By that, we mean that there are different ways to secure, from physical security to network security. The benefit of investing in enterprise-level products, such as Airtame 2, is that these products come with options for security built-in.

Let’s go over some of the Airtame security features.

Pin Code Connect

Pin Code Connect, is an easy way to ensure that no one outside of the room can stream to Airtame.

When you enable Pin Code Connect, Airtame will require users to enter a random 4-digit pin code in order to start a stream. The pin code will appear on your TV or projector screen, which you then type into the Airtame app.

This easy to use feature makes sure that no one in or outside the room streams to the wrong screen and shows potentially private content to the wrong audience. It also prevents any unwanted mischief from outside of the room.

Kensington lock

With regards to physical security, a good old fashioned lock is a simple, yet effective solution. That’s why we designed Airtame 2 with a Kensington lock slot. Kensington is the cross-industry standard for physically securing your AV equipment.

Using the Kensington lock slot means you can confidently use Airtame in TVs or projectors in shared or public spaces without fear of leaving the device vulnerable to theft.

Not sure which Kensington lock to buy for your Airtame 2? Our trusted resellers recommend the Microsaver 2.0 lock sold by Kensington.

Web proxy support

As a part of their network security, many organizations use web proxy setups. A web proxy, in simple terms, is a filter between your computer and the internet. That means if you try to visit a website running malicious code, a web proxy could detect this as a bad site and prevent it from accessing the network.

Airtame supports web proxy setups, which organizations often use as a part of their network security. Airtame requires internet access to run updates and display websites or dashboards, which makes web proxy support essential for enterprise-level organizations. Check out our article to see how easy it is to configure a web proxy on Airtame.

Looking for more ways to beef up your security? We’ve got some tips for you on how to improve your network security.

Airtame Cloud user roles

There are times we have to protect against security risks from inside our organizations. For example, our device management platform, Airtame Cloud, offers different user roles so private information, such as network settings, remains secure.

The user roles available are Owner, Admin, Manager, and User, suitable for every type of employee, staff, or student member you might have in your organization. Each role has a different degree of permissions to set new signage, edit streaming settings, or invite new users to Airtame Cloud.  

An enterprise-ready solution

For enterprises and other large organizations, such as educational institutions, security is not an area to be compromised. Airtame devices are built to work with your network security setup and take into account different aspects of Airtame security from locks to user roles.

Interested in learning more about what Airtame offers with regards to security? Our deployment guide is the place to go.

The post Everything you need to know about Airtame security appeared first on Airtame.

You might be wondering, what even is Airtame? To get you off on the right foot, let us give you the lowdown.

What is Airtame?

Airtame is a solution that helps you use your big screens better.

During meetings or classes, Airtame helps you wirelessly present to TVs or projector screens using an app on your computer or mobile device.

To get a 1-minute overview of what Airtame offers, watch this quick video:

On top of that, Airtame lets you customize the default screen (or Homescreen as we call it) however you like, so you can:

• set various backgrounds to spruce up the room,
• display team metrics
• use the Homescreen app Room Overview to display booked meeting rooms or agendas

With Airtame Cloud, it is also easy to manage your Airtame devices, no matter how many you have. Airtame Cloud is our device management tool that lets you monitor and update all your organization’s Airtames remotely, even if they are located on different networks and locations.

Why Airtame?

Switching to Airtame can help IT administrators reduce the number of support cases they have to deal with by 40-80%.

IT admins cut down on the manual work of constantly switching out broken or lost cables. And since Airtame is a device-agnostic solution that uses a cross-platform app, you don’t have to worry about having multiple cable inputs on hand.

With Airtame, meetings and classes become more interactive as everyone can present from their own smartphone, tablet, or computer. And switching between presenters doesn’t mean having to call for help when you discover that your computer needs an adapter to work with the HDMI cable. The Airtame app makes it possible to switch between computers with a couple of clicks.

So much more than cable clutter

The possibility of customizing the Airtame’s default background when no one is streaming makes it a cost-effective signage solution. We have users who use Airtame purely as a signage tool not only because it is inexpensive, but because adding and adjusting onscreen content is easy enough for the non-tech user to accomplish.

