Microsoft Surface & Teams: The Ultimate Device to Connect & Collaborate Remotely

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A great video is at the heart of making remote work solutions feel closer to what you'd experience in the office, and this is an area where Surface devices are leading-edge.

Think of a professional-looking, high-resolution photo. This photo is only as good as the light let in by the lens and collected by the sensor. Surface devices have a 1.4. Micron sensor, which means that they are collecting more light. This feature allows us to take our processing algorithms and make a better-quality picture for the screen size of the device on which it is being viewed.

Through our partnership with Intel, we've achieved optimization by working in their firmware to improve signal noise processing for all devices that use their chip. To top this off, we inject some custom, patented processing from Microsoft!

One example of that is how Surface cameras make sure skin tones are accurately picked up and reflected.

All of this craftsmanship delivers that accurate, high-quality face-to-face connection that we're missing when we work remotely.

Let's talk briefly about audio. Audio is another element that can make or break the remote work experience. I think many of us can attest to that! Here's how Surface devices help to solve this issue - each device comes with two high-quality mics placed on both sides of the screen, which allow them to become an array that is optimally spaced to do beamforming.

What is beamforming, and why is it important?

Here's a "real-world" scenario that will help explain the term. You've got kids running around in the background or somebody watching TV in another room. The microphone system on a Surface device recognizes the background noise, and the processers go to work to make sure people on the other end are hearing your voice crystal clear – and not all the distractions.

The placement of the speakers in Surface devices has always been paramount.

In our Go, Pro, and Book devices, the screens are deep enough to have the speakers built into the bezels. But on the Surface laptop, for example, we couldn't put the speakers in the bezels because it would have meant the screen had to be thicker. So, we built the speakers underneath the keyboard, facing up.

Working from home comes with enough distractions. The last thing you need on top of the sounds of the dog barking and the kids playing while you're trying to get something done is extra noise from your device.

There's an engineer in Surface Engineering who is a specialist in vibrations and getting rid of unwanted sounds. That level of intentionality adds yet another layer of clarity to the sound you hear from a Surface device. It's not just adding great elements; it's taking away distracting ones too.

The word "touchscreen" doesn't do it justice.

When your teams work remotely, they do not have that same opportunity to sketch out a quick example of something you're trying to communicate. Teams does much to bridge that gap with its whiteboard features. To take advantage of all the features in Teams, you need the right device. And that's where Surface shines.

As you look at your Surface screen right now, there is a layer of gorilla glass, a layer of sensors that can pick up a touch, and a layer of sensors tuned to listen to the pens that work on our devices. There are even more layers that go into making up a screen and the pixel layers that can receive light in different directions and show different colours!

Microsoft adds weight to their pens to make them feel real, not cheap and light. The display is programmed to identify the difference between your hand holding the pen and the pen itself. This functionality allows you to rest your hand on the screen just like you would on a piece of paper.

Surface devices have features desired by creative individuals, like tilt detection and pressure sensitivity, essential to graphic designers and other artists. These features allow variations in line thickness and shading so visual makers can easily translate their ideas into a digital space.

The real power of Surface, however, comes from how all the elements work together seamlessly. They are designed to complement and support the flexibility and functionality of the Modern Workplace, even from home.

Think about moments when you're on a call, and you need to pull up a PowerPoint presentation or an Excel file. Surface devices are powerful enough to do that quickly and not get you bogged down.

Or think about the built-in LTE on some devices. What if your kids are playing Xbox and your spouse is in a meeting at the same time you are? That's a lot to ask of your home Wi-Fi network, but LTE is there backing you up just in case.

Surface devices support the more nomadic and versatile way you work from home—switching from the kitchen table to the sofa or checking your email from bed first thing in the morning. The battery life also supports that.

When you sit down to work, you want to feel like you're about to do something incredible. Especially when they're paired with Modern Workplace software, the Surface device family sets you up for success. Every layer of design—from hardware to software—was built to empower you to do amazing work.

For more information, please contact our Microsoft Surface Expert

Tony Tu