MarketScale Technology: Recent Episodes
MarketScale
Welcome to MarketScale: Your home for all the latest news, tips and trends in B2B ! Join us for new episodes featuring industry leaders as we unpack the latest in everything from Pro AV and Software to Education Technology and Healthcare.
How We Bought and Sold Companies During COVID-19 Without Putting on Pants with David Henderson and Sam Saintonge from XPV Water Partners
When’s the last time you thought about your IT system? It’s likely you have critical applications that need to run with maximum uptime, but if your system isn’t modernized, it may not serve your needs.
Modernizing a system may not be the right decision for everyone, but it’s a choice users of IT systems should consider, especially as technology continues to change.
“When you look at [Scalable Process Architecture, or SPARC], you’ve got to try to hit the pause button a moment and really decide what’s your best bet [moving] forward,” McCay aid. “So, you can modernize where you’re at or migrate off to a different platform. What we see available to customers is a choice of what’s the best [plan]. We can modernize the SPARC and create a simpler path forward for conducting today’s businesses and preparing for tomorrow’s business.”
COVID-19 sent many clients scrambling, especially some of the government clients that the trio of Fujitsu, Oracle and ViON have long been working together to assist.
That history working together and having so many years hands-on with SPARC and similar platforms is something few other groups are able to replicate.
“There is no substitute for experience in doing this. … You can lay out a nice road map and show how those things happen, but to get it done on time, on budget, and at low risk to the customer, experience is the most important thing,” said Bob Netherton, Master Principal Sales Consultant at Oracle.
In this episode of the MarketScale Software and Technology podcast, Stenograph Training Program Manager Cindi Lynch joins host Daniel Litwin for a discussion on how COVID-19 and other factors have asked technology to elevate training across nearly every industry, particularly when the trainees and trainers are forced to engage in remote learning.
Stenograph is the leading provider of writers for stenography, a profession that asks a lot of its members in terms of specialized knowledge. That makes Lynch, who’s spent more than three decades training writers, particularly qualified to provide an overview of how the pandemic and more have forced evolution in training.
“I’m a second-generation trainer. My mom was a trainer before me,” Lynch said. “I was always her guinea pig, and I learned how to train from her. … I’ve seen the hardware change. I’ve seen the operating systems change, and I’ve seen the people change tremendously over time.”
However, Lynch said the methods of training stayed the same for many years, with human trainers heading out to customers to train them in person on the software and more. This transitioned into in-person classes, then, a dozen or so years ago, to forms of remote and digital learning.
The search for training efficiencies in terms of time and cost are made more complicated by the fact that many stenographers need specialized, particular knowledge.
Now, further accelerated by COVID-19, training options in stenography and elsewhere have been forced to evolve further.
“When COVID hit, we were already providing a combination of in-person and remote training,” Lynch said. “Suddenly, we had to offer training not only on our own products, but also on web-conferencing applications. … We had to learn how their jobs were evolving, as well as how our own were evolving.
“All in-person conferences ended. … So, what we had to do was participate in virtual conferences and create our own series of webinars.”
Companies that want a seamless look for their lobby video communication screens have begun turning more and more to LED applications. Ryan Wilhelm, Regional Sales Manager for Unilumin, and Frank Milesky, Southeast Area Director for Cenero, joined The Direct View to talk more about the LED solutions taking place in today's corporate lobbies.
“Four to six years ago, we started to see a trend where LED started to take over,” Wilhelm said. “Because they could customize these lobbies to make them more current, but they could also make them as long as they wanted, as high as they wanted, and the content is infinite.”
The experience for visitors to these lobbies is increasing with the interactive nature of today’s LED technology.
“The real estate in lobbies began to be re-imagined with the increase of flexibility and customization with LED,” Milesky said. “We’ve seen less custom artwork, fewer fountains and fewer TVs and more of these custom pieces of LED art.”
Milesky stressed the importance of getting LED solution ideas into the hands of the people designing these spaces, so that the solutions work in harmony with the company's goals and costs involved are understood and budgeted.
“As you’re working with a building team early on in the stages, you can talk at a square foot level of what an LED solution might cost in a good, better, best scenario,” Milesky said.
Ryan Wilhelm, Regional Sales Manager at Unilumin, offered a preview of exciting things to come. He helped host Tyler Kern kick off the first episode of The Direct View Podcast.
“This podcast is going to be extremely educational,” Wilhelm said. “LED is not just a transactional sale anymore. These are completely customized, designed and engineered solutions for a multitude of settings.”
Through this podcast, audiences will learn the many uses and applications of today's LED technology.
What excites Wilhelm most about the Direct View podcast?
“That people are going to have the opportunity to learn different aspects of this business,” Wilhelm said.
He looks forward to taking deep dives into LED projects and discussing facets such as financing and interactivity.
“I think this podcast can help AV integrators when designing these projects and the end-user, as well,” he said.
A tour of the facilities to entice the top recruit used to be the purview of college basketball and football, but universities are increasingly using esports to woo students to their campus.
It’s just the latest sign of an industry that is growing rapidly, something that even the unprecedented situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been able to slow down thanks to the built-in ability to operate remotely.
But the esports arenas being built across the country aren’t going to sit vacant forever. As the COVID-19 pandemic draws to a close, the demand for esports events won’t dip, and crowds will once again come see their favorite Fortnite, League of Legends or Overwatch players in person.
Not only do venues need a beautiful screen to display the action, said Jeff Volk, Vice President of Alpha Video, they also can use the same technology to give attendees a full experience and maximize sponsor exposure.
“As we shift back into using venues and facilities, a lot of our clients are looking to install large-format video screens to be able to host watch parties and various different marketing and promotional events that have their sponsors, their team and their brand,” Volk said.
Some universities, esports arenas and other venues may look at projection options rather than going with LED, but Miles Dean, Business Development Manager, Sports & Entertainment at Unilumin USA, said that may be a shortsighted approach.
“That cost is going to be very comparable to the projected on a five-year term, and, with LED, you have much more flexibility, a large color gamut, greyscale, white scale, blacks, all solid colors,” Dean said. “That’s what’s key and important, because a lot of these organizations, when they want a display, they want it to look nice.
“They want Coke red to look red, they want Facebook blue to look Facebook blue. That’s the important thing – LED can give you that large color gamut as a performance standard.”
With esports looking to be in it for the long haul, a decision made with a stronger vision in mind might be the way for institutions to brighten their futures.
In recent years, going to a drive-in movie has been a quaint, fun night out for many Americans. The coronavirus pandemic and the need for social distancing has turned drive-in events from nostalgia to a necessity.
Many organizations have brought the drive-in back into vogue, hosting movie night or concerts that allow families to get out of the house and do something together without the risks that now come with a cinema or sports stadium.
Miles Dean, Business Development Manager, Sports & Entertainment of Unilumin USA, said it's an innovative solution to the challenges currently facing the entertainment industry.
“How are we going to engage with people from an interactive perspective and still keep them safe? This is one way to engage with your people if you have a large parking lot or a large area and still want to keep people safe, a lot of times it’s a bar and they post this nice, large screen, they bring in food trucks, so they’re supporting other local businesses in the area,” Dean said.
Luckily, we’re not still relying on the same technology the past generations were to see their newsreels and films. With LED screens, entertainment companies can think of putting on events during the day, Dean said, and know the audience will still be able to see the programming and messages being displayed.
“Most of these applications are outdoors, so you’re definitely going to want something that’s IP65 rated which can stand sun rays, dust, weather elements that just happen to go along with something like this,” he said. “You definitely want something that’s going to be bright, that can really pop so you can put it up during the day time.
“A lot of these older drive-in theaters are still using projection so they have to have low lighting or the sun has to set so they can put on the movie and have everybody see it. With the LED you don’t have that time restriction. You can have that sucker pop nice, vibrant and have great colors and everything else midday.”
Shaun Roos, Western Regional Sales Manager, Unilumin USA, dropped by the Direct View podcast to share his insider knowledge on various considerations when determining LED needs and requirements.
As someone who works on the manufacturer’s side of the AV industry, a significant part of Roos’s job is educating the client, whether it’s a dealer, integrator, end-user, or consultant, and providing them with all of the information necessary to make a sound decision.
And that includes helping them understand all of the various terms and jargon that surround LED solutions.
“When considering purchasing direct-view LED, pricing seems to be on the forefront of everyone’s mind,” Roos said. “But I urge people not to make that their sole reason for purchase. When buying LED, you need to look at many things. What type of warranty does the LED manufacturer provide, and how long does it go for?”
And what type of product support does a manufacturer provide? Amid a pandemic, knowing the onsite support capabilities is of vital importance.
How close is someone going to need to view the LED display? Will it be placed indoors or outdoors? These are considerations that matter in terms of what type of LED needs to be purchased, and it is why companies such as Unilumin provide experts like Roos to assist clients with their purchasing decisions.
Another factor that Roos said businesses need to consider but don’t always think about as the first thing when making LED purchases is tariffs. Currently, Unilumin does not incur any duties on their LEDs, but some manufactures may.
With all the LED variables at play, Roos said, “knowing what someone is looking for, the vision of their application, and communicating that information to us [is] going to help us educate the client on the options we can provide to them.”
Be sure to subscribe to our industry publication for the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the ProAV Industry.
There was resistance the first time Ryan Wilhelm suggested a retail outlet in an airport put in an LED screen.
The owner was worried the dwell time, the amount of time customers spend in the store, would go down. Instead, having the information in-store about when their flight would be leaving and how long it would take to reach the gate gave fliers the peace of mind needed to stay for longer.
Now, Wilhelm, Regional Sales Manager for Unilumin, is seeing more airports adding LED screens, even with fewer travelers, as the pandemic offers an opportunity to make improvements.
“When you think about it, people would be shopping, and their dwell time went up three times at that point. They’re shopping and saying, “I can spend more money and spend more time here,’” Wilhelm said.
Upping the amount of time and money people are spending in retail outlets is hardly the only reason transportation centers are upgrading their displays.
An airport often serves as travelers’ first impression of a city, influencing the way people think about an entire place. That’s why economic divisions and tourism boards are utilizing LED boards for wayfinding, making sure arrivals aren’t puzzled as they look to find their luggage at the baggage claim or their Lyft from the ride sharing station.
Others are simply looking to make the airport look more pleasant.
“You can advertise your city, so the municipality’s economic development could be better, too,” Wilhelm said. “Some of them are not only for economic development, but for art. They’re putting that ‘tech-orating,’ that word everyone uses, they’re putting art there and using it as an art project.”
Then, not only do travelers understand where to go, but they’re also in a good mood as they head into their destination.
The sky was blue and the sun bright when Peter Wilson was cleared for takeoff in Algeria, heading southeast en route to Niger.
But things changed quickly.
“For about 90 minutes, I found myself absolutely consumed at 7,500 feet by this dust cloud that had risen high and just came up and up and up,” Wilson said. “I had no experience of it, and the weather forecast didn’t seem to warn against anything like that. That frightened me. I was skilled enough to stay upright and lucky enough to keep with the parameters of the ship.”
He was able to land safely but, years later while doing maintenance, would still find desert dust from that incident. It also was a motivating factor for Wilson to install and continue to use a HeliSAS autopilot system for his future travels, and Wilson said he thinks all choppers should be equipped with a similar system, regardless of whether choose to utilize them.
Wilson also has other issues for which he advocates, with his long-range exploration a springboard for conversations about issues in the world like extreme poverty, the effects of climate change and spurring sustainable development.
“Certainly, through the people I’ve met, I know I’ve changed. And the people around me who know me – I’d like to think I influence people around me in a nice way,” Wilson said.
That influence may spread via his books, which chronicle his journey and dig into those core issues he’s looking to raise awareness for and solve.
This year has been one of evaluating what brings happiness and what makes a perfect hobby.
Bret Becker is an award-winning model aviator who has more than 30 years of experience, but he says both dedicated jet modelers and beginners should enjoy the current period of innovation and technology.
“I don’t think there’s a better time to get into this hobby, personally. There are complex model airplanes that are now available right out of the box. For example, if you like an F-18 Hornet or want an F-14 Tomcat, you can go out and purchase one from readily available manufactures,” Becker said. “The reason I bring that up is because I believe the most important thing about this hobby is to keep it fun. If it’s fun, you’ll keep coming back.”
There can be projects that are a bit too much, especially for beginners, or that can be costly, but modeling has become even more accessible in recent years as electric ducted fans have become a go-to for many hobbyists.
“For the most part, they’re much more convenient. You can fit them in your car, and you don’t have to deal with fuel like a turbine jet would. So, for the average modeler, electric-powered airplanes are a very convenient way of taking a day off on the weekend, going to the field, having a couple batteries charged and going out there and having fun and not have to be working on the airplane on the field,” Becker said. “You can go out there and plan on flying.”
Becker has several special builds using Schubeler Technologies EDF fans on an XB-70 Valkyrie Supersonic Scale Electric Jet and a U-2 project he’ll be competing with at the Top Gun Invitational in the Expert Class. Yet, Becker says even beginners can experience the joy of model airplanes.
In the past, if you went to a brick-and-mortar store, you did so to shop, and the store responded as such. You walked in, asked questions, made a purchase, and went about your business. The market has really changed, as has the competition, and this has created a huge change in the way that brands are interacting with their consumers. It’s now not as much about the products as it is about the experience.
On this episode, originally aired on MarketScale's Retail podcast, we spoke with Eric Thompson, Senior Sales Executive with Bluewater Technologies, on how retailers and brands are threading technology throughout their in-store experience.
Thompson has worked with eight of the 10 top retailers in his 25+ year career, and gave us his perspective on what stores are doing to compete in a “retail apocalypse” where stores are closing left and right, and 30 have filed bankruptcy.
Thompson said retail isn’t dead, but it’s certainly changing, and it’s become a hot-button issue over the last two years. “Obviously the online experience is something that’s big and is not going away and it’s close to about what ten percent of retail sales are, and there are still people that want to go to the store and want to shop in the stores but they want more of a frictionless experience.”
He pointed out that people don’t want to be waiting in a checkout line, so Amazon Go was created to let people walk in and out. Sam’s Club recently unveiled a store where you can create a shopping list and it will provide a digital roadmap telling you exactly where to go to get your items. “It’s really just about being efficient and having a good experience.”
And while more digital items are being woven into the retail experience now, Thompson warned that it’s still important to know who your customer base is. “If you’re catering more toward the Gen Z or millennials, they’re digitally native so they want to have those digital attributes in the store. Maybe if it’s a store that caters to the Baby Boom generation, there are ways to weave technology into the stores without being too tech-heavy. You have to use technology kind of towards who your customers are.”
For more information on creating a digital shopping experience, including notes on self-pay, geofencing, online research, AI, and interactive touch screens, and what all of this means to the consumer, you’ll want to immerse yourself into the rest of this podcast.
On today’s episode of The Intersection, we discussed the “Amazon effect," how it’s impacting the rest of the retail world, why some are scared, and why most should be excited, with guest Eric Thompson, Senior Sales Executive at Bluewater. In a world of emerging technology, retailers now have options.
“There is renewed optimism for brick-and-mortar stores even in the world of the ‘Amazon effect,” which really started in 2018 with the Amazon Go Store in Seattle. It was revolutionary, creating a frictionless experience for the shopper," Thompson said. "This seamless customer experience is what every retailer is striving for, and it’s one where when technology is integrated well, shoppers don’t notice it as a disruption.”
One area where that’s a real challenge, and where technology can help, is queuing. Thompson shared these shocking facts:
Customer spend about 118 hours a year in a checkout line
86% of shoppers avoid going to stores with long lines
“Retailers have to address this and take the experience to the next level and make it positive," Thompson said.
When retailers come to the point where they need to make a change, though, some are hesitant.
“Some that have been business in a long time are slow to evolve. But over 30 retailers filed for bankruptcy in the last two years. So, we see brands going in different directions," Thompson said.
"Take Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor, similar stores with the same customer base. Lord & Taylor is on the verge of bankruptcy. Nordstrom, however, has embraced tech in its stores and is doing quite well. Retailers have to understand their customer base, as there is a transition for new generations who are digital natives. They expect technology in their experiences.”
Another unique example of technology in stores is using a brand’s app in-store to learn more about a product. “In some retail experiences, shoppers can walk in and scan an item with the app to learn more about it and the company,” Thompson said.
As retailers embrace tech changes that impact the flow and operation of their stores, it opens the door for other integrations that have more visual appeal for customers while still improving their in-store experience. Thompson pointed to one example, 3-D mapping on mannequins, as a perfect representation of technology that captures the attention and provides useful information at the same time.
"This is being tested at the Lululemon store in San Jose. A customer walks in and sees an item on a mannequin, and each part of the item is highlighted. They could take this a step further with the brand’s app, and if it knew you were there, it could point out specific items of interest to you," Thompson said.
Retail stores across the country are undergoing enormous changes. As e-commerce creates competition, brick-and-mortar stores are focusing on developing a highly curated shopping experience for customers. Part of this curation means downsizing stores from large one-stop-shop warehouses to smaller, more intimate storefronts.
On this episode of The Intersection by Bluewater, we're joined by Eric Thompson, senior sales executive for Bluewater; Thompson discussed the positive effects a smaller retail store has on the shopping experience and a business’ bottom line.
“The right-sizing of a retail store is a very healthy thing right now," Thompson said.
The USA is the biggest culprit of oversizing stores, and up until only a few years ago, the common motto among big-box retailers was "stack it high and sell it cheap.” But the days of oversized stores are coming to an end. “Retail is overstored by 1.2 billion square feet," Thompson said.
When customers can shop from the ease of their computer, browsing an enormous store becomes secondary. This is why slimmed-down stores, designed for convenience and relevancy to their area, are some of the most profitable in the retail market. In addition to downsizing, retail stores are integrating technology into the shopping experience to curate a customized experience for every shopper further.
Thompson elaborated on how big companies like Nordstrom’s, Kohl’s, and ALDI are integrating new technologies into their stores, leading the charge in transforming the retail marketplace. By receiving sales and analytics on customer products in real-time, retail stores are collecting big data that helps craft a curated shopping experience that cannot be replicated in online shopping.
“It’s never been a better time to be in retail right now," Thompson said.
Bluewater is hiring a Live Events Account Executive in their “Southfield, MI office.
The live event's executive will focus on creating live experiences. The live event focus will generally lead them to work with producers, meeting planners, and corporate communications managers who are creating exceptional experiences for their brands and organizations.
The candidate will deeply understand the principles of meetings and experiential activations and will be an expert in translating technology and Bluewater integrated solutions into those requirements. The main expertise they bring to the table is how technology, space, and content intersect, and where exceptional experiences happen. They are extremely comfortable working with executives and high-profile projects, have strong entrepreneurial skills, and look for opportunities in the various stages of engagement.
To see the full job description, visit MarketScale.com/careers.
Bluewater is the only woman-owned business of its kind, operating four industry-leading business units that support sensory storytelling through digital & physical canvases.
I have seen their work in person at the iconic Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and it is breathtaking what they can accomplish, so be sure not to pass up this great opportunity to work with one of the best in the business.
If this job sounds like a fit for you or someone you know, visit Bluewatertech.com or marketscale.com/careers to apply.
Electric vehicles are becoming more and more prevalent, but there’s still work to be done in terms of encouraging widespread adoption.
That’s down to a number of factors, said Nicolo Brambilla, Chief Technology Officer at Nanoramic Laboratories. Chief among is cost. While the battery pack is something that drives the cost of the vehicle as a whole, Brambilla said, recent improvements in technology are making electric vehicles better and bringing costs down.
“Today, we have lithium-ion batteries that are basically able to power a vehicle for hundreds of miles, which is very good news, because it’s getting closer to that range you’d need a vehicle to perform (at),” he said. “There are many things that will need to be improved. Cost is definitely one of the things, because, if you look at one of those vehicles price point, it’s still much higher than your conventional engine vehicle.”
Nanoramic has developed Neocarbonix technology, bringing higher energy density at a lower cost thanks to electrodes that don’t use traditional polymer binders and boosting performance of lithium-ion batteries and ultracapacitors.
“You have two major benefits in there. The first one is we’re able to improve the efficiency of the battery while also increasing the energy density, and we increase the energy density by having high-loading electrodes,” he said. “The other advantage, which is also key, especially for the EV market, is the ability to lower the cost of manufacturing.”
Those savings should get passed on to the consumer and, ideally, result in fewer fossil-fueled cars on the roads, creating a cleaner world for everyone.
One program for the 2 p.m. call, another for the 3 p.m. and then another utility for the notes. Working from home during the coronavirus pandemic has shown just how disparate many companies’ solutions are.
Of course, many of those companies had to scramble to get a remote work option set up for their employees, but Alex Doyle, Executive Director of Product Management at Verizon, says it’s important to take the time to meet unified communication challenges with innovation now that many companies expect to have their employees working from home for months to come.
“You’ve got all these piecemeal technologies people are using, but I also think companies are all coming around to this concept of what’s their technology stack for where they want to go. Certainly, that starts with reliable bandwidth,” Doyle said. “Part two is the collaboration components, whether it’s unified communication or collaboration.
“The third part of the stack is the contact center, because, if you’re working within your company well but not serving your customers, you’re not going to make it. And then that fourth level is really the security component. I think the people who win are going to be the companies that can bring all four of those.”
Perhaps it should be no surprise Verizon adapted its operations quickly to the pandemic, since it already has a history of responding to crisis. In the past, that meant a natural disaster or another localized issue rather than a global public health crisis. Still, the experience served the company well, Doyle said.
“Whether it was Hurricane Sandy in 2012 or, more recently, Hurricane Michael in the Southeast, we’re always running to help people with disaster recovery and kind of move to mobility,” he said. “I think what was different this time is we couldn’t run to a specific place, because it was everywhere, but those lessons learned, I think they helped us do it at scale. So, if you said, wow, we moved 95% of our population to work from home, we had a lot of experience at it.”
That experience gets put to use as Verizon creates unified communications solutions companies can give their employees looking to navigate the workplace of today and all its challenges.
There are certain features pilots have come to expect in a digital flight control system, or autopilot.
Genesys has a 40-year history making autopilot systems and has innovated upon some of those common elements, such as heading, navigation holds, altitude holds and vertical speed holds.
Now, it has used that experience to take an autopilot system into the modern era. For Simpson Bennett, Marketing Communications Manager of Genesys Aerosystems, the company’s S-TEC 3100 Digital Flight Control System is a perfect marriage of traditional reliability with cutting-edge technology.
“Basically, it’s a big aircraft autopilot that fits in a small box, as simply as I can put it,” Bennett said. “Out of that, we have a number of features that are safety-focused that we’ve brought to our 3100. Those are our envelope protection, as well as our straight and level button mode that brings the aircraft back to a neutral state in case the pilot loses visual references, becomes disoriented or something along those lines.
Designed with versatility in mind regarding the number of planes the 3100 would work in, Genesys took the time to get certified in more than 150 aircraft.
“Flexibility’s kind of its core competency, if you will. We can work in a number of different configurations, whether your aircraft was delivered in the 70s or 80s with steam gauges [and] an analog-type panel, all the way up to aircraft that might have a more modern display system that you see prevalent today,” Bennett said. “Really, we can work in just about any different cockpit configuration. That benefits our customers should they have some upgrade paths in the future.”
Anil Chitkara, Co-Founder and Head of Corporate Development for Evolv Technology, started his company with one goal: to keep people safe from harm at events or other venues and locations where threats could exist.
For most of Evolv’s existence, those threats were violent, either from potential terrorist attacks or an active shooter situation. But COVID-19 shined a light on a different risk to the health of the public at large. When considering entertainment spaces, security checkpoints now have a new consideration: how to make the venue safe from a deadly disease.
Chitkara discussed these scenarios and how Evolv’s touchless security solutions can help.
“We’ve all been through airports. We know what airport screening is like,” Chitkara said. “We looked at all these other places where people are and [asked], 'How can we help the security professionals in those areas maintain a safe venue or environment?'”
Theaters, performing arts centers, concert arenas, sports venues, theme parks and amphitheaters are all focuses of Evolv’s technology solutions. The company's goal is to take a slow and manual security process and make it faster and more comfortable for the guest to enter the venue.
The security process for many entertainment venues today is not a friendly experience, and Chitkara wants to change that.
“Not only is it not what the customer entering into the venue wants, but it also is not what the band and the concert venue want,” Chitkara said. “They want their customer to be excited from the day they purchase their ticket up to the moment they walk up to the arena. The biggest pain point of the guest experience is that security screening. There hasn’t been a great solution up to now.”
Rethinking the whole approach to security through technology and doing it in a fan-friendly way is Chitkara’s mission. Evolv’s touchless security approach makes entry easier for the patron.
And, during this time of healthcare concerns, the less security needs to come into physical contact with someone entering the venue, the lower the risk of spreading viruses.
Sorry, the most important thing for your company is what? I … I didn’t quite catch that.
If you’re hearing that too often on the other end of your Zoom or Teams calls, then Eric Brooker would like to have a word.
Brooker, the Senior Director of National Partner Programs for Bigleaf Networks, has watched as nearly the entire working world has moved online, but with so many households going under one roof, residential internet has struggled to keep up.
While Brooker has seen plenty of grace extended toward pet noises, children demanding attention or a doorbell interrupting a call, people are far less amenable to total network failures or frustrating blips in important conversations.
“In the world we’re sitting in today, I think there’s an understanding that your four-year-old may walk into your video meeting or a dog may bark when FedEx or UPS ring the doorbell, but there seems to be a lack of patience, as I’m seeing it, of ‘Hey, can you repeat yourself? I didn’t catch that.’ or, ‘Hey, sorry my internet was kind of funky.’”
Often it’s not the program itself having an issue but the functionality of the network. That’s why SD-WAN can be a strong solution, especially with a Bigleaf device that works outside the firewall and can automatically prioritize what’s important.
“Software Defined Wide Area Network is creating application performance, it’s accessing that on-site application or what seems to be more relevant even pre-COVID but certainly post-COVID is the need for cloud-based applications,” Brooker said. “Ultimately, you need those business-critical applications to work in a seamless fashion, each and every time you’re using them.”
During the pandemic, networks have emerged as the essential glue keeping people connected while apart. Jason Carolan, Chief Innovation Officer, Flexential, spoke about the profound changes occurring in the interconnectivity space allowing next-generation technologies to evolve at a rapid pace.
“The network has become a crucial platform,” Carolan said. “Think about how we’ve been able to order food and groceries to be delivered, get our prescriptions filled, and so forth … We’ve navigated to the platform that’s powered by the network, and that’s really saved us during this time.”
Access to technology commonplace to many businesses, such as VPNs, laptops and other communication tools, became front-and-center challenges during the pandemic as work shifted remotely almost overnight.
“I think the agility part of this is huge,” Carolan said.
Businesses and schools had to find ways to accommodate not only access to their platforms and systems. but reliable internet access. Today’s technological advancements made such remote work and learning possible.
One of the next-generation technologies playing a critical role in handling data flow and latency is edge computing.
“Instead of having centralized cloud platforms and data centers in relatively few locations, the edge will be in millions of locations. Edge will allow us to consume services quite differently from today and rely on them even more,” Carolan said.
Be sure to subscribe to our industry publication for the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry.
PixelFlex is hiring a Sales Account Manager and Sales Engineer, both of which are Located on Production Row in the heart of beautiful downtown Nashville, TN.
PixelFlex’s is headquartered just a stone’s throw away from Nashville’s famous hot chicken, craft breweries and iconic honkytonks.
Free lunches and in-house massages are a frequent benefit that their employees enjoy. When combined with a casual work environment, makes for some enjoyable Fridays.
Additionally, Amazing health, dental and vision coverage makes life as a PixelFLEX team member very convenient, and being so close to many of the live events they sponsor makes life a lot more fun.
PixelFLEX is one of the leading providers of LED solutions to touring acts, schools, theaters, churches, and advertisers among others.
And PixelFLEX wants to keep revolutionizing the video industry, which is why they need your help. Members of their team go beyond just sales calls and getting their products out the door. They’re entrepreneurs, innovators and designers.
If this sounds like a company you would like to be a part of and would like to learn more, Visit pixelflexLED.com or marketscale.com/b2bjobs to apply.
On this episode of LED Talk, host Tyler Kern was joined by Jon Lewis, Lead Consultant and Sales Representative at PixelFLEX, and Chris Clark, Director of Media, Southside Baptist Church to discuss the ins and outs of LED in the house of worship.
Clark, for context, described why his Southside Baptist Church decided to move their screens to LEDs, and what the advantages have been. One advantage: LEDs do not have the same glare issues Southside’s old monitors did, which make the screens easier to view when stage lights are on during services.
Lewis described the process PixelFlex goes through when working with churches on their needs.
“Finding out how they are currently exporting video and how they are currently putting content together,” Lewis said, are key findings PixelFLEX goes through with churches on needs assessment. “How big a screen do you need, how are you going to push content, and how intricate can you get,” are all important considerations.
Clark detailed his fantastic experience working with Lewis and PixelFLEX on Southside’s needs.
“Start to finish the whole process and working with John and PixelFLEX was as good as it could possibly be,” he said.
A key point, Clark mentioned, is his church budgeted out their needs and then worked with Lewis and PixelFLEX on the project and timing. For Lewis, his suggestion is houses of worship should start their conversations prior to when they want to make their purchase, so the deliverables are ready when they need them.
Lewis provided examples throughout the discussion of various uses for LED in churches, and the types of request he and his team receive. In the end, Clark’s satisfaction with the move to LED, left him with nothing but praise, and suggested other houses of worship should look into making the switch.
For more episodes of PixelFLEX's LED Talk, click here!
Think about the last great visual experience you've seen. Can you name the hardware components, the types of light used, or the specifications of the speakers that accompanied this experience you're thinking of? Probably not because a great experience for a consumer is not about the hardware; it's about the feeling. On this new episode of LEDTalk, host Tyler Kern sat down with two venerable experts in creating stunning visual experiences-- David Venus, Chief Marketing Officer at PixelFLEX and Alberto Scirocco, CEO of LeftChannel.
"Content is not the thing that runs the hardware, content is the whole experience," Scirocco said. LeftChannel is an Ohio-based motion graphics and animation studio with a focus on creating innovative, brand-centric work across platforms.
"But sometimes we see people who are excited to run into building a visual experience so they rush straight to the solution. They figure, 'I want to put screens in this space,' but when they do that they already created a portion of the content," he said.
That's why thought has to be put into the content picture as a whole, Venus explained.
"Purpose really starts from the beginning," Venus said. "What are you trying to accomplish, create, and evoke in this digital experience?"
Digital LED displays are transforming corporate workspaces, creating a positive ripple effect that disseminates throughout the companies workforce and into its clientele. “Digital is now," said David Venus, CMO of PixelFLEX. On this episode of LEDTalk, host Tyler Kern sat down with Venus & guest Jeff Peden, director of marketing at Dalton Agency, to discuss how new video display technology elevates the corporate space.
Gone are the days of slapping a big-screen TV on the wall and calling it audiovisual technology. Today, companies are looking to stand out from the crowd by displaying their unique brand identity in new ways. One way to exhibit company values, missions, and workflow is by using innovative new LED screens to create a visionary data center, drawing in clients and drawing together employees.
Venus and Peden encourage companies to “think outside the rectangle.” That is, think beyond a TV screen and dream up an immersive AV experience. PixelFLEX’s strategy for designing and implementing LED technology in a workspace is to hone in on content.
By highlighting a company’s intention and purpose, an AV space can feel purposeful and intuitive, serving to please both client and employee. Though AV digital technology is “on-trend,” Peden asserted that this new and exciting trend is “not going away any time soon.”
As the overall marketplace shifts toward the experiential, corporate facilities will follow suit, crafting their own AV experience that elevates their brand and sets them apart on the global stage.
On this episode of LED Talk with PixelFLEX, host Tyler Kern sat down with chief marketing officer David Venus and director of sales Will Dickey to discuss five factors that significantly affect the price of implementing an LED solution, and why a client should be educated on all five to deliver the best solution possible.
Componentry: Dickey discussed the options available in LED components, including chips, wiring, and power supply, and how they affect cost.
Pixel Pitch and Distance of Viewers: How an LED screen is going to be used determines the solution, Venus said. “If viewers are far away, you can start to back down in resolution and still accomplish the same thing,” he said. “But if you have a screen at eye level in a corporate lobby, you need that higher pitch. And ultimately, the pixel pitch will affect the overall price. ” Installation and Rigging Variables: Screen mounting costs vary on the location and the LED’s primary use. Clients should be “really grasping what’s going to affect installation and how that can lead to costs later down the line if those things aren’t thought through,” Venus cautioned.
Processing and Playback: Another factor can be processing and playback, which affect the cost as well, the two experts said.
Content: Finally, content is a chief consideration because it’s the reason for an LED solution. “If it’s not high-quality content and you haven’t thought through what you’re trying to accomplish with that content, then at the end of the day I say, ‘Why did you even put that on the wall?’” Venus said.
On today’s episode of PixelFLEX's LEDTalk, Tony Green, VP of Business Development for Snap Install, and David Venus, Chief Marketing Officer for PixelFLEX, give insight on the direction of the display industry and the road blocks that are making the market struggle. The two also dive into how pertinent the choices are that companies make regarding their digital signage, and how not only the tech but the content is what makes digital displays succeed.
Proper training of installers and integrators is very important; both Venus and Green stress that understanding the ins and outs of the product beyond the install is crucial, and the bare minimum expectation from clients. Too many times have they seen display deals go south because the integrators don't know the technology like the back of their hand. Ideally, situations that arise on job sites are handled without the need to call tech support. The added advantage is that customers get the peace of mind that they are going to have a product that supports their need.
LED tile design is another big factor in the success of a company’s digital signage, but each installation brings new unique challenges.
“LED gives so much creative freedom, at times, you can find yourself in a predicament of how you are going to effectively mount your display to your surface,” Venus said.
It is these types of potential issues that, if aware of at the outset, are better dealt with when they arise. The biggest takeaway is it that it's all about service and communication. Green and Venus recommend being upfront with the customer from the beginning and for partner companies to be in communication with the customer, and each other, so that the proper result of technology, application and content is accomplished.
The trade show industry (and concert and events industry) can seem very open to the public, but there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that can be very private, and things are getting more sophisticated as the years go on.
Scott Karan, Chief Marketing Officer of Froggy’s Fog, a company that makes professional effects fluids for smoke, haze, fog, bubbles, and more, knows how to make a splash at a trade show. He joined the MarketScale podcast to discuss the benefits of using PixelFlex LED Screens at trade shows and events.
Karan loves to not only design and sell these products (using booth-themed effects to do so) but he also enjoys documenting his behind-the-scenes journey with followers and fans. This upcoming week, Froggy Fog has a “massive haunted attraction show with lots of fog and atmosphere effects.”
“About 75% of our clients have stemmed from that industry,” Karan said.
The company must have a “huge presence and huge setup” as trade shows are its “main marketing effort” and how the brand started 15 years ago.
He feels it is really pivotal to attend these shows, not only just to show consumers what is new and cutting edge, but to interact with the consumers.
“Someone comes up to us just about at every show with a new way they’re using our product that we hadn’t thought about,” Karan said. “We were creating custom signage for each event and bannering a 20-by-40 booth can really add up." That’s all changed with PixelFLEX LED screens, which was a "no brainer" to be able to change that message, per show, up to the minute.”
The LED industry is currently a $5 billion worldwide industry, with the Americas region recently crossing the $1 billion mark. With this much money being invested into displays, how does that relate to higher quality and increased price points? Are we still buying things from China, or is it possible to manufacture these components in the United States? How do we find the right balance, both in terms of getting the components we need at the correct quality, while still meeting the customer’s needs and price points?
On today's LEDTalk, we sit down with Jon Lewis, director of operations for PixelFLEX, for a discussion about the LED industry as a whole. To Lewis, this is a “good time to be in LED” because of increased quality options; it is no longer “the wild wild west” of LED where people were figuring things out just a few years ago.
For starters, Lewis points out that although higher density pixel pitch products are more available and stable, they are not for everyone.
“If you’re trying to put church worship lyrics on a 16 foot screen, and the audience is 45 feet away, you don’t need a 1.5 resolution at 4K,” Lewis said.
He compares display overkill to sitting at the front row of an IMAX theatre, it just gets to a point where peripheral vision is unusable. It is just too much.
Lewis points out that by triangulating the client’s needs (screen size, how far away the audience is, and the type of content) on the first phone call, a lot of those issues can be stopped. He also addresses the Chinese marketplaces, specifically sites like AliBaba, and the difference between ordering from U.S.-based versus Chinese companies.
At the end of the day, “97 percent of components are produced in China”, so most of the time people are receiving Chinese components, which can lead to communication problems, as well as time zone issues when it comes to warranty repairs.
Lewis speaks more about the cultural difference, as well as his recent trip to China, and some compliance issues as well, all on today’s LEDTalk.
Corporate facilities are putting displays in conference rooms, front lobbies and green rooms more and more these days, and strategy for entertaining clients is big business. How can business owners make their display stand out above the competition and attract the sales, and how can AV integrators and suppliers play into those client trends?
On this episode of LED Talk, we sit back down with David Venus, Chief Marketing Officer of PixelFLEX LED, discussing his definitive top four design trends in digital signage and how they're affecting the market.
Tune in as we talk about how “size matters” as large format displays are becoming a standard among the industry. Everyone seems to be wanting tighter pixel pitch, aiming for full HD, 2K or 4K. Finer pixel pitch products like sub-2mm, even sub-1.6mm, are trending as well.
Interactivity is key, as virtual and augmented reality experiences become our new normal; only about 10 percent of people remember things that they read, but over 90 percent of people can recall things they experienced, a statistic motivating much of today's content marketing and product purchasing decisions. Touch, motion, and tactile experiences are on the rise, especially in retail and hospitality, where brick-and-mortar are having to keep up with the e-commerce world. Of course, durability and price points can’t be forgotten; it’s a delicate balance.
What are other trends, and how can you integrate them into your displays? And what’s one of the most unforgettable displays we’ve ever seen? Listen to host Tyler Kern and Venus explain it all.
Follow PixelFLEX on social media for more LEDTalk!