Last, but not least, is Airtame Cloud, an IT admin’s dream. Using this device management tool, you can monitor and manage all your Airtame devices through a browser. This means you can push updates to your Airtame devices or troubleshoot any issues without having to leave your desk. Getting through helpdesk tickets is just a little less painful.  

To help ensure a smooth handover, here are some questions you need to ask about the Airtames at your office or school.

How are you using Airtame?

What’s your use case – wireless presentations, signage, or both?

Airtame has two main use cases: wireless presentations and digital signage.

Knowing which use case is used most often will help you understand how your Airtame rollout is going to be managed and by whom.

If Airtame is used mainly for presenting, it is a good idea to ask how satisfied people are with their performance, so you can plan an effective maintenance plan, as well as optimize Airtame usage and performance.

If Airtame is used for signage, you will potentially need to work with different stakeholders who have a say about what is displayed on the screens throughout your organization.

Installation and network setup

How is Airtame set up on your network?

Knowing how Airtame is set up on your network will help you understand who can use Airtame and what can influence the performance.

Our most recommended setup is to create a separate VLAN for your Airtame device. You can then connect the Airtame to the VLAN using Ethernet and routing the necessary ports to the networks where your users are – in most cases it is the internal and guest network.

There are plenty of other ways to setup Airtame on your specific network. Check out this overview of possible network setup scenarios, including the network requirements for using Airtame.

Check this article for further tips on how you can test and improve your network. If you are using a wireless connection, we would recommend you monitor your Airtame’s signal from time to time from Airtame Cloud.

We also have a quick overview of system requirements and a room checklist, so you should double check to make sure your rooms are fully equipped for the best Airtame experience.

Have all Airtames been fully installed?

Are there still Airtames laying unpacked in boxes? Where were they supposed to go?

If there are still new Airtames that need to be installed, the information you found out in the previous section regarding network setup will help you plan a further rollout.

It is easy to set up an Airtame device, no matter how many you have to install.  Here are some tips for speeding up a mass deployment.

If you have multiple Airtames to manage, then it’s certainly important to consider a way to organize and monitor them. Let’s find out how you can easily manage devices using Airtame Cloud.

Administrating – Device management and configuration

How are your device settings configured?

Now is a good moment for you to ask your predecessor if device settings are configured the same for all your locations or if different locations require their own configuration.

If you are using Airtame Cloud, you can see all your devices’ configuration details in one neat overview. You can bulk edit device settings, as well as group devices based on various categories, such as location.

Ask your predecessor to invite you to Airtame Cloud and transfer the ownership to you. Go to the Team section of your Airtame Cloud account and check which other colleagues are using the account and what user roles they have.

A quick tip is to turn off auto-updates on the Airtames to avoid the Airtames updating during office or school hours while people are using them.

Need a hand?

You are always welcome to book an onboarding call with our Customer Success team! They can answer any questions you might have about Airtame.

If you prefer, you can also sign up for onboarding emails for IT administrators that will take you through all the Airtame basics, from setting up devices to registering to Airtame Cloud.

The post Getting a fresh start with Airtame in your new IT role appeared first on Airtame.

Already set up and ready to go wireless? Download the Airtame app directly from your computer.

1) Setting up and powering Airtame

Plug Airtame into the HDMI port on your TV or projector. Use an adaptor if there’s no HDMI input. Use the included AC adaptor to ensure Airtame has power or alternatively power Airtame through the TV via the micro-USB to USB cable. You will only be able to set up Airtame through a computer, as you need access to the Device Management Panel.

2) Placement for best stability and performance

If your WiFi signal is blocked, your streaming performance may be inhibited. Make sure that the AIrtame is placed as close to the edge of the TV as possible and preferably pointed towards the nearest access point. The distance from the access point to Airtame should be no more than 10 meters/32 feet, and with no WiFi blockers in between.

3) WiFi or Ethernet connection

Airtame relies on a good connection to stream without interruptions. We recommend using an Ethernet connection between Airtame and the network for optimal performance and minimal delay.

Many of the obstacles found with WiFi are not adherent with Ethernet. If you’re using a WiFi connection, however, make sure to limit the number of obstacles in between Airtame and the network, as described above. Remember that walls, other access points and physical objects will impair the connection.

