Zoom's new hardware promises the 'ultimate home office' experience

Zoom has announced new services that promise more office-style experiences for remote workers that includes hosting the video conferencing platform on a TV.

The company has been working with its hardware partners, Amazon and Facebook's Portal TV, to develop a suite of services that ensure workers have the best experience no matter where they are. The idea is aimed at those who might be tired of using their laptop for all elements of their work and want more options for where in the home they can work.

"As companies around the world shift toward a hybrid work model, they'll need to provide remote workers with the same capabilities as on-site workers so they can effectively communicate and collaborate," Zoom's head of hardware partner marketing, Gerard Bao, said in a blog post.

"Last July, we launched our Zoom for Home offering to help organisations make the transition to hybrid work and empower workers. To continue this effort, we've worked with our partners to develop solutions that help our users create the ultimate home office setup."

It starts with Amazon's second-gen Fire TV Cube, which now has a Zoom app that allows users make calls with the biggest screen in their home (if they also have a compatible webcam).

For a more immersive experience, Zoom can also be set up through DTEN's portable console, the DTEN Go. This includes four cameras, 12 microphones and 160 degrees of coverage that can turn your living room into a 'Zoom Room'. It can also be paired with a DTEN Mate 10-inch tablet that offers more collaborative features, such as a digital whiteboard.

For those that need to get up and move while working from home, Zoom's integration with Facebook's Portal TV could be an ideal solution. The service uses smart camera technology that pans and zooms to keep the user in the frame and also offers the usual features available on normal Zoom services, such as breakout rooms and virtual backgrounds.