
Bluetooth headset.

The Voyager Edge UC is a new addition to the Voyager family of Bluetooth headsets and comes with its own portable charging case. It boasts signature Plantronics audio technology that eliminates background noise and automatically answers calls once it is placed on the ear. The solution includes a small Bluetooth USB dongle that provides seamless wideband audio to a laptop. 

Source :Plantronics. The
Clarity 340.

The Calisto 610 is a corded portable speakerphone for instant anywhere conferencing. The USB speakerphone allows users to create on-the-go conference calls for small groups of people. It enables workers to hear remote participants with high-quality, omni-directional audio, in an easy-to-carry form factor that integrates easily with a softphone of their choice, all at the price of a basic speakerphone. A carrying case is included. 

The Clarity 340 is designed for those who face vision, hearing, or dexterity challenges. The handset-style phone features amplified sound, an easy-to-read screen, large buttons for dialing, and crisp audio. 

All four products are available in March from authorised Plantronics distributors. Manufacturer's suggested retail prices are US$179.95 for the Blackwire 725; US$199.95 for the Voyager Edge UC; US$99.95 for the Calisto 610, and for the Clarity 340, US$149.95.