During a recent conference at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), FBI Director James Comey recommended a number of sensible things to do in order to protect one’s privacy. Covering up computer webcams was one of his suggestions.
Non-covered webcams could open up an easy gateway for hackers and thus create the ideal conditions for extortion or industrial espionage for example. “We lock our homes and cars, then why should our computers be open to criminals,” the Head of the FBI asks. In fact, many PC users have realised that webcams put them at the risk of an invasion of their privacy. One famous example is Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg – even the camera of his laptop is covered with an adhesive strip.
Actually, there are significantly more elegant solutions than adhesive strips – at least for PC monitors. The newest generation of Philips business monitors presents a line-up of 27”, 24” and 22” monitors with a built-in webcam that can be popped up only when it is needed. Using just one finger, it is easily lowered or raised again. The advantage is clear: If the camera is needed during an online conference, for example, it is simply popped up. Otherwise, it disappears and hackers don’t have a chance.
“We made a conscious decision for the camera to be a manually controlled hardware feature, because this makes it impossible to hack,” says Thomas Schade, Vice President Europe at MMD, the brand license partner for Philips Monitors. He continues: “Today, video conferences are an essential tool of business communication for many companies. At the same time, webcams open a gateway for industrial espionage. Our simple solution offers efficient and safe working conditions to our customers.”
Like other Philips displays for professionals, these new displays have a range of other standout features to drive productivity. All sizes are compact enough to fit any desk. Viewing space is maximised by the ultra-narrow screen border – which also makes for a more immersive experience when tiling multiple displays. Image quality is excellent, with maximum viewing clarity derived from high bandwidth sources supported by the displays, such as DisplayPort and HDMI. The monitors also support “Daisy Chaining”: the ability to connect a series of devices together using a single connection between each two devices. This cabling arrangement, with one DisplayPort cable between each set of monitors, provides a less cluttered system configuration. A key benefit of a multi-monitor setup is increased productivity and seamless multi-tasking.
Eco productivity
The new displays also exemplify the commitment of MMD to sustainable productivity. They feature innovative sensors to keep power consumption as low as possible. The PowerSensor, for example, can sense whether anyone is present at the desk, and automatically reduces screen brightness if the user steps away. This feature alone can reduce energy costs by up to 80 percent, and also prolongs the display life. BFR-free housing and 85 percent post-consumer recycled plastics reinforce the displays’ justified claim to being a true eco-friendly productivity tool.
The Philips 272B7QPTKEB is already available at a RRP of £ 499, and the 241B7QPJKEB and 221B7QPJKEB displays are coming up in Q4/2016 and Q1/2017 respectively.
More information on Philips monitors: www.philips.com/monitors