Twitter – @pixelflexled
Facebook – facebook.com/PixelFlexUSA
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/pixelflex
For a country that prides itself on pushing the envelope, technologically, we haven’t really been bold with the deployment of outdoor LED displays outside of Times Square or the Vegas Strip. Globally, the market is telling a different story. “In 2016, it was roughly a $4 billion dollar industry, globally. It’s projected to reach somewhere in the $14-$16 billion dollar range by 2023, so, you’re talking 6 years, 7 years. That’s a lot of growth and it’s something that definitely needs to be looked at. Especially if it’s not in your strategy as a company,” David Venus, PixelFLEX CMO said. Venus, and the industry as a whole, have spoken; outdoor LED screens are here to stay. The applications are continuing to vary and grow in scope, too: they’re powering residential living facilities, sports facilities, commercial building displays, you name it. In this podcast from MarketScale Pro AV, Venus discusses the growth of the technology, the future expansion of use cases for outdoor solutions, and how the integration of these displays into architecture can open up a new world of functionality.
For something as ubiquitous as air travel, the stress of the airport process is inescapable. Delayed flights, long wait times, luggage fees– they’re part of the flying experience that don’t seem to be going anywhere, and it’s leaving travelers unhappy. A 2017 Kelton Global survey claimed 97 percent of passengers had some issue with the airport process and experience. How do you begin to approach these staggering numbers? One approach, which hits on aesthetic and practical solutions, is robust digital signage.
“LED displays are really enabling airports in the world of creativity,” said David Venus, PixelFLEX CMO. In this podcast from MarketScale Pro AV, Venus breaks down the ways visual displays can change the entire airport experience for the better. Not only can digital signage be used for way-finding and emergency situations, easing the navigational stress of an airport, but it can be used to visually transform an airport’s appearance. Immersive digital experiences and digital art give travelers something memorable, entertaining and inspirational during their travels. Retailers should be excited too; not only do happy travelers mean happy shoppers, but digital signage can reinforce advertising campaigns and sponsorship activation.
According to a study by Sixteen-Nine, 49 percent of items advertised on digital signage saw a direct sales increase. Venus explains that this multi-layered affect makes visual LED installations a must for the airports of the future, large or small. “You can balance both dynamic, immersive, digital art, but then also incentivize yourself as an airport to bring in additional dollars,” Venus said.
Sometimes the way to clear up a situation is to simply make the image a bit clearer. Those metrics are different for each space. In this podcast from MarketScale Pro AV, host Sean Heath speaks with Mark McIntosh, LED & Media Specialist at PixelFLEX. They discussed the relationship between resolution and install space, the impact of average viewing distance, and how resolution can actually impact content. “I encourage anyone that is thinking about using LED at a show or using it for your corporate board rooms, or using it for an installation in your business, using it for your concert, whatever the use is; just stay close in contact with either the provider or the manufacturer of the product that you’re using, so that you know those resolutions, and you create specifically to that,” McIntosh said.
As LED technology improves and the lifespan of installations grows to practically a decade or more in length, architects are becoming more incentive to implement LEDs into their ideas and building designs. This crossroad between AV technology and architecture, coined perfectly as AVitecture, has allowed for more creativity among building spaces, from commercial to residential. In this podcast from MarketScale Pro AV, PixelFLEX Senior Sales Representative Will Dickey discusses this trend, as well as talks the benefits and challenges of working with LED display technology.
In this podcast from MarketScale Pro AV, PixelFLEX CMO David Venus explains how companies can inspire creativity and innovation just by upgrading their physical work space. We also talked about some emerging trends in his industry and how LED can truly enhance an aesthetic.
The average person is bombarded with over 1000 advertisements a day, and in the retail space, the go-to ad has been static signage. But as the years have gone by, there’s a new need for something that can maintain the open, inviting design of a window-front shop while still draw in new customers. In this podcast from MarketScale Pro AV, PixelFLEX CMO David Venus sat down on the podcast to tell us how transparent LED screens are bringing exciting and reusable advertisements to the retail industry, and how the technology is making its mark in other industries through human-centered design.
In this podcast from MarketScale Pro AV, PixelFLEX CMO David Venus sits down with host Sean Heath. The two discuss the perspective Venus has after working on both sides of the event curtain, breaking into the education space by working with institutions like Stanford, the satisfaction that comes from helping a client’s wild dream come to life, and the implementation nuances that accompany the new revolution in architecture.
From 2017 to 2019, there was a 50% increase in fine or narrow pixel pitch products, which most would say is undeniable growth. The business-owner is demanding this crisper technology and so is the market; the real challenge is how to create these high-res products and still make them affordable to the end user, while also making a stable product that has traditionally been unstable.
Vecna Robotics is hiring for one of its most important positions, and Director of HR Diandra Oliveira said the fictional character who best would fit the profile is someone like Hermione Granger thanks not only to her smarts, but also her strong moral code.
“She’s a friend and team player, an overachiever who does excel academically. I’d say some of those traits do embody our team,” Oliveira said. “But something else that embodies Hermione is that she’s a very moral and upright person. She may be brilliant, but she’s also good. Being good and just and having good judgement is another area of our company that’s important.”
That extends to Vecna’s culture, as well. While many companies speak about their environment without putting in the work to build the culture, Vecna looks to actually do what it says it will with an impressive benefits package.
“They are top-notch,” said Oliveira, who said Vecna’s benefits are one of her favorite things to pitch candidates on. “We pay for 100% of medical and dental premiums for all levels of enrollment, whether someone’s enrolling as an individual all the way through a family plan with no deductions whatsoever.”
Offering all that, the company hopes they can find a wizard who skillfully can conjure wise business strategies for one of the most important products Vecna, which specializes in warehouse automation, produces.
Other responsibilities beyond division strategy include product execution and delivery, budgeting and finance, and leadership and development.
When a payment service provider works with a customer, there are always precautions needed. Jose Caldera, Chief Products Officer, Acuant (formally IdentityMind), knows the key to mitigating risks for the payment service provider is to enable risk assessment solutions at the start of the onboarding process.
Some companies operate in high-risk environments, and other companies may deal with money lending or other money services. A payment service provider needs to assess any situation where a business provides a service with a high fraud risk attached.
“As a payment service provider that has to offer services and onboard these clients, you have to look at the types and dimensions of risks associated with them,” Caldera said.
With evolving processes and technology, the underwriting process of onboarding clients has also transformed.
“There is a new world of payment-providing services that don’t necessarily follow the same underwriting practices that have historically been part of this market,” Caldera said.
With the added complexity of today’s customer needs, government regulations require more stringent protocols for payment service providers to follow when underwriting and onboarding clients.
“When a payment service provider is looking at a business, they’re also looking at the structure of that business and making sure that business is not behaving like a shell company or cleaning illicit money,” Caldera said.
The added levels of scrutiny and examination required for assessing today’s businesses need new technology to do this type of review in real-time.
Adaptability is one of the most important skills you can have in today’s business world.
No one was expecting a pandemic to shut business down and create new challenges, but those who have been able to change on the fly have weathered the storm well.
Not only is Vecna Robotics flexible, said David Clear, the company’s Chief Revenue Officer, it’s flexible in a pair of key ways.
“We use the word flexibility quite a bit, and it can mean two broad things. Flexibility of the technology means being capable of completing a number of different tasks using the same robot,” he said. “With our technology, we have a considerably higher degree of flexibility in terms of the range of tasks we can perform at a single site.”
Vecna's innovative autonomous mobile robots, or AMRs, are reshaping how work is done by adapting to their environment and changes in instructions, obstacles and more in real time.
And this automation may be more attainable for operations than most realize, providing ways to be agile and future-proof.
“The other side is the ability to adjust to changes in demand. That can be growth of a company – if your business continues to grow, you can flex with that. You don’t have a maximum capacity by virtue of having invested in a particular type of automation. The other one is some of those seasonal peaks and demands.”
With a remote deployment and evaluation process for industrial automation projects, Vecna makes sure work can continue even at a time like this, when the coronavirus pandemic has made business travel all but impossible and letting crews into your facility means increased safety hazards.
They also can go from start to finish in just four weeks, making sure you can change with the times - or as demand increases or declines.
What has Steve Forcum, Technologist at Avaya, experienced in terms of cloud-based communication solutions with customers since the pandemic hit? As it turns out, quite a lot.
“Businesses kind of fell into two buckets,” Forcum said. “The first category of customers who had invested in keeping their infrastructure current already had some part of their workforce working remotely as part of their day-to-day practice. For them, trying to move their entire workforce out of the office overnight wasn’t an ordeal. The other category of customers looked at their infrastructure in the past, and said, ‘If it’s not broke, don’t spend money to fix it.’ Many of those customers were using legacy phone systems and other cobbled-together point solutions to fill gaps. These customers were scrambling when the pandemic hit. A lot of them found it challenging to try and react to this.”
Some of the solutions these other companies had to employ to make it through the first few months of the pandemic were as cobbled together as their infrastructure was. Some relied on limited-time free trial software, which will soon be expiring.
“A lot of these companies have also been revenue challenged during the pandemic,” Forcum said. “Trying to find capital to spend to fix this problem is not easy or even doable in some cases.”
A solution for many of these companies is a move to cloud-based communication solutions, which offer cost savings and a multitude of functionality.
“By adopting a cloud service and being a little bit more agile, businesses don’t have to deal with the hassles required to remedy their on-premise infrastructure,” Forcum said. “It’s allowed some of our customers to leap-frog past some of their competitors by leveraging cloud.”
Whether checking in on friends, reading the news or simply scrolling through social media, it’s easy to get sucked into your phone these days.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many people are still under shelter-in-place orders or simply staying home as often as possible to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. So, it’s the perfect time for businesses to meet consumers where they’re at – on their phones.
“It has been quite tremendous the shift that we’ve seen. There’s no question that digital marketing was prevalent prior to this, that’s kind of a no-brainer, but the stats … across the board we are seeing, for clients’ programs we manage, engagement rates are through the roof,” said Laura Cole, Vice President of Marketing at Vivial.
Cole said businesses need to be getting their messages out online, whether it be through Google or other search engines, on social media like Facebook and Instagram, or on mobile with properly formatted content or even messaging campaigns.
“Really, the first thing we recommend for a business is to think through those three aspects – online, social and mobile,” she said. “Think about the consumers that shop with you, how they shop and how you want your business to be represented in a way that covers all of the main facets.”
Each business is different, so how much they should be spending and what platforms they should be utilizing vary across industries. Luckily, there are experts in place like those at Vivial to help figure out how to reach consumers where they’re at and make sure businesses have the right digital marketing strategy.
On this episode of Backstage Pass, an Alford Media Services podcast, Voice of B2B Daniel Litwin was joined by a trio of events industry experts in Alford Media Executive Vice President and General Manager Tom Alford, President and COO of Snap! Event Productions Amber Jenkins, and Paul Johnson, founder of Paul Johnson, Inc.
In the wake of the spread of the novel coronavirus and the ensuing COVID-19 pandemic, the events industry, like all of the world’s industries, has felt the disease’s ripple effects.
“It’s been pretty devastating to the industry,” Tom said. “There are virtually no meetings except for webcasting. … All of us are working to do the new meeting style.”
The pandemic has not only inhibited in-person events and presentations, but has raised questions about the events industry’s preparedness, employee aid, adaptation for shelter-in-place protocols, and what level of demand the industry can expect after the dust settles and things return to what’s likely to be a new normal.
To answer those questions, Daniel, Tom, Amber and Paul touched on how they’ve seen the events industry adapt and rebound from the initial shock, what protocols were already in place for a scenario like this and which will likely be put in place for the future, how their individual companies have responded, and what they expect to see in the industry on the other side of the pandemic.
Many people in the industry are changing up their focus and traditional approach to their work. “We’re trying to pivot to do more content creation,” Paul said. “Those sorts of prudent pivots that you’re inventing for yourself to put your capabilities out there, are key right now” Additionally, we’re all looking toward the future and how this will change the industry. Tom states, “I think what’s going to happen when this is all over is the best of (digital) will be adopted in… Some of the things that really work well will become a part of our everyday life.” Amber adds how these digital adoptions can elevate events from what we’ve seen so far,“ “I think that events involving more of a digital aspect – webcasts and what have you – I think there’s a big opportunity going forward for these to become more robust. What we have now is great, and it gets us through, but there’s so much opportunity there, and I think that there are ways that these types of technologies can really complement live events.”
Steve Alford, President, and Tom Alford, Executive Vice President, of Alford Media joined Backstage Pass to talk about the events industry, evolving technology and what makes Alford Media successful. They also answered the burning questions listeners wanted to know.
Over 35 years in the events industry, Alford Media has experienced the evolution and changes in the industry. Steve said the industry is trending up over the past ten years, and technology continues to change. “The big challenge today,” Tom said, “is finding new and exciting ways to present information that grabs people’s attention.”
What do Tom and Steve think are the next big technological trends in the industry? Steve believes 5G will play an important role in increased speed and bandwidth in ballrooms and event spaces. Tom said there is now a backward trend in the utilization of lower resolution LED; people who want bigger screens at a lesser price-point. Due to advances in technology, lasers are now cheaper than before, which Tom sees as an old trend becoming a new one.
In terms of what makes their organization successful, both agreed it is the people working at Alford Media that are the difference-makers in providing exceptional service and results for their customers. . As Tom put it, “If you don’t have the right people in place, all the best tech in the world isn’t going to get you there.”
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
January is a big month for trade shows, pro audio, and event tech industries. That includes NAMM, the National Association of Music Merchants Trade Show.
Ben MacKinney, Audio Services Manager for Alford Media, was Alford's boots on the ground for the event. He joins host Daniel Litwin on this episode of Backstage Pass to give us the NAMM 2020 recap, and shares all the exciting products and innovations that he saw at the event.
Ben said that one trend driving the conversation at the show was providing more options in speakers. He said that one cool thing he saw was a small speaker that allowed individual control with signal and power coming from a single cable.
Another trend he saw at the show for the event tech crowd was networking becoming more and more integrated with their systems.
"We’re not far away from microphones having a network port on it, and we’re not plugging it in with an XLR anymore, we’re using a Cat 5,” he said.
Some microphones with the port already exist, and Ben said that the trend is coming whether we like it or not.
On the more quirky side of technology, he mentioned some interesting finds at the show. One was a soft release of a 360-degree camera on top of a Zoom 360 audio recorder. Another product he saw was initially a gag item -- a bed in a road case. What started as a joke to lure people to a company’s booth turned into a product they actually sold.
One of Ben’s biggest takeaways from the show is that audio technology seems to be more or less settled.
“We’re now just refining,” he said. “There’s not really a new way to put sound into the air, but you can refine the unit that puts sound into the air and make it better and more efficient.”
The audiovisual industry is bursting with new technologies and innovations. These new developments debuted at LDI 2019 , the leading conference and tradeshow for live design professionals from all over the world. Backstage Pass has the first scoop on what AV professionals are saying about the show with guests Blake Taylor, Lighting Services Manager, and Aaron Walters, Lighting Service Technician, at Alford Media.
Event technology is innately attention-grabbing, but the designs at LDI were both riveting and intriguing. Taylor and Walters noted the resurgence of throwback styles and retro lighting apparatus’, now powered with the energy-efficiency of LED. These stylized lights are finding popularity not just from the light they produce, but from the fixtures themselves, which often play a part on a set for film, tv, or theater.
Walters remarks at the LED curtains, a mappable, series of lights chained together via hardware. Like a video wall, the larger LEDs are an interesting feature for unique set design. “Chunky,” older hardware is finding new life with LEDs, while delivering rich light, longer and more efficiently.
Overall, the two lighting specialists agree that the event technology industry is working together to significant effect. Operators, designers, and programmers are asking each other questions, sharing data, and welcoming input from manufacturers. This sense of collaboration ultimately leads to creating product users want.
In this episode of Backstage Pass, Ali McMahan, Marketing & Communications Manager, and Dave Pooser, Director of Product Innovation, both from Alford Media, joined host Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B, to discuss the recent XLIVE Conference & Expo held in Las Vegas held Nov 17-19, 2019.
McMahan and Pooser both attended the annual Live Events & Entertainment trade show. Tech with a purpose and audience immersion emerged as two themes that loomed large over the three-day conference. McMahan summed the technology part up as a shift from trying to chase the coolest and best technology to outdo the last event to ‘how does that technology enhance the attendee experience?’
“When people pay money to come out to a conference, a convention, an event of any kind,” McMahan added, “They want to go have an experience.”
Pooser pointed out, in the B2B conference and event space, an attendee may be there because of a company mandate. But that doesn’t mean she or he is interested. It is the job of the company planning the event to immerse that attendee in the experience and get them engaged.
Some of the industry trends McMahan noted from XLIVE were Bluetooth and RFID Tracking. McMahan said these methods, which are popular in the B2C space, are gaining a foothold in B2B as well. McMahan also mentioned the uptick of AR in mixed/merged reality as something with growth potential in the corporate market.
Pooser’s most significant takeaway from the conference was the message of not relying on ‘technology itself’ to do the wowing of event attendees, but to use the right technology to create an amazing experience for the attendee.
“Do that,” Pooser said, “and the social media follow-through from attendees will come.”
Corporate meetings and conferences have long been characterized by tedious power-point presentations echoing off the walls of fluorescent-lit hotel ballrooms. But thanks to new technologies and trends in the AV world, these long-dreaded symposiums are getting a makeover. Immersive audio, eye-opening lighting, and interactive engagement are just a few innovations changing the event industry.
Exploring this rising trend on this episode of Backstage Pass is Ben MacKinney and Ali McMahan of Alford Media. The pair have their pulse on the rapidly changing industry of audio-visual entertainment and corporate events.
“People are tired of sitting in front of a powerpoint for 90 minutes,” said MacKinney of traditional corporate events.
As a result, audio-visuals that incorporate the idea of immersive entertainment have taken precedence.
McMahan points to the influence of the entertainment industry as a major instigator to event changes, with clients requesting visuals they see on television award shows or integrating assets that make the experience “playful and fun.”
Is this change here to stay? MacKinney thinks so.
“It’s coming, whether you like it or not. And so you can either figure it out now or you can figure it out after everyone else already has," he said.
Both end-users and industry clientele are demanding a more interactive, exciting event experience. Stunning productions with engaging AV components don’t necessarily have to break the bank.
“It’s really important that event planners and producers know their goal upfront...there is not off the shelf option at this point, so much of it is custom," McMahan said.
As AV designers are pushed to innovate, there’s no boundary to new, never-been-done-before audio-visuals. McMahan said it’s an “open playing field,” with the most creative AV experiences rising to the top.
One of the oft-overlooked aspects of producing largescale business events is lighting design. As brands look to find creative ways to capture tradeshow audiences with content, audio, and visuals, the right lighting can enhance an immersive experience like no other. In this new episode of Backstage Pass by Alford Media, host Daniel Litwin sat down with Blake Taylor, Director of Lighting Services to discuss creative ways to light tradeshow events that'll leave a memorable impression on consumers.
Blake, who has more than 25 years experience in light direction and programming, says art often imitates life. Innovative lighting effects you might see at a concert or film will often make their way into business event design.
"Our industry as a whole is being pushed by other arenas of entertainment," Blake said. "You go to a touring concert, for example, and you see things that really open it up visually."
While business events are taking visual cues from entertainment, there's still a lot of subjectivity when it comes to what clients want.
"A lot of clients don't necessarily approach a project with specific lighting needs, so it's up to us to work with creative directors and creative types to develop what that project wants to look and feel like," Blake said. "Lighting is so objective. People know what they like and what they don't like, so it just depends on how they view it."
Also, in this episode, Blake shared what lighting design concepts he's seen that work and are especially impactful, as well as what kind of lighting fixtures create specific moods or effects.
In the past, event technology specialists at AV companies had to manually scan each item of gear making its way out the warehouse. Some still manually scan to this day; it's an antiquated system that takes days, or even weeks, and is prone to human error. But as Alford Media can attest to, that has changed with RFID asset tracking technology.
On this episode of Backstage Pass, Alford Media’s Melanie Reed, vice president of business operations, and Billy King, director of operations, share how Alford is leading the charge in asset tracking for AV gear, and how RFID revolutionized logistics at the company.
Reed and King each have twenty years of experience at Alford Media and know the disadvantages of manually scanning barcodes for millions of dollars worth of equipment. When humans make a mistake, like misplacing essential gear, it can cause headaches at the show site and stop expensive productions in their tracks.
To optimize its processes, the company started looking into RFID tracking solutions in 2005, King explained, but the technology just wasn’t ready. As advancements were made, the company went back and started developing a custom solution that would allow scanners to instantly read and log tagged items as they were loaded on the truck.
As Reed recalled, perfecting the technology wasn’t easy and took countless meetings, experiments, and trial-and-error. But now their RFID system provides real-time tracking of gear – no manual barcode scanning required. It dramatically speeds logistics and removes human error so that crews can help put on the best event possible.
Reed said all the hard work developing the software was worth it and Alford’s culture of integrity and openness is the reason the company is happy to share what they’ve learned with other organizations looking to set up an RFID tracking infrastructure of their own.
On today’s episode of Backstage Pass, MarketScale is joined by with Dan Thompson, Senior Account Manager, who gives us a look at Alford Media through his eyes, as someone who’s been with the company for more 23 years.
Alford Media was founded in 1984, and much has changed since then in terms of technology. When Thompson started in 1996, the products were in the throes of analog, and the peak input for video was component. Digital video was a brand-new concept that people were very excited about, and the world was listening to laser discs and CDs. Video Projection was handled by 3-gun CRT projectors that topped out at 3000 lumens.
Almost 40 years later, the company has added another ‘0’ onto that lumens count, has gone to digitally based projection, and digital smart audio that has every component seamlessly networked. While much has changed on the back end, the one thing that has not is how Alford treats its employees, a feeling that Thompson said is “one of the best.”
“Crew First” is the Alford way, which is a term that means a lot of things -- first, to pick crew members that are the best and brightest; second, to let them have autonomy in terms of what they would like to do as long as it benefits the customer; third, to support them wholeheartedly in everything that they do, whether it be to have an on-call manager while they are away on service calls, or to help them out when they need someone to walk their dog.
That level of family atmosphere, combined with the freedom that staff have, really contributes to Alford’s success.
“As long as you’re making a move that will benefit the client, the company will back you up on that," Thompson said.
He also credits the Alford brothers, their leadership, and their ability to choose a superior team with being other unique drivers for success that the company has up its sleeves.
“When you hire the right technical talent and you listen to that technical talent and what those people are seeing in the field, you can stay ahead of the curve," Thompson said.
Backstage Pass is back with another engaging episode featuring Eric Hagström, Senior Project Manager for Alford Media. Today, we chatted with Hagström about the exciting possibilities, unique challenges and best practices for putting together an international event. It is, both literally and figuratively, a new world with different rules, languages, and infrastructure when crafting a show abroad, not to mention the actual locations can be older, which could impact logistics and structure.
“Transitioning from domestic to international is a distinct process. While working in the U.S., we’re all familiar with our surroundings and the rules. You can’t be hardline in how you come into a new environment. You have to respect that country’s process and go with it, not against it,” Hagström said.
It's a mine field to maneuver, but one that Hagström said is always worth the investment. One of the biggest challenges an international show brings is units and values. The U.S. still uses the imperial system while almost the whole rest of the world uses the metric system.
“The best way to go about the unit conundrum is to create CAD 3D models for your setup. When I do an international show, I create one model with the imperial system for my internal team then create a second one using the metric system for the professionals on site,” Hagström said.
Language barriers can also be an issue. Hagström gave a unique perspective, recounting a show he worked in Portugal where there were many different teams there; some from France, others from Switzerland, and then Portuguese staff.
“Language is critical in setting up an event. Not everyone is going to be on the same page. It’s something you have to find solutions to so that everybody is on the same page,” he said.
He also shared that learning from others in international settings is critical.
“They know the location. They understand the fundamentals. My team has always been ready to embrace learning. From logistics to acoustics, even the most seasoned veterans have the ability to learn from others,” Hagström said.
Listen to the full podcast for some of the most engaging international AV show stories, and what professionals and clients can take away from putting together a quality show abroad.
The nature of the end-user experience at live events is changing and it is up to companies to get creative about how they digitize live events to get maximum impact.
On today’s Backstage Pass with Alford Media, Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B chats with Dan Thompson, Senior Account Manager for Alford Media about its growth into a company that embraces outward trends in a holistic fashion.
The rise of analytics available in the computing and data industry has given more user data that companies can use to build presentations, and the evolution of technology has made speakers, displays, and audio systems more integrated and more efficient, so the client expectations are changing as well. A lot of people prefer to stream a show or presentation as opposed to attending one at a venue, for example.
The multiple screen approach is also becoming more prevalent due to end users not wanting to part with their phones and being starved for as much data as possible. Thompson gives the example of watching a movie on Netflix at home, viewers are no longer just watching the movie; they are looking up synopses, characters, who plays which character, and related information at the same time. And the industry is beginning to realize that we aren’t dealing with passive viewers anymore.
Running a live AV event seamlessly is the bare minimum in today’s event technology world, and nothing is making that a more confusing mix of simple and complicated than digital audio networks.
It may be easy to think that these types of live event configurations are second nature to professionals who live and breath "audio is life," but challenges arise daily with these networks. There’s still a tremendous amount of skill required to be able to make all the moving parts work. Like any other type of AV installation or technology, there are two different brain functionalities required. The technical side is more important than ever as audio engineers become network engineers, but the artistic side is what pushes the content over the top because, let’s face it, we can’t just push a button and make something magically awesome. It requires some finesse for things to look and sound amazing.
Communicating with your AV team during a live event is crucial for success. Communicating effectively with your clients during the development of an install often makes or break client retention. In essence, communication is key for the AV industry. But does the platform for that communication always get the love and attention it deserves? If not intentional, companies might adjust their entire business process just to match a communications platform; communications should be assistive, not demanding.
The grocery store industry has seen online ordering options gain tremendous momentum in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bruce Shirey, SVP of Business Solutions at Amaryllis, said the pandemic sped up the adoption of online grocery ordering and other home delivery programs at an accelerated rate.
“In a 90-day snapshot beginning with March 2020, monthly online grocery users clocked in at 46.9 million people. Thirty days later, in April 2020, the online user base grew to 62.5 million users, [and there was] an additional 17% growth to 73.5 million users by the end of May,” Shirey said.
A growth plan for Instacart of two to four years materialized within weeks, Shirey added.
Demand quickly became the No. 1 challenge for the grocery store industry as the pandemic caused product spikes throughout the supply chain.
“Stores had to begin limiting certain items to one or two per person shopping, whether it was online or in person,” Shirey said. “Some of those items took weeks to resupply because the manufacturers were equally surprised by the surge.”
From curbside pickup to home delivery and online ordering, grocery stores found new ways to provide solutions for customers during the pandemic, and some of these changes may become permanent.
“The key to long-term success with online grocery ordering would be the integration of loyalty and transactional data,” Shirey said.
With improvements to the consumer experience, online ordering may be the future path for the grocery industry.
Be sure to subscribe to our industry publication for the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Retail Industry.
With no court hearings, few press conferences and hardly any live events, the spring was a tough time for the stenography industry.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many local officials to order lockdowns as they looked to prevent the spread of the virus, but that meant a shock to the system for stenographers.
Anir Dutta, President of Stenograph LLC, had to think on his feet to figure out what his company would do after losing an estimated 30%-40% of sales over night.
“It was a tough time, and some tough decisions needed to be made. I think my guiding principle was primarily based on the fact that I believe this was a short-term issue, not something that would go on for years, so I don’t want to do anything that would make long-term changes,” Dutta said.
While there initially were work reductions, the company avoided layoffs thanks to the entire group being willing to make small sacrifice. Now, with the European market coming back strong and even some U.S. markets beginning to reopen, Dutta’s strategy of buckling down for a few months is set to pay off with things beginning to trend upward once again.
“We are looking to innovate through new products, diverse products and new technologies so that we can enable the legal industry to capture, manage and distribute accurate verbatim record,” he said. “That’s our mission. That’s our vision, and we have to continue to do everything and execute in the new normal to make that commission and vision a reality.”
Manfred Greve’s introduction to the world of aeromodeling began before he was born. His father started working in aeromodeling in the 1950s and passed his passion onto his son as a child.
After school, Greve would work on improving upon his model airplanes, a process which helped him learn and grow immensely.
“Do something with your hands and your mind, then bring it together and improve it,” Greve said.
His adolescent experiences launched a career. Greve has been an aeromodel pilot for over 50 years and is now a technical trainee at Lufthansa, electrotechnical engineer and aeromodeller.
Greve learned how to optimize aeromodels over decades of experimentation. The Schuebeler Technologies electric ducted fan (EDF) system is one improvement he’s found to be invaluable. He feels only the Schuebeler Technologies EDF system meets the standards worthy of high-end planes.
Greve believes that electric systems are a better option than gas, especially during competitions.
“If you are flying with a gas engine or with an electric engine, it is so different,” he said.
According to Greve, feeling a continuity between how you move the control stick and how the plane reacts is very important, and he finds that continuity with EDF systems.
The control electric systems gives pilots also comes into play regarding noise and environmental regulations. Electric systems allow for a cleaner flying experience and can help regulate sound levels.
“With electric, there is no problem with it, so that’s why I went for electric. My heart is beating for electric,” Greve said.
A primary reason he gravitated toward Schuebeler Technologies is because its EDF system runs very smoothly.
“On the market in those days, it was not even possible to get something that (runs) so smooth like the Schuebeler,” Greve said.
Although the pandemic is still raging, Scott Hammond, President and CEO of Bell Geospace, knows there are essential mapping and surveying projects that need completion.
Now might be the perfect time to employ a cost-saving method like airborne FTG to get these projects back on track.
“We fashion our airborne FTG as a low-cost alternative to 3D seismic surveys,” Hammond said. “The FTG surveys are much more reasonably priced than seismic. They bring a different result to the table, so I’m not saying they replace seismic, but in many cases, we work together with seismic. You can take FTG and put it together with 2D seismic and come up with a perfect answer that gets very close to the value of 3D.”
And, with results approaching 3D but at a fraction of the cost and crew needed to run a 3D seismic operation, Hammond believes customers looking for results and savings during the pandemic should seriously consider FTG.
Speed is another consideration for utilizing FTG in survey and mapping work.
“Not only is FTG cheaper, but it’s also something that people can get in their hands much more quickly,” Hammond said. “There's been a lot of months ripped off the calendar due to the pandemic. People need FTG, because they have deadlines and commitments for their properties that needed evaluation, and those deadlines didn’t go away, even though they lost three months in the process. We cannot only provide the information they need at a great price, but we can do it pretty quickly.”
Whether an enormous uptick in demand or a broken link, supply chains have been drastically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zac Boehm, Director of Innovative Systems at AHS, says many of the fulfillment optimization company’s customers have seen big spikes that are requiring robots and automation to help the supply chain operate more efficiently.
“Everybody is going online, because stores aren’t open,” he said. “A lot of the things our direct-to-consumer customers have to deal with now are even six to 10 times peak.
“So, essentially, what they have to do with the same facility and a similar amount of people is, let’s say, get 10,000 units out today. Then, tomorrow during the peak time or next week during peak time or during a Christmas, Black Friday, Cyber Monday time frame, get six times that or 10 times that. They have to have a very flexible system.”
Of course, the business may regress to the mean when retail locations begin to open up again or when a product isn’t in as much demand. Yet, that doesn’t mean bulking up on robots who are sitting around gathering dust during off hours.
“A lot of our customers in (e-commerce) during their peak time frame are going to need 20 robots to complete a different task,” Boehm said. “Well, during their average time frame, they only need 10. So, are there other processes that are non-value-added that those robots could do and be tasked to do during those non-peak times?”
Often, the answer to that question is yes if the robots have the flexible technology that AHS can provide. Perhaps a robot who has been picking up items during peak hours can be utilized for trash haul-away or another task around the warehouse.
For years, it has been difficult for RC aeromodelers to find a silent, clean solution, especially for noisy jet models, but there is potentially a solution that can work for those seeking an alternative to turbine-powered planes.
Electric Ducted Fan (EDF) planes run with multi-bladed propellers, taking in air and spinning at high speeds, resulting in a quieter and more efficient model.
Schuebeler Technologies helps customers in all aspects, making sure an EDF conversion goes right in all ways.
“We look into every detail: the aerodynamic features of the fan itself, rotor blades, stator blades, the inlet design, the outlet design,” said Daniel Schuebeler, Founder of Schuebeler Technologoies. “We give the service to the customer to let them know how the inlet looks and what’s the perfect outlet size, but also practical things like controller recommendations, optimization of controller settings. That is very important, so we give a lot of advice on that, and then of course battery choice and size.
“That’s our approach to come up with a great EDF solution. We look at the whole project of the customer.”
While there are some key differences between an EDF and the more traditional propulsion methods, the end product often is something that pleases even choosy aeromodelers.
“I would say when all components have been installed according to specifications and been carefully selected, the customer can expect a model aircraft with excellent performance (that is) long-lasting with reliable propulsion and with a nice sound. But, what’s important (is that it’s also) much more silent and pleasant than with a gas turbine,” said Christian Wileschek, Sales Expert for RC business with Schuebeler Technologies and an aeromodeler himself for years.
Jamie Luster, Director of Sales and Marketing at Genesys Aerosystems, joins Tyler Kern for a conversation about how Genesys is affecting the aviation industry and how its products are making a difference.
Kyle Holmes, President of Matrix Networks, and Ryan Graven, Vice President of Matrix Networks, knew their company needed to transform itself from a VAR (value-added reseller) to a full solutions provider.
Koby Phillips, VP of Business Development, Cloud at Telarus, spoke with Holmes and Graven about that transformation.
“We started thinking, how do we help our clients to not only migrate their voice solutions to the cloud, but all of their different solutions they’re looking to take to the cloud?,” Holmes said. “And make sure that the roads, the highways that get them there are as fast as possible, that they have the tools to monitor and analyze them and understand what their environment is like.”
The road to this new way of doing business for Matrix Networks wasn’t easy. It required a synchronized approach with many steps, learning and adopting new technology, and a change in process and sales structure to make it happen.
“Making the change and making the shift was challenging and scary,” Holmes said. “But with the right investments and strategy, it can pay huge dividends in the long run.”
“Shifting a brand is not an easy road,” Graven said. Changing the conversation from VAR to full a solutions provider with clients proved as challenging as it was to make the changes internally. “It took a lot of work, a lot of energy and sweat to get there.”
On this episode of the MarketScale Technology podcast, host and Voice of B2B Daniel Litwin sat down with Panasonic National Sales Manager Steve Milley and Group Manager, Product Marketing Rudy Vitti to outline the company’s exciting new portfolio of projector, display and video equipment solutions aimed at driving immersive experiences.
Debuted at InfoComm Connected, these products reflect broader trends in the ProAV industry that the trio dove into, dissecting where the industry has been and where it could be headed.
In particular, ProAV solutions have trended toward being end-to-end and all-inclusive, with customers looking for ways to simplify their unique solutions, work with fewer disparate providers and integrators, and get elevated performance.
“We’re able to provide what we call a complete, what we call ‘glass-to-glass’ solution,” Vitti said. “We’ve got products to help capture, process and then display content, whether it’s in the same venue or remotely. Panasonic is one of the few companies that has the ability to do that.”
In terms of display technology, Vitti said the main push is toward flexibility, remote potential and connectivity options, as well as SDM, or smart display modules, which allows modules to be plugged in to displays to enhance their capabilities.
On the headend, Panasonic has introduced a game-changer in the form of an IP/IT platform called Kairos, which Milley said is aimed at being a software and processing-based, resolution and format-independent platform to help take in and manage even complex content more effectively.
Sean Ferrel, Chairman & Founder, Managed Solution, and Dominique Singer, Vice President, Business Development for Cybersecurity, Telarus recognize the daily risks businesses face from cyber threats, and they know the importance of unified threat management.
The risks have increased with more and more businesses’ employees working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now is a critical time for companies to evaluate their cybersecurity and ensure they have the best unified threat management strategy in place.
“The mindset for building a good cybersecurity strategy should be business-first, focusing on business outcomes,” Singer said. “Throwing up the white flag to cybercriminals doesn’t have to be the case if you do security smartly.”
In Ferrel’s world, he refers to various layers of tools used to protect customers. There are tools to protect the company from external threats trying to hack in. There are tools needed to protect internal processes, such as emails and conferencing tools employees use. Then, businesses need a unified threat management system to pull together all of these threat identification and prevention tools. The third layer is the SOC operation to mitigate the threats these tools identify.
A company can deploy all of the right tools and technology to prevent cyberattacks, but do they have the right people with the right skills to manage that technology?
Time and time again, both Ferrel and Singer experience situations where companies that don’t have the right people in charge of cybersecurity fall victim to cyberattacks, even when they had everything else in place to prevent them.
And processes are another ingredient Singer and Ferrel believe is critical for the successful deployment of these security measures. Singer said companies often consider adding more security tools to deploy when they should be looking at refining processes or leveraging a service provider who can more effectively manage those tools.
Shay Giuili, CEO, and founder of Primeview Global, brought his 20-plus years of experience in the display technology industry to the podcast. Giuili shared his thoughts on how the digital signage industry has been coping and transforming during the pandemic.
"Today, people expect to see the wow factor in anything, even in a zoom conversation," Giuili said.
There's been a lot of dramatic change in the past five years, with display technology getting larger and more affordable. Giuili reminded listeners that it is critical not to get so caught up in future technologies that one loses sight of current business needs in digital displays and signage.
"It's about asking the customer what issues need to be solved. Everyone's concerned with reliability, stability, redundancy, and service support in the long run. When we present a product, we can support that product for five to 10 years."
With the current pandemic, the industry is facing challenges, but new opportunities are emerging as people discover different ways to utilize technology. Large, outdoor LEDs and LCDs can attract shoppers and diners who don't feel comfortable going indoors to watch a movie or sporting event during the day or evening.
With more and more business employees working from home, conference rooms may require more prominent display technology to accommodate more online meeting participants.
Primeview's R&D department is always working to stay ahead of current and emerging trends, so they're ready to meet the needs developing as a result of this extraordinary time.
