Item: Dialpad Ai Meetings
Rating: 7
Author: Gil Lopez CTS ING

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Highfive was deployed in our headquarters to facilitate video conferencing internally and with our clients. It was primarily used for internal communications, deployed in our conference rooms and accessible by our telecommuting personnel. Highfive provided dedicated technology in the form of equipment; a camera with codec and audio built-in. This addressed the issue of having a dedicated computer to the room for VC functions. In addition, accessing the Highfive conferencing system was simple and flexible since there are software clients for all platforms. The one drawback is thae need to use proprietary hardware in the dedicated conference rooms, as opposed to off the shelf cameras or other devices. However, that is offset by the attractive form factor and compact design of the Highfive hardware.

Pros and Cons

Attractive and simple to use GUI (graphical user interface)
Good audio and video quality
Visually attractive hardware, contemporary and with good visual indicators
Intuitive and flexible in its configuration

Performance is dependent on good (solid) network connectivity
Scaling can be challenging when deployed in a mixed resolution environment (1080p / 4K displays)
Latency when using moving video isn't fluid (at least not at the time of use, early this year)
Hand-over between users in the same room (presenter role) is a bit confusing. A learning curve is noted when team use the system. Particularly challenging for guest users.

Return on Investment

Deployment is possible with minimal (or none) dedicated computer gear
It can use the display's audio system, eliminating the need of a room sound system
It leverages the built-in telecom infrastructure

Alternatives Considered

Join.me, Zoom, GoToMeeting and WebEx Meetings

Highfive appears to perform best for internal communications within the enterprise, where users adopt and use a dedicated platform. Integration with Outlook is a welcome feature. Other applications seem to have more penetration in the market, or are better known in the collaboration space. They tend to be well suited for collaboration with teams or groups outside of the organization, using commodity cameras and mics for the most part. Highfive optimizes their gear for performance.

Other Software Used

Join.me, Google Forms, Bluebeam Revu, Revit

Likelihood to Recommend

Highfive works well in an environment with a well-provisioned and maintained network, where internal conferences and communications happen often. It is well suited for telecommuters and general enterprise internal communications. If all users adopt it and use it often, it becomes a great collaboration tool. The proprietary hardware is attractive and a good addition to the look of contemporary conference rooms. It does seem to depend on the quality of the AV in the room and perhaps the acoustic properties of the room for optimal performance.

Enterprise Collaboration and Conferencing Made Easy

Software Version

Overall Satisfaction with Dialpad Meetings (formerly UberConference)