Around – video calls designed for energy, ideas and action

A year into a global pandemic where we were all forced into a remote working environment that has blurred lines between office and home we’ve learned to rely even more on digital tools to let us connect with co-workers, family and friends. Tool names have become verbs due to the frequency of use. I talk to my mom in Brazil several times a week, I have meetings at work every day and even chat with other friends via video more than just audio. I also collaborate with friends on personal projects and the biggest issue I find about some video tools is the need of having to switch windows or change modes when you share a screen. That’s what Around is all about, to make the video calls more seamless with the system.

Introducing video calls designed for energy, ideas and action. Gather in ultra small groups, infuse fresh energy into creative sessions, and get things done in real-time with real results.

Around is a video conferencing product that integrates with the operating system by using chat heads. Remember when Facebook introduced that for Messenger in Android? It’s a similar idea but for video conferencing. That allows you to share what you’re doing in a much more familiar way.

There are some clever functionalities. You can press H to raise your hand and you see who raises the hand first. You can send images or memes, and they show in your thumbnail. The notes or questions are under your avatar for example. Sharing images is as simple as dragging them to the window and they will be shared. After the meeting you also get a summary of the links shared.

I personally like how it feels integrated in the OS. I can share my work with the chat heads right there, it feels more personal than any of the other applications

I personally like how it feels integrated in the OS. I can share my work with the chat heads right there, it feels more personal than any of the other applications that have become household names. I also appreciate the AI auto-mute feature that mutes all the background noise we’ve all grown to appreciate and accommodate like kids, dogs, sirens, clanking dishes, etc...Ah, and there are some nice, unique filters built-in to keep things fresh and set your mood.

Key Features

AI camera framing (my favorite feature): proprietary, AI-based camera framing finds your face even as you move, crops out clutter and other background distractions, and moves you and your team into thought bubbles out of the way to free up screen space.
AI auto‑mute: Around recognizes common noises like sirens, barking dogs, washing machines, kitchen activity, and laptop fans, and applies AI-based filtering to suppress them while prioritizing human voice.
Audio rooms: For when you really need to take a break from video.
Unique audio technology: Around's one-of-a-kind signal processing engine (patent pending) allows multiple laptop microphones and speakers to stay enabled in the same room without echo or feedback.
Deep Slack integration: Links, meeting notes and shared files sent over Slack to appropriate channels/direct messages.