Giuili said some customers want to try out new technology as soon as it is available, and they are always willing to accommodate those requests.
What does employee engagement look like moving forward in the age of rapid technological advancements and the COVID-19 pandemic?
Will remote work become not only an accepted norm but a business preference?
Vishal Bora, Executive VP & Site Head, Personiv Gurugram, India, shared his wealth of knowledge and experience on the subject with host Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B.
“Employee engagement is a vast subject, and it entirely depends on how the recipient comprehends it,” Bora said.
During Bora’s 20-year career, he’s embraced the concept of employee engagement from both the employee and employer perspective.
“Employee engagement is a beautiful way of looking at things when everyone acts as an owner rather than an employee/employer relationship.”
Bora understands the importance of employee engagement, because it fosters an environment where employees invest in the success of their company and are not merely showing up to work to pick up a paycheck.
“When employees care and are engaged, they are proven to be productive, efficient, and to put forth 100% for the betterment of the business,” Bora said. “It improves the bottom line for an organization, and it builds trust with customers and clients.”
And even as companies deal with the majority of their workforce shifting to, at least for now, a temporary remote work environment, this should not change the strategy away from employee engagement. There is still the need to acknowledge hard work and to stay engaged with employees through online meetings and various other remote communication tools.
Albert Einstein once said, "We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them." That's true, but can we find solutions by reverse-engineering the problem with a problem solver's mindset? Our guests today on OrthoGuide, Richard Boddington and Edouard Saget, founders and CEO of OrthoGrid, answer that question and explore healthcare problem solving with host Sean Heath.
Utah-based OrthoGrid started as a solution to help orthopedic surgeons position better for implants, leg lengths, and hip offset and grew into a portfolio of patented and patent-pending technologies related to intraoperative assessment using radiopaque grid patterns.
"We saw an opportunity for providing solutions that could be solved real-time, along with automation of implant placements or fracture reduction," Boddington said. "But it's also supporting on the spot difficult decisions or situational awareness with the predictive capability to identify certain problems ahead of time. These are the niche problems we hope to solve."
But solving technological problems in healthcare often requires a hybrid type of expert that's hard to come by.
"It takes a lot of time to find the people that have the passion, interest, and knowledge," Boddington said. "One of the challenges in finding a person who has expertise in multiple areas. It's hard to find a computer science expert that's also got the in-depth knowledge of an orthopedic surgeon."
While technology and AI have made the solutions possible, technology in of itself is not a solution, Saget said.
"We're looking for problems with a new perspective and we find new problems all the time," he said. "The fun part is we think there are solutions for them."
There are some things in life that are fine to eyeball, like hot fudge sauce on a sundae, and some things that should not be eyeballed, like orthopedic surgery.
So, how might a surgeon practice new techniques, hone their craft or improve themselves? Few patients are lining up to be a surgeon’s next practice dummy, but, fortunately, new technology may help remedy that predicament. Entrepreneurs Edouard Saget of OrthoGrid and Justin Barad of Osso VR join the OrthoGuide podcast to discuss innovative virtual reality technology that may transform the future of orthopedics.
Consistency is key in orthopedic surgery, and that’s just what OrthoGrid aims to tackle. A virtual experience is valuable for integrating new medical techniques. The environment allows for the freedom to ask questions and make mistakes, and OrthoGrid’s intuitive technology makes it easy for physicians to learn on their own time in a self-service, low-pressure environment.
The virtual reality component complements the kinesthetic nature of orthopedics, furthering the efficacy and realism of the training.
OrthoGrid and Osso couple harmoniously in this tech partnership. The two companies are passionate about improving patient outcomes, but also about allowing doctors to objectively assess themselves and better their practice.
Aviation just got an upgrade with the Evolution E5 flight display system. Andy Smith, inside sales manager for Aspen Avionics, was on hand to give host Tyler Kern all the details about this affordable and configurable unit, which consolidates traditional attitude indicators and directional gyros into a single display.
“With the E5, you can take out your existing attitude and DG,” Smith said.
The E5 also includes vertical speed plus HIS into a single display with a backup battery. Some of the optional software upgrades include True Airspeed, Outside Air Temperature, Winds and GPS annunciations.
Kern asked Smith if the E5 allowed for the removal of the existing vacuum system, and Smith said yes, “as long as the vacuum system is not tied to an attitude generator that drives the autopilot, or if the attitude needs to be retained for flight director information.”
“As far as navigation goes,” Smith said, “the E5 will drive most autopilots on the market.” It will require an additional analog converter box to do so.
“The benefit of interfacing the E5 to any these legacy autopilot systems,” Smith said, “is the E5 does provide GPS roll steering information. That’s nice to have.”
There’s a traditional connotation with vertical takeoff and landing, or VTOL, technology – futuristic, skewed toward defense applications, and inaccessible for widespread use.
However, that perception is shifting.
VTOL technology has a tremendous variety of applications in defense, intelligence, reconnaissance, mapping, and more, to be sure, but it could also play a role in the urban transit of the future.
To break down where VTOL has been and where it’s headed, Voice of B2B Daniel Litwin welcomed Daniel Schuebeler, founder and CEO of Schuebeler Technologies, to this episode of the MarketScale Software & Technology podcast.
“VTOL is a very famous word in these days with all the start-ups in transportation and the air taxi market, but it has been around since people have been thinking about flying platforms and aviation, itself,” Schuebeler said.
One of the main considerations in designing VTOL-capable aircraft is performance, Schuebeler said – specifically, maintaining the highest level of performance possible while still adding the flexibility VTOL allows.
One of the other most important aspects of VTOL moving forward is scalability – without the ability to effectively scale, the tech’s potential in urban transit and more will be significantly hamstrung.
“It’s this idea of transporting goods or people over a short range and, at the same time, being able to take off and land vertically,” Schuebeler said. “Many start-ups and new companies are coming out to work on this idea. There are new technologies that make it possible. … Of course, the new autopilots that are available (and) lightweight design.”
The other new technology, Schuebeler said, is electric propulsion, which is available in greater quantities and quality than ever before. Combined with the other innovations, VTOL transit may just be possible.
Companies have been struggling to find quality accounting talent for years now. The reason why is multi-layered, including a competitive job market, but one of the major reasons we're focusing on in today's episode of the podcast is hiring strategy.
What Personiv, an outsourcing firm and frequent guest company on the podcast, has tried to bring to the market is a solution that takes advantage of the wide network of outsourcing talent across the globe while retaining quality, communication and buy-in.
How effective is their strategy, and is it helping bridge the gap between companies and their accounting needs?
Our guest, Matt Wood, Vice President of Client Services at Personiv, joined the podcast to give his breakdown of different hiring strategies, which work best and when, and why communication tools are making outsourcing more realistic for companies of any size.
Wood and host Daniel Litwin discuss...
- How impactful and realistic the CPA shortage really is and the core reasons it's happening
- The pros and cons of in-house hiring, staffing agencies, and outsourcing
- How companies are reacting to outsourcing in today's economy
- How remote tools have improved in recent years to foster more productivity, accountability, engagement and team building
The world is on the precipice of a new wave of wireless connectivity, awaiting the oncoming faster generation of instant connection that will make self-driving cars, remote surgery and VR a mainstream reality.
But this leap in speed won’t be widespread to start, and it won’t happen overnight. So what is the architecture of connectivity today? And how is its construction primed to adapt and evolve?
Ladd Wimmer, Sales Engineer at Telarus, joins MarketScale to explain how we got to our current makeup of connectivity and how it can move us into the future.
“5G doesn’t mean all the same thing,” said Wimmer, citing T-Mobile's 600 megahertz spectrum, a wave slightly better than what you’d get with 4G.
Connectivity truly is a spectrum, on which an array of connection modalities fall and work in synergy. On that spectrum, everyone falls somewhere different. Underserved communities, for instance, are still in need of a reliable connection, potentially in the form of small cell towers, while metropolitan places are already moving toward an indoor spectrum, creating a unique private network.
Citizens Broadband Radio, or CBRS, for example, fits into the spectrum of 5G. It has the capability to create its own private network where latency is not affected like on a WiFi network.
As connectivity options quickly change, adapt, and evolve, Wimmer said the most important question to be asking right now is, “What makes sense for my business?”
Kameron Olsen, VP of Business Development for UCaaS at Telarus, dropped by the software and technology podcast to discuss the current role of UCaaS (unified communications as a service) in business today and which industries can most benefit from it. Olsen is known as the UCaaS guru due to his many years of experience with this offering.
Although offerings evolved and changed over time, Olsen said there is now a defined separation of UCaaS into five main components: video conferencing, telephony, collaboration tools, integrating everything into a single pane of glass, and a robust contact center functionality. Artificial intelligence is also becoming an additional layer on top of all this.
If businesses were slow in the past to realize the myriad benefits of UCaaS as a total solution, the recent pandemic, and the necessity to operate differently, bring the reality home.
“With recent economic trends and the way things are going, people are coming to us and asking for UCaaS,” Olsen said.
The trend of moving to UCaas is cost savings. Olsen noted many companies look at the monthly cost of UCaaS and see it as a bit more expensive than their monthly phone bill.
But, once they consider all of the other cost benefits a total solution provides, these companies realize UCaaS delivers more services at a lower total cost.
Adam Livesay, Co-Founder of Elevat-IoT, remembers back a decade or more to hearing lots of people speculating about how the Internet of Things would change business and seeing competitors allocate resources to marketing rather than infrastructure or development.
Now, in the midst of what he calls the era of IoT 2.0, the companies that spent time on products are seeing big results and serving their customers in a superior way.
For several years, Livesay was explaining to customers how the company’s IoT systems would actually work and the technology that powered them. Now, the customers have faith that companies like Elevat will be able to pull off the futuristic-sounding projects they’re laying out – they simply want to get results.
“The customers don’t even want to talk IoT. What they’re looking to do is, ‘Hey, I need to know the productivity of my fleet of machines,’ or ‘I want to get better at the maintenance of my machines,’ or ‘I have an initiative to sell more parts and services,’” Livesay said. “We talk to them about what their business objectives are, and then the general consensus is the technology companies have figured out how to do this.
“We’re not worried about the technology any more. We were 10 years ago. We’re not any more. We know it’s going to get powered by however you guys are going to do it, but the end result is we want to produce this economic impact for our company.”
Elevat is doing that by improving uptime and increasing productivity, helping companies track devices, make sure vehicles are arriving on schedule and staying well-maintained, and even making sure mixtures are being assembled properly in places like the cement industry.
So what will IoT 3.0 bring?
“The next wave is going to be threaded in to how their entire business operations run. It’s going to be this next major wave. It will just be part of the DNA,” Livesay said. “I don’t even know if it will be called IoT. I think we’ll be fully into a digital transformation at that point, and we’ll just be a feature in that larger ecosystem.”
LeddarTech President and COO Frantz Saintellemy joined host Daniel Litwin on this episode of MarketScale's Transportation podcast to explore the applications and trends surround LiDAR sensor technology and everything it touches, and how the industry is handling a transition from ADAS to autonomous technology.
Saintellemy has a lengthy career in the space, previously working for Integrated Device Technology as the company’s VP, Automotive and Industrial and as ZMDI AG’s Executive VP, Global Sales.
On this episode, Litwin and Saintellemy dove into the innovations in sensor technology, the transition from Automated Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to automation, the challenges facing global implementation of autonomy, and more.
“The most powerful innovation has been in the components side of the technologies,” Saintellemy said. “One of the challenges the industry has always faced was the availability of high-performance components at low cost that could be adopted by passenger cars. Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen tremendous acceleration and advancements.”
In the quest for the global scaling autonomous vehicles, Saintellemy said, standardization will play a major role.
“For the industry to accelerate, you’re going to see more standardization,” he said. “There will be standard platforms where everyone can operate on the same platform with the same reference, the same definition, the same specs, the same common look and feel … Today, it’s too fragmented. Everyone’s trying to do something different.”
Realizing the benefits of choosing a multi-cloud environment over single-cloud can be an advantage for many companies.
Ray McCay, VP of Solutions Sales, Vion, and Cameron Chehreh, CTO Dell Technologies, discussed the reasons one might choose multi-cloud over single-cloud and the best practices for deploying a successful multi-cloud environment.
McCay and Chehreh both agree that, in today’s business world, there are endless possibilities for cloud usage, and various needs may require the flexibility a multi-cloud environment offers.
“A typical enterprise organization is going to have thousands of applications that they need to provide their service to the community, and each one of those applications has its own set of requirements,” McCay said. “Determine what is the best outcome deployment model for the given application and match that against the cloud scenario that delivers the optimum performance and cost.”
With options ranging from public and private cloud scenarios, companies need to do their homework upfront and determine the needs, applications and requirements for the multi-cloud operating environment.
“All these factors go into picking the optimum cloud design,” McCay said. “When you take in all of these considerations upfront, that is when you get the best outcome.”
We spend all day looking at screens, but rarely are we staring at anything as beautiful as what Patrick Dunn installs.
Dunn is the Executive Vice President of Operations for Unilumin-USA and has been responsible for stunning displays in places like Las Vegas casinos, top corporate board rooms and art galleries.
The use of LED displays as art is one of the growing areas of the technology. But LED as art is hardly the only place where innovation is happening. There also is a drive to get smaller and get higher resolution at a closer viewing distance and make screens efficient and reasonably priced.
Sometimes, Dunn said, first-time LED installers can lock in on something they’ve seen elsewhere that may not work for what they’re trying to do. That’s where he and the Unilumin team will provide the needed guidance to a potential client and work toward an optimal solution that fits their needs.
“They’ll hyperfocus on one aspect of the tech,” Dunn said. “They might say, ‘I want a 1.5 millimeter pitch for this project,’ and I’m like, “OK, well, what are you going to put on the screen, how close are people going to be sitting, what type of content is it? Is it static, is it video, is it motion, is it stills, is it three-dimensional?
“We try and really start at the beginning and not even talk about product. We talk about the user experience. What we’ve found is when you take the time and work with the customer and try and educate the customer on what the product is at its core and what it’s capable of, it’s a lot easier for them to navigate the space.”
There are more and more spaces to navigate, with the legalization of sports betting in New Jersey kicking off a boom for casinos in Atlantic City, all of whom want a crisp, clean display that gives gamblers the information they need quickly.
Screens aren’t going away, but as LED technology continues to evolve, the way we look at them certainly won’t stay the same.
The 2018 SAN SOC Survey recap webinar, conducted in October of 2018, was hosted by Edy Almer, VP Product at Cyberbit. The webinar covered the key survey findings and certain challenges that could be overcome through the use of an automated SOC.
Almer first walked through the key survey findings. The lack of skilled staff was identified as the number one shortcoming.
“Over 60% of people surveyed think that less than half of the applicants are qualified for the position for which they are applying," Almer said.
Almer reviewed the top metrics tracked by SOCs and discussed ways to train cybersecurity experts. One of the challenges is most cybersecurity experts have never experienced a real attack.
“Having an effective simulation of a cyberattack,” Almer said, “is something that would allow those cyber security experts to train the same way fighter pilots train.”
After a review of on the possibilities of automating incident response IR, Almer discussed the third takeaway from the survey—Fusing IT and OT in the SOC. Almer wrapped up the webinar with a Q&A session.
Tony Rowan, Cyberbit Cybersecurity Architect, provided a deep-dive into the Grizzly Steppe campaign which targeted critical infrastructure networks in North America. Rowan introduced the discussion with an overview of Cyberbit, before he launched into some examples of several attacks on OT (Operational Technology) networks over the last few years.
Rowan provided a kill chain analysis of the attack, saying: "It is pretty much to be expected now to be an arm of any future warfare to include attacks on infrastructure through cyber techniques."
Why are OT networks at risk? Rowan walked through several potential reasons. One of the main ones being the convergence of IT and OT networks which increases connectivity to the outside world. Other factors increasing OT risk are lack of OT monitoring and inherent design flaws.
Rowan offered steps to prevent similar attacks, focusing on a segmented network architecture, obtaining more visibility into assets and network communications, creating a robust OT security policy, and establishing a means to detect both known and unknown threats.
In April of 2019, Edy Almer, VP Product at Cyberbit, conducted a webinar for aligning cybersecurity training and education with the NICE framework. Susan Green, Regional Director and Higher Education Specialist for Cyberbit, joined the webinar to discuss the objectives of the NICE framework, and the key NICE framework concepts.
Green provided an overview of the NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) framework and discussed how to leverage the NICE framework in a training program, then moved into bridging practical skills gaps by offering hands-on training using a cyber range.
"This is a highly immersive, real world, scalable platform that’s unlike anything else that’s out there,” said Green.
Almer discussed the 4 building blocks of hyper-realistic simulation for training. Almer presented the Cyberbit Range Platform and laid out examples of the type of threats a skilled cyber analyst needs to prepare for.
The webinar concluded with Almer and Green taking questions from the webinar participants.
In this webinar from February 2019, Sharon Rosenman, Cyberbit’s VP of Marketing was joined by Alon Nachmany, Cyberbit ICS Security Expert, and Cecil Pineda, former CISO of DFW Airport and CISO/Managing Director of Cyber Watch Systems. This webinar took participants through an overview of OT visibility and challenges, presented a CISO Case Study on managing a converged IT/OT network, provided approaches to securing IT/OT environments, presented a case study on smart building security project, and wrapped up with a Q&A session.
Nachmany discussed visibility and the OT security challenge. He mentioned several examples of major attacks on ICS / OT systems from 2013-2018.
Pineda discussed his prior experience working in cyber security at DFW airport and laid out the numerous systems at risk.
“Think of the airport cyber security, not just the cybersecurity side, the IT and the OT side; it’s almost like an orchestra, everything has to be in synch with each other," Pineda said. Pineda continued his presentation by presenting the technical challenges of multiple IT, OT and IoT Systems in a typical airport, and how he and his team addressed those challenges.
Next, Rosenman and Nachmany covered Securing the Converged IT/OT Environment. Nachmany walked through several key steps, which included: Enhancing IT Security, revisiting network architecture, obtaining full OT visibility, creating a baseline for OT anomaly, and consolidating OT and IT incident management with SOA.
The webinar concluded with a Q&A session with all three speakers.
Shree Parthasarathy, CIO & National Leader of Cyber Risk Services for Deloitte India, and Sharon Rosenman, VP Marketing for Cyberbit presented a webinar on the future of Cybersecurity training on March 11, 2019.
Parthasarathy set the tone for the webinar with the statistic: there will be 3.5 million global unfulfilled cybersecurity jobs by 2021. In India, the demand for cybersecurity professionals tripled in the past 12 months, with 15,000-30,000 open cybersecurity jobs.
One of the key issues in hiring is applicants lack hands on experience. Parthasarathy then discussed the current context of cyber training & awareness in Enterprises. Parthasarathy said, “Skilling, not trainings, is essential to overcome the skills gap.”
Parthasarathy detailed the Deloitte Cyber Academy’s simulation-based skilling approach, and Rosenman discussed the Cyber Range Platform. These discussions included cyber range examples. “And what we believe is important,” said Parthasarathy, “whether we operate in government, military, academia, industry, is to really focus on the skilling. It’s going to be extremely important for all of these particular stakeholders to continue to basically move up in their skilling maturity as we take this forward.”
Also covered in the webinar was the benefits of Cyber Range Training & Education. Before Parthasarathy and Rosenman opened the discussion up for a Q&A session to end the webinar.
Susan Green, Regional Director and Higher Education Specialist, Cyberbit and Frank Martinez, Security Analyst & Cyber Range Trainer, Miami Dade College, joined Sharon Rosenman, VP Marketing, Cyberbit, to discuss the evolving needs of cybersecurity, the deficit of qualified professionals in this particular job market, and building the academic cyber degree of the future.
According to Cybersecurity Ventures, Cybersecurity is a growing job field with an estimated 3.5 million global unfilled security jobs by 2021.
Martinez mentioned there were presently 13,000 open cybersecurity positions in Florida. The issue at hand: Current Cybersecurity Education and Training is not addressing the demands of real-world cybersecurity needs. Green began her presentation by introducing the building blocks of an effective cybersecurity education program. She provided an example of what a Cybersecurity Master’s Program encompassed.
After Green’s presentation, Martinez provided an overview of the evolution of Miami Dade College, and why they opened the most advanced Cybersecurity Range in Florida: The Cybersecurity Center of the Americas. The program’s goals are to produce graduates with the skillset to perform more effectively and become cybersecurity leaders and produce graduates with immediate value to employers. Martinez broke down the 4-year degree program curriculum with Cyber Range as the centerpiece.
The webinar concluded with a brief Q&A session with questions directed at Martinez.
Thank you for checking out this Parabellum, Cyberbit webinar podcast. For more podcasts like this one, go to https://www.cyberbit.com/resources/.
Edy Almer, VP of Products, Cyberbit, and Yoav Sagi, Infrastructure Manager and CISO, OPC Energy conducted a CISO case study webinar on cybersecurity for power plants.
Sagi conducted a major portion of the webinar presentation. He outlined the main concern for power plants, which is the ability to maintain continual electricity production. Sagi also described the attack technologies, and campaign types cyber attackers deploy against power plants. The approach to OT security is threat modeling and visibility.
The webinar covered the stages and elements of the cyber kill chain and how people, process and technology work within those stages. Sagi discussed how the OPC IC Security Infrastructure is integrated with Cyberbit for power plant cybersecurity.
Almer detailed SCADAshield, and how it allows power plants to detect and respond to malicious attacks in their network. He also discussed SCADAshield mobile for portable ICS monitoring, and the difference between the two solutions.
The webinar concluded with a Q&A session.
Samir Karnik, Regional Director for India West, Cyberbit, conducted a webinar on the Next-Gen SOC, led by co-presenter’s Shiv Kumar Pandey, CISO, Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), and Oren Aspir, CTO, Cyberbit.
Pandey began his presentation with an overview of the BSE, its key SOC challenges, and its SOC technology landscape. Pandey then reviewed the key elements containing in the Next-Gen SOC.
Aspir covered common SOC challenges in financial institutions. Most security experts have no real on-the-job experience with cyberattacks, less than 30% of organizations perform IR exercises as a routine, and less than 30% of analysts believe that they can fully utilize their security technologies. A lack of orchestration and automation is another challenge Aspir identified.
Can too many tools be a problem? Aspir mentioned that many cyber analysts are experiencing vendor fatigue with too many cybersecurity tools at their disposal, but with a large percentage of these tools going unused. Another issue: financial security managers are sifting through thousands of security alerts daily.
Aspir next walked through solutions to these problems, from how to approach training for SOC teams, to employing the Cyberbit Range Platform. Aspir then discussed why SOAR is becoming a key priority for the next-gen SOC.
Aspir capped his portion of the webinar with how next-gen SOCs should approach endpoint detection and reviewing the benefits of Cyberbit EDR for financial institutions.
Without a doubt, the retail landscape has changed dramatically in the last few months as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic. So what does the future of retail look like? How will shoppers shop? How will businesses advertise?
MarketScale’s Technology podcast poses these questions and more to guest John Andres, CEO of Photofy.
“Traditional media has staying power,” Andres said of marketing platforms for retail.
And yet, advertising will undoubtedly have a dramatically new look post-pandemic, he countered. Shopper behaviors are changing, and walking through a physical store may not be the norm. As a result, Andres predicts advertising will move away from the “selling proposition” and shift toward the “experience proposition.”
What does experience marketing look like? It could be Lifetime’s personal fitness trainers posting their workouts and schedules on their personal Instagram or Tik-Tok. It could be your local grocery store florist showing the latest shipments and designs on their Facebook story.
“Everyone is a content creator,” Andres said.
So why not fortify these micro-creators with the tools to create meaningful content that customers enjoy seeing? Photofy, a content-creation app, plays a part in providing a tool for employees to create and share content across multiple social platforms. The tool provides an engine for creation and employee empowerment while providing a framework that protects the brand.
By leveraging an employee’s comfort with social platforms, shoppers can expect to be communicated to in a manner they’re comfortable with. Word-of-mouth is getting a brand new digital look.
On this episode of MarketScale’s Software and Technology podcast, host Tyler Kern was joined by Arbin Instruments International Sales Manager Richard Rogers.
Rogers and Arbin have provided testing equipment for energy storage applications large and small for over 25 years and, with a decade of experience, Rogers is uniquely qualified to highlight the ever-shifting nature of that industry and its demands. In particular, cutting-edge innovations like electric vehicles and more have driven a need for adaptation in the testing industry that helps solutions keep paces with new challenges.
Arbin’s battery test equipment is at the forefront of the industry, creating high-precision testing methods that help researchers around the world develop new battery materials designed to stand up to the durability and longevity demands of new industries like electric vehicles and grid storage.
“Instead of a battery needing to last for (1,000-2,000) cycles and last for one or two years, like in your phone, an electric vehicle battery needs to last 10 years or more, and it might need to last tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of cycles,” Rogers said. “(It’s the same for) grid storage applications.”
To help push the envelope on testing processes that shorten development time and encourage high precision, temperature management and more, Arbin teamed up with Ford Motors and Sandia National Lab to develop new, state-of-the-art testing equipment prepared for these modern challenges.
It’s a simple concept, Rogers said – not all test equipment is created equal, and Arbin is committed to exemplifying the best of the best.
“Smart” homes have become the new normal, as people love the convenience of controlling their lights, locks and appliances remotely from a phone. But this same technology can also be used for commercial security, offering a safer and more convenient solution to managing a building or office.
Brach Bengzten, Director of Marketing at ProData Key, explained the different ways mobile devices are changing the landscape of physical security.
Bengzten joked that “people have five appendages,” referring to arms, legs and, of course, cell phones. With cell phones rarely out of reach, it's no wonder they make the perfect motherboard for controlling and monitoring security operations. Key fobs and key cards are a thing of the past, as these devices can easily be replicated or lost, Bengzten said.
Cell phones are encrypted, making them ideal for security measures. As technology becomes more precise, security systems are becoming more impenetrable. Bengzten described ProData Key Bluetooth technology that detects location accuracy down to the side of the door you’re standing on.
ProData Key is pioneering mobile access control. With two different software programs and collaborations with other security manufacturers in the works, the company aims to be the thought-leader of mobile controlled security.
Its suite of simplified smart security measures is intuitive to the user and provides the convenience and peace of mind of a comprehensive, accurate security system.
To learn more visit www.prodatakey.com.
On today's episode of the MarketScale Healthcare podcast, Voice of B2B Daniel Litwin explores waste in the American healthcare system.
A recent October 2019 study in JAMA by Dr. William Shrank showed waste makes up almost a quarter, or 25%, of U.S. healthcare spending, which, when quantified, can reach $935 billion by some estimates.
How does this impact the system as a whole? What are some potential solutions? We're spoke to both of those major questions today with Jason Melton, CEO of 2nd.MD, who’s looking to combat waste in our healthcare system through medtech.
Specializing in medical certainty, 2nd.MD connects patients to a network of hundreds of expert physicians ready to give a second opinion on their diagnosis and treatment plan, with the goal being to create an optimum treatment plan from the beginning to significantly improve outcomes and reduce ineffective or unnecessary medical spend.
Melton and Litwin spend the podcast breaking down...
- How 30% of healthcare costs are wasted on unnecessary or incorrect care
- How wasteful spending fits into the broader dynamic of overspending in American healthcare
- The financial and health effects of incorrect care on physicians and patients
- Where a medtech solution fits into the mission to curb wasteful care spending
- How 2nd.MD created and expanded their network of physicians
Seemingly overnight, business has transitioned to working from home as the world unites to slow the spread of COVID-19. And just like that, digital tools like video conferencing, online task management, and secure messaging centers are in high demand like never before.
So, who is rising to the challenge of keeping businesses afloat as they quickly transition to productive remote work? It comes as no surprise that Cisco, a longstanding leader in multinational technology services, is helping businesses worldwide make the shift by using its holistic suite of tools, international support network, and strong financing assistance.
Guest Aruna Ravichandran, CMO of Webex and Collaboration at Cisco, joined the Marketscale Technology Podcast to discuss the future of the modern workplace and how Webex can be a one-stop-shop for remote team collaboration.
Remote work will be the new normal for corporate business, Ravichandran predicts. Companies are already seeing the potential benefits of a remote team, like cost savings in office space rent, carbon footprint savings, and a more productive, engaged workforce.
But remote work doesn’t come without a learning curve. This is where Webex sets itself apart. With a suite of tools and the support network to help out, Webex has successfully handled a double in traffic since February 2020.
Cisco Webex isn’t just about product support. With blogs, videos, and virtual customer service, Webex helps businesses transition their people to remote work by offering proven support for handling different work styles, workspaces, and workflows.
With over $200 million in financing, Cisco aims to keep businesses churning productively, whether it’s the corporate workplace, telemedicine, real estate, e-learning, or even virtual law. Find out how Cisco can help your work at webex.com/covid19.html.
On this episode of the MarketScale Hospitality podcast, Voice of B2B Daniel Litwin was joined by Dmitry Koltunov, Co-Founder and CTO of ALICE, to highlight the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hoteliers and the hospitality industry as a whole.
ALICE is a platform designed to help hoteliers manage staff work and guest communication across every area of their operations.
Because of the platform’s wide-ranging and global customer base, Koltunov said he’s gotten a good look at exactly how the spread of the novel coronavirus has sent shockwaves through the hospitality and service industries.
“We’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of conversations with properties about what’s going on, and the thing that sticks out the most to me is that everyone says, in one way or another, ‘We are in uncharted waters,’” he said. “’We’ve never seen something like this before.’”
Communication, collaboration and remote capabilities have always been an integral part of how companies relate with customers and shareholders – and the COVID-19 pandemic has thrust these business drivers even further into the spotlight.
To help businesses stay at the leading-edge in the application of these core tools and strategies, IBM and Ribbon Communications have partnered to create an innovative unified communications service ready to deliver powerful results.
Ribbon Director of Solutions Marketing, Greg Zweig, joined host Tyler Kern to outline that solution and provide insight about how it will shape the way businesses communicate and develop customer experiences not only during this uncertain period, but well into the “new normal” that is sure to follow.
“Ribbon and IBM have actually been working together for a number of years, and, as a result of this COVID-19 situation, we were lucky enough to come up with a way to be able to offer IBM customers no-charge, cloud-based unified communications licenses for our Smart Office Collaboration suite,” Zweig said.
Smart Office Collaborations is Ribbon’s suite of intuitive, powerful communication tools for delivering voice, video, instant messaging, and more across desktop and mobile devices, allowing users to gain a common experience across virtually any device and reduce the cost and complexity of traditional unified communications deployments.
This innovative unified communications as a service, or UCaaS, approach for IBM customers offers a key avenue for companies to remain engaged and productive during this unprecedented time, Zweig said.
“As many companies are struggling, and their employees are struggling, to figure out how to work more effectively from home, having some free licenses – and these are available through June 30 of this year – really helps bridge the gap between working in the office and working at home," he said.
It’s a simple offering, but also a robust one. With this free license, companies will empower their employees to work from any device and connect quickly and efficiently anytime, anywhere, 100% virtually.
Combined with third-party integration, custom colors for branding, live-call switching, and IBM’s unique ability to serve any company, of any size, anywhere on the planet, it’s a truly unmatched offering.
Innovating in this space is nothing new for Ribbon – the company prides itself on helping customers “modernize their networks for improved competitive positioning and business outcomes in today’s smart, always-on and data-hungry world.”
For more information on the partnership between Ribbon and IBM, visit https://ribbon-communications.stories.fabl.co/IBMWorkatHome.
For more B2B thought leadership and expertise, visit MarketScale's industry publication pages.
The 2019 SAN SOC Survey recap webinar, conducted in July of 2019, was hosted by Oren Aspir, CTO of Cyberbit, and Yarden Altman, Cyberbit incident response expert and former SOC manager. The Webinar covered the key survey findings, changes from 2018 to 2019, how to overcome the skill shortage, and the role of SOAR in SOC optimization.
The objective of the SANS SOC Survey was to provide an overview from over 350 SOC leaders on the role, performance, technologies and processes applied in SOCs, and to offer guidance to build, maintain, and mature effective SOCs.
Key SOC Statistics included: 50% of SOCs have 2 – 10 FTEs, 10% say they have all their smart systems covered by the SOC, 11% of SOCs automate their performance metrics, and 94% of organizations keep IR as an internal function, in most of them (77%) IR is part of the SOC.
“The main two barriers we had last year are the same…Lack of skilled staff and lack of automation and orchestration," Aspir said.
Aspir discussed the issues surrounding effective training of staff, and Altman explained the 6 key elements for a successful SOAR implementation. Altman then introduced SOC 3D and shared some KPI lifts from customers who implemented SOC 3D.
“We have seen a 90% reduction in response time to incidents, which translates to more incidents per shift, or less people per shift," Altman said.
Cecil Pineda, CISO & Managing Director at Cyber Watch Systems [embed: https://cyberwatchsystems.com/], joined host Jason Claybrook, head of Marketing North America, Cyberbit [embed: https://www.cyberbit.com/], and Clayton Coleman, part of Cyberbit's OT cybersecurity team, for a discussion on the role of CISO’s in organizations, and the challenges of running OT systems in complex environments.
Pineda began the conversation by telling Claybrook and Coleman of his time as a CISO for the DWF airport. Pineda discussed, at length, the challenges of testing cybersecurity protocols, scenarios, and patches in an environment where shutting down systems for any length of time is not an option.
Another challenge Pineda pointed to in maintaining healthy OT security is many devices these systems use were not originally designed with security measure in place and are still using weak passwords and default accounts. Coleman added that manufacturers are beginning to realize these systems need to have software security built in and are starting to do include security as part of their basic architecture.
Pineda next walked through several of the critical lessons he learned about managing IT and OT in a critical environmental such as the DFW airport. Educating people and generating awareness in why certain security testing needs to take place, which might impact someone else’s daily routine was a key takeaway for Pineda.
The discussion concluded with Pineda talking about his current role as a consultant, working with CISO’s on techniques to strengthen their OT roles in complex environments. Pineda’s background with the DFW Airport makes him a valued resource for other Airports, and he’s consulted with several.
For more podcasts like this one, go to https://www.cyberbit.com/blog/.
The need for capable, flexible and resilient NVRs is more apparent than ever. In an October 2019 study, Gartner, Inc. found that outdoor surveillance cameras will most likely be the biggest market for 5G IoT solutions through 2023.
On today's episode of the MarketScale Technology podcast, we're rejoined by returning contributor Premio, a global solutions provider specializing in computing technology from the edge to the cloud.
Our guests Phillip Hall, Content Marketing & Communication Manager, and Dustin Seetoo, Director of Product Marketing, gave us insight on surveillance technology at the edge and, more specifically, the growth and use cases for NVRs at the rugged edge.
NVR technology has improved and become more capable over the last several years to meet the demands of the rugged edge, environments that are often remote, detached or satellite locations, both manned and unmanned.
With more computational storage and power, these rugged NVRs bring processing and overall capabilities closer to the surveilled environment, reducing latency right as the need for network surveillance en masse at the rugged edge becomes a top priority for connected cities to come.
Hall and Seetoo pulled from Premio's client experience and industry expertise to break down...
- What defines a rugged edge environment
- Why more demanding environments need surveillance technologies
- What has led to improved computational power and decentralization for NVRs
- How Premio's rugged NVR solutions aim to create standards for the industry
- How the incoming expansion of 5G and smart cities will drive
COVID-19 pandemic affects all aspects of professional and personal life. But what toll does it take on a profession that predominantly relies on live settings, such as stenography? Host Daniel Litwin tapped Anir Dutta, President of Stenograph, LLC, for his perspective on the crisis, and how the industry is dealing with such rapid change.
“The most important part of a stenographer’s job is in the room,” Dutta said. “That’s a critical value they bring to the process of a courtroom setting.” With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, typical stenographer workplace environments are not happening. Many court cases are delayed and not happening in a room environment at present. Most of the work occurring switched to online, and that means the practice of stenography has had to adjust. Dutta pointed out this is a change for the entire legal system, and the challenge is how a stenographer utilizes technology to add the same value-add that occurs when they are in the room doing live depositions.
Because the move to online is such a seismic shift for the industry, Dutta said Stenograph, LLC was committed to helping stenographers with assistance, from products to aid with doing work online, to technical support. “We are getting a lot of calls from our customers trying to understand online stenography products, like CaseViewNet, that allows for this type of remote work setup.” Stenograph, LLC is proactively reaching out to its customer base to arrange training sessions, so they have all the needed support to make it through this challenging period.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
On this episode of MarketScale’s Architecture and Design podcast, host Tyler Kern was joined by Chameleon Power Vice President of Color Solutions Phil Kenyon.
The duo dove into the purposeful use of color across a number of industries and applications, outlining the modern-day tools and strategies that help direct those meaningful choices.
Chameleon Power provides web and mobile visualization and design solutions that have initiated large steps toward those modern color capabilities, including developing the first “upload your own photo” tool for website visualizers.
Though it may seem simple on the surface, choosing colors is a critical and complex process.
“It can be a somewhat combative experience,” he said. “A lot of the companies that we’ve worked with – we’ve gotten involved in assisting them with their color palette decisions. … We also do work with a lot of these companies by providing them with tools and expertise that assist them in understanding the process of developing your color palette.”
The method for assisting these companies in making color choices that align with their company, Kenyon said, includes gathering a team of tuned-in, artistic, talented people and hashing it out to find the perfect solution.
As Kenyon highlighted, it can get pretty granular and abstract, requiring thorough communication and shared understanding.
“They start pushing these colors around, and they’ll have maybe a shade of orange that they’re looking at. It’ll be kind of the right shade, but they’ll say, ‘I really like this shade of orange, but I want it to pop a little bit more,’” he said.
“Somebody in the manufacturing or production side of things kind of has to get inside the head of that person and figure out what a bit more ‘pop’ actually means.”
Kern and Kenyon also tackled the role of trends, best practices, using Chameleon’s tools and appropriately mapping and leveraging color data for better results, and more.
Managing the complexities of a multi-cloud environment that addresses both the technical and business needs for commercial organizations can be a challenge.
Fortunately, there are tools and experts available to provide critical tools in the form of solutions and insights.