Before setting up Airtame, we suggest to map out where your access points are and how your Airtame will be set up in relation to them. If you’re unsure whether your WiFi signal is strong enough to carry a good connection with Airtame, use a signal strength app or go to Airtame Cloud to check it.

4) Access and installation

We’ve made installing your Airtame as easy possible. Once you have plugged in the device via the HDMI port, select the correct HDMI input on your TV or projector. You’ll be presented with a welcome screen, and asked to visit airtame.com/setup to download the Airtame app to your laptop or computer.

Once the app is installed and launched, just follow the simple set-up instructions: name your Airtame, and connecting it to your preferred network.

5) Get the most out of Airtame Cloud

Go to https://airtame.cloud/ and set up a fee Airtame Cloud account. Add the Airtames in your organization It’s your cloud management tool where you can manage and monitor all of your devices.

In addition, you’ll be able to select the content shown on screens when no one is streaming to Airtame. Create groups of devices and set permissions in the Cloud, perform reboots or update chosen devices. In the cloud, you’ll see Homescreen. That’s your screens when Airtame is idle.

With the newest firmware update, you’re also able to customize Homescreen to show images, websites, custom backgrounds or app integrations. Currently, we offer these four app integrations for Homescreen: Trello, Unsplash, World Clock and Google Slides. They’re perfect for digital signage purposes, something we believe every business can benefit from exploring and utilizing.

Invite other users by clicking on “Invite user” in the upper right corner of the Cloud and entering their email. In the overview of users, your coworkers will now show up.

You can set-up your colleagues as any of the three user roles: Administrator, Manager and User, each featuring different levels of maturity and access to the Cloud. If you need to remove a user, you can do so by going to the “Team” tab and removing the person.

6) Set up more than one Airtame

Mass deployment to more than one computer is also possible. For Windows users, download a mass deployment installer here to pre-configure and install on many PCs.

For Mac OS, use a third party deployment service along with the existing .dmg file along with Soundflower for audio capturing. The Soundflower driver is included in the .dmg package, but for mass deployment you need to install it separately.

Here’s some more general points about mass Airtame installation and deployment in business environments, and here for schools.

7) Calibrate your display ?

Pre-set image settings on most TVs and projectors work best with watching satellite TV. To improve image quality when streaming, you can calibrate your screen to best fit Airtame. Adjust screen settings by opening a blank spreadsheet document for color reference.

Find standard mode or reset adjustments on your screen and reduce contrast (often around 70-80% of max value) until all lines in the spreadsheet are visible. Reduce sharpen until the text is easy to read (often 0-20% of max value). See more tips on how to adjust display settings here.

8) Troubleshooting

If a problem should occur either with the connection, updates or other, we recommend first checking the source of the problem. If you have no connection, check your WiFi signal. With update issues, you should look at your firewall restrictions.

We also have a help center with many useful articles on troubleshooting and getting the most out of Airtame. If you aren’t able to fix the issue yourself, we’re always ready to assist you. Go to our website and chat directly with one of our competent Customer Success team members by clicking the chat icon in the bottom right corner.

9) Customize your Airtame settings

There are many ways you can personalizing Airtame for your workplace. Beyond the digital signage options outlined above, you can find the many settings for your device(s) in the Airtame app, such as framerate (Frames Per Second) and buffer time. You can even download your log files if you need to troubleshoot, and contact us directly via the chat functionality.

 

10) Audio and video streaming

Click the sound button in the Airtame app to enable audio. Audio is disabled by default to minimize latency, but with a stable connection, you can stream both audio and video with sound.

11) Setting up guest networks

Creating guest networks within your internal networks is not only smart for security purposes, it’s great for organizations with a steady flow of guests too. We also offer a Windows Guest app for one-time users so they don’t have to install the regular app.

We’ve created a list of network configurations and requirements to accommodate internal and guest users. See more recommendations for Airtame and guests here.

Enjoy your wireless working experience! Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

The post 11 important steps to consider for your first Airtame installation appeared first on Airtame.

We want to help ease the transition and explain how a smooth and successful rollout of our devices can be obtained. In this article, we’ll share with you how to motivate employees and get the most out of Airtame.

