Barco has expanded its ClickShare wireless presentation and collaboration portfolio with two new models. The CS-100 and CSE-200 join the ClickShare range of products, offering users the ability to better tailor the ClickShare technology to the requirements of both the meeting room and the participants. With the new additions, Barco’s ClickShare portfolio is now poised to serve the complete spectrum of meeting rooms, from small huddle spaces to large boardrooms.
The newest members of the ClickShare family: the CS-100 (top) and CSE-200.In a webinar presentation on January 27, representatives from the company outlined the history of the ClickShare line, from the initial concept to the inspiration for the newest models. “Products like ClickShare don’t arise out of a vacuum; they come from passion,” said Jan Willem Brands, VP of collaboration at Barco. “And the passion was from frustration: problems with cables, software.” So the company set out to find a simple, one-step solution to replace the dreaded blue VGA cable connectors that have plagued productivity in meetings over the last 10 years.
The resulting product design was a compromise between artists and engineers: a small, elegant dongle with a single button. Users simply plug the USB-powered device into a PC or Mac, and with a simple press of the button, content is wirelessly transmitted from the laptop to the large meeting room screen.
According to Isolde Casier, strategic marketing project manager at Barco, ClickShare has been resoundingly successful, with more than 100,000 units sold to companies around the world, including the majority of Fortune 500 companies.
With the release of the CS-100, Barco offers the first ClickShare unit designed for small meeting and huddle rooms, where quick and simple exchange of information is essential. The CS-100 is a stand-alone model, with an HDMI output, that allows up to eight users to connect, with one user sharing at a time. This can be done using the ClickShare Button or the ClickShare App. The CS-100 includes the standard ClickShare security features, including encryption, login management, https, and the possibility to hide the SSID of the base unit’s wireless network.
“The CS-100 is our answer to the basic human need of sharing in meetings; it’s a natural reflex,” said Lieven Bertier, Barco’s global marketing manager, collaboration. “It brings the ClickShare experience at an unrivaled price point, and brings peace of mind to the people and organizations that don’t have huge IT departments.”
In addition to the CS-100, the more robust CSE-200 has been developed for enterprise rollouts that require enhanced security features, a wider range of connectivity options (including AirPlay support), or central management. This unit can be integrated into the company’s network to enable remote management. Two users can share onscreen at the same time—via ClickShare Buttons or the ClickShare App, or a combination of the two. (Barco is also developing a new, improved app, which will be made available during ISE.) For user convenience, the CSE-200’s security features can be set to one of three predefined levels, depending on the company’s policies and needs.
“It’s more than just collaboration,” Bertier continued. “It’s a sleek new design, latest-generation processing power, all in an expandable, future-proof platform.” Bertier said that the new ClickShare units are designed for a lifespan of three to five years of use in meeting rooms, with future enhancements installed via automatic updates.