Howard Holton, CTO of Hitachi Vantara, joined this episode of the podcast to discuss ways to mitigate the complexities of cloud environments, best practices and what IT and business leaders should learn from the current coronavirus pandemic.
Hitachi Vantara is a proud partner of ViON, the leader in IT solutions and cloud services with 40 years of experience in the industry delivering everything from storage to AI either as-a-service or as a data center solution.
As a CTO who has helped many companies with their cloud needs, Holton provided helpful insights for how we should view these environments.
"I would say cloud is any consumable service that you manage ... that is hosted external to your organization," he said. "I realize that's broad, and I think that's OK. Because, ultimately, what we need to do is think about that as an enterprise asset and how we manage and govern and control and fund that asset."
Holton spoke to the value of utilizing a multi-cloud management platform like the one ViON provides. These platforms provide what he described as a "single pane of glass" for your multi-cloud view, simplifying the approach and building a framework through which you see the information that is relevant to you.
Holton also explained that the COVID-19 pandemic has provided a test case for business continuity plans. He discussed that many companies have found that their internet bandwidth isn't sufficient to handle their remote workforce.
Today's topic sounds like a mouthful -- Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing in 5G networks -- but the conversation boils down to making 5G more accessible and affordable for everyone.
On this episode of the MarketScale Software and Technology podcast, host Shelby Skrhak sat down with Maury Wood, Business Development Manager of North American Key Accounts for EXFO, to discuss how they help customers deploy and test Wave Division Multiplexing in their respective networks.
Before joining EXFO, Wood worked for years in the semiconductor industry, which gave him an understanding of how component-level innovations impact system-level cost and benefits.
It turns out, though, that his dual degrees in computer engineering and music gave him the perfect analogy to help us understand how data travels.
"The beautiful thing about sound is that our ears are able to hear simultaneously low sounds and high-frequency sounds, which explains why music is so beautiful to us," Wood said. "The same thing applies with light going through the atmosphere to our eyes, or laser light going through glass fiber.
"It turns out different frequencies of light don't mix or interfere with each other. So, if you're carrying information on a lower frequency of light, you can pass that with a higher frequency lightwave and be able to recover those at the far end without any interference."
It’s a fact: every brand and business must have an online presence in order to stay relevant and competitive in today’s marketplace.
This online voice is more important than ever, as society operates largely on digital platforms for purchases, entertainment and socializing.
So how do marketing departments keep up with digital marketing? And, if they can’t, who can they hire to trust with the public identity of their business?
MarketScale’s Technology Podcast explores this relationship between client and digital marketing firm with guest Lydia Adams, VP of Marketing & Communications at Personiv).
Whether it’s blogs, SEO, graphics, e-books or social media content, marketing platforms must work together symbiotically to promote a brand, message and voice that aligns with a company’s core values.
But, too often, third-party marketing firms get it wrong, embarrassing a company with misspellings, mistakes or ill-fitting content.
That’s why Personiv fosters one-on-one relationships with each client, establishing a shared metric for success.
“Trust,” Adam said, is a top priority.
A client can and should feel safe sending their marketing elsewhere, especially as marketing rapidly evolves.
The world of payment and unified commerce contains a variety of complex business processes, risks, compliance standards, and so much more.
Senior Vice President of Business Solutions at Amaryllis[https://www.amaryllispay.com/], Bruce Shirey [embed: https://marketscale.com/industries/contributors/bruce-r-shirey/], joins host Tyler Kern to talk about navigating this complex landscape.
Shirey wanted to provide a deeper insight into the arena of payment facilitation. One successful payment facilitator, or PayFac, is Shopify. They did not start out as a PayFac. Originally, Shopify was a merchant eCommerce software platform. Shopify became a fully registered PayFac, and now 61% of their revenue is from payments.
Shirey said some companies are too focused on technology and not on the processes and regulations in the payment world. He said that companies should really identify the true objectives the company is trying to accomplish. Shirey thinks that companies typically underestimate requirements, length of time for registration and certification, and the cost of becoming a payment facilitator.
IoT security by design might seem like a buzzword in that it's not well-defined in the consumer landscape, but KORE Wireless's Chris Francosky said the most effective security measures are put in place well before production even begins.
Host Shelby Skrhak sat down with Francosky on this episode of the Industrial IoT podcast, brought to you by MarketScale.
"I'm evangelizing this idea of a five-step process centered around threat modeling, which is at the heart of security by design," Francosky said.
5 Step Process for Threat Modeling
- Define your assets - not only devices, but the data, as well.
- Decompose that application through an architecture diagram so you can see clearly how the application is broken up.
- Look at each area of the decomposed application and identify threats.
- Document threats.
- Rate and prioritize threats
How do you recognize threats? In the late 1990s, Microsoft devised an acronym that summarizes the kinds of threats to look for, and it's still useful today, Francosky said.
The acronym STRIDE stands for Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, Denial of Service and Escalation of Privilege. These aspects serve as guideposts to help you identify the types of threats you're looking for.
KORE Wireless offers tool suites to help make IoT security a part of a consistent process.
Understanding your company's cybersecurity needs may seem a nebulous task, but Telarus's Dominique Singer says a simple mindset shift may help make deciding a plan of action more effective in the long run.
On this episode of the Software and Electronics podcast, host Shelby Skrhak sat down with Singer, Vice President of Business Development for Cybersecurity at Telarus, to discuss how to be practical and wise when building and choosing cybersecurity solutions.
Singer helps design complex security solutions for large companies, but he also helps customers with limited budgets navigate this complex landscape. Singer said the difference in their decision-making process is not that different.
"The budgets are certainly different, whether it's an extremely large business with very big security staff or a small or medium enterprise, but they still have the same challenges in that cyber threats are real and broad," Singer said. "So, when we are working with the customer, regardless of their size, we're taking a risk perspective.
"Fundamentally, when you make decisions about cybersecurity, it comes down to risk," Singer said.
Singer said Equifax and Capital One breaches weren't a failure in technology or purchase decisions, but a failure in fully understanding the business needs for comprehensive people, processes and technology.
"Cybersecurity is not a set-and-forget solution," he said. "You must constantly have a continuous improvement mindset in place."
When we see words on a billboard or our computer screen, our brain processes them instantly. We rarely think back to what it was like before we had reading skills or about how it was we learned how to read.
Istation reminds us to take a step back and consider how our minds make sense of letters on the page.
Much of our reading comprehension can be traced back to the “Big Five” essentials of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary and fluency.
“Lots of scholars worked under these groups to help us better understand these five components of reading,” said Claudia Casillas, a PD for Istation. “Because reading is this complex and dynamic process, it’s really important to access the wealth of knowledge that is available to us, because teachers are engaged in the most important process on the planet.”
Casillas’s colleague Toni Montgomery has been innovating in the field of special education for years and remembers when separating readers of different abilities was just coming into vogue.
“We really looked at how to help students who had great learning difficulties learn. So, they weren’t having success in the regular classroom for some reason, and that student really could not understand the text,” she said. “We had to go back and restructure learning for them, helping them to look at individual sounds and alphabetic phoning principles, getting the student to focus on what they could do as opposed to what the students around them could do.”
Now there are more resources than ever to help those learning to read for the first time and those looking to overcome learning differences.
But it all starts with that foundation, and by utilizing science and research to understand how beginning readers get started learning, teachers will have a much better starting point as they look to make sure every student is reaching his or her maximum potential.
Often, the new generation of a beloved product seems out of reach. It can be too expensive or too time-consuming to upgrade. But Aspen Avionics has made its technology more accessible than ever with its MAX upgrade.
The program gives users who have put plenty of mileage on their existing Aspen display an opportunity to get state-of-the art technology at a reasonable price-point.
“Let’s imagine you had an old Apple phone, and you just sent it back to Apple, and they would give you the brand-new X or whatever the latest model is for a third of the price of the latest model,” said Scott Smith, Aspen Director of Sales. “That’s exactly what we’re doing here.”
What is it that makes the new Pro MAX displays worth the upgrade? For one, they look great, with 16 million display colors.
“The very first thing you’re going to notice is how nice and clean the screen is,” Smith said. “The older screens were great, but when you get the new one, it’s like going from high def to a 4K image. It’s a beautiful screen.”
The improvements go beyond simply aesthetics, though. The new displays have GPS-aided AHRS in the event of a pitot-static failure, higher reliability and faster refresh rates than their predecessors, and an audio panel interface giving
Aspen recently received approval by the EASA, clearing the way for Europe-based users to utilize the new Pro MAX displays, which are also approved in Australia. With shipping times a concern for many international users, the company is doing only MAX exchanges to cut down on delays and expenses.
And with the units approved for installation in more than 600 aircraft types, they’re a solution that can work for nearly everyone.
Communication technologies are so readily available and so widely accepted that it’s possible for the general public to take them for granted.
“This is somewhat overlooked in our day and age,” said Chuck Cox, Product Marketing Engineer at Astronics Test Systems, on this episode of the Software and Technology podcast. “But, when lives depend on it, maybe we need to be thinking more ahead of time, ensuring that our technologies work.”
Cox spoke with MarketScale's Tyler Kern about the importance of effective communication devices and infrastructure.
“In order for human enterprises to function properly, they have to be able to communicate with each other,” Cox said, noting that it’s not just about high-tech devices, but about basic human interaction.
A while back, he made the switch from being a product development engineer to a more customer-facing career. He wanted to know that the solutions he offered had real-world applications.
He recalled a time when first responders from multiple jurisdictions gathered to respond to a catastrophe. Despite these heroes being able to visibly look one another in the eye, they were not able to speak on the radio.
The event Cox recalls are the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
This illustrates that, no matter how cool the tech, all that matters is real-world application.
“When you’re talking to grandma about dinner and she says, ‘apple pie,’ and the word ‘apple’ drops out, that’s of no consequence,” Cox said. “If an officer is being told ‘don’t shoot,’ there’s a big difference.”
As an example, Cox recalls working with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL, whose expectations were 100% communication. For them, if one word drops out during a play call, it’s worse than if there had been no communication at all.
In one of my business networks, a C-level exec asked me “what the hell is this DEVOPS thing.” Being from IT I was forced to answer the question in a way that didn’t cause him to glaze over, and I think I did OK.
DevOps, for this type audience, is better described in business terms verses all the techno-babbling to impress my buddies. For techs I recommend DevOps for the Modern Enterprise by Mirco Herring. What DevOps really means to your business is, it removes the mystery of the recluse coding efforts that take forever, have huge costs and you no idea of what is really going on. DevOps forces collaboration among planners, coders, testers to name a few and promotes continuous improvement and financial and functional transparency.
The business sees exactly what it is getting, in frequent valuable chunks, supported by great testing and governance. And, if done right, the product gets better and better overtime. I'm sure someone else is gonna listen to this and go that's not what DevOps is. But the net of it is, businesses don't give a crap about all the technical jargon. DevOps is really for a business that needs to have the capability managing large development projects using complimentary methods like AGILE. It is a discipline that is a long time coming, is desperately needed by organizations who are constantly getting buggy, monolithic messes because and they don't have the mechanisms in place to collaborate and keep everyone accountable.
If you're looking for a technical explanation of DevOps, Get the book. But if you are wondering whether or not your business would be better off with a DevOps working model, rest assured, they would be. But like all change you must be in for the long term and it’s a journey…worth taking. I’m Gerry Mecca and this has been the Mecca Minute.
On day one of CES 2020, Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B, checked in with Andy Travers, CEO, Ceres Holographic, to learn more about the innovative solutions and business opportunities hologram technology provides. Travers began his journey with Ceres focused on the commercial side of holographic technology, and preparing this technology for new markets, i.e., the transportation industry. Ceres design an adaptable, holographic process for use in the cars of today and tomorrow.
The evolving technology from the traditional surface relief hologram, used in credit cards, to volume holography allows for a wide range of display applications, like automobile windscreens, because it removes the rainbow effect. While Ceres’ primary focus is on holographic technology, they realized the importance of system design as well. “Our team is not just holographers. We’ve got system optical designers, computational people,” said Travers. “we’re even extending our resources to do the content, because with the content you need to know how the hologram and the system works so you know what content you can generate, in real-time, when you’re driving a car.”
Two types of holographic display technologies in use now are transparent displays, built into the car windshield, and augmented reality hubs. Transparent displays can reduce dashboard clutter and be used with side mirrors as well. Augmented reality hubs have an extended projection range with a multitude of potential information and advertising capabilities. Travers said as the demand for smartphone use in automobiles increases, the need for holographic technology to display that information will make it a ‘must-have’ for consumers.
On day one of CES 2020, Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B, sat down with Michael Murray, Executive VP, Aceinna, for a discussion on the latest in sensor technology and GNSS (global navigation satellite systems.) Murray explained how his company uses the most advanced gyro technology in their IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) platform to provide a better sensing outcome in GNSS, and they are working on even more highly advanced gyro capabilities.
AI is a critical component to making a better positioning system, but crowdsourcing is the key to building strong AI. Murray said his company relies on crowdsourcing their AI to learn what the mistakes are, resolve those issues, and improve their AI.
For shipping and logistics, innovations in precision technology are paramount. Delivering products to end-users on time, in a fast, efficient, and safe manner is the goal for all industries, and Murray knows the advancements in sensing provide marked improvements to the process. Smaller companies looking for a competitive edge over larger ones, may find the move towards fully autonomous systems beneficial, said Murray.
Part of the philosophy of providing an open-source product, said Murray, is to make the best product for the end-user. “If I do anything well in my job,” said Murray, “it’s to focus on the best problems to solve for you and me as opposed to just making the best widget.”
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Digital Money is Still Money with Adi Ekshtain and Viko Bargig of Amaryllis Payment Solutions
Electronic payment technology is becoming the de-facto option across numerous industries. On this episode of MarketScale’s Software and Technology podcast, Adi Ekshtain, Co-Founder of Amaryllis Payment Solutions, and Viko Bargig, Solutions Architect for Amaryllis, sat down with Sean Heath to discuss the challenges of developing the latest and greatest technologies.
The world is moving toward the several digital transaction types more quickly each day, but the basic nature of the transaction remains quite simple, Ekshtain said. “There is a lot of commonality between different payment modalities and one of them is, of course, there is a payer and a payee.”
The perceived challenge in managing all of these different payment processes is actually less difficult than one would expect, explained Bargig. “It’s not difficult. It’s more the responsibility aspect of the business. It’s to make sure that everything is always up and running and everything is always available and accessible, regardless of the action or transaction you are trying to process.”
Ekshtain also explained that all of the various currencies, both physical and digital, are easily added to the system Amaryllis has created.
“We can plug them into our platform. We can accept them and, where possible, we can even disburse funds using those currencies. So, for us, we don’t look at them as the competition. We look at them as part of our ecosystem.”
Fibrebond is looking to fill a project manager role based in their Minden Louisiana office.
A Fibrebond Project Manager is Responsible for managing multiple projects associated with power or other related industries from point of sale to delivery. This role is the customer’s single in-house contact, who oversees all project-related tasks, and directs production from estimation to engineering, and will be expected to manage projects with a strong independent judgment.
Fibrebond builds innovative and reliable structures that protect people and mission-critical equipment. Additionally, Fibrebond works with transparency and a customer-focused approach while striving to create a culture that is honest, rewarding and fun.
If this job sounds like a fit for you or someone you know, visit marketscale.com/industries/careers to apply.
Additionally, MarketScale hosts hundreds of job openings from companies in every b2b industry, making MarketScale the number one resource for b2b job placement and recruiting.
Visit Marketscale.com to see how to join today!
Today's featured Job is from Bluewater Technologies.
Bluewater is the only woman-owned business of its kind, operating four industry-leading business units that support sensory storytelling through digital & physical canvases.
Bluewater is looking to hire a Production Coordinator in their Southfield, Michigan office.
This position is responsible for working with their Production Lead and Technical director to coordinate logistics on their production tours.
General responsibilities include:
Scheduling and managing travel for production crew (Flights, Hotel, Ground Transportation)
Scheduling meals and catering for tour crew production days
Assist in managing and updating production crew schedules
Assist in scheduling local labor for each show
Schedule venue heavy machinery (For lifts, scissor lifts, boom lifts, and generators) for each show
Manage all paperwork for crew, labor, rentals for each show site
Assist Account Director and Manager with paperwork for closing out each show
Manage any productions runners on show sites
Skills:
Strong Organization Skills
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Resourcefulness
Ability to Multitask
Time management
Aptitude for personnel management
Experience:
3 years agency or production company experience
Experience as project manager, coordinator or production coordinator and must be able to discuss relevant experience
Bachelor’s Degree
Requirements:
Ability to travel
If you are hiring or looking for jobs in B2B visit MarketScale’s career page to find the best resource for job placement and recruiting.
The “diligence” in “due diligence” is one of the most crucial aspects of signage, especially when dealing with multiple municipalities. On this episode of MarketScale’s Pro A/V podcast, Courtney McDaniel, Director of Client Services for Kieffer | Starlite, sat down with Sean Heath to discuss the fact that a quick and thorough start to a permitting process can help with the unavoidable wait that follows.
In today’s fast-paced environment, clients can get ahead of themselves when pursuing their signage goals. A recent situation demonstrates the need for information before beginning construction, McDaniel said. “What they did not know, what they did not ask before going into construction, was that the roof line comes into play for this city and their signage could not go above their roof line.”
The value a signage expert provides is quite substantial, explained McDaniel. “With our expertise, in terms of city codes, and also, taking it a step further, with our manufacturing and installation logistics, we can execute a signage program that’s just going to run so much more smoothly and be that much more effective.”
Municipal regulations can be a significant factor in a customer’s decision to open a location in that city.
“We have certain cities here locally, in North Texas, where they restrict what colors can be on a given sign,” McDaniel said. “We can inform the customer if they might be better off just looking elsewhere. Even just moving a couple of miles east or west of where they’re going, so they fall into another city’s jurisdiction.”
Are you call-recording compliant? The answer is pretty murky, actually, depending on the country or state you're located in.
That uncertainty is leaving call center managers fearful for their own compliance, according to a survey conducted by OrecX, a Chicago-based company that provides contact centers with call-recording software for customer service, compliance and employee performance. Host Shelby Skrhak sat down with Kevin Levi, Vice President of Marketing for OrecX, to discuss in this new episode of MarketScale's Software & Technology podcast.
In September, OrecX surveyed call center managers spanning a number of industries including financial, collections, insurance, healthcare and high-tech to discover what regulations were most concerning to them.
"Number one was GDPR, number two was call monitoring consent by individual states in the United States, and then PCI, Do Not Call and HIPAA after that," Levi said. "These are the issues everyone's really dealing with."
Specifically, more than a quarter of respondents said heavily-enforced privacy regulations for Europe's GDPR laws (43%), PCI credit card data (37%) and health-related HIPAA (27%) were most concerning. Survey respondents were allowed to select multiple regulations, so the numbers don't add up to 100 percent.
"The best default is to make sure you get consent from whoever is on the call," Levi said. "If you're talking to a customer, prospect or partner and you chose to record, make sure you're getting every person on the call's consent."
For more resources about call-recording compliance, OrecX offers eBooks, blogs and a primer on relevant laws to help consumers better understand the ins and outs of call recording. Visit https://www.orecx.com/resources/ for information.
Ron Lopez, president and managing director Astroscale US, joined host Daniel Litwin on this episode of the MarketScale Sciences Podcast to discuss the growing problem of space debris and what to do about it. The space economy is an expanding trillion-dollar industry, and this mission is to keep that economy healthy. There are many earth-bound services, from GPS to ATM, that rely on satellite technology, which resides in space.
“There’s any number of different services that are space-based that are providing value to our lives here on earth,” Lopez said.
The growth in this economy is due to several factors, including the reduction in the cost of satellite launches, and competing technologies.
With a booming space economy, the concern is how to navigate the rules of space and establish businesses and government protocols. Space flight safety and lower orbit space debris are a couple of critical areas for businesses and companies to focus on, Lopez said.
Defunct satellites and space debris at an altitude of 600 kilometers will come down naturally, but above that threshold, they will remain in orbit for hundreds or thousands of years.
“There are close to 1 million objects between 1cm and 10cms large, and an estimated 130 million objects between 1mm to 1cm, floating in space,” Lopez said. “Governments and businesses need to play a role in cleaning up this debris.”
Launching satellites into lower earth orbit is more cost-efficient than launching them into a higher orbit, which increases the number of satellites in lower orbit, and means the concerns of safety and debris are more significant.
“As a result,” Lopez said, “Astroscale anticipates larger satellite failure rates. Space is big, and accidents are still a low probability, but accidents do happen, and they are high impact events.”
In addition to their space debris-removal services, Astroscale’s developing technology to dock with existing satellites to refuel and service them, which can extend the lifespan of satellites, and reduce failure rates.
Megan Weis, VP and general manager of finance & accounting for outsourcing services at Personiv, spoke with host Geoffrey Short on this episode of the Software & Technology Podcast. Weis brought her 20-plus years of experience in the finance and accounting world to this discussion on how companies can focus their employees’ energy on the tasks and initiatives that drive businesses forward.
There are everyday business tasks and activities a company must perform to keep operations running, but can these tasks overwhelm staff and cause more important initiatives from getting the attention they need?
“Getting these everyday tasks done really takes up the majority of a finance & accounting department’s time,” Weis said.
One suggestion, Weis said, is consolidating accounting systems. Process workflow was another area Weis pointed to as a way of understanding and removing bottlenecks. Finally, Weis said, outsourcing some accounting processes can also help companies streamline operations.
“I believe data-driven decision-making is opening people’s eyes to what they can do if they have the right talent in place and the time to analyze data,” Weis said.
If companies want to focus on data analysis and don’t have the time, outsourcing smaller, everyday processes is a solution. Weis said companies are typically using only 1% of the data they collect.
“Imagine what companies could accomplish by using up to 10% of the data they collect,” she said.
Mark Davidson, IT manager at the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging, joined host Tyler Kern on this episode of the Software & Technology Podcast to discuss the importance of protecting business and personal data. Every day people are sharing information over social networks, and how much of that personal information is being shared and disseminated is an area Davidson cautioned listeners to consider.
Davidson said if passwords are easily guessable and tied to familiar information that can be pieced together from social media interactions, people could be opening themselves up to hackers.
“People can get into your bank accounts; people can get into your social accounts,” Davidson warned.
“A huge tip,” he offered, “is to change yaour passwords regularly and don’t use the same one for everything. If a hacker gets your email password, and it is the same one as your bank password, they now have both.”
Dual-factor identification is something Davidson recommended to protect personal information and reduce the ability of hackers to penetrate an account.
Another critical tool in the cybersecurity war chest is the principle of least privilege (POLP.) Davidson said this practice means people only have access to the things on their network that they need to do their job. Doing this can limit the scope of an attack if someone in a company does get hacked.
Another tip Davidson provided is to create long passwords and consider using sentences broken up with characters. With the increase of online threats, it’s more important than ever to keep business and personal IT safe.
Omeed Badkoobeh, co-founder and CEO of Yotta Energy, began his career in the solar energy with a spark of curiosity. He saw a luxury real estate property that was completely off the grid and powered by solar, a concept pretty novel at the time in the early 2000s.
"I started thinking how mankind has always revolved around using the sun for advancing society and here we are with technology that can power our homes and businesses," Badkoobeh said.
While the solar's growth has been well-documented by analysts in this industry, Badkoobeh finds it fascinating that solar evolved from very counterculture roots.
"The interesting thing is the solar industry, which began 50 years ago for powering satellites and remote power for gas drilling, really got its boost with the hippie movement as a way to power camps," Badkoobeh said. "It became powered even more by the marijuana industry in California."
His curiosity evolved into a solution for the long-standing issue of solar power storage. Unlike other large stationary storage systems, Yotta's solution is mounted behind the solar panel using the panel's own ballast racking system to balance, saving space in often tight quarters such as commercial building rooftops.
Yotta uses lithium-iron-phosphate technology as a safe way to integrate storage, as there is no risk of a cascading thermal runaway.
The world of commerce platforms now expands beyond transactional payments—information is king! Host Tyler Kern and Barry Stearn, director of partner success for Europe's division of FreedomPay, discussed emerging payment trends, and how this fast-evolving landscape is becoming more complex.
“Payments has become really an information business,” said Stearn. “Yes, there is a transactional exchange, there is a packet of data that passes from the merchant through to the processor for authorization…but built in that consumer journey, look at all the elements that exist around that process.”
Stearn went on to explain how the back end-data engine can help businesses, e.g. the service industry, capitalize on the many customer interactions at those establishments.
“At Freedom Pay, we have the ability not only to capture information at the point of sale around what that loyal customer is buying, we can also build out an analytical token of said consumer profile," Stearn said.
This securely stored environment allows the client to better understand who their loyal customer is, and to properly market offers and promotions that make sense.
Do you remember when companies thought posting on social media was optional? Now it's nearly the same thing with digital content and digital display managers. Digital signage has matured to the extent that companies need ongoing support for their display technology and content needs.
"Digital Signage as a Service" is helping small and mid-sized businesses conquer this skillset. On this episode of the Marketscale Pro AV Podcast, host Shelby Skrhak sat down with two experts from industry leader Diversified, which recently launched its DSaaS called FocalPoint: Jay Leedy, Director of Business Development, and Kenneth Flemm, product owner of FocalPoint.
With the expansive technology and tools available for digital signage content, the possibilities are often limited by a company's time and expertise they can devote.
"In many cases, customers either under-considered or had no budget allocated to content management," Leedy said. "So we had a number of customers who intended to do it themselves but grew to learn either they didn't want to do it themselves or the knowledge base they'd hired and trained has since left."
Flemm heard from clients that were having a hard time finding the right digital display solution for their requirements because almost everything they looked at required them to manage the whole system themselves.
"You could hear the exhaustion in their voices," Flemm said.
FocalPoint provides an out of the box solution that can be generally tailored to a company's needs without customizing so much that it requires a specially-trained staff.
On this episode of the MarketScale Software & Technology Podcast, David Barclay, VP of Marketing at Tidel, joined host Geoffrey Short to discuss how Tidel can provide car dealerships with secure, automated cash operations’ solutions.
People may not think of car dealerships as the type of establishment that traditionally handle cash, but through down payments, accessories, and the car service department, cash is something all dealerships contend with.
Barclay walked through all of the various areas in a car dealership where cash comes into play. One case study Barclay referred to throughout the podcast is a company called Sonic Automotive. Tidel helped streamline and automate Sonic’s cash process through installation of their Smart Safe product.
The reality is: car dealerships are taking in cash (checks and paper money) on a daily basis, and they need to handle that in a safe and secure way. The transparency, accountability, and tracking of the cash can all be streamlined through Tidel’s solutions.
While car dealerships are moving towards this type of automation, Barclay revealed only 50% of all dealerships are using an automated system today. If a car dealership is looking for an automated cash system, the Tidel team is ready to provide the right solution. Give this podcast a listen for integration tips and technology solution breakdowns.
On this episode of the Industrial IoT Podcast, Adam Livesay, co-founder, and CEO at Elevāt.IoT, joined host Geoffrey Short to discuss how businesses and industries are blending this technology into their machines and getting value out of it. Elevāt.IoT specializes in connecting fleets of machines and enabling the flow of data between operators, distributors, and OEMs since 2015.
How can business owners and decision-makers use this technology to better improve their workflows? Livesay said businesses first need a strategy on what problem they are trying to solve. Once they know that, they need to put an IoT team into place.
Livesay said businesses are recognizing the ROI from IoT. There’s an evolution of comprehension since 2015 around what IoT can accomplish and the ROI it can bring to a business.
“Deployment,” Livesay said, “has gone down from 18 months for a successful production deployment, to less than six months.”
Short asked Livesay how Elevāt.IoT has utilized this technology. Livesay provided an example of working with nut companies to put IoT on their tree shakers to generate significant process improvement data never before available to them.
Livesay sees a great opportunity in collaboration of information share throughout the whole ecosystem of industrial machines as the evolution of IoT. With the costs of deploying IoT going down tremendously over the past few years, now is a great time for businesses to explore their IoT strategy.
A new report published by Gartner Research says third-party hardware maintenance providers are coming into their own as large companies are moving away from OEMs for all their service needs and implementing hybrid maintenance solutions for their businesses. That's great news for companies like Reliant Technology], who have built a trusted reputation for guiding its clients to solutions that save money, are better customized, and more reactive to mission-critical situations.
Host Shelby Skrhak discusses the Gartner report with Reliant's Thomas Hodgson, senior account executive, on this episode of the MarketScale Software & Technology Podcast.
"People come to Reliant because they're getting pigeonholed by the manufacturer, thinking that forklifting their current solution is the route they have to go," Hodgson said.
Implementing a brand new system is a big hurdle -- both in terms of cost and knowledge-base -- for small and mid-size companies who use older, sometimes proprietary network systems. So when an OEM stops supporting older versions, companies feel they have no choice but to upgrade. But buying up to the "Cadillac of systems" isn't always the best solution, Hodgson said.
"In reality, companies can get the same level of service at a fraction of the cost by keeping their legacy hardware," he said.
The business world relies on data; there's no escaping it, and there shouldn't be a desire to. Sophisticated data analysis is making business more efficient across the board. On this episode of the MarketScale Industrial IoT Podcast, Lane Leach, Senior Systems Engineer for Pinnacle Business Systems, sat down with host Sean Heath and they discussed the complex challenge of backing up a company’s critical systems.
The most reliable way to recover from a catastrophic data corruption event is to restore the necessary systems from their backups. As Leach points out, for many companies, those backups simply were not created, whether through oversight or lack of priority.
“It doesn’t take more than a few minutes of having that be unavailable to be a quick reminder of how important it really is," he said.
The stark impact of not having a comprehensive backup plan is clearly reinforced during a crisis, according to Leach.
“It could cripple your business to the point where you may have to go out of business,” he said.
Leach explained that not all dangers are unforeseen. He described a situation occurring in California to illustrate the need to prepare for expected issues, as well.
“Because of fires, you have the major electrical utility provider making a proactive decision, in their case, to have power outages. Well, imagine your business being in one of those impacted and affected counties and not having power for several days,” he said. “Where is your data? Is that something your business can withstand?”
The majority of businesses focus on the wrong side of the data backup equation, offered Leach.
“If we approach high availability and business continuity from a perspective of the data, and not the equipment, let’s start there,” he suggested. “The place to start is: what can I live without?”
There are forces that we deal with on a daily basis that are apparent and ever-present. There are, however, other forces that are exponentially stronger, that most of us will never notice. On this episode of the MarketScale Sciences Podcast, host Sean Heath sat down with Jakob Heller from Ikon Science and they discussed the pressure associated with accurately calculating pore pressure.
The planet we walk on every day is constantly undergoing colossal change, on an unusually large scale, beneath the surface, according to Heller.
“We’re dealing with geology here, so, it’s a huge time frame that people potentially, normally wouldn’t be able to grasp.” he said. “The sort of conventional pore pressure prediction techniques were sort of developed and are best -suited for relatively young, recently deposited rocks.”
The first inclination is to assume that these calculations are strictly a mathematical process, but that is not the case, Heller explained.
“The key thing in order to be able to predict pore pressure and understand what is happening, in terms of pore pressure,” Heller said, “is to understand the geology. You have to be a very good geologist because we need to try and understand how pore pressure has developed throughout the history of the geological basin we are working in.”
There is an added layer of personal pressure that the teams face as well, explained Heller.
“The work we do, in many cases, has some implications for people drilling wells, obviously. If we get our pore pressure prediction wrong, then that might have some serious ramifications," he said.
Heller also presented an explanation of “hydrocarbon migration.”
“One thing that is very important in terms of pressure and understanding pressure and how it has developed through time in a geological basin, is that it imposes a big control on the migration of hydrocarbons in sedimentary basins,“ he said. “That is often the case. Especially when we’re looking at conventional reservoirs, is that hydrocarbons have migrated out of the source rock and into the reservoir, the sort of container rock, into the trap."
Cash is still very much a choice currency for many shoppers and it isn’t going away anytime soon. For years, retailers have maintained their flow of cash using traditional managerial oversight, but this outdated method is wrought with human error. Cash recycling, though not new to banks and financial institutions, is finally making its way into retail and solving the ongoing struggle of keeping track of tills. From Tech Data Systems, Scott Milliken, Vice President of Sales, explains how cash recycling can benefit retail businesses, saving time and money.
“Cash automation and automation sometimes gets a bad wrap,” Milliken said of the idea that machines take away human jobs, like that of clerks and tillers. But, he said “That’s not necessarily the case at all.”
Cash recycling, he assures, is not about getting rid of people but about using those people in a more efficient way.
“When folks try the automation they realize the benefits right away,” Milliken said. By eliminating the time consuming job of regulating cash flow, managers can be better assigned to other store duties. Not only do cash recyclers utilize employee time better, they reduce discrepancies between sales and cash, taking out the factor of human error when counting money and change.
Scott realizes not all businesses have the same cash handling needs, which is why Tech Data Systems scrutinizes the store size, assessing individual cash recycling needs. Regardless, cash handling can be made a lot simpler for businesses big and small.
“This just keeps it a lot cleaner, a lot quicker, and a lot more efficient," Milliken said.
Justin Ciaccio, Director of Sales at ViON Corporation, joined this episode of the Software and Technology Podcast to discuss the strategic shift public sector organizations have been going through in terms of moving their services and data storage needs to the cloud. Ciaccio’s role at ViON is to help educate customers on the totality of cloud options available, and to make the most of the infrastructure these customers already have in place.
Ciaccio walked host James Kent through the process of how he and his organization work with clients to shift their services and back-end data storage to the cloud, and what key considerations are needed along the journey.
One of the surprising revelations in the discussion was the process of moving data and services to the cloud is a phased approach. Ciaccio and his team look for ways to utilize as much of a client’s existing processes and make those processes work like a public cloud, before determining what makes sense to move directly to the public cloud.
Ciaccio stressed that the solutions are never ‘one size fits all.’ Cloud solutions vary from project to project, and he works to meet the unique needs of the customer with customizable solutions.
“There are absolute efficiency gains,” said Ciaccio, in having public sector organizations making the transition to cloud-based technologies.
The benefits of the "as-a-service" model of providing technology, tools, and products over the internet, versus locally or on-site within an enterprise, are undeniable: Faster, better, and cheaper, to put it simply. Now, data centers are among the newest entrants to the anything-as-a-service model -- an area that Virginia-based ViON has been mastering since 2005.
On this episode of the MarketScale Software and Technology Podcast, host Sean Heath sat down with ViON's Andy Flick, Portfolio Manager, and Rob Davies, Executive Vice President of Operations, to discuss the proliferation of DCaaS and how their customers use the solution.
Before cloud services, companies large and small, private and public sector, purchased the technology necessary for data storage and housed it either on-site or locally, Davies explained. Data Center-as-a-service is an outcome-based model of IT that can deliver all or individual elements of data center technology managed by a service provider, the customer, or through a hybrid cloud model.
"[Customers say] I want a technology that behaves like the cloud. I want to be able to use this technology for the time I need it, then turn it off, and be done with it," Davies said. "That's what ViON specializes in. We fill the gap between the systems they own and the public cloud with a cloud model that can be delivered anywhere."
The cloud ushered in a new approach to IT infrastructure, Flick said.
"It's interesting that for many many years, the technologist put together the servers, the storage, the networking in order to process data," Flick said. "Now we live in an era where its the data, an outcome of something we're trying to get accomplished, and we're trying to do that in the simplest, most cost-effective manner."
On this MarketScale Software & Technology Jobcast, we sit down with Miami-based Kaseya, a rapidly growing software and monitoring solutions company that's looking to fill entry-level technology sales and account manager positions. The ideal candidate must be tenacious, positive, relentless, energetic and capable to influence.
Kaseya is the leading provider of complete IT infrastructure management solutions for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and internal IT organizations worldwide. Kaseya’s best-in-breed technologies allow organizations to efficiently manage and secure IT to drive sustained business success.
"Account managers will hone influencing skills, negotiation, and empathy," said Ken Finneran, Vice President of Global Human Resources. "I'd even go as far as saying emotional intelligence skills."
The Account Managers/Sales Executives will have a hand in research, collaboration, time management, pipeline development/management, constant communication, renewals and reaching out to existing customers.
"The plethora of opportunities at Kaseya are limitless," said Alexis Braddy, Global Corporate Recruiter.
Kaseya's corporate culture has set a new standard for Braddy.
"This is probably the happiest group of people I've ever worked with," she said.
Job basics:
Location: Miami, FL Hours: 40 hours, Monday through Friday Travel involved: Some depending on location of clients Experience: Entry-level, but two years ideal Educational requirement: Bachelor's degree ideal but outstanding sales candidates will be considered without a degree.
If you'd like to apply for these positions, head to kaseya.com/careers.
What do a Sales Account Executive and Iron Man have in common? Find out on this Jobcast exploring the open role of Nextiva's Account Executive based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The voice over internet protocol company Nextiva creates and sells cloud-based communication software for businesses across all industries. Nextiva Inside Sales Manager, Heather De Roon said, “This position is definitely for someone who comes in and loves to win.”
With patience, determination, resilience, and grit, the account executive role thinks creatively to solve the communication problems of its clients.
In one simple word, Nextiva is a company about service, not only for its customers but for each other as colleagues too.
“I would definitely say the coolest part of working here, apart from the Cold Stone ice cream that comes on Wednesday, is it's one for all and all for one mentality,” De Roon said.
Surrounded by smart, driven co-workers, working at Nextiva is about being part of a motivated team and, as an account executive, knowing how to utilize the assets of the team effectively.
“There's never a problem that goes unsolved there’s never a question that goes unanswered,” said De Roon of the office environment and ethos.
Much like Tony Stark, or a football quarterback, the Nextiva Account Executive role is a position for someone with determination, a positive attitude, and the self-motivation to succeed. Learn more at Nextiva.com/careers.
In the AV industry, consumers are looking for fully-immersive experiences that drive content in a big way. But to really capture the experience-driven demands of the consumer, stunning visuals are only half of the equation -- quality sound is having to do a lot of the heavy lifting for full immersion.