This article seeks to help office environments which have already purchased and installed Airtame, looking at how to set-up Airtame for business purposes. Looking for a step-by-step guide for mass deployment? Here’s a helpful article on how to batch install, setup, and customize all devices.

Know these key features

The key features that make Airtame an improved experience for any office environment are:

1. Airtame is designed for meeting room environments, presentations, and group collaboration. Use it for teamwork with a sketch program, display your slideshow with no flaws or show files, images, and notes.
2. Airtame Cloud makes it easy for you and your IT team to remotely manage and monitor all devices and screens, making the whole workplace run more smoothly.
3. With Airtame, showing something to a work colleague on the other side of the room is effortless since you can stream your screen to a TV near them.
4. Get the most out of digital displays even when no one is streaming to Airtame. Never lose track of information or metrics since they’ll be continuously displayed around the office. Up your digital signage game with artful content, set a KPI dashboard, slideshow, public website, custom image or one of our Homescreen app integrations.
5. All digital signage content is updated and refreshed the moment you make changes to it in the Cloud.
6. Airtame is effortless to use for all employees and staff without the use of thick paper manuals or IT help. The guide layout can be edited to suit your company profile and a language of your choice. That way, your screens are always welcoming users with a set of simple guidelines that match their preferences.

If you haven’t purchased your first Airtame yet, here’s a quick demo of the product, and how it could help you and your colleagues at work:

Set up success criteria

Look at the quality and financial metrics before the rollout, so you have something to compare with and analyze afterward. Outline what success looks like after deploying Airtame in your company. This will help you focus on the progress and later make the adjustment process a lot simpler.

Some things to consider could be the number of Airtame apps downloaded, support ticket count, amount of troubleshooting, and speed of setup.

If you’re able to consider what challenges or risks you might face, the rollout will go more smoothly. If your current setup is a lot different than what it will look like after rolling out Airtame, that’s something you have to bear in mind too.

Communicate the rollout (with excitement!)

Even before the rollout, you should communicate that changes will be occurring. Inform employees of the new features they will experience, how it benefits their daily work, and what improvements they can expect to see. In short, how simply it is for your colleagues to connect their laptops to a screen while in meetings.

This lets employees get more comfortable with the rollout and reduces some of the stress tied to changes in the workplace. You might even be able to recruit a few “ambassadors” that are excited about the new changes, who can communicate the benefits to their teams as well.

Explain what motivated the change, and address the fact that it takes a collective effort to manage a successful rollout. When you communicate the changes, remember to announce what exactly will change, how Airtame will help employees perform better, and what they should expect in every situation where Airtame is used.

Configure your setup

Consider who should have administrative rights and who should be regular users in your organization. Many office environments have clients coming and going who need to present material on displays as well, so make sure you’re prepared for guests.

Display simple connection instructions on the Homescreen, personalized for your convenience. That way, using Airtame in your organization quickly becomes common knowledge both for employees coming in every day and outside visitors who need easy guidelines at a glance.

You can’t be sure what device your guests are using or what IT regulations they must adhere. If your guests aren’t allowed to download external programs such as the Airtame App, they can use the guest app, downloaded or hosted on a local memory stick.

As the IT admin, you’ll want to set up administrative rights for yourself but perhaps other individuals as well. It could be for employees who need to be able to access and update content while you’re on vacation.

To make the process of updating content easier, have an internal forum where content updates can be discussed so relevant administrators know what to display.

Start training

To better understand how Airtame works, we suggest doing live demonstrations on how to connect and stream so your colleagues quickly become familiar with the product. We also suggest sharing this ‘What is Airtame?’ video with the entire company, which shows you how easy Airtame is to use.

Add an extra layer of security

You can get access to user rights in the Cloud. If you want extra security in your office environment to make sure screen content gets an additional layer of protection, set up PIN-Code Connect and Password Protection.

With PIN Code Connect, only users watching the TV can connect and start streaming. Each time they want to stream, they have to enter a randomized 4-digit passcode. Password Protection ensures that settings for a particular or all devices are locked so no one can change them or the content.

In the Airtame Cloud, you can invite other users to join the Cloud account you’ve set up. In the Cloud, you’re able to update the devices in bulk, edit individual setting as well as update digital signage content.

