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Though “commercial client devices” is a common and well-used solution classification, it fails to capture the full range of product features that vendors focus on in developing and manufacturing desktop and notebook PCs and workstations for businesses.
It also fails to account for the dozens of peripheral devices, from basic mice and keyboards to high performance displays, that companies depend on to maximize productivity.
Most important, simple classification misses the bigger picture behind commercial client devices. Optimal success requires vendors to focus on building systems and peripherals for both static legacy and evolving modern use cases – while anticipating how to best support business customers and workers in the years ahead.
The new peripheral devices and the updates to its Concept Nyx initiative discussed by Dell at CES 2023 are well-worth considering further.
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Business Peripherals – Legacy, Modern and Future
What do I mean by legacy, modern and future peripherals? It largely comes down to past, present and upcoming technologies and use cases.
Modern enterprises balance supporting mainstream PCs used by most business unit employees and providing workstations and other high-performance solutions to the designers, engineers and other technically astute workers who require them.
Those same businesses also need to support modern and emerging processes and applications that measurably increase worker productivity and business outcomes. For instance, video conferencing solutions like Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
Finally, vendors need to keep an eye on technologies still in their infancy, insofar as their practical application in business goes. Virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) and other immersive environments hold great promise. The best, smartest vendors are actively exploring how those solutions can be harnessed to improve business productivity and outcomes.
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Dell at CES 2023
At CES 2023, Dell Technologies introduced new commercial peripherals that fit into the modern classes I described. They include:
Dell UltraSharp 32 6K Monitor (U3224KB)
Described as the world’s first 6K-resolution monitor with IPS Black tech, the UltraSharp 32 6K is designed to deliver higher contrast images with deeper blacks, resulting in improved details, sharpness and color accuracy. Dell’s innovations include 150% more pixels (on 6K resolution) than conventional 4K monitors.
IPS Black technology increases the depth of dark objects (even in dark environments), producing vivid, accurate colors from nearly any angle. These are qualities that professionals, including data scientists, engineers and graphic designers will appreciate.
The new solution will also appeal to business users aiming to enhance video conferencing performance. Along with robust image enhancements, the UltraSharp 32 6K also offers a built-in dual gain HDR 4K webcam with auto framing, light adjustment and enhanced clarity, automatic SafeShutter, echo cancellation mic and dual 14W speakers. The Dell UltraSharp 32 6K is fully compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems.
Dell Premier Collaboration Keyboard (KB900)
Billed as the world’s first Zoom-certified collaboration keyboard, the Dell Premier Collaboration Keyboard features dedicated touch controls for managing Zoom call functions, such as mute/unmute, video on/off toggle, and simple screen share and chat panel access.
Other features include smart backlighting with hand-proximity detection and 15 programable keys. The Dell Premier Collaboration Keyboard supports fast one-minute USB-C charging for a full day of battery life or up to 20 days on a single charge.
Dell Premier Rechargeable Mouse (MS900)
Dell’s newest commercial mouse has a track-on-glass sensor that helps users stay productive while working on virtually any surface. Advanced four-way scrolling is designed to offer more intuitive navigating. Users can also switch between three devices and fine tune tracking speed and precision via the Dell Peripheral Manager. The Premier Rechargeable Mouse provides up to half a day of use with one-minute USB-C quick charging and up to three months of battery life on a full charge.
Both the Premier Collaboration Keyboard and Premier Rechargeable Mouse support Dell Pair one-click connectivity, and data transmission is encrypted to help keep business information secure.
The Dell Premier Collaboration Keyboard (KB900) and Dell Premier Rechargeable Mouse (MS900) will be available starting January 31 or available as a bundle on March 23. The Dell UltraSharp 32 6K Monitor (U3224KB) is expected sometime during the first half of 2023.
Concept Nyx: what about Dell’s plans for future-focused business clients and peripherals? Glen Robson, CTO of Dell’s Client Solutions group, published a blog during CES 2023 describing the progress of Concept Nyx. The blog detailed an effort designed to explore how emerging technologies and trends, like immersive virtual worlds and holograms, might change and enhance the way people and organizations connect, collaborate and communicate.
Whereas some vendors, evangelists and enthusiasts believe virtual worlds are an inevitable destination for businesses and consumers, Dell takes a far more pragmatic view. Robson notes, “Though immersive environments will play a role in the future of work, face-to-face meetings, instant messages, collaboration tools, and video calls aren’t going anywhere.”
As a result, he says the Dell team is “focusing on user experience and honing-in on everyday micro moments that could be disruptive as we potentially bounce between physical, digital and virtual worlds in the future.” Launched last year, Concept Nyx is designed to explore how conventional computing solutions can be used to interact with and enhance Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR) and XR environments which combine all three.
Robson described four of the group’s projects, which are designed to be used with conventional PC displays:
- Concept Nyx Spatial Input is a small, handheld device similar to a conventional computer mouse which explores the future desktop environment, bringing together the experience of a keyboard and mouse, and 3D displays. Along with controlling a cursor and acting as a means to select and move objects, twisting the Spatial Input clockwise or counterclockwise zooms in and out of an image or environment.
- Concept Nyx Companion is a tablet-style device that could be viewed and accessed in VR and XR environments. It could be a useful and consistent tool throughout all these spaces and also ensure users’ content remains in one place as they move between spaces and tasks.
- Concept Nyx Stylus enables users to input notes by voice or pen, then drag and drop them into digital and virtual collaboration spaces, or even use voice activation functions for AI image creation.
- Concept Nyx Spatial Camera which when paired with AI software, could learn a user’s expressions and mannerisms to deliver a more authentic avatar or representation for interactions, such as meetings in virtual spaces or video calls.
Final Analysis
It comes as no surprise that Dell Technologies, a leader in business client computing, continues to improve and refine peripherals to measurably improve modern user experiences and business outcomes.
The new UltraSharp 32 6K Monitor, Premier Collaboration Keyboard and Premier Rechargeable Mouse all offer new features and enhancements that benefit Dell’s business customers today. The company’s Concept Nyx efforts and investments demonstrate that Dell will continue to explore advanced innovations and business solutions in the future.
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