On this new episode of the Pro AV Podcast brought to you by MarketScale, host Daniel Litwin digs into the power that speaker technology can have on end-user engagement with Dave Howden, Applications Engineering Manager for the Large Venues Group of Community Professional Loudspeakers, a Biamp company.
"Gone are the days are having just some upbeat background music in a retail location or shopping complex," Howden said. "Today's consumers are used to being engaged with audio and video content all the time, as well as on the go. "
While consumers expect a seamless immersive experience in the audience, end-users also expect a seamless operating experience behind the scenes.
"End users are no longer thinking about audio or video, but rather, converged and most importantly scalable platforms to deliver that content to the masses," Howden said. "The industry as a whole has stepped up to build these converged networks to transport the audio and video content around a mall, or shopping complex, all the way to widely distributed content in these large venues."
Consumer reliance on personal technology devices isn't dwindling any time soon. The average American spends 5.4 hours on their phone daily and that figure trends upwards for younger generations. If phones are nearly a permanent appendage, they should be able to withstand life, argues Zsolt Pulai, Executive Vice President of Technology and Engineering at HZO. He sat down with host Sean Heath for a new episode of the MarketScale Software and Technology Podcast.
"Three hundred million phones are lost each year to water damage and that's costing the industry $100 billion," Pulai said. "Everything from medical devices to automotive, there is a significant need for protecting these devices sensors and circuitry more than ever. Consumers need more protection."
HZO's proprietary nanocoating protects water-vulnerable electronics from moisture. The ultra-thin, nanoscale coating was engineered in-house -- something that sets Salt Lake City-based HZO apart from the competition.
"If we design in-house, we don't rely on other solution providers or vendors," Pulai said. "That makes our work easier and more cost-effective."
In-house engineering and production is part of Pulai's core philosophy.
"We keep everything simple," he said.
"We could not call ourselves engineers if we didn't want to do more innovation," Pulai said. "We are building new optimized machines and optimized processes. Everything is getting faster, smaller, cheaper."
Neon signs conjure images of days past at illuminated drive-in restaurants glowing orange, red, and blue, but many people don't realize most all modern signage uses neon.
On this episode of the MarketScale Pro AV Podcast, host Chris Reeves sat down with Rob Fehlman, Director of National Service of Kieffer | Starlite to discuss changes he's seen in his 15 years in the industry and what's next for signage.
Kieffer | Starlite is a national sign company that specializes in manufacturing, service, and installation since 1956. In addition to sign installation and repairs for retail and hospitality industries, they do building and parking lot lighting, an essential function for public safety. Today, the Texas-based company has evolved to include LED reader boards.
"When I started here, it was neon exclusively," Fehlman said. "The industry has made a lot of leaps and changes from there, using incandescent bulbs to doing chasing signs... From neon to LED lighting. from incandescent to full color HD displays. It's incredible what you can do with LED technology."
But technology extends beyond the signs themselves. Kieffer | Starlite uses GPS location to help track sign vendors or installers and equips them with iPads and smart tablets in the field so they can upload photos and have manager signoffs.
"There have been huge changes just over the past 12 to 15 years," Fehlman said.
Manufacturing companies can often be slow to adopt new technology. It’s not because they have doubts about the potential; it’s typically because of the disruption of implementation. This especially true when it comes to finishing systems. Manufacturers may feel literally “chained” to the traditional chain systems. Today, we’re joined by John Claman, Sales Rep and Marketing Supervisor of IntelliFinishing to talk about what opportunities manufacturers have with alternatives to chain systems.
John said, “At some point, manufacturers will begin to see the need to upgrade their finishing systems for better quality and better throughput. This creates the need for automation and new technology. But it doesn’t come without challenges.”
The monorail system for parts finishing goes back to the days of Henry Ford and is still used in many settings. The problem with these chain conveyors is that they are very limited. They only go in one direction and at a certain speed. There’s really no way to customize, leaving manufacturers often unable to innovate.
John shared, “With a monorail system, you are locked into one speed. So, let’s say a new paint becomes available that has a shorter cure time. It would be hard for a business to use the new paint because they don’t have any control over timing.”
IntelliFinishing has rewritten the book on manufacturing painting systems with their friction tube system. It doesn’t use chains but rather has aluminum tubes connected to trolleys. It offers much more flexibility. “No chains mean you can scale and change the conveyor system based on your needs. And one of the greatest benefits of the system are that it can greatly reduce energy costs associated with idle equipment and heat loss,” John said
The difference in the friction tube system is that it can move forward and backward as well as have adjustable timers. Further, the way that ovens are used for curing is improved because the whole system doesn’t go in the oven, just the product. “We recently assessed a system for a customer and found that our system could reduce heat loss by 18%,” John commented.
Find out more about the IntelliFinishing system and how it’s changing manufacturing painting processes by listening to the podcast.
Imagine the world is one giant treasure hunt. That's how our guest today Garrett (https://www.garrett.com/) Marketing Director Steve Moore on the new Discover the Truth podcast with Garrett Metal Detectors feels when he goes out into the field. On this episode host Chris Reeves asked Steve how he uses the product, what his most significant finds were, and what's on the horizon for security detection by Garrett metal detectors.
When Moore joined the company more than 13 years ago, he'd only used a Garrett metal detector a few times. But like any good marketer, he immersed himself in the product and then found himself hooked.
"The founder Charles Garrett encouraged us to get out in the field and work with people that use the products," Moore said. "I took to it immediately. I love the sense of chasing history."
He has 'chased history' around the world, most recently in the red dirt in far west Australia, Germany, and England. "I really enjoyed England because they have some really good treasure hunting laws that benefit both the searcher and the landowner. So much old and interesting history to find there."
Moore was on the hunt for hammered silver coins dating back to 1200s, something the local hunters have nicknamed "Hammies" in the UK.
While he was in the UK, Moore competed in a metal detecting competition called a rally against hundreds of others, where hunters searched for planted tokens or items they can find within an allotted period of time. "As a manufacturer, we're there for the fun of it and to support our brand," he said.
Whether it's casual, competition, or security detection, Garrett's range of products -- from the popular Ace to walkthrough detection for sporting events and airports -- have long been a trusted name in the industry.
You can have all the data in the world but if you cant measure the results properly your company will be left behind. David Hill explains how Hexagon is unlocking the secrets of metrology (the science of measurement) and helping to provide a blueprint for successful data optimization.
Hexagon is a leader known for "developing measuring protocols, we certainly have a very large portfolio when it comes to our measurement solutions." Hill is very proud that the Hexagon reach goes far beyond the parent company. "Most people would be surprised at the number of recognizable companies under the Hexagon logo."
Companies would be wise to follow the same path as Hexagon. Many are now concentrating efforts to implement Smart Factories and Industry 4.0. But exactly what does that mean? Industry 4.0 means a lot of different things to different people. Hill states that Industry 4.0 is "making our factories smarter by using sensors or using the data that we've gathered to optimize the processes instead of in the past merely collecting and storing the information. Now we are actually applying that information, sharing and making it accessible."
Another area where metrology is making a huge impact is in Automation. "It makes sense, it's not an R & D project anymore, it's taking best in class technology and applying them in a fashion useable throughout the organization."
Industry 4.0 is everywhere in the process and throughout manufacturing, "it's really just what information is important to you and how do we make it accessible."
There's no doubt that cloud computing as a platform and a technology has been rapidly growing and evolving in the past decade. Everything, I mean everything is in the cloud nowadays. But is that growth sustainable?
On this episode of the Software and Technology podcast brought to you by Marketscale, host Sean Heath sought the answer from two experts: Ed Stockton, Vice President of Services and Pablo Gomez, Services Engagement Group Manager, both at ViON. The Virginia-based company implements and manages Infrastructure “as-a-Service” (IaaS) and Platform “as-a-Service” (PaaS) as well as multicloud solutions including private, hybrid, public cloud, and multicloud.
"I don't think there's any risk of the cloud computing infrastructure disappearing anytime soon," Stockton said. "The sustainability of the platform itself is very confident."
Confidence is good considering the sheer volume of data that cloud platforms are storing.
"We're creating more data in one year than we'll have created in the entire history of humankind," Stockton said.
But that amount of data can lead to cloud sprawl, similar to service sprawl a decade ago. "Whenever people are accessing cloud technologies, it's very easy to turn systems on, use them, and kind of forget about them," Gomez said. "When you need another system, you figure it's really easy so I can turn on another one. Then before you know it if you're not closely managing your cloud environment, you can have all these machines stood up and the problem is you're paying for systems and workload that you're not even really using anymore."
There's so much new technology coming down the digital display pike in the next decade that our guest today on the Pro AV Podcast is almost giddy. For this new episode, host Sean Heath sat down with Mitch Rosenberg, senior director of sales for enterprise distribution partnerships at Absen, to break down the kind of long-felt impact mini LED technology will have on the industry.
"What you'll see in information [content] that comes to you, through you... It's amazing," Rosenberg said. "I'm so excited about what I see in the next 5-10 years that it's the reason I'll stay in this game probably until my 70s."
Rosenberg has spent three decades working with display technology, tracking its first iterations of Light Emitting Diodes to where LED is headed today.
"Mini LED is the latest technology in my opinion," he said. "Not micro LED but mini. It's taking LED the next generation up."
As exciting as LED displays can be, Rosenberg admits even he has become blind to landmark displays in Las Vegas, Times Square, and Tokoyo.
"I walk down Las Vegas Blvd. or Flamingo Blvd., and I don't even look at the signs anymore. They don't grab my attention unless there is something spectacular," Rosenberg said. "Something special has to occur, and that's a combination of content, design, what the display is, and what the manufacturer is -- whether it's LED, 3D, or holographic."
We've all had that panic moment when an expensive electronic device such as our phone, AirPods, or wireless speaker goes tumbling into the water, and we realize it's probably ruined forever. Salt Lake City-based HZO hopes to cure that panic, not just for consumers but commercial technology users, with its solution for water-vulnerable devices: a thin nanotechnology coating that protects electronics from moisture.
In this new episode of the Software and Technology Podcast, host Brandon Morse caught up with HZO's Chief Commercial Officer Stephen Gold to discuss this revolutionary turn in device protection.
There's no doubt that personal electronic devices, ranging from smartphones to hearing aids even, have become ubiquitous in our lives.
"We're at a point in time where it's critical that we can depend on these devices independent of whatever hazard or accident might happen," Gold said.
But even devices that are supposed to be water-resistant are still vulnerable because protection means different things to different manufacturers.
"We believe protection starts with the inside, from the electronic itself outward," Gold said.
HZO's ultra-thin protective nanocoatings are applied by manufacturers and device makers on top of devices to protect it from dust, dirt, water, or other liquid.
In this episode, Gold also discussed the industries and sectors that could benefit from waterproofing technology and what to expect from this technology to come. "I think it's going to become second nature to us that these electronics will be unequivocally protected in a way that we expect it to operate in any environment."
Computerized maintenance management software is arguably one of the important purchases you'll make in manufacturing, but as our guest today on the podcast can tell you, it's a complicated process. In this new episode, host Sean Heath sat down with Steve Reed, Vice President of Safety and Engineering at Kasa, for answers to all your CMMS questions.
So, how do you know you're using all the functions efficiently, if at all, and what do you do when it comes to integrating that CMMS with your control system? Those are issues that companies often face when implementing new software or technology, Steve said.
"Like a lot of software packages, people get accustomed to using certain features within them but there are other capabilities within those tools that they don't necessarily use," he said, explaining that initial training at installation doesn't necessarily mean your team is using all possible functions correctly.
He suggests going back through the features with the manufacturer every few years to ensure all features are being utilized and new team members are receiving firsthand training.
Also in this episode, Steve discussed how industrial IoT can aid predictive maintenance scheduling in a meaningful way.
"If you do your predictive maintenance accurately and reliably by integrating the control system into your CMM, you can easily predict these imminent failures well in advance," Steve said. "You can manage that in a smart way before it's an emergency."
Any business, large or small, has a data center and internal network. These networks require maintenance. Most companies hire service providers responsible for channel alliances, but in fact, there is another way...and it’s cheaper. Enter Reliant Technology.
Our guest today, Mike Steiner, Director of Technical Services with Reliant Technology, broke down this complex system with over 16 years of experience in manufacturing.
OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer) have typically been the point of contact for provider partnerships. On today’s podcast we focused on the key differences between Reliant Technology, a third party provider, and OEMs, learning about client stories and case studies that explain why OEMs are not the only way.
Using a “hybrid maintenance strategy,” Steiner explained what sets Reliant Technology apart. He carefully explained the inverse relationship between OEMs and a third party approach.
“The more market share the brand has...the more parts there are on the open market," he said, explaining how the price goes down as demand rises.
“Because we are a third party provider we have all the skill sets that you would expect for the data center work that we do," Steiner said, explaining why Reliant Technology is fully capable of the task at hand. Additionally, Reliant Technology is a smaller organization, allowing for more flexibility and a personal feel and approach.
Steiner divulged where he sees the future of third party providers going, elaborating on why he believes there will be more adoption over time, and why people will be more open to building solutions out of used gear.
Not all wireless display solutions are created equal, especially when it comes to residential versus enterprise needs. On this episode of the Software and Technology Podcast, we sat down with Jay Taylor, Senior Director of Strategic Alliances for ScreenBeam, a leader in wireless display and collaboration solutions.
When Miracast was introduced as the industry standard for wireless connections for devices, it initially launched for consumer use.
"All of this was aimed at the consumer space because everybody was looking for ... consumer entertainment consumption scenarios," Taylor said. "But that is a different animal than what you need in a enterprise environment space."
Whereas a living room can have maybe 12 devices connected to the WiFi, a corporate environment can have hundreds, if not thousands of employees in a dense area accessing a limited number of access points.
"Trying to make wireless work in that environment is much more challenging," Taylor said.
ScreenBeam was first to market with a WiFi certified receiver that found widespread use in offices and classrooms using smartboards. Thanks to the company's co-engineering partnership with Microsoft, it placed them in a unique position to enhance the experience as display technology has progressed.
"We've gone from the days of projectors in the conference room to HD displays and now interactive displays that support touch," Taylor said.
In this episode, Taylor shared how an enterprise solution is critical for modern wireless displays in supporting multi-device environments and various security protocols.
Trillions of pieces of data are going untapped every year, and it's holding businesses back. This data, surprisingly, consists of human speech from call centers, and it's ripe for collection and analysis. On this new episode of the Software & Technology Podcast brought to you by MarketScale, host Sean Heath sat down with Steve Kaiser, CEO of OrecX, a Chicago-based call recording company.
"Human speech is an untapped resource of data," Kaiser said. "If you took the top three call center markets in the world and did some math on the number of words spoken in those call centers, it's in excess of 120 to 150 trillion words every year."
He continued, "Until those words are captured, converted into text, categorized so further meaning and value can be extracted from them, it's not doing much for the company."
That's why it's time for call centers to start analyzing its recorded data, he said. "Digital transformation is the way to use that valuable data in ways to extract value from the interactions you have with your customers."
OrecX provides contact centers and business VoIP providers with full-featured and easy-to-use call recording software, helping them improve their quality assurance and aiding agent training. Taking that a step further is organizing that data, being a part of the emerging technologies that help organize the world's spoken information, he said.
On this Pro AV Jobcast, host Tyler Kern explored open positions at Kieffer | Starlite with vice president of client services Steve Born. Kieffer | Starlite is a national sign company that specializes in manufacturing, service, and installation since 1956 -- and today they’re looking to hire a client service manager.
This position, which has available openings in Illinois, Texas, and North Carolina, is responsible for all sales administrative duties associated with repeat national accounts, which includes working with the company’s design, manufacturing and installation management departments to facilitate a smooth sale from start to finish.
"We're looking for someone who is very well-organized, able to self-manage, multi-task, and handle large volumes of work," Born said, emphasizing self-management because the company doesn't micromanage its employees. "You do your thing day in and day out."
Born said the ideal candidate has two to three years' experience with at least an Associate's Degree, which means this could be a great starting position for someone with great customer service and troubleshooting skills looking to enter the Pro AV industry with a well-established signage company. The position is Monday through Friday with rare occasional weekends and extremely limited travel.
Listen to find out what 90s metal band Born mentioned when he answered our signature question -- If the company was a band, which one would it be -- and find out to how to get in touch with Born directly to discuss the open positions.
Global society is creating more data than ever before, and with every passing day, more information is created, demanding storage space. So where does it all go? Cloud storage has largely come to the rescue for our data storage needs, but even now the cloud technology is reaching a plateau. So how do we innovate data storage for the demands of the future?
Our guests today on this episode of the MarketScale Software & Technology Podcast are here to answer that question. Scott Shadley, vice president of marketing for NGD Systems, and Andy Lee, director of product & marketing for EchoStreams, join us to discuss the history of cloud storage, the areas for innovation in this technology, and how these changes can transform how we think of storing data.
“Compute, memory and storage,” Shadley said is how we have traditionally compartmentalized the processing of data—as single items paired together. But NGD and EchoStreams are turning this concept on its head with the concept of “computational storage.” This idea adds an engine to cloud storage, processing, and shrinking data using a “lower power envelope.”
The need for an energy-efficient data storage solution is no more apparent than in Amsterdam, where the city has banned the building of future data centers because of its enormous demand for power.
As Shadley said, “the amount of data we are generating today is astronomical,” and we only continue needing more storage. The solution to the issue isn’t in building more storage centers, but by making the way we store data more efficient.
“Stop treating peoples data as just 0’s, and 1’s being stored on a brick, but make that storage device, that brick, be able to do something with those 0’s and 1’s in a more effective and efficient way,” Shadley said.
The global demand for storage makes the issue of efficient storage all the more pressing, and a predictor that this technology has staying power.
A hearty steak, an icy smoothie, a chef’s special; we enjoy some of our favorite foods, meals, and conveniences thanks to the cold chain—the use of commercial and industrial facilities that store and ship refrigerated and frozen food. But keeping these cold foods at your neighborhood grocer or restaurant is a costly process. Large refrigerators and cold warehouses strain power grids and tax the environment because of their constant demand for energy.
James Bell, president and CEO at Viking Cold Solution, explained how the cost of operating freezers can be greatly reduced, food can be better protect food, resiliency can be added, and the environmental impact of the cold chain can be lowered.
Using Thermal Energy Storage, Viking Cold combines intelligent controls (cloud-based software, algorithms and sensors) and unique phase change materials to lower the overall cost of power needed to run an industrial freezer.
“We use phase change material, otherwise known as PCM,” Bell said. Capable of storing and releasing large amounts of energy, PCM allows businesses to draw energy during low cost periods of the day, store this energy, and circumnavigate costly peak demand power charges. What's more, Thermal Energy Storage is a lifesaver during power loss. Be it a natural disaster or a grid failure, Viking Cold technology provides the temperature stability that can save food from spoiling and prevent enormous loss.
“Ultimately it’s about economics...quality, and it’s also about sustainability and the environment,” Bell said. The net benefits of cold chain technology trickle into all aspects of a business, from protecting the product, decreasing the demand for energy, and building resiliency by reducing reliance on the grid.
Romeo Durscher, Director of Public Safety Integration for DJI, joined Daniel Litwin to discuss some of the big trends he's seeing in the world of drones.
Durscher explained what he was excited to see at the show, discussed the challenges in collecting and interpreting data using drones, and gave an overview of the current state of public safety standardization.
"Human beings are fascinating in the way that, if we don't understand something, we do knee-jerk reactions," Durscher said. "We've seem many countries go full-blown, absolutely no drones allowed, and those are the places that are not benefitting from the growth of this technology."
Keep an eye out for the full interview on MarketScale's Software and Technology industry page.
You may have never heard of sound masking, but the technique has been around since antiquity. Today, the ancient art has been given a digital upgrade and is being applied in corporate spaces to facilitate better conversations and create more comfortable environments. On today’s episode of the MarketScale ProAV podcast, AtlasIED’s Charlie Roy and Steve Brooks fill us in on the sound that, when properly produced, is never heard at all.
“Sound masking or raised ambient background has been around forever,” Charlie says. In fact, the ancient Romans utilized water rushing across raised aquifers to produce pleasant ambient background noise. “All we’re doing today is introducing it artificially, electronically.”
While some people think of sound masking as white or pink noise, it’s neither. “Sound masking contains no information, it’s just broadband shaped noise,” Steve explains. The low-level, electronically generated sound is designed to mask the human voice, making speech unintelligible so you’re not interrupted by other people’s conversations.
Sound masking is as much art as science. “You don't want the masking to call attention to itself,” Steve says. But human ears notice bad sound masking as obtrusive background noise that accomplishes the exact opposite of its intention, namely, preventing occupants from concentrating on the task at hand.
Charlie reveals that changes in corporate real estate have spurred the need for sound masking solutions. “Traditional office space is going to be replaced, and is being replaced, by open, hard-floor environments due to cost and flexibility.” He points to WeWork as an example, which offers collaborative workspaces that are open and full of reverberant hard surfaces. For these types of buildings, the insertion of masking noise cuts down on distractions, and allows occupants to enjoy a more peaceful environment.
Walking the tradeshow floor, you can often tell the difference between a well-thought out exhibit booth and one that's been hastily planned. Today on the Pro AV podcast brought to you by MarketScale, host Sean Heath sat down with a definitive expert on quality displays, Mike Scherer, President of Downing Displays, regarded as one of the leading exhibit houses in the country.
"When someone is doing a show or event, it's not about just showing up," Mike said. "There's a lot of time put into pre-event planning."
But pre-event planning is more than planning what happens in your space, he explained. "It's planning who you want to talk to, planning the things you do during the show that may not be in your space, and obviously the things you want to do and the people you want to attract and speak to at the show," Mike said.
Attracting people means creating a memorable experience.
"We try to create an experience, and whether that experience is doing something or seeing some type of motion visual that pulls you in, but it's something that creates a memory," Mike said.
What not to do? "Having people in the space that are on their phone, eating, or talking to coworkers," he said. "You want to have people ready and looking interested."
The late 90’s marked a revolutionary new advancement in display technology—LED (Light Emitting Diodes). Since the 90’s, LED tech has come a long way. In fact today’s guest, Mitch Rosenberg, Senior Director of Sales at Absen LED with 30 years of experience in LED tech, explains how “LED is still very much a growing product.” On this AV podcast we dive into LED’s: where it all began, and where Mitchell sees LED tech headed in the future.
When LED’s first entered the scene the panels and displays were expensive, available only to those with deep pockets. Mitchell explains how as LED tech evolved, the price dropped and the technology became more accessible to the public: “Pixels got tighter, prices started plummeting, resolution increased, longevity got better, light output got better, weight went down...” Today, LED’s are found in our at-home TV’s, and the industry industry itself has grown into a 3.7 billion dollar business.
Although LED tech can be visually astonishing, Mitchell says the technology is wasted if there is not incredible content to match. “If you don’t have a budget for content, you’re buying a giant TV,” Mitchell tells his clients. “LED is merely a display product,” says Mitchell. It’s what you do with this display product that wows customers and bolsters a company’s brand.
LED is not done evolving. The technology is becoming stronger and more resilient to human handling, moving away from the fragile piece of tech it once was. On this podcast, Mitchell divulges his insight on what dramatic changes he foresees shaking up the market, and what that looks like for business and consumers.
Hurricane Dorian is pummeling the east coast of the United States after wreaking havoc on the Bahamas. On the September 4th episode of Business Casual, Daniel Litwin and Tyler Kern talked to Tim Snyder, the President of Matador Economics and a noted oil and gas industry expert.
They discussed the impact of the storm on gas prices along the east coast and the stability of the infrastructure to withstand hurricanes and violent storms. Snyder also elaborated on the way that the oil and gas market responds to storms like Hurricane Dorian.
"Markets don't like things that are not predictable," said Snyder. "So, when we get into a situation where we have storms like this coming up right now...we add a layer of risk on the prices."
For more, listen to the full interview from Business Casual.
Tune in to Business Casual, MarketScale’s live radio broadcast, every Wednesday and Friday at 8 a.m. CST.
The Internet of Things has allowed people to be more efficient in their routines for years, and businesses are increasingly implementing the technology into their own. Industrial conglomerate Honeywell announced it is adding more automation, cybersecurity and visualization tools to its ‘Forge for Buildings’ IoT platform.
Honeywell CEO Darius Adamczyk told CNBC the company is also investing in robotics, amongst other smart tech.
Another American institution, Kentucky Fried Chicken, is also implementing the latest innovations in its field. At least for now.
The company began testing plant-based chicken yesterday through a partnership with Beyond Meat. The meatless nuggets and wings are available at just one KFC location in Atlanta right now, but if tests go well, the new menu item could be at a location near you soon.
Yahoo Finance reports that the product contains about 20 ingredients, with its core component being a pea protein.
Tune in to Business Casual, MarketScale’s live radio broadcast, every Wednesday and Friday at 8 a.m. CST.
In this new episode of the Pro AV Podcast brought to you by MarketScale, host Sean Heath tackled a topic ever-present and challenging in all industries: change. How do you manage it, how do you deal with it, and how do you make sure it doesn't derail your productivity? Evan Green, founder and chairman of Personiv, a global leader in outsourcing solutions and author of Beat Your Competition: 3 Key Principles of Successful Outsourcing, gave his perspective.
To successfully manage change, first, you have to embrace it. That means knowing your company's identity and recognizing what you don't know.
"I think a lot of people get trapped into obvious thinking, so they spend a lot of time maybe a whole career trying to stay above water without really knowing their business," Green said, naming Kodak, now defunct-Blockbuster, and ailing Sears-Roebuck as examples.
The next step is sometimes the hardest for entrepreneurs, Green admitted.
"Focus is key. There are too many examples of companies and entrepreneurs who die of indigestion versus starvation. They're chasing too many shiny objects," he said.
He also shared the two books that have given him the most insight in his life and business, and explained Pareto's 80/20 rule as a "magic ratio" to focus on what makes a Pro AV business irresistible to an ideal customer and be successful.
"Success is delighting your customers," Green said, explaining how focusing 80 percent of your efforts on target activities can be the formula to success.
The very best in class technology for a building or facility is tech that's explicitly planned for and integrated with foresight. That's the message today's guests from Pennsylvania-based Z-Band Technologies discussed with host Sean Heath on the Pro AV podcast.
Video has become a preeminent content delivery method everywhere from social media, to video search engine, to shopping.
"We're in a space where the amount of data we're using for video transmissions on Amazon, Facebook or Twitter feed is expected to be over 80 percent of our Wi-Fi traffic by the year 2022," said Dan Helfrick, Z-Band vice president.
Working with audio visual designers, consultants and commercial end customers, Z-Band is an industry expert for ultra-reliable, easy to use products and services as it pertains to the mass distribution and control of video for business.
But the same video-streaming luxuries we've come to expect at home via Wi-Fi don't necessarily translate to corporate and public facility infrastructures, where executives envision having their favorite channels in crystal clear HD in common viewing areas.
"Everybody's looking for a little bit of everything now," he said.
"Rarely is Wi-Fi the best choice," said Joe Dalto, Z-Band's southwest territory Manager. "When you are in a corporate or healthcare environment where the quality of the video is important, you need to make sure you have a dedicated amount of bandwidth or infrastructure available for the video platform."
That's when a hardwired video distribution system is the best choice.
"People will spend a lot of time on data infrastructure, fiber backbone, security services, those types of things, and the actual TV system doesn't always get planned for," Helfrick said.
On this jobcast, host Daniel Litwin dug into the open role of Customer Support Manager for Greenstone, a Cultura Company, with Client Success Director Tracy Curtis.
"We're looking to grow our support team," Curtis said. "We have tenured folks that we need to have a training program and career paths for new people, as well as improving our metrics for our customers."
Greenstone, located in Alpharetta, Georgia, is a leader in agricultural accounting & management tools, powering the backend agribusiness across the nation. The 8 to 5, Monday through Friday position of Customer Support Manager takes on the responsibility of managing a team of customer service representatives to deliver quality and consistent levels of service.
They'll establish efficient and balanced workflows for them and their team, maximizing efficiency and measuring service metrics to develop standards, improvements, or changes to the process.
Curtis said she's looking for a candidate with a bachelor's degree and 3-5 years experience managing people. For this Customer Support Manager position, up to 10 percent travel may be required, and career path potential exists.
"Ideally I'd like them to move up into my role as Client Success Director or a general manager of one of our companies," Curtis said.
Give this jobcast a listen to hear why Curtis thinks Donkey's (yes, from Shrek) brand of optimism perfectly captures this role. Click here to apply for the position.
Samsung announced that it is steering away from LCD production to lean in ($8.3 billion worth) to QD-OLED production. QD-OLED, which combines the quantum-dot LED technology from Samsung's TVs and the backlight-less OLEDs capturing the TV market, is Samsung's next big play for consumer and commercial televisions. On this snippet from Business Casual, MarketScale's B2B morning radio show, hosts Daniel Litwin and Ben Thomas break down the different technologies, what this means for microLEDs, and the potential applications for Samsung's new televisions.
Tune in to Business Casual, MarketScale’s live radio broadcast, every Wednesday and Friday at 8 a.m. CST.
Over the last decade digital technology has spread into quick serve restaurants, typically in the form of digital menu boards. But only until recently have those stores been able to use digital technology to collect, analyze, and predict customer behavior. On this episode of the ____ podcast, Côme Billerey, head of product innovation at Acrelec, shares how machine learning has come to your favorite restaurant.
“We are focusing on how can we improve the customer journey and improve operations thanks to AI,” Billerey said.
This means using machine learning to improve the speed of service, and possibly predict orders so restaurant managers know how to allocate resources to optimize efficiency.
The latest smart displays found in stores can collect data in real-time. With AI, the displays can learn the weather and forecast how many people will be in the store and what they’ll order. Billerey explained that these predictive capabilities have been used by websites like Amazon for some time, but only now are they available to brick and mortar stores.
Although the technology will never achieve 100% accurate trend forecasting, “in the past years we have reached, in certain fields, really great predictive capabilities of 95 to 97%," Billerey said.
Billerey divulged that he worked with McDonalds in leveraging machine learning to time cars in a drive-thru lane. First using sensors in the road and then switching to cameras, he was able to predict bottlenecks so that the restaurants could reorganize staff for better service. The experience gave him a greater appreciation for the human eye which, working with the brain, is capable of visual processing and analysis that cameras and computers just can’t do.
“It should amaze people, or at least, it amazes me," Billerey said.
Currently, he’s working with Intel to create more cost and energy effective solutions to process real-time data. And while AI is not hard to deploy at select sites, many startups have trouble doing so across a network. That’s where he says Acrelec is different.
“We know how to scale technology on many, many different locations," Billerey said.
Professional digital signage has undergone a dramatic transformation, from once only displaying static images to now providing immersive experiences. How has this shift manifested itself company to company? On this week’s episode of the Pro AV podcast, we looked into one AV player, BrightSign, and had CEO Jeff Hastings share how his company continues to pioneer advancements in digital signage.
According to Hastings, most people hadn’t heard of digital signage ten years ago. BrightSign was one of the first entrants into the space and frequently executed deployments of a hundred media players. These days, the company routinely does deployments of up to three thousand.
But what’s really notable is the change in content. Gone are the looping graphics of old.
“Today it’s about creating an experience," Hastings said.
BrightSign is a pioneer in interactive technology, working early on with retail stores, museums, and aquariums to go beyond simple communication by creating something truly engaging and memorable.
Hastings said BrightSign got a head start in the space and maintains its position ahead of the pack while competitors have trouble engineering interactive technology.
“We are the market share leader," Hastings said.
Where a lot of digital signage goes wrong is in its software, largely due to the use of operating systems such as Android or Mac OS developed for consumers and not enterprise digital signage deployments. But Hastings explained that BrightSign OS was built from the ground up to be incredibly reliable, robust, and designed specifically for digital content delivery. Plus, it provides a high level of security to better safeguard against hackers.
BrightSign also collaborates with other hardware and software providers in creating digital signage solutions. Hastings lauded a recent partnership with Mimo Monitors in developing a small display with a miniaturized BrightSign media player built right into the design.
“Think of it as a commercial tablet with touchscreen capability built into a single package,” he said. It’s innovations like these that keep BrightSign at the top of the crowded Pro AV field.
Is it time for extended reality to make it its way into the business world?
On this excerpt from Business Casual, Daniel Litwin and Tyler Kern explored the positives and negatives of extended reality being more widely utilized.
The use cases are obviously exciting for brands and individuals that are enthusiastic about stepping forward into the future. On the downside, there are still too many instances where this technology is simply too expensive to be implemented on a wide scale.
For more, tune in to Business Casual, MarketScale’s live radio broadcast, every Wednesday and Friday at 8 a.m. CST.
This year's Consumer Electronics Show might look a little different than it has in previous years. The Consumer Technology Association who puts on CES every year has announced that it's going to be more strict in its enforcement of the dress code. The hope is that this eliminates the use of "booth babes", women hired for their looks to entice more visitors to a particular booth.
There is an ongoing push to encourage more women to join STEM related fields. Is this a step in the right direction? Daniel Litwin and Tyler Kern discuss the reasons and ramifications of this decision on the August 14th episode of Business Casual.
Tune in to Business Casual, MarketScale’s live radio broadcast, every Friday at 8 a.m. CST.
Staleness is among the worst labels a business can receive. In an industry predicated on creating captivating visual experiences like Pro AV, this is especially damning.
Content creation is what separates AV providers today. Consumer expectations have changed rapidly, and it is now not enough to just be big and bright.
In a speech this month at the AVIT Summit, OpenEye Global Founder and CEO Bryan Meszaros explained why content is king.
“Clients are asking for design, and I don’t think [AV providers] are putting enough value on design services, or one quote I’ve seen where they’ll just pass them on to the guy who knows how to do graphics and think that suffices,” Meszaros said. “The reality is that’s not matching the expectations of the clients anymore.”
The ecosystem of the AV system today is collaborative, which can be challenging to some firms but leads to higher-quality end products.
“The days of clients looking for the one-stop shop are gone,” Meszaros said. “I think clients are getting wiser and realizing collaborative efforts or ecosystems or however you define it, that’s the norm.”
As the world becomes more inundated with visually captivating and stimulating technologies, content will continue to be a differentiator.
For the latest Pro AV news, head to our industry page! Follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKSL for up-to-the-minute updates as well! Join the conversation on our Market Leaders LinkedIn Group!
San Jose, Calif. wasn't happy with the state of the billboards around the city. Many of them were in poor condition, detracting from the overall appearance and aesthetic of the downtown area.
What was their solution? The city decided to begin installing electronic billboards and digital signage throughout downtown. The signs should be installed and ready to go by next year. City officials are optimistic that this will be a positive change for the city.
"We are in the heart of Silicon Valley, you would expect us to have the most up-to-date billboards," San Jose Councilmember Raul Peralez told Fox 2 KTVU. Hear what Daniel Litwin and Tyler Kern think about this potential development on Business Casual.
Tune in to Business Casual, MarketScale’s live radio broadcast, every Friday at 8 a.m. CST.
Whiteboards, power-points, desktop computers, and overhead projectors are just some of the everyday tools that have characterized the primary school classroom for decades. Today, these tools have been exchanged for iPads, touchscreens, and tablets.
Despite this introduction of new, cutting-edge tech in education, David Lopez, senior manager of strategic alliances for education at ScreenBeam, argued that the classroom blueprint is largely unchanged. At its foundation, classrooms operate much as they did 100 years ago: rows of rigid desks front-facing a stationary teacher at the helm.
This, he argued on this episode of the Pro AV Podcast, is where education is in need of innovation, and where technology can make impactful change.
Lopez defined what can transform a classroom environment with a simple phrase: “classroom agility.” Many teachers find themselves glued to their desk all day, stuck at the motherboard or command center of the classroom unable to fully engage with students. But, when armed with wireless tools like ScreenBeam's wireless technology, teachers can leave their desk and freely navigate and command the whole room.
“Powerful teaching devices should enable agility," Lopez said.
In today’s streaming-based society, Lopez finds himself asking: “Why are we still plugging in our computers when we go into a classroom?” With technology like ScreenBeam and Classroom Commander, teachers can quickly, easily, and wirelessly share work in real-time simply by turning on the tablet’s camera and streaming to the front of the classroom.
The result? An engaged group of students looking to participate and share their work with the class.
“You’ve wowed your students by showing live video of what that student is doing in class," Lopez said.
The best kind of technology is the kind that integrates into people's day to day to make lives simpler, easier, and more efficient. With this ethos in mind, ScreenBeam's wireless, cable-free technology aims to re-define the workings of the modern classroom.
When done right, live technology at live events can make a jaw-dropping impact on an audience. But first, it’s got to work. On this episode of the Pro AV Podcast, host Tyler Kern sat down with two experts in the industry — Shana Devine, director of sales at Elite Multimedia, and David Venus, CMO of PixelFlex — to discuss strategies and best practices for live technology at events.
“Our industry has really exploded in the past decade,” Venus said. “Even seeing the technology advance from 2008 to today is just night and day. It’s intriguing to see how our industry has made advances with phenomenal technology manufacturers.”
Putting that technology on display means wowing more than the live crowd.
“With social media, everyone is putting everything out in that cyberspace area,” Devine said. “There’s one-upmanship. Every event needs to have that memorable effect. It needs to be bigger, better, and brighter."
Devine argued, though, that bigger doesn't necessarily mean it needs to have a huge supporting budget. A really good idea or good theme is the only prerequisite.
Venus agreed. “A great production partner for a trade show can really make honestly anything happen," he said.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or drones are all the rage, with businesses from Amazon to Domino’s conducting research into using the aircraft to complete deliveries. Utilizing UAVs for these types of serious applications, though, requires precision technology. On today’s Software and Technology Podcast, Daniel Schübeler, founder of Schübeler Technologies, discussed how electronic ducted fans (EDFs) and their blade design provide the propulsion necessary to give enterprise UAVs liftoff.
Unlike an exposed propeller, EDFs feature blades mounted inside a fan. Schübeler explained that the design of the blades is critical in making them efficient enough to carry large payloads for a long time.
“It’s important to get the aerodynamics right,” he said, elaborating that proper aerodynamic design yields high thrust with low power input, generating longer flight times.