Offer continuous support

If you have an IT admin, make sure this person has been identified as the “trainer”, who can help onboard the rest of the employees and be the designated helper if issues should occur. This person should provide ongoing information on updates or other functionalities to help the rest of the staff achieve the full potential of Airtame.

Get started with digital signage

Even if you haven’t used digital signage as a means of communication before, digital signage is likely something your office can benefit from.

Use your screens to show an image, website or custom dashboard when no one is streaming to Airtame. This is also a great way to greet potential visitors to your office, with personalized backgrounds on your standby screens, and simple instructions to follow when you are ready to get going and start presenting.

And then there’s more! Our recent update gives you access to four app integrations that will prove useful for digital signage in the office as well for greater functionality and aesthetics.

Use Trello for smarter team collaboration, display artful imagery for inspiration or set up world clocks for other office branches.

Analyze and adjust

Usually, when you roll out a new technology, the hardest part is getting people onboard. Once they’ve seen how Airtame can help them work more effectively, all that’s left to do is keep an eye on how you can better the product for your environment.

Keep working with all employees and hearing what they have to say about the new product that they’re now using on a daily basis. We suggest actively soliciting feedback from employees on how to improve the experience and even sharing this with Airtame to improve the product itself.

Identify areas of improvements as you start using Airtame. Is there anything you’re missing in your environment, any product development you would like us to focus on building? Don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can help you work smarter.

Looking for insights on how to do an Airtame rollout in a classroom or educational environment? We’re here to help.

The post How to do a successful Airtame rollout in a business appeared first on Airtame.

A quality demo is something that engages the person you’re talking to. For us, it’s a lot about experimentation, as what grabs the attention of a potential lead may not work the next time around.

To start off with, it’s crucial that we highlight exactly what Airtame is, in the simplest terms possible; we explain that Airtame is a wireless streaming solution that has been designed for both business and educational environments.  Normally, the kind of people buying Airtame would include everyone from IT administrators working for multinational corporations, to primary school teachers and university directors.

Winning over such a diverse audience requires team members to be technically well-versed while also coming across as charming, flexible, and helpful.

On the one hand we need to standardize our demos so that they exhibit Airtame’s purpose in a way that is universally understandable.

At the same time we also need to be able to customize each demo, so that we can convey how Airtame will improve the specific situation of the person we’re talking to and the institution that they represent. Achieving these goals simultaneously isn’t easy, which is why we’ve developed guidelines to help us navigate each demo call.

Training for demo calls

Our sales team is primarily responsible for demo calls, and members of our customer success team assist. These teams work together closely, and each person is trained in a way so that they feel confident in delivering a slam-dunk demo. We maintain consistent high quality by listening in on each other’s calls, both for training new recruits and as a way to offer constructive feedback.

Aside from making an initial sale, the aim of the demos isn’t to only get one-off customers. It’s about planting the seed that will allow us to garner a long-term relationship. Regardless of how big or small the deal is, Airtame offers lifetime customer support. In many cases, the team member who originally conducted the call will keep in regular contact with the customer during and after the onboarding process, as a relationship will already be established. We really drill it into the minds of new recruits that they to always keep the long-term perspective in mind, rather than only looking at their role in terms of the money they help bring in.

We use Calendly so that anyone can book a demo with us through our website. Once booked, the team member with whom the call has been scheduled receives a Slack notification and an event pops us in their Google Calendar. This is all integrated with our CRM tool Pipedrive, giving us an overview of past calls, email threads, customer details, and purchases. A key part of getting new hires on board is teaching them to use and stay on top of their respective accounts.

Preparing for demo calls

A demo call is like a first date. If it goes well, there’s a world of potential ahead. If it goes badly, it’s unlikely that the other person will give us another shot at winning them over.

The first step is to understand what value means to the person on the other side of the call. We always do our research to find out about the organization’s mission, what they do, and who they work with on a regular basis. Taking ten minutes to read up on this allows us to contextualize our value.

We ask leads to describe the nature of their project in as much detail as possible when they initially book. The “project” could be anything from a traveling salesman looking to use Airtame as a portable presentation solution, to a school district looking to permanently equip 500 classrooms with Airtame.

