Until recently, most U.S. K–12 schools had not attempted long-term, full-scale remote learning. That lack of experience contributed to widespread implementation problems as educators attempted to discover the ins and outs of new digital collaboration tools. That pivot comes with a pretty steep learning curve.

But the Poly Studio X30 videoconferencing device was designed to not only flatten that learning curve but to squash it altogether. The X30 is a fully self-contained device that needs nothing more than a power plug and an internet connection to begin working.

When I first received the X30, I initially thought parts were missing. The 1.6-pound device looks like a television sound bar with a camera lens in the middle. It turns out that’s all a user needs to begin hosting professional meetings or virtual classroom sessions. You don’t even need to attach a computer; just use the power cable and either a wired or wireless internet connection.