While some customers turn to EDFs because they look cool, the efficiency benefits are what motivate their applications and design; Schübeler said that his personal motivation in engineering the technology relates to increased safety and reliability compared to open propellers.
“Our goal is definitely to go to zero failures," he said. Achieving this requires enhanced engineering methods, proper calculations, simulations, predictions, and substantial testing efforts.
Those seeking to deploy drones using EDFs must understand that the off-the-shelf commercial variety has limitations. That’s why customers turn to him for a product with the optimal pitch, blade count, diameter, weight, and balance that best matches their UAV’s airframe.
“We can give people a much higher efficiency," Schübeler said.
Even the smallest error in an aerodynamic system can cause a loss of 30% to 40% efficiency. By designing EDFs that optimize energy use, Schübeler said his company is accelerating green aviation. His goal is to make battery electric flying platforms good enough to fulfill serious enterprise missions.
Data is now considered to be the most valuable commodity on Earth, which is why enterprises and government agencies look to leverage it to their advantage. And yet, warehousing massive amounts of data requires modern technologies and new ways of thinking.
On today’s podcast, Judson Graves, director of analytics solutions at ViON, and Chrisitan Shrauder, director of federal systems at Yellowbrick, offer their insights into the challenges of storing big data.
“There’s too much data, and it’s always growing exponentially,” Graves explained, but storing tons of data at an unlimited scale isn’t a problem. The challenge is storing it so that it’s readily accessible in a useful way, and in the demand of time required.
The world has transitioned to a real-time workload with people wanting answers in seconds or minutes, not hours or days. Arranging data so that it’s available for immediate analytics and evaluation is of top priority.
Shrauder went on to say that he’s occupied with developing systems that can support real-time ingest and ad hoc queries at scale, and can store data so that it’s optimized and makes sense. The way to do that is by implementing the latest and greatest in hardware and software. This also includes rethinking the physical architecture of data centers.
“Anything that is going to work in the future will have to scale incrementally without causing massive downtime," Shrauder said.
When asked about his opinion on public versus private cloud solutions, Graves maintained that all the coolest technological advancements, from self-driving cars to artificial intelligence, required hardware and software combinations that weren’t available at the time in a public cloud environment.
"If you have a real workload, I don’t ever see when a private cloud or a personal infrastructure would not be needed," Graves said.
He went on to relay the essential keys to data warehousing: speed, scale, simplicity, security. Solutions that address those four factors will drive successful storage operations in today’s business environment.
On this episode of the Sciences Podcast, host Tyler Kern dug deep, so to speak, on the topic of using big data for conventional and unconventional reservoirs with two geoscientists from Ikon Science. Today's guests are Gabi D'Aubeterre, Americas support team manager, and Yoryenys Del Moro, regional product champion for wells.
Del Moro said current methods are just scratching the surface of what kind of production is possible.
"To get more production, … we need to use more data, including seismic and well information," she said.
Ikon Science develops pioneering GeoPrediction software technology and solutions to help customers have better hit rates and faster production with reduced cost and cycle time. The quantitative interpretation of seismic and well data has been widely successful for conventional operations around the world, but lags in unconventional reservoirs, D'Aubeterre and Del Moro said.
"When it comes to unconventional reservoirs, we need to change our mindset from what we've done traditionally," D'Aubeterre said.
Unconventional reservoirs pose a unique challenge for geoscientists. While the rock or sandstone in conventional reservoirs effectively traps oil and gas until it's drilled, this same trapping mechanism is not present in more difficult reservoirs.
"In an unconventional reservoir, the oil and gas are trapped, and there are low velocity and low permeability for that natural gas to flow naturally," D'Aubeterre said. Fracturing the rock and shale to extract that oil and gas makes a challenge for geoscientists and engineers.
Del Moro agreed, saying complications exist when geoscientists and engineers look to fracture the right area of rock for the right natural resource to produce oil and gas, and not water.
"So you need to apply the techniques that allow you to define and detect what you're looking for in the shales, fractures, and natural fracture zones," Del Moro said, explaining seismic data allows you to do that.
D'Aubeterre and Del Moro shared specific examples of quantitative interpretation of seismic and well data in unique settings and how the machine learning and integration is key.
Home renters and businesses of all sizes are feeling the squeeze of soaring rents across the United States’ largest metropolitan areas.
Ecommerce has long been ascribed as the killer of brick-and-mortar retail, but the price of staying in business is also contributing to closures across the country. Menswear retailer Barneys recently had annual rent raised by more than $11 million on its Manhattan flagship location and has been forced to consider several options to cut back costs.
Steven Kalifowitz, President of Localize.City, a software technology startup that uses AI to give prospective home renters and buyers a wealth of high-level data insights, has followed the volatile New York City real estate scene.
“A place like Barneys can get really squeezed because a landlord wants high rent and because so many of these landlords have been here for so long, they don’t mind keeping a store empty for a certain time until they can get the right price.” Kalifowitz said. “The landlords in New York City are less concerned about month-to-month income when they can get such a big jump from someone else. And they have the cashflow to wait.”
Also contributing to the increase in rent prices is an imbalance of access to information on properties between landlords and renters.
“Until now, there’s been a large asymmetry of information. The people who own properties know a lot more than those who don’t. With that asymmetry going away, it’s changing how people are able to find properties and negotiate them,” Kalifowitz said.
Technology may be giving power back to buyers, but retailers are still at the moment fighting a two-front war against ecommerce competitors and leverage-holding landlords.
American Made is a recurring segment appearing on Business Casual, MarketScale's weekly live radio show airing Friday mornings at 8 a.m. CT. On American Made, hosts Daniel Litwin & Tyler Kern have a conversational corner on American policy affecting American business.
On this segment, Litwin breaks down the bipartisan Stopping Bad Robocalls Act bill, why robocalls are under fire, how they harm important communications between company and consumer, and the newest powers granted to the FCC.
Dallas’ Lakewood neighborhood is home to the circa 1938 Lakewood Theater, a long-standing piece of North Texas history. Not everything is brick and mortar though; when its iconic neon marquee needed refurbishment, owners turned to Denton-based Kieffer | Starlit.
On this episode of the Po AV Podcast, host Sean Heath sat down with Mark Jackson, national account manager for Kieffer | Starlite, to recount how they helped bring the theater’s iconic neon sign back to its former twilight glory.
“There was certainly pressure to maintain the nostalgia,” Jackson said of starting the project in November 2018. “We wanted to maintain the originality of what the sign is.”
Kieffer | Starlite set about repairing the neon lights that panel the tower and replacing the lights found in the light ball atop the sign. They used one of the last full-functioning neon plants in Dallas to hand blow the glass tubes used for this unique lighting solution.
Jackson shared insight into the artistry as well as outdoor practicality for using neon in signs, rather than replacing with LED.
“Neon just has a certain quality that’s not the same with LED,” he said.
Maintaining its nostalgic cache was vital for a project like this, Jackson explained.
“What makes Lakewood unique is there are not many other neighborhoods that are so attached to things within their community like the Lakewood Theater,” Jackson said.
Companies are like superheroes in that they all have an origin story, explaining how they started and began to build something meaningful. In this episode of the Software and Technology Podcast, host Tyler Kern sat down with Amaryllis Payment Solutions co-founders Ori Hay and Adi Ekshtain. They discuss their origin story and how the two recognized the demand for third-party aggregators in payment services that would revolutionize the industry.
Before co-founding Amaryllis with Ekshtain, Hay spent more than a decade working in credit card processing services and saw the coming wave of e-commerce transactions. “I recognized that this is where things are going to go,” he said.
When Ekshtain wanted to create a third-party payment processing partner for e-commerce, he turned to Hay, a noted developer, patent holder, and expert in FinTech.
“I thought it was a very smart idea and it came at the right time,” Ekshtain said.
The two partnered to build a dot net software for payments, the first commercially-viable mobile face-to-face payment solution.
“Back then with Microsoft, there was nothing to build real infrastructure on,” Hay said. “Since Adi is the technology guy, he came to me saying there’s a new thing called dot net.”
Ekshtain continued, “We struck a partnership with the Microsoft technology center. Together with them, we built the first-ever payment gateway built on Microsoft dot net technology. That proved to us we could build an economically-viable software, and it allowed Microsoft to have a case study of a financial system that is mission-critical.”
In this episode, Ekshtain and Hay also discussed the significance of the platform’s flexibility, the uniqueness of the payment solution, and how competition has followed their lead.
Whether you prefer yogurt, kimchi, kefir, or kombucha, probiotics are all around us. But how do we really harness the benefits of this good bacteria, and capitalize on consuming foods that keep us healthy? The answer -- Prebiotics.
Tackling the science, consumer habits, and marketing behind prebiotics in this episode of Sciences Podcast are scientists John Davidson, Director of Innovation & Education for Deerland, and John Deaton, VP of Science & Technology for Deerland Sciences. We talk about how and why it is important to prime your gut with prebiotics, in order to truly harness the power of probiotics. From a marketing standpoint “probiotics were first out of the gate,” Deaton says, “but it’s not as simple as consuming a probiotic.”
Probiotic organisms are not very shelf-stable, nor very resilient to our stomach acids. This is why a prebiotic is so important. As non-living organisms, prebiotics are a food source or a compound, and much easier to manage in application. But, for real efficacy, prebiotics must be consumed in large doses. Herein lies the crux that Deerland has tackled head-on.
How do we provide a prebiotic that is small, consumable, and reduces the main side effect of gas, caused by fermentation in the gut? Davidson explains the groundbreaking science of their prebiotic, which is “based on bacteria phase technology.” Davidson and Deaton have reduced the dosage of necessary prebiotics from over 1 gram, to “Only 15 mg a day required for efficacy.”
In short, Deerland has “Really revolutionized the whole prebiotic space.” Says Davidson. The science is in, but the hard work isn’t over. “Consumer education is gonna be the key.” Says Davidson. Consumers may love the idea of probiotics, but don’t know that their efforts are futile without the symbiotic help of prebiotics.
Luckily, the probiotic and prebiotic market is only growing, with business owners taking note of this health phenomenon. Deerland is ready and waiting to bring their prebiotic to the mainstream.
On this episode of our Software & Technology Podcast, host Tyler Kern sat down with frequent guest Kevin Levi, vice president of marketing for OrecX, to discuss innovative ways to use customer call recordings for smart, informed marketing campaigns and other uses.
OrecX provides contact centers and Business Voice Over IP Providers with full-featured, reliable, and very easy to use call recording software at a fraction of the cost of competing solutions.
Companies often use call recording for monitoring the performance of their employees, customer service, compliance, and dispute resolution. But there are other uses for this technology, including learning from your customers, Levi explained.
“In terms of ‘the voice of the customer,’ many organizations spend hundreds of thousands of dollars commissioning analyst reports to learn about their buyers,” Levi said. “But if you’re listening to call recordings of your customers, you’re getting firsthand information that’s even richer than that data.”
Taking it a step further from the voice of the customer, Levi said call recording can help marketing teams assemble more accurate buyer personas. “It’s imperative to keep their ear to the ground,” he said.
Motivating staff is another compelling way to use call recording. “Imagine firing up your staff by playing an exciting customer-praising recording … with a customer’s positive reaction to a product, or a marketing campaign,” Levi said. “That can go a long way.”
Without question, automation has improved the lives of millions. The speed, consistency and efficiency of automated processes has saved businesses money while producing more goods in less time.
For consumers, this has meant cheaper prices and consistent quality. Automation has also spawned a timeless question, even dating back to the industrial revolution. Will further implementation of machinery eliminate people from the workforce, or will those workers simply adapt to new jobs?
Anton Korinek, Associate Professor of Business Administration at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business has researched the future implications of automation extensively.
“From the perspective of business, A.I. is a great thing. It will allow us to produce so much more, earn much greater profits,” Korinek said. “But the societal challenge that it creates is the distribution of resources that it leads to will be increasingly unequal.” Will there be a turning point where the impacts of automation on job opportunities are regarded as a negative?
“What has happened in the past half century or so is automation has increasingly crept up on what has been in some sense our last bastion of advantage over the machines, which is our intellect,” Korinek said. “In the last decade now, we have seen major advances in artificial intelligence and we have seen that even in areas we thought were ‘robot proof’, that computers can actually perform the most critical tasks.”
Forecasting the future of automation is something that comes with wildly different opinions, but its continued implementation will certainly change the workplace as we know it going forward, and society will have to decide the best way forward.
In this episode of the Energy Podcast, host Sean Heath sat down with Jonathan Azarcon, executive vice president of marketing and customer solutions at iS5 Communications, to discuss the delicate balance of security versus functionality in the communications and power utility industries.
iS5 Communications, Inc. is a global provider of integrated services and solutions, and manufacturer of intelligent industrial ethernet products. Their products are designed to meet demand requirements of utility sub-stations, transportation, and industrial applications.
In the past decade, there’s been a rise in cyber threats on critical infrastructure, including power utilities, nuclear power, and wastewater utilities, Azarcon explained. “These all impact daily lives,” he said. “So it’s a narrow tightrope that we continuously walk on to ensure we don’t impact reliability and accessibility to the systems.”
Challenges often exist at the intersection of new technology processes and legacy infrastructure or systems. Automation helps mitigate these challenges, but shouldn’t be a completely hands-off solution.
“There’s a lot of degree of thought required to implement a proper system,” Azarcon said. “If you look at power utility customers, they do a lot of proof of concept before putting something into the production network. At the same time, there is technology that can help customers to automate better, but that’s not to say that you shouldn’t still do a proof of concept to ensure that the reliability is guaranteed to perform the way customers expect it to.”
Computer services pioneer, Navy veteran, two-time presidential candidate and philanthropist Ross Perot has died after a five-month battle with Leukemia. He was 89 years old.
“We have lost a true Dallas Icon,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson tweeted. “Ross Perot was a veteran, successful businessman, and philanthropist who spent his life working hard to make our city, state and country better. My thoughts and prayers are with the Perot family during this difficult time.”
A legendary business career began in Dallas in 1957 when Perot joined IBM as a computer salesman. Between exceeding expectations and having larger ambitions, he left the company in 1962 to venture out on his own.
Perot became a multimillionaire after taking his company, Electronic Data Systems Corp. (EDS), public in 1968 just six years after its founding. He later became a billionaire when the company was acquired by General Motors Corp. (GM) for $2.5 billion in 1984.
The partnership was short-lived, however. After just two years, GM purchased Perot’s shares back for $700 million, according to the New York Times, and he cut ties with the automaker.
Perot soon after went on to found Perot Systems Corp. in 1988, which also went on to become a billion-dollar enterprise. It was acquired by fellow Texas-based company Dell Inc. in 2009 for $3.9 billion.
More than the money he brought in during his career, Perot may be better known for the amount he gave back.
According to the Dallas Morning News, the Perot Foundation was responsible for approximately $90 million in donations to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. His family also donated another $50 million to fund the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in downtown Dallas, built in 2008.
Perot also spent much of his later years ensuring American military veterans received proper healthcare. He himself served in the armed services after graduating from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland in 1953.
His service to the United States was far from over upon his retirement from the Navy. Perot left a major impact on American politics as a third-party candidate in 1992 and again in 1996. He received close to 20 percent of the popular vote in his first run, easily the most by a third-party ticket since Theodore Roosevelt ran as a member of the Bull Moose party in 1912.
Perot is survived by his wife Margot; his sister Bette; his son and four daughters and their spouses; 16 grandchildren and three step grandchildren.
In this episode of the Software & Technology podcast, host Tyler Kern sat down with Mark Bishopp, CEO of Amaryllis, a purpose-based platform that makes it easy for third-party payment companies to launch quickly and effectively. They discussed why third-party payment companies should expect more of a partner, and less of a vendor, with card processing solutions.
In his prior roles at Bank of America, Vantiv, and Price Waterhouse, Bishopp learned why partnering with clients first and foremost was critical to building the business relationship based on mutual experience. “I’ve often been in their shoes before,” Bishopp said. “It helped position me to see the challenges out there, whether its internal risk and compliance with the card brand themselves, to then come up with the best next step.”
Setting themselves apart, Amaryllis creates a client-specific experience and consultative knowledge for company card processing by offering complete platform solutions rather than one-off fixes, Bishopp said.
“Now it’s not just a technology solution but a value we can provide someone as a trusted advisor in the industry to say ‘Look, we’ve got your back,’” Bishopp said. “‘We’ve got enough experience and scars on our back to know what doesn’t work and bring that knowledge to each client. That differentiates ourselves from the competition which will say they have a solution in a box.”
Bishopp said Amaryllis’ open API platform uses very specific, customized modules built to the customers’ needs, which let them choose the ones that make sense for their workflow.
The world of IoT has been evolving industries for several years now; from manufacturing to retail, data is giving businesses unparalleled decision making capabilities. But are businesses really leveraging IoT to its full potential?
To dive deep into the subject, we were joined by Atul Patel, CEO & co-founder of Edyza Inc., an enabler of IoT for high-density connectivity and computing, and John Lam, vice president of sales for Premio Inc., a designer, and builder of computing technologies, including embedded systems.
Patel began his journey with IoT with home automation. In 2012, this was a very novel market but something he wanted to explore. But there were challenges.
“There were lots of bugs and issues with interoperability. I learned what it was like from the consumer standpoint and knew there had to be a better approach when applying IoT to Industry 4.0,” Patel said.
The problem with applying it to Industry 4.0 is there are different types of connectivity and specific use cases force business to pick a path.
“Our clients need microanalysis of every five square feet of an area and so many things to track and individual sensors. There is a breadth of different options to connect. We think that integration will happen more at the cloud and Edge. We can make this happen with the powerful Premio devices," Patel said.
To truly maximize IoT devices, Patel & Lam argue you need more sensors, potentially hundreds per task. To the uninformed, it may seem excessive or unimaginable to run a stable network of that many nodes and that much data.
When that infrastructure is there, though, the data captured is hard to fathom. “If you had a factory where temperature was critical, and you only had one thermostat, I would challenge you to have hundreds. If the cost and implementation were minimal, wouldn’t you want a full-scale view? It opens up the opportunity to collect data and becomes a necessity. They were making decisions on just a few touchpoints; now they have much more information," Patel said.
Edyza doesn't achieve this alone; a powerful digital infrastructure means reliable hardware. Premio works with companies like Edyza and other Industry 4.0 change-makers to provide the back-end to the back-end. “There is much diversity in sensors. The goal is to have big data collection from the sensors. From the Premio perspective, we are the engine to collect the data, creating predictability and the ability to make better decisions for companies," Lam said.
When you attend a cutting-edge conference like InfoComm 2019, you honestly need time and brain power to digest everything you’ve seen. That’s why MarketScale host Daniel Litwin hosted a post-show conversation with Bryan Hinckley, president of Electrosonic, and Maurizio Capuzzo, CMO of Electrosonic, who give their tech and culture perspectives on the effect of the conference.
Buzzing as bright as the pro AV technology on display were the vendor booths themselves, Hinckley and Capuzzo admitted. LG showed off their open frame OLED display featuring curved waterfalls and trees that hang overhead, which Capuzzo noted as a crowd favorite at the event.
From 8K to transparent LED, there were a lot of technologies showcased at the event, but Hinckley particularly noted the re-emergence of transparent LED into the market.
“There were a couple of manufacturers making transparent LEDs a few years ago, but there were technical issues, and for whatever reason, they left the market and left a void,” Hinckley said. “It looks like LG and Planar have figured out those technical limitations and created a new generation product.”
Hinckley noted it wasn’t that long ago there was a transition between lamp-based projectors to solid state and laser phosphorous. “As we get brighter light sources, you’re going to see more interesting applications of light in new and interesting ways,” he said.
Capuzzo said this all represents an exciting time for Pro AV technology and content creation.
The first modern freezer hit homes in the early 1900s. Since then, modern refrigeration and freezers have come a long way; the laws of thermodynamics, though, haven’t changed. The way in which people treat and manage their walk-in freezers often incurs more costs for a company, whether that's in maintenance or energy costs, and it all ties back to thermodynamics. Research by scientists like today’s guest, though, KPS Global's Technical Fellow James Costanza, has made modern industrial walk-in freezers more efficient, longer-lasting, and environmentally friendly.
Costanza first breaks down how energy flows, from a higher level to lower level of energy. He elaborates on the biggest thermodynamic challenges facing the construction of walk-in freezers today: conductance, convection, condensation, and radiation. These challenges have faced scientists and engineers since refrigeration began evolving over 200 years ago.
“Historically the cold storage industry...has been relatively stagnant in significant innovations,” Costanza said. But he continues to explain how KPSG has married elements of strength, such as insulated panels, and elements of thermal properties to craft a single product (a “FUSIONFRAME system”) that is a significant improvement in the industry, for the customer and the environment.
Perhaps the biggest challenge to Costanza and his team is condensation. He said condensation is “...the single largest issue related to storage of cold storage envelopes.“ So how do engineers battle the ongoing threat of condensation build-up, material deterioration, and mold growth? He explains the design in laymen’s terms, emphasizing how important it is to minimize condensation, particularly in food preparation spaces. The engineering group and manufacturing group at KPSG has pulled off a true feat of science in their innovative new design of walk-in freezers.
Find out more about how Psyche developed the software and is playing a focused role in patient care by listening to the podcast.
Communications have fundamentally changed since the implementation of broadband services; today, customer expectations are that communication is instant and clear.
"Internet is now the key to this business because everything flows through it. Whether it's the phone or video or internet," Chris Boring, vice president of sales and marketing at Promptlink Communications, said.
This standard for speed has made broadband companies more all-encompassing but also forced them to provide new offerings to customers to stay competitive.
"What it's changed is, from an operator's standpoint, it has completely changed their business model because as they've gone from what in 1995 we were, which was a pure video solution, to an internet provider and phone provider," Boring said. "Without these innovations for the cable side of the business in DOCSIS, this never could happen. It's completely transformed how people access content in their homes and how operators have to design their networks and their day-to-day activities."
Boring has been involved in broadband for close to 25 years and spoke to MarketScale about the effect of technology-led change to broadband business, some of the standard issues he has experienced over the years and how he would guide the industry to improve it.
Vendor-neutral consulting is an integral facet of any pipeline system utilizing SCADA systems. This form of consulting effectively employs customer-specific standards to fit the needs of any industry, whether oil and gas, electric utility, or traction power.
Duane Clementson, vice president of operations at UTSI International, possesses extensive experience managing SCADA systems thanks to his work under four different SCADA companies. Mr. Clementson has worked with six different SCADA packages and collaborated with a telecommunications networking company, all while encompassing a variety of energy-related fields.
On today's Energy Podcast, Mr. Clementson explains why SCADA’s application is changing to moderate costs, both in the number of vendors and overall size. “It used to be that there were many more smaller SCADA companies...focused on very narrow niches in the industry,” he said. “Also, those systems tended to be quite small because of the expensive computing power and the slow and expensive communication links.”
Mr. Clementson added that many of today’s major pipeline operating companies have adopted new, large-scale systems with “one or two major control centers controlling a wide array of pipelines.”
According to Mr. Clementson, the stability of SCADA systems is incumbent upon a company’s ability to disperse its data effectively. This can require additional IT systems, communication routes, and offshore facilities.
“As you bring up more and more data, it becomes more important that you offload that data to other systems,” he said.
Mr. Clementson said that frequent verification is essential to any customer’s SCADA network.
“You need a qualified staff and vendor to monitor its health,” Mr. Clementson said.
The modern-day business is not often confined to one building. Long-distance communication has become seamless, and AV providers have been tasked with improving conferencing across the world.
From improved cameras and better projectors for video conferencing to a more fluid wireless experience, workers expect remote meetings to be as smooth as in-person gatherings.
Carl Harvell, director of product marketing and senior customer sales success at AVer Information recently returned from InfoComm 2019 in Orlando where he saw firsthand what the Pro AV industry is doing to improve conference technology further. Technological change also must align with the modern standards and layouts of conferencing spaces, which are all unique from each other.
"What I try to do at AVer is listen to the customer. It doesn't matter if they're griping because their product doesn't meet their expectation and their belittling you. That emotion comes for a reason," Harvell said.
Give this podcast a listen to hear Harvell breakdown why the proper AV/IT solution is now a significant way to enhance communication and business in an economy that becomes increasingly more remote.
Investing in something that will never be used is not ideal. That is the goal, though, when dealing with emergency response and crisis management technology. In the unfortunate situation when it does need to be used, open communication can save lives, inventory, and the reputation of a brand.
Luckily, as technology has advanced, companies have the tools to be prepared unlike ever before. "Technology now allows us not only to reach you but make sure we reach you with the right message to the right people," Daniel Wagstaff, CEO of Pocketstop said.
Pocketstop is a communication technology company that specializes in emergency awareness. Companies can provide reassurance to employees in emergencies by alerting them that they are not alone and that assistance is on the way through technology, which was not available even a decade ago.
However, making sure the proper information is communicated is still crucial. Eliminating speculation is as vital as providing safety updates and directions.
"We're always communicating with authenticity, with transparency, to let people know, 'we know this, we don't know this, updates will be happening now.' That provides, reassurance," Wagstaff said. "Sometimes it's what you don't say, as much as what you do, that provides that level of insurance."
Companies endure unique safety challenges and making sure employees can be contacted when it is needed most is perhaps the most essential business initiative one must execute, especially in today's landscape.
It’s not just huge call centers in multinational companies that outsource their talent. Everybody outsources on some scale, whether it’s a startup that outsources the bookkeeping and back office duties for their business or even an individual who outsources their day-to-day needs to someone more skilled than they are.
In this episode of the Software and Technology Podcast, host Sean Heath sat down with Tim Witucki, senior vice president of development for Personiv to discuss smart outsourcing as a competitive edge in the industry.
Witucki has seen firsthand the role that smart outsourcing plays in a startup business, having worked in both startups and corporations that offer talent solutions. Austin-based Personiv helps businesses run more efficiently by providing outsourced talent for key process and business systems such as back office, recruiting, creative services, and customer engagement.
“As you know, talent is hard to find these days because startups, whether you’re launching in San Francisco, Los Angeles, or London, these high-touch roles are crucial to having a successful launch,” Witucki said.
In this episode, Witucki shared tips for finding the right outsourcing solution, including a critical factor for onboarding success — navigating cultural norms for a company and the outsourcing solution. He and Heath also discussed how outsourcing has helped companies grow in their respective sector.
Mistakes are costly in any industry, but when it comes to employee benefit plans, you're dealing with someone's retirement income and their livelihood. That's why being designated an employee benefits plan fiduciary is much more than crossing your T's and dotting your I's on paperwork.
In this episode of Weaver: Beyond the Numbers podcast, we discuss the role of fiduciaries with CPA Aracely Rios, an audit partner in assurance services. She'll discuss the role of good documentation in employee benefit plans and share helpful tips for navigating this landscape successfully.
"Their responsibility is acting solely in the interest of the plan participants for the purpose of providing retirement benefits, and acting prudently," Rios said.
Rios said the most common plan mistakes are not following the plan document exactly. For example, Rios often sees plan mistakes that pertain to plan amendments such as changes to the compensation definition added to the plan document, that were not executed by the fiduciary.
"Another one is untimely contributions. You might be short-staffed and thinking, 'Oh I'll get to it when I can.' But that's not acting prudently on your employees' behalf because that means lost earnings for them," Rios said.
The important thing to remember, Rios emphasized, is to have a policy and procedures in place. For more resources, including podcasts and articles, visit Weaver.com/thought-leadership.
The freelance video editing market has radically changed over the years, thanks in large part to emerging software. Avid Media Composer was released in 1994 and quickly became the industry standard come 1996, but various programs persist to this day.
Brandon Balin’s knowledge of such software is unparalleled. As a freelance video, conform, and VFX editor, he has edited everything from independent action films to World’s Scariest Police Videos - his first television show - and even Dr. Phil, where he served as a post-production technician.
Balin likened an editor’s circumstances vis-à-vis software companies to that of a magical unicorn living in a stable.
“They price out how much it is for hay and water and lodging,” he said.
The son of two actors and the nephew of another, Balin works under the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA. He emphasized that the editing market is heavily beholden to the nation’s political climate. For instance, since Balin is not currently self-incorporated, editing equipment such as the new Mac Pro desktop computer that he plans to buy is no longer tax-deductible.
While he said this financial burden is worrisome, he possesses great hope for the industry given the emergence of new streaming services such as Disney+ and Apple TV+, which may “flood the market” with new openings, as well as reliable video workflow solutions like Cinedeck's cineX software.
Ultimately, today’s freelance editors work in an expensive and perpetually-evolving market. While the near future may be bright for the industry, the bubble may eventually deflate, doubtless bringing new alterations to a still ever-changing field.
In this episode of the Software and Technology Podcast, Mike Daskalopoulos, director of strategic platform technology at ScreenBeam, shared some insights on the benefits and challenges of wireless presentation and collaboration solutions.
Bandwidth, while it may seem like it’s infinitely available, is a limited commodity that can present hurdles when integrating a wireless presentation infrastructure. But as Daskalopoulos explained, there are now enhancements that organizations can leverage to make efficient use of spectrum and optimize streaming video.
He went on to describe how collaboration solutions have also evolved dramatically from simple whiteboards to relatively inexpensive touchscreen devices that enable real-time interactions from all over the world. The rise in employees working from home offices and shared co-working spaces is driving the need for wireless solutions that allow for these team members to stay in touch.
“People should meet and work together, and technology [...] is the facilitator for that within an organization,” Daskalopoulos said.
He left audiences with a reminder that the user experience should be at the forefront of technology development. “If it’s not simple and easy to use, technology becomes the purpose rather than the vehicle for collaboration and to free yourself from wires," he said.
No matter your industry or job, “...customer service is a business that we’re all in,” Nyere Hollingsworth, group leader for UCC services at Mitre Corporation, said. This truism is unpacked on the Pro AV Podcast today with customer service expert Hollingsworth along with his personal perspective on dealing with the customer in the field of audio-visual technology.
AV has stood the test through the tech boom and cross-industry transformation, not only demanding new skills from AV professionals but forcing the industry into a more consultative role, rather than a project-to-project machine. This fact, Hollingsworth explained, makes the end-user experience all the more important for AV moving into the future.
Rather than focusing on displaying flashy new technology solutions to clients, the emphasis should be on the customer service behind the tech. So how do we diffuse angsty customers? Hollingsworth shares his nuggets of wisdom on the subject, boiling down key issues like navigating price points, explaining the scope of a technical project in laymen’s terms, and educating the customer on their true needs.
At the root of his customer tips is the element of honesty: “Be upfront. This is the situation, these are the facts.” A sense of candid empathy goes a long way, Hollingsworth explains, sharing stories of how he turned around a customer’s mood with a simple “How are you?”
Whether you’re a doctor, lawyer, travel agent or technician, this customer service podcast packs in helpful tips for re-framing customer solutions and keeping the end-user at the heart of the organization.
“The workplace is ever evolving, especially with a varied workforce,” Alex said. “There is a proliferation of devices available to the world, and consumer behavior is driving this.”
Alex was part of a panel discussion at InfoComm 2019 on "Wireless Presentations Systems and BYOD Implementation," where he and other thought leaders from Intel, Poly & Recon Research broke down the current state of wireless presentation technology in the workplace and what impact it's having on the market.
The challenge is meeting expectations by today’s workers while maintaining system security, Alex said. “Because, 'I want to be able to go into my workplace, use any device I have in my pocket or backpack, and get going with my meeting to present content from wherever at any time.’”
That’s why technology solutions companies like Crestron offer devices and wireless presentations systems that meet both demands: A high-quality BYOD user experience that makes it easy to access and share content on site, while ensuring the network’s specifications support an enterprise’s need for security.
Alex shared how IT and AV professionals are tackling the new challenges of non-fixed work environments, co-working places, and remote desktop technology, and whether it’s better to have lower quality video via wireless presentation or high-quality 4K video via fixed device presentation.
We live in the age of entertainment at our fingertips. Interactive games, exciting videos, and groundbreaking stories are only a click away. So how are theme parks staying competitive as an entertaining pastime and leisure activity, and how is AV playing into this immersive experience economy?
Giving their perspectives are Erik Baeumlisberger, corporate manager of guest experience technology at SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, and Mike Wallace, creative director at Falcon's Creative Group. Both were part of a panel session, presented by Blooloop, at InfoComm 2019 titled "Trends in Theme Park Attraction Experiences."
A big takeaway from their presentation and from the podcast is that theme park designers are having to create rides and experience that are personalized and repeatable, and they're turning to tangential industries to draw inspiration. One of those, and the one that piqued our interest the most, was video games.
"The video game industry has outpaced the film industry for a few years now," Baeumlisberger said.
"It's realtime decision-making that affects your environment and your journey, and if we try to apply those lessons to a dark ride or to a physical environment in a them park, that's when we start to get into this frontier of untapped potential" Wallace said.
That realtime differentiation creates an intrinsic uniqueness to each person's ride and tells a new story. It has to, Wallace said. "There's no way you're going to have the same eight people make the same decision."
As the world advances technologically at break-neck speed, theme parks are keeping pace by creating immersive, personalized experiences influenced and inspired by tech. So what sets them apart from Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality that people can experience at home? In an ironic twist, theme parks are differentiating themselves from modern digital entertainment by throwing it back to the original form of entertainment, too: theatre.
Like video games, improvisational actors add an element of surprise and individuality that keep guests coming back for new experiences. In addition to live actors, theme park innovators are customizing the guest experience by collecting data to help curate an ongoing journey that continues to please the likes of each individual person.
Experience creators like Baeumlisberger and Wallace are pushing the limits of creativity by crafting narratives that draw the guest in and make them part of a story. These theme park experiences are unique and catered to each guest, and have a built in sense of repeatability because of that personalization.
Listen to these two thought leaders explain why, whether it’s a roller-coaster or a haunted house, the thrill for future theme parks lies in users holding the ability to define the ride more than the designer.
The Audio Visual industry is dominated by men, with women making up a mere 14% of the industry. But that does not mean that the women in AV are not making waves and pushing for change. In fact, from one year to the next, change can quite literally be seen.
Take the AVIXA Women's Council Breakfast at InfoComm 2019 this year. The large exhibition room where they hosted the event was overflowing with people; they had to bring in new tables as more people poured in. AVIXA leadership couldn't stop touting the growth of their local councils, more than doubling from 17 to 40 in one year.
Though things aren't quite leveled out for women in AV, strides are happening. What does this mean for women in the industry today, and women who might join the industry in the near future? In this podcast, we listen to thought leader, technology marketing strategist, and former head of marketing at Sennheiser Petro Shimonishi.
After enjoying the event, Shimonishi joined us to speak authoritatively on the benefits a company can reap by building diverse teams, both in gender and culture. She confidently cited a study demonstrating a 25% revenue increase as a result of diversity in the workplace.
“Business is all about teamwork,” Shimonishi said, and a strong team is one made up of a variety of genders and backgrounds. With women making the majority of tech purchases for the household, having females on an AV team gives new insight to marketing strategies for sound and visual purchases, and what end-user are looking for in this experience economy.
Beyond divulging financial insights for marketing tech, Shimonishi gave sage managerial advice for leaders. “Know your people," she said. This constant conversation between team members and management, regardless of gender, is what nurtures the sharing of ideas and uplifts the strengths inherent in a diverse team.
Listen to Shimonishi give her thoughts on recruitment efforts for women in STEAM fields, how leadership has evolved in AV, and ways AV women can lift each other up, exchange ideas and empower each other to push the industry to new heights.
Though not one of the largest markets for Pro AV spending, the Hospitality industry is one of the fastest growing, generating $7 billion in 2018 and rising at an average annual growth of 6.1 percent over the next five years.
This comes from AVIXA's newest Hospitality Industry Market Intelligence Report presented at InfoComm 2019, and on today's Pro AV Podcast episode, Sean Wargo, senior director of market intelligence at AVIXA, details the tremendous opportunities for AV companies to bring digital content displays to hotels and restaurants.
Digital displays with the local weather, nearby restaurants or way-finding signage found in guest rooms and lobbies are already a huge driver of growth and a memorable way to improve a guest’s experience.
“Good experiences come down to the perfect marriage of content, the space, and the technology,” Wargo said. “No one single element is more important than the other.”
Now hotel properties are using a variety of new and established technology such as voice control, lighting control systems, sound control, and other smart-room technologies as part of the experimental cutting edge. Add on to that, AV is creating immersive and unique opportunities for hotels to brand themselves.
“We’re using Pro AV as a way of enhancing or augmenting the space with light, sound, and video,” Wargo said.
Give this podcast a listen for a comprehensive look at Wargo's findings in AVIXA's newest report and how AV professionals should capitalize on this growth.
Like many industries, retail is facing the full effect of the experience economy. Couple this with the standardized convenience of e-commerce, and it becomes clear the future of brick and mortar stores is at a critical point. Nowhere is this need for an experience beyond the product in retail more evident than at our malls.
In this InfoComm 2019 episode of the Pro AV Podcast, host Daniel Litwin discussed this new blend of retail and entertainment and how it's affecting the Pro AV industry with Jackie Wolford, director of Design Studio for AOA and Louis Alfieri, principal and chief creative officer for Raven Sun Creative.
Litwin met up with Wolford and Alfieri after their seminar at InfoComm: "Retailtainment: Attractions are Bringing Customers to the Mall." The two thought leaders discussed how interactivity, personalization, and entertainment are key trends in retail, and all are being facilitated by the latest Pro AV technologies.
These sophisticated new experiences are creating a new kind of mall as the lines between retail and entertainment blur to create the unique out-of-home experience that is retailtainment. For example, content creators like Wolford are layering projection mapping with live entertainment.
as Disney, Universal, Caribbean Cruise Lines, SeaWorld, Sands, and Virgin. “Tech is a great tool for doing that and creating that connection with your guests.” Alfieri is seeing the manifestation of retail stores, such as Nike, use content and storytelling to create truly unique experiences that make customers feel part of an experience.
"Retailers are creating a neighborhood feel for consumers," he said.
Listen to Wolford and Alfieri recap their educational session at InfoComm, why storytelling is driving the best retail content, how retailtainment is putting more of a creative emphasis on AV professionals.