With this in mind, the focus of the demo will be influenced by the working style of the user, pain points, future growth potential, network setup, size of the institution, and many other possible factors. We come up with a tailor-made checklist of what to highlight and what questions to ask. The goal is to focus only on the features that are most relevant to solving the prospect’s challenges at work.

Your big opener …

First impressions aren’t everything, but they do pack quite a punch. When starting a call, we avoid sounding like a robot at all costs. I try to speak to everyone as though I was meeting them in person. I ask them how they’re doing and often tell them something personal about how I joined Airtame, or about how the company got started. In just acting natural (i.e., not jumping straight into a script), it’s possible to establish rapport.

The tough part – delivering

We talk with people, not at them. No one likes a person who doesn’t let anyone else get a word in. It’s important to continuously ask questions to gain a deeper understanding of the lead’s needs and preferences. We concentrate on the “why,” both when it comes to learning about our partners, and explaining the Airtame solution. We want to convey that Airtame exists to make your professional life easier.

We take pride in not only being able to share clear and concise product knowledge, but also in our ability to communicate this to people with varying degrees of technical experience. We strive to come across as capable and helpful, providing insights tailored to each lead’s scenario. While each of us wants to have all of the knowledge bases covered, part of being human is also about not being afraid to let customers know that we don’t always have the answers.

If I’m unsure of how to best answer a question, I pause the call to ask a colleague to help confirm. No lead has ever been upset over this. Probably because they’re human too.

We are also not afraid to be clear on what Airtame can’t do, in addition to what it can, or perhaps might do in the future. We’d rather say less, making sure that all information we provide is accurate than try to oversell, overpromise or spout falsehoods in the hope of generating a sale. We avoid criticizing competitors and instead focus on how we are different.

Airtame is a living product; we stand out by constantly working on new ways to improve our product and the services we offer. The objective is long-term trust, which is ultimately the healthiest way to improve the bottom line.

Online demos are hosted through GoToMeeting, which is great for making the most of visual aids. With the screen sharing feature participants can view our presentation slides, experience how the Airtame App works, and take a tour through the Airtame Cloud platform. We use the Airtame App and Cloud platform exactly as any customer would, to demonstrate the simple user interface, and how easy it is to use Airtame.

We let these tools complement our conversation, which is the spirit of Airtame. Airtame isn’t meant to replace human communication, but rather to make it more collaborative.

We emphasize the fact that we provide free lifetime customer support, and we’re not afraid to give out individual work emails rather than a generic one. The message is that there are real people behind the product, who care enough to take the time to individually solve problems and come up with helpful suggestions.

Closing a demo call

When it comes to closing a call, we try to guide leads to make a sale, while not being pushy. People know that we, of course, need to sell the product, but they appreciate that we’re not afraid to poke fun at the overbearing salesperson stereotype. Our approach is to ask if they have any remaining questions or concerns.

We take on feedback from every inquiry and feed this into our communication strategy. Sometimes feature requests are added to our product development roadmap. The blind spots that potential customers have – related to what Airtame can or cannot do – are instrumental in generating clearer and more concise communication.

If they confirm that they’re interested in giving Airtame a go then we suggest that they start with ordering a few devices to test out. We never push anyone to proceed with a large purchase without first having had the chance to see if Airtame works in their environment.

Plus, we have a 30-day risk-free trial system, meaning that any customer has nothing to lose in seeing how Airtame works for their workplace. Once we know a customer is on-board, we try our hardest to make sure that they have a successful deployment and education of their staff on how to use Airtame effectively.

The results

For those who would like a condensed version of an Airtame demo before booking a live one, my colleague Phillip and I created shorter, pre-recorded demos for our two target sectors – business and education. Hopefully it’s useful for potential customers, and likeminded companies that want to get some demo inspiration. We won’t say they are perfect, and never should be – hopefully we are upping our game all the time! Check them out and let us know what you think.

You can also find out more about our process for establishing our demo style here in this video with our co-founder, Brian Kyed.

Business demo

Education demo

Have a question? You can reach out to us directly on our website. Or head to our pricing page if you’re ready to take the plunge and get your first Airtames.

The post How we do demo calls @ Airtame appeared first on Airtame.