It’s not just your imagination. Data breaches are occurring more often than they used to, said network security expert Josh Walker. In this episode of the Software and Technology Podcast, host Tyler Kern sat down with Josh Walker, a web engineer turned digital marketing manager for APCON, to discuss why high-performance network visibility is growing more critical every day.
Oregon-based APCON offers network visibility and intelligent networking monitoring solutions for enterprise and midsize businesses. These network monitoring solutions provide visibility, improve security, and optimize monitoring tools' efficiency for any network environment.
“More and more data is being posted for sale on the dark web,” Walker said. “And most companies don’t know it’s happening.”
In fact, U.S. companies are being attacked up to 33 times a day, Walker said. Furthermore, the 2019 Cloud Adoption & Risk Report shows organizations experienced on average 31.3 cloud-related security threats each month, a 27.7% increase over the same period last year.
It’s clear that hacking is a major threat that is increasing every day, but, with the right tools, vulnerabilities and holes can be found and patched, and data theft can be prevented. For example, as data and applications move to the cloud, network security is shifting and growing to meet those capabilities and security challenges that come along with it.
“It’s up to us to fill those holes before they’re even breached,” Walker said.
There has been plenty of buzz around the possibilities that 5G will bring to society. Steadily, new markets around the United States have tested the next generation of cellular network technology, but there is far more to come than faster cell phone service.
PC Mag Lead Analyst Sascha Segan has traveled the country testing the strength and reliability of telecom giants’ 5G networks, most recently Sprint’s in Dallas.
Segan said several industries will operate differently due to the speed 5G brings to business technologies.
“There are a couple of different aspects of 5G which can sometimes get lost in some of the hype, and the most obvious one is greater speed, greater bandwidth,” Segan said. “You can talk about that as enabling a lot of remote presence capabilities, for instance a lot more remote-presence robots in offices and warehouses, remote medicine and surgery, long distance remote education, all enabled through faster, better-guaranteed bandwidth.”
While the broad impact of 5G might not be felt nationwide until 2021 or 2022, certain regions of the U.S. are already seeing what the future might bring, and businesses are preemptively planning for what their industry might look like in a few short years.
Want to learn more about 5G? Check out this podcast to find out what 5G and security have in common with dragons.
A new digital payment technology by Toronto-based Nanopay is avoiding the ‘black hole’ of money transfers. Here to explain is Nanopay’s Head of Products Simon Keogh, featured guest on today’s episode of the Software and Technology podcast brought to you by Marketscale.
“When a wire goes across, it goes into a black hole,” Keogh says. “It’s up to someone on the other end to notify me that they’ve received the funds.”
Wire transfers, used by businesses to transfer large sums of money, take several days and are expensive. Checks are no less expensive to process and still one of the most used methods of business to business money transfers.
“Fifty percent of businesses in the United States still pay by check, which is just amazing,” Keogh says.
Alternative solutions, such as Nanopay’s Connect, can not only send money globally at a lower cost than traditional alternatives, but offers a suite of features businesses need: multi-user management, automated payment reconciliation, easy integration, and bank grade security.
“The fact is that I can order a pizza to my home and watch the vehicle drive right to my door, but when I send a wire it takes a few days and I rely on that bank calling me to let me know they’ve received the funds,” Keogh says. “We’re trying to do things faster, better, and cheaper.”
The true cost of managing cash for a business is hard to pin down, especially as a business owner. It's a less quantifiable cost; while retailers incur a cost to accept debit and credit cards as currency, there’s an inherent cost of labor to accepting cash as well. Simplifying this process for business owners may come in the form of cash recycling technology, which is is “reducing the cost of money” in many unexpected ways.
On today's Software and Technology Podcast episode, host Sean Heath sat down with Vik Devjee, vice president of CIMA America to discuss ways retailers can reduce the cost of managing cash through cash recycling solutions.
Rockwall-based Tech Data Systems partners with CIMA America, a global provider of cash handling solutions for banking, retail, and hospitality industries, specifically cash recycling systems for use in the retail space.
“Retailers today experience a lot of pain around managing cash in a typical retail store environment, such as a grocery store, department store, or quick service restaurant,” Devjee said. “Handling cash is a labor-intensive process.”
In retail environments, staff may spend a lot of time in a cash office manually managing cash, employ loss prevention teams to pinpoint missing cash, or use cash in transit companies to transport cash from the premises. Both these soft and hard costs of handling cash are chief reasons why retailers are turning to automated cash recycling systems.
“It’s reducing the cost of money,” Devjee said.
Devjee discussed how the dwindling use of cash is affecting the industry in the U.S. and abroad, why the U.S. leads the world in people who don’t use banks, and why partners such as Tech Data Systems use CIMA America solutions for cash handling worldwide.
When KPIs are being met and a business is running smoothly, should companies keep doing what they are doing or should they evolve? Consistency doesn’t always lead to longevity; the need to change is sometimes inevitable. Every brand will eventually find itself needing to pivot, and today we explore what that means for one company in Pro AV: AtlasIED. Joining us to give her perspective on company evolution in AV and how InfoComm guides that adaptation is Gina Sansivero, vice president of marketing and corporate communications.
AtlasIED has been a leader in the space for years, but mainly in three areas: speakers, mic stands, and airport communications. According to Gina, “Those three segments are vastly different. They’ve certainly helped us get our foot in the door lots of places. Speakers may get a customer interested, but then we tell our story that includes what else we do like other hardware and software. This new ecosystem that can take care of audio communications for a variety of applications.”
So, what was the catalyst for AtlasIED’s evolution? Much of it was the vision of the company’s president, whom Sansivero praises as a visionary in the industry. The company’s new focus on providing complete solutions has been supported by their campaign, which uses the hashtag #youdidntseethiscoming. It began as a story about their new strategically hidden speaker but then took on a new life. “It became a double message; not just about the hidden speaker but about the new energy we’re bringing to the industry.”
With InfoComm just days away, AtlasIED is ready to take the stage, presenting itself in a new light as a complete audio solutions provider. “This year, we are focusing on showcasing complete solutions and how our products work together and integrate. And the great thing is that all the products we’re showing at InfoComm are in stock and ready to ship,” Sansivero said.
This is powerful and a surprisingly unexpected thing for a showcase at InfoComm, which is often led by innovative solutions that are just around the corner, not always a complete company catalog of what's innovative in the market today.
Theme parks have become a place where fans and guests can travel into new worlds and experience much more than just a thrilling ride. These immersive experiences are getting bigger, more detailed, and are requiring the support of innovative AV installs.
As consumers come to expect more from their theme park visits, where does AV fit into the puzzle to enhance the experience? On today's episode of the Pro AV Podcast, we get insight from thought leaders at Electrosonic: UK Senior Consultant Paul Kent, and US Vice President Chris Conte.
With consumers setting the tone for what's next in theme park rides, the pressure is on. "The goal is to give them something that's better than what they could experience at home," Kent said.
"It can be a challenge because you have all these fantastic movies and TV shows...then for them to come alive in a theme park, it's a real-time experience. There are big expectations," Conte said.
"And no time for post-production like in the movies. The production has to be flawless," Kent added.
So how does AV offer production teams the ability to pull off these immersive experiences, without getting in the way of the experience? It's a tight line to walk, because mismanaged AV installations can often pull end-users out of an experience if the installations aren't added in with direction and intentionality behind the design.
"We're asked all the time, how we can create a 'wow' moment and pull people into the experience. It's the fun part of designing these attractions, but it can be tricky. Interactivity is a buzz word for designers and creators. They have to create a linear storyline while also considering the throughput of getting an audience through the ride in a few minutes," Conte said. "Group interactive much more challenging than an individual experience like VR. AR will really be the technology that's more viable in theme parks."
That storytelling, at the end of the day, is what makes today's theme park attraction successful, and AV has to be a welcomed addition to the larger narrative of the ride, exhibit, or park as a whole. Conte, who had the opportunity to visit 'Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge' before opening to the public, had to point to Disneyland's newest attraction as a perfect example of a successful . "I was blown away by the detail, some of the best art direction I've ever seen. When you enter the ride, you are fully immersed into the world of Star Wars. It's not just the physical pieces. It's the sound, the lights, the technology. It's truly amazing," he said.
"Digital transformation" might sound like a vapid buzzword, but make no mistake: when you get down to brass tacks, the digitization of long-held industry processes is providing actionable information from massive amounts of data. On this episode of the Energy Podcast brought to you by MarketScale, we’ll discuss machine learning’s critical impact on oil and gas industry control rooms with Dan Nagala, president and CEO of UTSI International Corporation.
Texas-based UTSI is a vendor-independent consulting and engineering services company that focuses on Industrial Control Systems (ICS) for oil and gas pipelines and related critical infrastructure facilities. Nagala has been leading the company’s initiatives as CEO for an astonishing 30 years and has seen machine learning and artificial intelligence in its earliest iterations.
“AI and machine learning had a rocky start,” Nagala said, explaining how AI has finally come into its own in the last decade.
Nagala shared four types of analytics that are taking hold of critical infrastructure control rooms.
- Diagnostic analytics figures out what happened from an incident from past data that wasn’t immediately available or obvious at the time, Nagala said.
- Descriptive analytics looks at past data for correlations.
- Predictive analytics uses historical data from, for example, an equipment’s long term use.
- Prescriptive analytics looks at historical data and creates what-if scenarios based on it.
“If you can predict failure before it happens, you can get in there to schedule a maintenance run and avoid a failure that’ll require more time to repair and cost more money,” Nagala said.
While you may have seen headlines about labor shortages in construction, pro AV, or manufacturing, one particularly puzzling shortage of labor is emerging in the accounting/CPA field. On this episode of the Software & Technology podcast brought to you by MarketScale, host Daniel Litwin sits down with Megan Weis, Vice President and General Manager of FAO Services for Personiv to discuss reasons and solutions for this dwindling talent pool.
"Baby boomers are retiring in droves, and taking with them the specialized talent they have acquired over a 40-year career,” Weis says. In fact, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants estimates that 75 percent of all current CPAs will retire in the next 15 years.
Meanwhile, the succeeding generation of Millennials who are entering the workforce are seeking flexible and meaningful careers that affect wholesale change — two traits not typically associated with accounting, Weis says. That’s shifting though.
Weis says though traditional accounting careers are still very much in demand as new financial regulations come on board, this is a task proving challenging for the remaining accountants nationwide. But accounting careers with a new type of forward-looking, strategic adviser role are emerging as well, Weis says. A more “creative”, strategic type of CPA, if you will.
“It’s more than a backward-looking profession these days,” Weis says. “It’s less about reporting the historical results and more about looking into the future. It’s about really using historical data to drive financial results.”
What’s the difference between a “payment facilitation in a box” solution versus an open platform that seamlessly adapts to their requirements and needs within the PF payments ecosystem? On today’s episode of the Software & Technology Podcast, host Tyler Kern sat down with Mark Bishopp, CEO of Amaryllis Payment Solutions, to discuss an API-driven solution that’s making payment systems customizable for a variety of industries.
Before joining Amaryllis, Bishopp’s resume included working with the world’s top financial, fintech, and consulting powerhouses, which taught him something simple yet powerful. “Systems are key,” Bishopp said. “There’s hundreds of payment facilitators — marketplaces, aggregators, we all do similar things — but we all bring buyers and sellers together.”
So, how do facilitators build an environment that allows buyers and sellers to conduct business?
Before cloud computing came into play, the landscape looked different — essentially closed— where everyone built their own, according to Bishopp. But cloud computing has opened up immense possibilities in open source technology solutions that make something like Amaryllis’ intelligent payment facilitation platform possible.
Amaryllis’ PF platform is a customizable, scalable, API-driven payment engine built specifically for the omni-channel platform economy servicing third-party payment models.
Bishopp said this scale of customization gives facilitators a solution that’s good for them specifically, and not a solution out of a book. “You’ll hear me say this a lot, but we’re providing ‘What does good look like?’ for them," he said.
We're in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution, the next wave of innovation in manufacturing. Much of it is tied to technology, allowing for increased automation and, as a result, higher efficiency. One area of manufacturing that is being helped by these increased efficiency, creating positive ripple effects for the entire industry, is inspection. To elaborate on this new world for industrial quality control, we welcomed Laxman Rajagopalan, head of marketing at DWFritz, as well as Dustin Seetoo, Director of Product Marketing at Premio, Inc., a partner of DWFritz's.
DWFritz Precision Automation focuses on inspection automation in manufacturing. What exactly does this mean? Rajagopalan described it as: “When a part is coming down the line, what we focus on is inspecting it completely to ensure quality. We use non-contact metrology measurement called ZeroTouch to enable 100% inspection rapidly and in real-time."
This is crucial to an industry that relies so heavily on avoiding defective production but that hedged their bets on a quality control process that didn't check every piece coming down the conveyer belt.
"It’s the next step in quality control because in most cases manufacturers simply inspect a sample of their product, which means defective products could have made it down the line," Rajagopalan said. “Ultimately, we’re about helping companies achieve efficiency as well as increase throughput and ROI.”
Premio has been partnering with DWFritz to further the initiatives of Industry 4.0 and create the back-end necessary to power this non-contact metrology. Premio designs and build world-class computing technologies such as enterprise servers, embedded systems, and touch panel solutions.
“It’s an important time in the industry. Digital transformation is here, and industrial automation is part of it. What we’ve seen is that many facilities have legacy systems, but they now have lots of devices that have the ability to record and process data, so new infrastructures are necessary," Seetoo said. "That data, available in real-time, is critical for a company to analyze and prevent issues. The more that devices become connected, the more valuable the data.”
In manufacturing, there are many different players, all of which can benefit from receiving better inspection. Rajagopalan turned to medical device manufacturers as an example.
“Because of the nature of that industry and regulations, everything has to be 100% inspected. Legacy systems and manual inspections aren’t efficient and had caused devices with defects to make it to patients," he said. "With ZeroTouch, they can measure every intricate part. It captures millions of data points in seconds."
Imagine watching an article instead of reading it. On this episode of the Marketscale Software & Technology Podcast, host Tyler Kerm sat down with Zohar Dayan, CEO and co-founder of Wibbitz, the world’s first automated video creation platform that’s making that visual mission possible.
When Dayan first pitched Wibbitz’ automatic content creation to companies such as news organizations, they weren’t just skeptical — they didn’t believe a computer could produce high-level, high-quality content without a human involved in an element of news judgment. Luckily, Dayan said they’ve come a long way since.
“Automation has gone from a scary word that content creators were scared of, to a necessity for any storyteller or publisher to do their job in an efficient way,” he said.
Part of that necessity comes from growing audience appetites for different content experiences on different content platforms and devices. Social media users, in particular, want content — long form, short form, video, and more — that’s optimized for its respective format.
“Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat… we expect a different experience,” Dayan said. ”So, it becomes a very big challenge to keep up with those user consumption habits.”
And with news staffs and outlets diminishing, content creators have the challenge of having to create more with less. “It’s becoming impossible to [create content] in a scalable way that makes sense from a business perspective.”
Dayan also discussed tagging content with metadata, creating story templates for content, and why creating rich content for both mainstream and niche markets will continue to be in demand.
Beyond the technology of Pro AV, today’s digital screens are delivering powerful, and in many cases data-driven content, to audiences everywhere. At venues, on the street, or at the store, consumers are looking for more interactive and engaging content. Unfortunately, not every marketer fully grasps how to use their digital signage to its fullest capacity, not to mention integrate the variety of data points coming from consumers' cell phones.
Here to discuss the potential that digital signage has for understanding an audience and how to act on that data is Mark Eisenstadt, Professional Services Manager at LED display manufacturer Daktronics.
The South Dakota-based company designs, manufactures, sells, and services video displays, scoreboards, digital billboards, dynamic message signs, sound systems, and related products. Before joining Daktronics more than a decade ago, Eisenstadt worked with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Super Bowl 33.
His long career in digital display technology has taught him that engagement is the name of the game, and knowing what content your audience wants is the game-winning strategy, and much like a lesson in Marketing 101, effective marketers know exactly who they’re trying to reach.
“If the last two to four years have taught us [anything] it's that understanding data and understanding who’s viewing your message is just as important as any other type of marketing or branding,” Eisenstadt said.
The real challenge for Pro AV producers and marketers is managing two different screens: The one that’s in your venue and the one that’s in your audience’s hands. Eisenstadt offered this advice: Choose whether you want to steer people away from their phones with engaging video content or steer people to their phones to connect in-venue content with their own.
“Are you going to embrace the fact that everybody’s using their phones, or are you going to run from it. Neither is a right or wrong answer, but a real decision has to be made,” he said.
Advertising is everywhere- to the point where many of us just ignore it. It’s not meaningful. There’s too much noise. So, marketers now have to be more creative with how they engage consumers. In a saturated world, personalization is critical. Talking about this concept concerning out of home (OOH) advertising is Cole Cummings, Marketing Director for BoardActive, a platform for connecting brands and customers using location-based engagement.
Cole said, “Personalization is huge in the digital age because consumers are being bombarded with content. They are becoming blind to typical ads. They need to be as personal as possible to engage the customer. Advertisers want to get relevant information to consumers with personalization.”
Technology is, of course, making personalization possible even in the OOH market, allowing brands to actually determine how effective their campaigns are with software like BoardActive’s. “Our software allows for better measurement of campaigns and along with that is personalization for those viewing increasing conversions. The platform allows users to set up a virtual boundary and send content to the apps when people come into the space based on if they have a brand’s app,” Cole stated.
Now brands have a connection to their loyal users and can collect their location habits. With this information, they can segment groups and create targeted campaigns. “With this feature from our platform, programmatic buying will be revolutionized. For example, if there’s a digital billboard near a stadium and based on location data and user profiles, you know that those in the area at a certain time fit a profile, you can deliver hyper-focused messaging to those consumers,” Cole shared.
With any type of advertising, there is always the line between annoyance and benefit. Cole said, “All marketers want to engage consumers- not make them mad. It’s innate to reject advertising that’s not relevant, but when it’s personalized and benefits our lifestyle, we like it. We’re happy for that promotion. This is how brands create loyal customers and long-term relationships.”
Learn more about the fascinating world of OOH personalized marketing and how BoardActive enables it by listening to the podcast.
The recent discovery of a massive reservoir of oil in the Permian Basin has led to a modern-day gold rush.
The discovery in West Texas helped the United States briefly become a net-exporter of oil for the first time in decades. Although that status may have been short-lived, the boom has brought jobs and economic prosperity to a region and provided a previously unthinkable boost to the American energy sector.
The sudden surge has also resulted extreme economic volatility in the short term. As oil companies and their workers flood the region, prices on the most basic of items react accordingly, making everything from hotel rooms to haircuts fluctuate in cost with every new successful well.
Ed Hirs, Fellow for Natural Resources at BDO, and Energy Fellow at the University of Houston, explained to MarketScale what the Permian’s renaissance means for American consumers, and when the region might see more economic stability.
As more pipeline is laid to take oil to market faster, this boomtown may return to a more stable economic climate, but in the meantime the Permian Basin continues to where a barrel of oil tells a larger story than its sale price.
The oil and gas industry is still as strong as ever, with the Permian Basin right in America's backyard being one of the central locations for this boom. The large sedimentary basin in the southwest area of the U.S. is one of the most prolific oil and natural gas geologic basins in the U.S, and it’s having a significant impact on the global energy market.
We sat down with expert Eric Quinnelly, Regional Manager over the Permian Basin for Advanced Industrial Devices USA to talk to us about what’s happening in the market, how this boom is affecting tangential markets, and how his company is supporting the industry. AID delivers engineering, automation solutions, motors, and more for the energy industry.
“It’s been a record year for the company, and much of that has to do with the Permian Basin. There’s a constant influx of new players in the region; it’s an ever-changing landscape that we are working hard to support," Quinnelly said.
To ensure that those players in the field have what they need to process the oil and gas, AID has focused on being a true partner to companies. Oil rigging takes high quality and reliable equipment, so engineers and manufacturers feel the ups and downs of the industry as much as the riggers themselves. That personal stake makes partnerships more important.
“We’re not your average panel and motor shop. First, we consider ourselves agnostic, offering multiple brands and solutions based on what customers need. We want to partner, collaborate, and grow together. Ultimately, we want to provide the highest quality product,” Quinnelly said.
Because the company is, at its core, a motor shop, and has a rich history in engineering, they can create custom turnkey solutions. “Our engineering experience and motor shop set us apart from others. We’re providing motors, automation, and controls, so it’s a one-stop-shop. We also have a service team that can maintain equipment in the field,” he said.
Quinnelly also talked about a new impressive motor that’s being used in the Permian Basin. “The new TorqueMasterXD is designed for H pumps and has many unique features. It has strong, internal winding, low vibration, and holds a surge of up to 3600 volts. It’s the best motor on the market, in my opinion,” he said.
The professional AV industry ranges far and wide, from film, television, and concert tours, to corporate events, weddings, and hotel AV. That's a lot of different roles in different situations with one common goal: a great audience experience. To stay ahead of the curve, AV professionals have to learn how to work with all facets of people so that they feel empowered to do their best work, said independent creative designer Robert Hickman. He is a designer and producer for lighting, video, graphic/web/print design, and audio production, as well as today's guest on the Pro AV Podcast.
During his 10 years in the industry, Hickman has worn a lot of different hats, including working as the stage manager for Christian music group The Newsboys as their touring designer, theater event manager, account manager, and even security guard for concerts.
"I've been that guy sitting all night, guarding a door from intruders and protecting the one or two people that are going to be walking through that door," Hickman said with a chuckle. He's worked his way up and has since branched out to form his own company.
Working for clients like Elite Multimedia, Hickman said clients and artists are part of the creative challenge that he loves in his work.
"Being able to work with an artist who really cares about the look and feel really pushes your boundaries to say 'OK, maybe we can do that,'" Hickman said. "My goals, after all, are to compliment their vision and provide visual strength to help deliver their message."
On the podcast, he breaks down how to find opportunities in the unexpected of the AV industry, what the common challenge for every project is, and why focusing on the people will deliver a more quality design and installation.
Comcast Business VoiceEdge customers often have dynamic needs for their respective businesses, but one common challenge is a lack of a recorded voice solution for both compliance and quality control measures. On this episode of the Software and Technology Podcast, host Tyler Kern sat down with Tim Kunkel, sales executive for OrecX, to discuss why the market is in need of an open source recording platform, and why OrecX's has seen so much success.
“Recording is definitely a trend on the rise and an important part of how customers approach customer service,” Kunkel said, explaining how customer service departments use such recordings for quality assurance.
On-demand recording is especially important for PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliance, a stringent set of requirements for handling sensitive customer information such as credit card numbers.
“The ability to control your own data that’s collected is a valuable asset for businesses to analyze, and then react and respond to,” Kunkel said.
He said a typical OrecX deployment takes 30 minutes or less to download and install, the sort of speed and ease that Kunkel said has resonated with business customers looking for a compatible solution for Business VoiceEdge.
“The reason we have success in pairing our solution goes back to our core values at OrecX, being an open source company,” Kunkel said. “Our openness and flexibility allow us to adapt to almost any telephony environment and that creates peace of mind for our customers looking for a compatible and reliable recording application.”
To capture the ever-growing experience-driven demands of consumers, great content coupled with quality sound is the new standard. On this episode of the Pro AV Podcast, host Daniel Litwin sat down with Dave Howden, Director of Technical Services for Community Loudspeakers, to discuss how the AV industry is feeling the effects of a content-driven consumer base and strategies that AV professionals can use to stay ahead of the curve, especially with outdoor displays and audio.
“In recent years we’ve seen that the quality and size of visual displays have increased and stepped up to provide an excellent experience in almost any environment,” Howden said. “The quality of the content is increasingly compelling. And we’ve seen the audio industry provide and create solutions to reinforce those visuals with high-quality sound.”
These three elements — visual display, content, and sound — are engaging consumers in increasingly impressive ways. That means consumers should have a completely seamless experience on all three accounts.
“In the audio world, sound is affected by factors like ambient background noise, wind, thermal gradients, and temperature,” Howden said. “There’s an expectation for good synchronization between audio and video, but that can be a variable environment.”
Howden said people will generally tolerate 50 milliseconds of discontinuity between what they see in mouths moving, and what they hear.
“In an ideal world, what people see, we want them to hear within 35 milliseconds.”
Listen to Howden break down the necessity of quality audio, and what changes in technology (like automation) are encouraging more immersive audio experiences.
In the modern world, reliable internet service isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. But the world of managing networks for telecommunications companies becomes more complex every day as new technology emerges. The key to these networks is what’s outside the plant or building—assets like cables, poles, and anything necessary to deliver the internet connection. Today’s guest, Dustin Sutton, president of 3-GIS, a developer of software to manage fiber optic networks, shared his insights.
"Years ago, assets outside the building were easy to track. There were dots or lines on the map, and you know what those correlated to, which was copper cabling. Now, it’s much more complex. These dots and lines could represent many different types of cable. Plus, the telecom companies need to understand how those dots and lines connect," Sutton said
This type of data has been digitized for most companies. The location data is critical for keeping the network going but also to ensure that people don’t dig or disrupt what’s in the ground and so that providers can send field technicians out to connect or disconnect services. “This isn’t the case for every company, which means information isn’t streamlined, causing delays for end users. There are still challenges with the digitization of Open Settlement Protocol (OSP). When we talk to companies that want to make an investment in software to manage networks, they are focused on how to optimize revenue and keep customers; cost reduction is secondary,” Sutton said.
What’s critical for the future of networks is managing complexity. “Older systems were built on legacy platforms, so there was no ability to be flexible. But that’s the nature of the industry now. Fiber optic networks change rapidly, and organizations know that what they are putting in the ground today will be obsolete in five years. That’s why there is an effort to future-proof, so they don’t have to start over. They want an agile architecture. They are also over-building with extra cable in the ground or conduit on the pole, so there’s more capacity,” he said.
The importance of labs in healthcare is vital. Lab work helps clinicians understand and diagnose patients, and for labs to work smoothly and give feedback that can potentially change lives, they need quality software. Today, we’re joined by Deanna Shukis, M.S., CT(ASCP), senior application and implementation specialist for Psyche Systems, a company that creates lab information systems (LIS) that enable pathologists, physicians, and medical labs to streamline the delivery of vital medical results.
Shukis, a former cytotechnologist, talks with us today about the concept, “Life is a Case,” examining the real end results when it comes to improving a patient’s health or even saving a life.
Though the lab is very clinical, Shukis shared that what happens in the lab isn’t about numbers on a barcode. “There is actually a lot of humanization in the lab. Yes, there are just numbers and data on the specimens, but ultimately, those in the lab know that this specimen is a person, a human life, and what happens with the results will impact their life,” she said.
“The ‘Life of a Case’ diagram follows all the steps needed from ordering, collecting, transporting, and analysis. The ‘case’ follows steps, and each step must be completed successfully to move forward. It’s about checks and balances to meet regulatory compliance but also the perspective of care and concern because these results could possibly change patient’s life,” Shukis said.
Deanna also talked about the software the Psyche team developed about six years ago to meet the needs of a changing industry. “The industry was evolving, especially with the need for molecular diagnostic components, which were missing. We met with clients and did much research internally to develop something that addressed not only molecular diagnostic components but also more areas like DNA sequencing and toxicology," she said.
"The new software also enables versatility for all lab operations. Previously, different labs would do their analysis and prepare a report for the physician, so then he or she may have had multiple reports to understand the results. Our software covers all areas and creates a comprehensive report for doctors so they can then develop a plan for the patient’s future.”
Find out more about how Psyche developed the software and is playing a focused role in patient care by listening to the podcast.
Automation has become the core of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and this emphasis on efficiency is no where more apparent than in the world of energy, specifically the oil industry. Automation is evolving the industry, offering new opportunities and structurally changing how professionals approach their day-to-day work. Dan Allford, President of ARC Specialties, joined the podcast today to explain why he thinks this is one of the most positive evolutions the industry has seen in a long time.
“It’s an exciting time in the oil industry. What once was impossible or too hazardous is now feasible through automation and robotics. For example, automation is facilitating fracking, creating profitable wells that would have never been before,” Allford said.
ARC has been busy devising new products to empower the oil and gas industry, mostly around the equipment needed out in the field. “Robotics is becoming essential in the industry. First, they improve safety, often removing workers from danger. Collaborative robots can actually work together with professionals to do more,” Allford said.
He also recounts his and the company’s experience at the recently concluded OTC (Offshore Technology Conference), where they introduced a new AI-powered product. “Welding is one of the most challenging parts of developing equipment, it's dependent on highly skilled welders. Lots of variations can occur, which the welder must account for and use their experience to configure correctly. Well, we’ve taken the knowledge that welders have along with data collected from a 2D laser to create a program that can compensate for these variations. Data and AI combine for a new technological solution,” Allford said.
OTC also gave a perfect representation of automation at work, focusing conversation on the impact that these efficiency-driven solutions will have on oil rigging for years to come. Listen to Allford give his insights on the industry, the future of technology, and on additional takeaways from the show.
Would you build a building without a blueprint? Probably not. The same applies to AV design. That’s because technology in architectural design isn’t an afterthought—it’s an expectation, said technology master planning expert Robert Pourciau. He joined us on today’s episode of the Pro AV Podcast, brought to you by Marketscale to explain the practicalities of technology design and discuss the benefits this kind of planning has on your business.
“We live in a service-oriented world, which makes the experience economy a facet in all our lives,” Pourciau said. “Technology is an integral component to drive it when seamlessly fused with spaces and content.”
Pourciau, who is Director of Design Consulting for Burbank-based Electrosonic, pointed out that technology is often the differentiator in the experience economy — making things seamless, easy to use, and most importantly, memorable. The ability to fuse content and advanced tech features into a building requires this kind of advanced planning at the developmental stages of a building project.
Electrosonic is making technology master plans a standard for the industry, and are an example of how the AV industry has shifted from solely integrators to consultants in the project process. For instance, Electrosonic provides a single point of contact for its clients to simplify coordination. Electrosonic is then ultimately responsible and accountable for the technology design, Pourciau said. “We provide the coordinated set of technology master planning documentation.”
On today’s podcast, we are joined by the founder and owner of Psyche Systems, Bob Sage. The humble beginnings of Bob’s company began in 1976 when Bob found himself as a contract programmer. First, he worked on creating different lab systems that interfaced with specific instruments. Then word got around, and Bob found himself working for larger hospitals. So, he figured everything there was to know about labs and had some great successes.
Then the company he was contracting with decided they’d move forward without him. And Bob didn’t have a computer. “Back then computers were extremely expensive. I attempted to get a loan from the bank for one, but they passed. So, I was able to meet up with a man who was looking to invest in a small company, and things took off.”
The company experienced significant growth and profitability, but things fell apart around 1987. “We had a few tough years. We were in debt. But we adjusted, started over, and I’ve never borrowed money since then.”
Bob also shared where the name Psyche came from. “It started with thinking about a butterfly and their metamorphosis, so that became the symbol. Then I learned that the butterfly was also the symbol of the goddess Psyche. So, it just made sense.”
The company took another turn when Bob was experimenting with object-oriented programming. “That type of programming is very good at modeling. So, I started to model the company within the program and looking at the hierarchy, and it became clear to me that all the lines within the hierarchy weren’t necessary. Instead, all the groups of people became teams. I knew that teams were the best way to get anything done. These teams didn’t need managers telling them what to do. They did need leaders, but it was kind of like bringing democracy to the corporate culture.”
Bob admits this wasn’t an immediate hit. “People didn’t like it. They complained. We had a lot of turnover. Then we brought in new people that were more in tune with this way of working, plus, it was already in place, so they didn’t have to transition.”
What happened next? How did this new way of thinking revolutionize the company? Listen to the podcast to hear more about Psyche Systems and Bob’s story.
Some wow-inducing digital displays are going up in a most surprising places: Airports. On today's episode of the MarketScale Pro AV Podcast, brought to you by Marketscale, host Shelby Skrhak sits down with Brett Farley, director of strategic business development for NanoLumens, to discuss how digital displays range from everyday way-finding signage to dynamic art and spectacular displays.
"Everything from emergency alert systems, to dynamic signage from different CMS', dynamic airport displays are both functional for safety and way-finding, and spectacular for art displays," Farley said.
Farley pointed to large format digital display technology making some amazing installations possible at airports worldwide. Places such as Toronto Pearson Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and New York’s JFK International are leading the way in digital installations.
On the podcast, Farley went into detail about the particular innovation happening at the Changi Airport in Singapore, which has evolved from an airport to a true destination for people.
"It's an airport, an amusement park, a destination, all-in-one," he said.
Farley also shared what innovations NanoLumens is working on next, and what the future of airports could be. These changes represent a re-imagination of the modern air travel experience. An experience, he said, that is getting better all the time.
Call tracking is a rather new realm of technology. While there have been many call management solutions on the market for some time, call tracking is next-level. Imagine all the data businesses can glean from understanding what happens when customers or prospects call.
“The phone call has long been a lost touchpoint in the customer journey. When someone takes the time to call your business, it’s really your lead to lose. What happens in that phone call is extremely valuable and something that a company needs to understand,” Meghan Hodge, Director of Sales for CallTrackingMetrics said.
There have been some basic solutions for companies that could measure things like how long a call lasted and what the outcome was. However, call tracking is revolutionizing what can be learned from these interactions.
“Many of our clients want to know the source of calls, specifically if they came from a Google ad. Then they want to know what that conversation looked like. This enables them to understand what keywords drove that prospect to call, allowing them to optimize their paid ads and usually reduce spend," she said.
Hodge also shared how call tracking can help unite sales and marketing. “We had a recent client come on board and what they learned from the metrics was where the gaps were in both marketing and sales. This clarity allowed them to correct those gaps. With our system, there is full access and visibility.”
The data from phone calls is vital in helping businesses grow and improve customer experience. Hodge explains that with the CallTrackingMetrics platform, customers get an all-in-one tracking and contact center solution.
The workplace has changed; some would say for the better, others would say for the worse. Mobile workforces, open floor plans, co-working spaces, and IoT have all impacted the modern office in different ways, but a pretty agreed upon improvement in workplace culture and design has been a focus on collaboration.
Digital displays have become the cornerstone of that collaboration, acting as the canvas for content to live and breath. One of the biggest inhibitors for digital displays, though, is the wire. Having to wire-in a device to display on a larger more collaborative screen creates roadblocks to that very collaboration.
Whenever technological proficiency is difficult to attain, businesses cannot reach peak efficiency and can even lose clients in the process. Finding solutions to lessen the burden of connecting devices is something every business needs to pursue if they want to stay competitive and collaborative. That's where wireless display solutions come into play.
“Businesses of all sizes are planning to implement wireless display. I think at this point, it’s not a matter of if they’re going to do it, it’s really when,” said vice president and general manager of ScreenBeam, Mike Ehlenberger.
ScreenBeam hardware connects native casting solutions between devices like tablets, phones and desktops, Apple, Android and PC products alike, so businesses can seamlessly connect, share, and present relevant information to colleagues.
By going wireless, companies can rid themselves of the headache of finding compatible devices on short notice, and consequently, seeming unprofessional or unproductive during a presentation or meeting.
On the podcast, Ehlenberger explains what the standards for wireless display solutions are in the workplace, where they fall short, and how a platform agnostic piece of hardware will enable collaboration regardless of company type or collaborative event.
The business world is only going to become increasingly digital and connected. Now, more than ever, companies can stand out by implementing reliable connectivity solutions. What should be a powerful driver of business has become a net negative for many firms, but the right product can kickstart a digital future.
The most innovative uses of digital dvLED technology being implemented across the world, from airports to public stadiums, are made possible by the best possible tech — not the cheapest.
“The key is educating the consumer so they can make the best possible decision,” said NanoLumens Vice President of Global Marketing and Business Development Joe’ Lloyd.
Lloyd understands that customers are looking for the highest quality solutions that truly meet their needs today as well as for years to come. That is why understanding the jargon and technology in an LED solution will help buyers make the most informed buying decision possible.
On today's MarketScale Pro AV Podcast, Lloyd breaks down her thoughts on quality versus price. She offers an interesting analogy for the connection of price and quality in technology, likening LED solutions to mobile phones that have risen in quality and price commensurately.
NanoLumens’ quality is on display throughout the world, but one of the most impressive examples is in the arrivals area of Singapore’s Changi Airport, where NanoLumens helped implement one of the largest indoor LED displays in the world.
“We’ve had a lot of fun with the Changi Airport, helping them put together something that is just so unique and exciting, and the size of a football field, no less,” Lloyd said. “It’s a cultural example of what it means to be there in Singapore.”
Lloyd explains why that project wouldn't have had the impact it did if Singapore went for a cheap solution rather than a quality one.
For many years, corporate culture revolved around the water cooler. Internal communications came in the form of pamphlets, magazines, or dull print-outs that were destined to yellow with age in a workplace break room.
Today, with companies leaning into co-working spaces, remote employees, and an all-around alternative workplace atmosphere, these internal communication methods are a thing of the past.
a In its place is digital signage and creative content.
Whether it is an infographic, a vlog, or even an interactive art installation, companies are communicating with their workforce in new, innovative ways. These communications are boosting morale and setting an over-arching tone and voice for the company while increasing employee productivity.
On today's MarketScale Pro AV Podcast, experts TJ DiQuollo, Director of Creative Services, and Jay Leedy, Digital Media Subject Matter Expert for Diversified, expand upon the use of digital signage as a means of company-employee communications.
Perhaps the greatest asset to digital signage is the ability to monitor its success. By implementing an internal communication strategy and measuring employee engagement and employee output, digital signage can completely change the workplace.
When working with Diversified to craft a custom communications strategy, both stakeholders and employees are interviewed, ensuring a strategy is created that enables broader participation across the client’s workforce. The result is a workforce that feels part of something greater than what it sees in its day-to-day workplace. Digital signage has the power to attach the employees’ work with the stewardship of the company itself.
“Your digital communication strategy is not your corporate culture,” Leedy said.
Rather, it augments it. Done well, digital signage makes the corporate culture better, enhancing morale, pride, and brand loyalty. The stats and metrics are in and shows that internal corporate communication is powerful.
It is storytelling at its best, using striking data to relay a philosophy or history of a brand. No longer is corporate communications the throw-away stuff jammed between the cracks of break room sofas. It is fun and transformative for employees and for customers.
For more information on how Diversified works to implement creative digital signage solutions, and how they can help you, you can click here.
The most expensive software or technology in your office is software or tech that’s not used, but as any team leader can tell you, implementing something new seems like an impossible catch-22.
That’s where companies like California-based Skyline Advanced Technology Services (ATS) come in. In this episode of the MarketScale Software & Technology Podcast, host Daniel Litwin sat down with Carrie Cinosky, Director of Sales Strategy Operations for Skyline ATS, to discuss the challenges companies face in implementing new technology.
Cinosky also shared how Skyline ATS partners with companies in intensive four-day, on-site training, and reveals the tactics they use to ensure their clients walk away with full retention of the software information.
“People think, ‘I can’t change my technology because I can’t change my people, and I can’t change my people because I can’t change my technology,” Cinosky said. This dilemma often stops businesses from implementing software that can improve productivity, profitability, and communication — a classic slow-to-adopt mentality.
“Customers don’t always realize what kind of impact it could be for their business,” Cinosky said. “But once they understand what it could mean for their environment and these are the people they need to put in place to support it, that's when you get that true adoption. Then soon they feel, ‘I don’t know how we didn’t have this before.’”
According to recent market research, the digital signage market is set for huge growth in the next five years, from $20.8 billion to $29.6 billion. Still, some are unsure of how to use Pro AV applications effectively, so education remains key to growth.
Dave Petricig, Director of Channel Sales for Ping HD, joins today’s MarketScale Pro AV Podcast to break down the benefits of digital signage for the end user, why resellers and integrators still feel hesitation in offering those services to clients, and how manufacturers can educate to solve the problem.
Digital signage is more engaging (and interactive) for existing and potential customers, and “like it or not, our eyes and our attention are drawn to displays, whether we’re looking at phones, tablets, our TV at home, [and we expect that] walking around neighborhoods, shopping malls, or the stadium,” said Petricig.
The benefits are well documented not only in terms of what customers have stated they’ve preferred but in dollars and cents. It is a well-known fact that digital signage will drive and increase sales, as well as brand awareness and loyalty. On top of that, companies can adjust their ads based on location, date, and even time-- something that was not possible in print advertising. This technology is not only cutting-edge but more affordable than ever before.
Why, then, aren’t more companies using digital signage? Part of it seems to be confusion about what to run and how to run it, and that confusion becomes hesitation as resellers of AV & IT communicate with clients. Petricig gives his take on the effect that this hesitation has on the industry, whose responsibility it is to educate the industry, and how Ping HD keeps communication open and fluid to avoid this problem.
On today’s MarketScale Pro AV podcast, we are joined by Electrosonic Pre-Sales and Design Engineer Doug Walker and Project Manager Bob Mann [embed contributor page] for a conversation on extended control room design. Control rooms are integral to companies that make mission-critical decisions daily.
As Walker points out, the term “control room” does not mean the same thing to everyone, so the first thing that the technicians and engineers at Electrosonic do is begin by defining what that actually is and means to each individual client.
For some, it could be a room with dials and valve switches and very physical devices, and for others, it could be a flight control room or be very software driven.
“In the oil and gas industry, they’ve seen the control room attached to what it’s actually controlling, which can often be on a rig, or in a very hostile location, so with improved connectivity and better control rooms, it doesn’t have to be out in that hostile location anymore,” Walker says.
Walker goes on to point out that now only essential personnel must be on the operated asset, on an oil rig for example, but people can operate the same resources remotely, which allows for better communication, and a lot of safety improvements.
Technology has evolved, and as it has, people’s attitude and expectations have changed. That now means that we need to be able to access that information from anywhere.
“In the oil and gas field, it’s more of what we call a controlled environment that the client’s looking to create,” Mann says.
That allows teams to “monitor, implement, and replace faulty equipment” efficiently.
“The most important tool that we’re providing is the ability to communicate immediately and seamlessly with any offshore asset,” Mann adds.
Twenty years after it opened, Raley Field is still a source of pride for the Sacramento River Cats, the AAA affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. General Manager Chip Maxson joined the Pro AV Podcast to discuss the state of the stadium and how updates (such as the new jumbotron) have kept the fan experience a positive one.
When it came to selecting an LED provider, Maxson said D3 LED was a natural choice given not just its geographical proximity to the stadium but also the caliber of work it has done for the team.
“They often invite me out for a behind-the-scenes look and talk about our future needs, which is fun and exciting,” he said.
The River Cats has used D3 LED for many ballpark improvements over the past 15 years. These include an eight-foot by 120-foot LED board above the outfield wall and a new club space with a giant seamless video wall that often shows multiple games and stats at once. These installations have enhanced what the River Cats can show fans on game day and added flexibility in sponsorship opportunities and corporate events.
According to Craig McCue, Vice President of Sales and Business Development for OrecX, 60 percent of companies’ customer interaction data comes from voice data.
Most people might seem to prefer emails or texts to phone calls these days, but the statistic is true, and yet a lot of companies don't understand how impactful this can be on daily operations or important business decisions. With the early focus on big data in the early part of the decade, people started realizing that there was a missing piece in all the insight they were trying to leverage, and that missing piece was voice data.
On this episode of the Software & Technology podcast, McCue explains why installing voice recording software is really no different from any other software platform; clients will review products that have many similar features and will select whether they would like to record 100 percent of calls, a certain subset, or calls on demand.
“Each client’s needs tend to be unique and what we find from our clients is that they expect more from a call recording solution,” McCue said.
Customers require more security, and they want more flexibility with their hardware, OS, and database or cloud solution. Additionally, they want their new system to be deployed quickly, which is why OrecX prides itself on installing voice recording systems within 30 minutes and provide a same-day ROI to clients.
“Call centers are continuing to use call recording to resolve disputes and to achieve compliance, but they’re adding some to increase agent performance,” McCue said.
The most important of these additions is the ability to mine this customer data to help them realize new goals and trends within customers in the marketplace.
Dr. Dimitrios Psaltis joins MarketScale to discuss the Event Horizon Telescope and their mission to take the first photos of a black hole.
Live events are the cornerstone of an AV company's repertoire. Full of multiple components including audio, visual effects, the actual content, and of course the overall flow of the show itself, every aspect deserves attention. When there are so many different factors at play simultaneously, though, the specifics and importance of the lighting for the event can be overlooked or underestimated.
Jason "Cannon Ball" Jenkins, director of operations at Elite Multimedia, jumps on the podcast to explain why lighting is the icing on the cake that can enhance or distract from a show.
Lighting can not only make a huge visual impact and create “cool” effects, but it also carries with it an emotional effect as well. The colors used in lighting can evoke a variety of different feelings in the people who are experiencing them, which is why attention to lighting is crucial when creating engaging live events.
“When you hear an audible gasp...in response to something they have just seen, you know you can communicate just through how you use light,” Jenkins said.
This means that lighting needs to be intentionally considered when creating an event. Jenkins mentioned that many young lighting designers may throw out a lot of effects and tricks, but they need to be careful to make sure the choices are appropriate and serve a purpose, especially in lighting the audience so they can become a part of the experience.
The integration of LED video and LED lighting is increasing in the AV industry as well, and with it comes an increase in the styles and quality of content. Lighting is becoming a necessary way to help convey the full effect of content, especially as consumers push Pro AV to evolve its focus on "experience."
Joining the Marketscale Podcast today is telecom entrepreneur Katherine Tracey, CEO at KATT Communications. She shares with listeners her journey to launching her own business in the telecom industry, one that has been male-dominated.
KATT Communications started with a focus on converting businesses to Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), but Tracey remarked, “The growth of the company has been unexpected and kind of went in a different direction. We’ve seen exponential growth on the cabling side of the business.”
Tracey’s path to becoming a business owner was not always linear.
“I had planned to relocate to Texas to take a larger role with the telecom company I had been working for, but life changed,” she said. “I found myself not relocating and a single mom that needed to find a new job. There wasn’t anything that really fit where I was, so I decided to take the leap and start my own business.”
Tracey admits it has not all been positive. “There have been ups and downs. I am fortunate to be a certified women-owned small business. That has provided opportunities, but I’ve had to blaze my own trail in a way. Part of is because I don’t just run the business side. I’m part of the technical side as well and often go to installations to be out in the field.”
Overall, Tracey wanted to find a balance to be able to experience all the important life moments with her kids while still being the one in charge of her own business and future. She believes this has been key to her success.
She also offered that because she is a small business owner, she understands the concerns and challenges of her clients.
“I know they have a budget they have to be under but also need the tools to keep their business running. It’s a significant investment. So, I educate them, and we also offer lease to own options, so it’s not such a huge up-front cost,” she explained.
Finally, Tracey wanted to express how important it is for other young women to support each other in telecom or any field and spoke about her involvement with Alliance of Channel Women, which is a group that helps women in the industry become educated and certified, while also offering mentorship.
The oil and gas industry has so much planning on the front end, but even with that type of thoroughness things can always go wrong. Accidents like Deepwater Horizon are on the front of everyone’s minds, and although tragic, they provide a huge learning lesson for how things can be done better.
Nathan Sumrall, Welding Engineer at Superior Cladding, points out that there is an urgency within the industry today that can lead to stress while trying to get everything done quickly but correctly.
As a child, he was fascinated with joining materials together, from super gluing fingers to playing with his dad’s welder. That has carried on through his B.A. in Welding Engineering and the five years that he has been in his important role at Superior Cladding.
“The justification for what we do in this company is the segue for so many challenges in oil and gas because parts either wear away or corrode away, and that’s where these claddings come in handy, because a piece of steel may have to last 20, 30, 40, 50 years and there’s a spot at the connection point where that product can wear away prematurely,” Sumrall said. “That’s where cladding fits in place.”
Water and electricity are essentials that many of us couldn't imagine living without. However, an astonishing number of people around the world don't have access to these necessities. According to recent statistics, 1.2 billion people worldwide don't have access to electricity and another 800 million don't have access to clean water.
Troy Billett and OffGridBox are doing something about it.
OffGridBox fills a 6X6X6 foot shipping container with everything needed to set up solar panels for electricity and water purification. Then, they're able to ship these containers anywhere in the world. Installation is fast and efficient, taking just three hours once the box reaches its destination.
These boxes have been used in remote villages, areas affected by natural disasters, and tiny house communities. "The idea is to have a modular system that is useful for each case. We can't assume that every place is going to need the same things," says Troy Billett, the U.S. Director for OffGridBox.
For many of the people who have benefited from receiving one of these boxes, having the necessities of life has opened up a world of possibilities. "It's not just about clean water, it's about what clean water and electricity allow people to do," says Billett.
When a monitor or screen fades to black, it is not uncommon to see fingerprints smudged from corner to corner. Whether the device is a touch screen or not, the expectation from users is that it will be. Interaction with devices has become the standard, and digital signage is no different.
On the third and final Transforming the Experience podcast from DSE 2019, a trio of digital signage experts explain the importance of interactivity and connectivity between brands, devices, and consumers.
Give the People What They Want and Expect: Touch Screens! with Kristen Robie of Elo Touch Solutions
Smart technology has changed consumer expectations across almost every industry. Touch screens have been in people’s pockets for more than a decade now, and today people’s desire to interact with the increasing number of screens around them is driving business decisions.
“It’s the way the market is going, and it can be used in so many different environments,” Robie said.
Elo designs touchscreen hardware for businesses in industries from hospitality to education, and Robie says it is that same experience people get with their phone that is driving a desire for more.
“People want and expect that experience from your brand or your space,” she added.
Bringing the Billboard to the Palm of Your Hand with Doug Pittman of BoardActive
Businesses are finding more and more creative ways to reach customers in today’s fragmented media landscape. A billboard may seem obsolete now with their inability to interact with drivers in their fleeting seconds before they pass it.
That is why Doug Pittman founded BoardActive, which creates a virtual perimeter around billboards or any location for that matter, allowing brands to interact with potential customers on their smart devices.
This connectivity is giving billboards a digital life and business owners new insight into just how much return on investment a billboard is providing. When a driver passes a billboard, he or she can check the BoardActive app to see a more targeted message. From there, a business can see whether that interaction led to a sale.
“It’s not advertising anymore, it’s personalizing. It’s going to be a personalizing relationship, one-on-one and we know that” Pittman said.
Connecting to people’s devices allows brands to develop a closer relationship with consumers and a new frontier for advertising.
Finding the Missing Element of Digital Signage with Jim Nista of Almo AV
Digital signage has provided brands a new forum to advertise and create content for their customers. However, as more and more businesses begin to create content, a new challenge has begun.
“What really is the missing element in content is relevancy. That’s actually more important than content itself, is how relevant it is to the person,” Nista said. “We’re adding technology to that now with the analytics and some of the tracking information to build relevancy into these screens.”
Educating store employees on the benefits of personalized digital signage content has become an important part of Nista’s role at Almo.
Nista said he is encouraged by the education of more end-users on the benefits of personalized digital signage content and believes it will lead to a better shopping experience for consumers of all demographics.
On this episode of the Transforming the Experience podcast series, four more Pro AV experts explain what is behind the displays the public sees every day. The industry has advanced far beyond simple visual advertising boards, and data and analytics gathered from digital signage enhancements are giving businesses an entirely new reason to invest in this technology. Another driving force behind much of this Pro AV innovation is a growing number of women ascending in this space.
Education on these developments was prevalent at Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas last week and they stand to change much more than the Pro AV industry.
Five years ago, the Pro AV industry was moving towards personalized digital displays and social media marketing. However, no one could have predicted exactly how much the market would grow and how Big Data and Analytics would drive it.
Industry leaders congregated in Las Vegas this week for DSE 2019, where the latest innovations were on full display. MarketScale caught up with more than one dozen of these experts for a three-part podcast series on the state of digital signage.
Industry events bring the latest products under one roof, but it is important to recognize how these innovations have changed the outside world in the past year.Absen, Inc. in partnership with Revel Media Group was honored as the Gold Medal recipient in the Venues category and Installation of the Year at the APEX Awards on March 27. What won Absen the award was its work on the Hale Centre Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah. The company outfitted the theater with digital signage both inside and out to help carry out the vision set forth by the performance hall management team.The company's Senior Manager of Marketing and Communication Alison Maxson explained what the honor means for the company and more about the details of the award-winning project, which was also recognized as Installation of the Year at DSE.Absen worked with integrator Revel Media Group to install the LED boards in the theater and Maxson believes the collaboration was what made this success possible."I'm still in shock," Maxson said. "To me it's about the relationships that we're building. Technology is secondary. It's there but it's not the only thing. It really comes down to the relationships."To listen to Maxson's full thoughts on the Hale Centre Theatre, and all things DSE, make sure to check out her extended interview with host Tyler Kern on the MarketScale 'Transforming the Experience' podcast series.
In 2018, Forrester reported that up to 73 percent of the data collected today by companies goes unused. Why? Usually, it's because it's just too much to sift through and make sense of.
On today’s Software & Technology Podcast, Tyler Kern interviews Gorka Zarauz, Chief Operations Officers at Geown Data Solutions.
Geown is trying to collect quality data for companies rather than a massive quantity of data, and it does so through robots, drones, and other unmanned vehicles. The company looks at collected data and makes important decisions for people in the construction, agriculture, and mining industries, among others.
A construction company may fly a drone to find out how big a pile of rubble or material is, where highways are located, or to see any potential infrastructure problems, and that data must be analyzed as quickly as possible. For agricultural use, Geown may be flying over a vineyard to check on the status of this season’s grape crops. The company might also use drones to check damages after a natural catastrophe.
Because of the variety in clients, Zarauz said, “there are no two systems which are equal so we have to be customized for each one, which is good and bad. We can be very accurate and precise on the exact system and need for the client. There are no two needs which are the same, different needs for all of the clients. We need to adapt because the need for agricultural is not the same for construction.”
To succeed and deliver quality data to varied clients, Zarauz has helped build a team of dedicated and solutions-driven professionals at Geown Data Solutions. Of his 10-12 person staff, half of his team has at least one Ph.D., while many have two or more, and the other half has at least one Master’s degree, if not two.
“They are extremely smart and they come up with very creative solutions that I would never think of, so the beauty of being small is that you can prototype new things and be a solution provider for our clients,” Zarauz said.
When it comes to choosing TV services, there is a lot of competition. Are companies prepared to keep up with the changing industry?
Dan Helfrick, Vice President of Z-Band Technologies, sat down with MarketScale to discuss the new direction for video distribution systems in an ever-progressing, consistently evolving technological society.
Z-Band offers video distributions systems to a wide variety of corporate groups, including hospitality, healthcare, and education, and what Helfrick has seen is a stark change in how companies approach implementing those systems. Companies will now often have their IT directors in the room when Z-Band comes to speak about its systems, a direct indicator of how much TV distribution has changed over the years.
One of the biggest trends that Helfrick explains, as TV moves onto the network, is digital rights management. Companies want to make sure that their content is going to be protected when they join with different providers. Another is system-on-chip technology, where people are now doing everything on the TV interface.
For example, in the hotel industry, a person goes into his or her hotel room and turns on the TV. Rather than defaulting to the TV Guide channel, there's instead a customized welcome message or potentially some marketing that the hotel wants to push. It's another indication of the power of content marketing for businesses and how technology can elevate that content.
On some of the more advanced system-on-chip services, guests can even order room service. In the correct environment it is very user-friendly; however, Helfrick points out, "one of the struggles [is] chipsets are designed to be multi-use so video will pause and buffer a lot because it is not designed to be playing back video 24/7.” Give the a podcast a listen to hear us break down the strengths, challenges and varied applications of video distribution systems.
On today’s MarketScale Software & Technology podcast, we're joined by Calvin Chen, product manager for Premio, Inc., a computing technologies design company, and Laxman Rajagopalan, head of marketing at DWFritz Automation, a 45-year old company that specializes in industrial metrology measurements for precision automation functions.
Where do these two radically different companies find common ground? Like many tech partnerships, it comes down to empowering an end vision, and in this case, that vision is very literally empowered.
DWFritz started in the lumber industry but is now known for non-contact inspection and non-contact measurements. The company runs on high quality imaging solutions to accurately read and decipher those measurements, and to do that needs highly focused and capable processing power. Enter a unique and powerful GPU provided by Premio.
“We use cameras and laser systems to measure critical dimensions of parts and those images need to be processed rapidly and need a high amount of computing power because Premio’s GPU allows us to instantly process these high contrast and complex images very rapidly. That allows us to measure the key critical dimensions that our customers require,” Rajagopalan said. “Without our computing power, we cannot do what we are doing now very well.”
On the podcast, Chen and Rajagopalan explain how Premio’s processor is standing out amongst the competition, being small enough to be convenient for the customer but pack a substantial punch when it comes to processing power.
The digitization of industry has changed pretty much every business, and the banking world is no exception.
“There’s a lot of change in the digital age,” says Kris Bartel, Chief Business Development Officer at Zivelo.
He points out that while there are still 90,000 physical branches in the United States, that roughly 50 percent of people or more do some form of digital banking.
What about the feasibility of making that number 100 percent? There are a lot of aspects in people’s financial day, from transferring funds to depositing checks, is it even possible to see 100 percent digitalization? Bartel believes so.
It is still likely for people to go into a branch and have that face-to-face interaction, “so we’re trying to take the digital model and introduce new technologies, but while also still making it possible to interact with the folks at those branches,” Bartel added.
People want to feel comfortable and get all of their questions answered when they’re dealing with high amounts of money, so “our solutions are geared towards more complex mortgages and financial investments, that the customer has a very positive experience and that even though they’re having a digital transaction it’s not one that’s disconnected from a human being,” says Bartel.
It is possible that the public might even be able to have a one-on-one conversation with someone within a physical space and a secure room, with secure equipment, with an expert thousands of miles away, or use kiosks or other forms of technology to enhance in-person banking experiences, while still making things more efficient from the bank’s point of view.
When we hear the term “smart” device, words that may come into our minds are easy, convenient, or technologically advanced, but consumers and designers alike underestimate the challenges smart devices may create for the companies that are trying to test them, especially in the audio realm.
On today’s Pro AV podcast, we hear from Daniel Knighten, vice president of product development for Audio Precision. “Smart” from Knighten’s perspective has “translated into adding a speaker and microphone to every device under the sun,” including refrigerators and even toilets, Knighten said. He gets a lot of calls from companies who have never dealt with audio devices before who are now trying to test audio signals in devices that may not have specifically been built to support them.
Knighten explained that audio experts are used to dealing with devices where there’s an input and output and traditional audio measurement where testers can simply input an audio signal and check for the output of that signal to see how it’s changed. In a cloud-based atmosphere, companies like Apple, for example, have stated that they will never release audio that’s recorded by a HomePod; it's become a real challenge to learn the figures of the input the way the machine “hears” it when it's almost impossible to inject or extract a test signal.
These “audio roach motels,” as Knighten calls them, remove the simplicity from testing; testers have to upload a variety of noises into the cloud, get them onto a built in audio player, then order the smart device to play them in open-loop testing. It has become so inconvenient that Knighten thinks some of these tests may be suffering, particularly when the machine itself changes the variables by adapting to different environments automatically.
The films and music that debut at SXSW every year may be what people remember, but alongside that star power stands innovation that changes the world. There will be no red carpet or paparazzi for the developers of these new products, but surely people around the world will feel their impact for years to come.
On part II of the MarketScale SXSW Podcast Series, hear how both a 3D printing company and a foreign airline service are making the most out of existing materials and why a team of scientists is trying to capture images of something previously unseen by cameras.
The way that people eat, shop, and travel has been affected by technological advancements in substantial ways. Education, too, has transformed into a more fluid, digital counterpart. Why, then, does technology education, the courses or tools that assist professionals in learning the ins and outs of the new technology they're using, often not take full advantage of technology itself?
Mike Zanotto, CEO of Skyline ATS, a company that provides advanced technology training, and a 2018 Cisco Distinguished and Excellence Instructor Award winner, believes education on the latest advancements is critical. Skyline, now on its 30th anniversary, has reinvented itself several times, but has stuck by their motto of providing professional services while still being able to keep up with the changing times.
“People consume education today differently than they did 10 or 15 years ago,” Zanotto said. While originally Skyline had to educate students by traveling to them and bringing a mass of equipment or shipping equipment to them, the company can now do everything remotely. “They want to take classes from their house and use their phone, and we’ve had to create different modalities that will be receptive to those types of learners, " Zanotto said.
It is Zanotto’s goal to perfect the remote experience, which not only includes a seamless login and functionality, but gives teachers the ability to translate their knowledge. In IT, someone can have CCIE accreditation or the highest certification and yet be unable to explain something fundamental to students. By finding instructors that have already lived the field as a customer and consultant, companies like Skyline aim to transform how businesses adapt to changing and varied technologies from companies like Cisco.
On this episode of the Pro AV Podcast, we decided to step away from conversation around trends in technology and industry culture to instead profile one specific project, which reflects what's making the best technology and the latest industry shifts so powerful. Final deliverables in Pro AV tend to lean toward bigger and better, and what better captures both than digital signage on Times Square. Every day and every minute in that five-block stretch of New York City is a battle for people's attention. This was at the forefront of the Levi's team's minds as they planned the opening of their largest flagship store in November of 2018.
How did they deliver on some of the most engaging digital signage and user experience on Times Square? To unpack this project, we spoke with the CEOs of the companies who made it possible. We sat down with Lee Summers, Chief Executive Officer of Reflect Systems, and George Pappas, Chief Executive Officer of D3 LED, to get their thoughts on inspiration, details of the project, and what kind of idea-to-design challenges they faced during such a large makeover.
Both Pappas and Summers point to exceptional pre-production and vision being what led this Levi's project to success. To turn their store into something dynamic that reflected their product offering, branding image, and stayed fresh for customers, D3 and Reflect had to leverage cutting edge technologies to get to the “why” of the project instead of getting lost in visuals for visual's sake.
More than anything though, this project is a perfect representation of a collaborative future for the industry. AV companies often lean into their competitive tendencies, and understandably so, wanting to be first to market or have their name attached to the next big industry. But for D3 LED and Reflect Systems, collaboration was the key to success, playing off of each others' strengths to bring Levis' competitive installation in the heart of New York to life.
"Whenever I saw New Years Eve, and the countdown, and you saw that store right behind the stage, and what an impact that brand is making globally and has for the last hundred plus years, it's just exciting to be a part of that," Summers said.
Technology is like fashion; it can be really cyclical. Today’s trends can be tomorrow’s faux pas, and some things are created for function, while others are just for show. With so many choices available, where do business owners turn to when purchasing the technology that's going to enhance or run the core of their business?
Today’s guest on the Software & Technology Podcast is Josh Lupresto, vice president of sales engineering for Telarus, a technology services distributor. Being the "brokers" in the B2B technology world, interacting with OEMs to provide products to sub-agent vendors, Telarus has the unique position of keeping their ear to the ground, knowing what technology is trending even before it happens in a time where cutting through the technological fluff is forever difficult.
Lupresto explains how some technologies have become expected staples, like MPLS, and others have shown unexpected usefulness. The evolution of SD-LAN is also creating a game-changing environment for the customer, because no longer do they have to log in to each of their devices to make a change; they can set easy routing rules and application priorities across multiple devices, countries, routers, etc.
At the end of the day, the operation is what pays the mortgage, and “we always run the risk of making the wrong tech recommendation or being scrutinized, especially with the new perspectives in the AI and IoT realm, so we’d better make sure that if we’re going to bring a product to the market, we better do a good job of vetting it before we put our rubber stamp on it," Lupresto said.
Listen to Lupresto break down the struggles of communicating what's useful and what's "vaporware," how Telarus acts like gate-keepers giving honest feedback to tech companies, and where are we right now with business-focused technological solutions and how it mirrors an era of growth or struggle we've already seen.
On today’s podcast, MarketScale host Tyler Kern sits down with Bruce Kaskey, COO and Co-founder of OrecX, a company that specializes in call recording technology in order to help businesses understand and make actionable decisions around customer conversations and how their employees deal with those clients.
OrecX has joined us on the podcast before, breaking down the benefits and varied applications for call recording technology from how it impacts the CEO to how it impacts the call center. This time around, Kaskey spoke about the importance of collecting data and making better, actionable decisions based on those findings. He details the technologies that allow data capture and how those have come a very long way since the reel-to-reel recording days in the late 1980s.
With today’s advanced digitization, businesses are able to record screens of all types; with software like OrecX's, companies can then easily search data based on a number of criteria in order to find calls that are under or over a certain minute mark, or at a particular time, and more easily find calls that may stand out with unique insight or need to be addressed if dealing with an underperforming employee.
Kaskey explains how OrecX’s clients range from financial markets to call centers and from startups to small businesses, and since there is an immense amount of metadata they need to analyze, each solution has to be handcrafted to meet the clients' objective.
Give this podcast a listen to hear how open source software for call recording is ultimately enabling businesses to be more flexible, providing each client even more options (like AI) and integration that are leading the industry forward.
Every single day we learn new processes and develop new solutions that can help save us time and money. There are few people alive today that don’t have smartphones or don’t use some type of virtual assistant or smart device at either their home or workplace.
Innovations in automation and smart design have permeated our entire culture rapidly. Who would have thought that five years ago there would be hundreds of thousands of Wi-Fi adapters that people could buy for $30 and install in their own home to control lights? That same convenience and untapped potential for growth is scaling all the way up to complete smart environments and their designs.
Our guests today, Yiannis Cabolis and Andy Batwinas, Director of Technical Innovation and Design Supervisor at Electrosonic, come on the podcast to explain how these smart built designs and environments are driving unprecedented collaboration in the space, and putting more emphasis on the experience, for both the end-user and the AV professional.
For the consumer, using this kind of design for immersive environments is giving them unparalleled experiences, from interactive museum exhibits to AR digital signage in retail. Cabolis and Batwinas explain their project at the Nature Research Center in Raleigh, NC, one that demanded unique designs for a plethora of media rich exhibits, a true multi-use space called the Daily Planet, and very specific video projection demands.
With this project, Cabolis learned he had to go against the grain to deliver an experience-focused design for the end-user. "You need to know all the rules associated with any applications you design and only then one can know which one to break to create magic," Cabolis said.
For the manufacturers, the experience-focused direction is bringing new collaboration to the industry, and a necessity for a deeper knowledge base around network efficiency. Since content is flowing in and out of the designs consistently, the equipment must be tested for functionality consistently during the installation process and periodically after deploymeny to ensure the scope of work has been included from the design.
Beyond that, Cabolis and Batwinas explain how the designers and integrators on these smart built environment projects are being pushed to new creative heights, and how that's setting new standards within Pro AV.
For more information on Electrosonic’s work in smart environment design, what the biggest missed opportunities and pitfalls are, how to avoid the “Flavor of the Month” syndrome, and what their favorite project driven by “The Experience” has been, give this podcast a listen.
The power of a Variable Frequency Drive, or VFD, cannot be understated in all industries that thrive off of efficient manufacturing. To recap, a VFD adjusts the frequency or voltage of power by variating the frequency of what’s driving the power, i.e., the motor. This is helpful for a couple of reasons: it allows companies to run three-phase power from a single phase power supply, and it allows equipment to run at a voltage or frequency other than what a power company provides, or what’s available in a certain location.
The ability to change speed creates new possibilities in process improvement, and on today's podcast, Mike Darrol, communications engineer and embedded application development professional at Advanced Industrial Devices, joins us to break down just how those process improvements can bring value to a manufacturing company.
At a basic level, a VFD can save money and time. It reduces the wear-and-tear on machinery by allowing equipment to warm up slowly and then adjust its speed as needed. It reduces the need for replacing costly parts like clutches and gearboxes, and even eliminates water hammering as well as wear on piping and check valves. Overall, companies find that the amount that they save on mechanical and electrical payouts can often pay for a new piece of equipment within 18 months, giving them more capital to focus on other areas within the business.
Give this podcast with Darrol a listen to hear how AID USA is aiming to make complicated applications simpler with industry-tailored, turnkey VFD products to improve manufacturing processes.
On this Careers Podcast we look deeper into the role of Controls Engineer at Kasa Controls, hearing from Justin Ryan, Engineering Training Manager, on what makes the position an essential piece of the Kasa puzzle.
The position, based out of Salina, Kansas, is tasked with providing detailed industrial control system drawings, including electrical schematics, power circuit sizings and loadings, thermal calculations, and more. Additionally, the engineer would have to travel to the installation site to make sure that the automation hardware is correctly installed and ready for the client to use, so the job does provide a wonderful travel opportunity both within the United States and abroad.
With Kasa Controls, the intrigue comes from not only the projects but the people. With top clients like General Motors and Chrysler, servicing industries from automotive to agricultural, Ryan says the thrill of seeing automation work through to the end is what makes every day on the job a fresh experience. But even beyond that, what keeps people at Kasa Controls is the culture. Like the company so neatly puts it: When you work at Kasa, you know each other, you know each others' families, you know each others' kids. It's a community.
For more information about working for Kasa and how they make the employee experience second to none, what the coolest part of the job is, the potential impact on the company, and why being a controls engineer is kind of like being MacGyver, give this podcast a listen. To apply, click here.
The future of business is centered around actionable data. With so many IoT solutions and integratable platforms for automating and capturing data on processes in a company, the biggest inhibitor is knowing where to start. On today's Industrial IoT podcast, we sat down with Tim Quinn, CEO and co-founder of ThingTech, a company passionate about IoT and how it is helping companies improve. Quinn is especially focused on the Industrial Internet of Things and solving problems for companies all over the world by pulling data from "things" like automobiles, work trucks, tools, machinery, or even construction equipment.
Quinn has found where companies struggle the most with understanding how many steps captured data goes through to provide valuable insight. After being collected, data is processed and analyzed for location information, diagnostic information, condition data, and any other useful or relevant information. Then, it's used to predict asset failures, coordinate how to better utilize assets, and to better deploy assets and workforce according to people’s schedules and needs. In essence, accruing data can bring preventative and reactionary maintenance without a single human hand having to get involved.
ThingTech has found its best success in creating custom solutions for each kind of client, since no two are alike and each captures a unique data set. To truly get the most of an IoT solution, you have to have the end goal already set so the technology is a means to an end, rather than a band-aid correction. During interviews with clients, Quinn finds out what types of equipment they own, what their biggest challenges are and what issues affect both top and bottom line. Things like fuel consumption, theft prevention, capital replacement schedules, company spending, and asset leveraging can be used to make overnight returns on investments on equipment that ThingTech supports.
For more information on how your business can gain productivity, further leverage your assets, find mistakes you may be making in controlling your assets, and what’s new and exciting in the industrial world of IoT, give this podcast with Quinn a listen.
The market for pro AV products and services has been booming of late. With companies from many different industries looking to utilize pro AV to create memorable and one of a kind experiences, advancements in the world of LED boards and interactive technologies have opened doors to new possibilities.
Today's show focuses on three areas where the market for AV products are growing rapidly. Brad Grimes, Senior Director of Communications for Avixa, joins the show to talk about the growing demand for AV solutions in the retail and hospitality industries. B.J. McGeever, Media Director at Faith Bible Church in The Woodlands, TX, joins the podcast to detail the changing attitude towards investments in AV equipment for worship services over the last ten years.
InfoComm 2019 Zeroes in on Retail and Hospitality Markets
InfoComm 2019 is taking a special look into the retail and hospitality industries this year. As businesses in these industries have placed an increasing priority on the customer experience, the demand for pro AV products that help deliver those experiences has grown dramatically.
"We do a lot of market research and [retail and hospitality] are two areas where the market for AV products and services is growing faster than others," says Brad Grimes, Senior Director of Communications for Avixa. He joins the podcast to explain why this decision makes sense for Avixa, the group that runs InfoComm.
"Hospitality companies, whether they're hotels, restaurants or bars, are using technology to draw customers in and make their locations memorable," he says. Advancements in the solutions offered by pro AV companies have allowed for creative minds to flourish. From curved LED screens to interactive displays, the options for these industries are endless as they seek to create memorable experiences.
Churches Are Making the Investment in Pro AV
In the past, churches have been synonymous with hollow stone buildings, beautiful in their own right but not technologically advanced by any means. Now, churches are investing heavily in pro AV technology as their worship services are dramatically increasing in production value.
BJ McGeever, Media Director for Faith Bible Church in The Woodlands, Texas, joins the podcast this week to talk about how the general attitude of church leadership towards pro AV has shifted over the years. "Churches are realizing they need to spend money on a professional to run their gear and spend money on the AV gear itself," he says.
Smart city technology continues to interest cities as an effective way to attract businesses and residents. As companies like Netflix, Amazon, and Uber continue to change the world by showing consumers what can happen when technology becomes accessible to ordinary people daily, cities are following suit for their own piece of this technology pie.
However, what happens when these cities don't have the foggiest idea about what their first step should be to to turn a community into a “smart” city? And once they do get their city on the smart route, what happens when they don't know how to maintain the technology and infrastructure?
Bob Flaherty, Vice President for Customer Success & Managed Services at CIMCON Lighting, joins today’s podcast to chat with us about how local governments can reliably and cost-effectively turn their towns into smart cities.
"When cities get to the point of saying, 'we want to do this', the next question is 'What is the next step?' 'How do we get there?' and often times there's silence and not a clear answer on what to do next," Flaherty said.
Flaherty understands that a smart city is a huge investment. Most of the time, these customers need a positive result right away through either monetary gain, rising businesses or populations, increased safety ratings, or some other form of tangible results, to fully buy in to the smart city game. The first step that he always recommends is CIMCON’s Smart Lighting Solution Set for a network of lights that can be managed remotely. He says it’s very tangible and very visible, highly recommended as a first step to entice the population and the rest of the governing body.
CIMCON even goes one step further by monitoring and taking care of the network on the client’s behalf so that cities avoid investing in 24/7, around-the-clock resources. CIMCON can also install and maintain software patches to recognize new threats and to adhere to the security levels that citizens expect from their city. Listen to this episode to better understand how a city can transform and stay smart.
Could smart stadiums be in our future? With the increased availability of WiFi and the inevitable arrival of 5G, the future of sporting events could look a lot different. Marybeth Hall of Brown Pelican WiFi joins the podcast again this week to tell us what it was like to provide WiFi for a race team at Daytona International Speedway and what the future could look like for sports fans.
IoT exists to solve the problems in the world. Today's episode focuses in on two areas where IoT could be incredibly beneficial: overcrowded cities and healthcare. Paul Doherty from The Digit Group joins the show to explain how smart city technology can help stem the tide of overcrowding in China. In our second feature on the show, Irma Rastegayeva speaks to Shelby Skrhak about IoT advancements in the field of healthcare.
Workers compensation is one of the insurance staples of the American workforce; a federally mandated insurance for every United States based company with employees, minus very few exceptions. Though crucial, it's also a major headache for business owners to get right.
In this Careers Podcast, we sat down with Eva Spexard, Recruiting & EMEA HR Manager for Microdrones, to explore one of the company's most exciting open positions: Experimental Engineer, a position that's as much a design job as it is a technical one. This engineer would be in charge of designing electronic circuits and prototyping those same systems, as well as putting their work to work, testing new aerial systems and sensors that are often first to market for the entire industry.
Microdrones, a company spanning six continents, touts itself as the world’s largest R&D force for commercial drones. Spexard, a native of Germany where the position is based, is known for her ability to work with people from all over the world. She jokes that her ultimate recruit is someone who has “literally more than two hands,” but her ideal candidate has experience with modeling and simulation, modification and troubleshooting of prototypes and experience in UAS technologies.
The most interesting part of the position, and what makes it so exciting, is what can't even be mentioned on the podcast. With such innovative drone technology, the shroud around it can be opaque to the rest of the market and outside world. But in this conversation, Spexard does clue us in on what it’s really like to be a engineer for Microdrones. It’s not usual day-to-day work; your technological ideas could actually come to life within years as a top notch technology. It’s a dream job for any engineer.
Today's episode of the MarketScale Energy podcast takes a look at two renewable energy sources: solar and wind. As demand grows for these sources, people are coming up with creative ways to utilize this energy in a way that both teaches and saves money.
Communicating with your AV team during a live event is crucial for success. Communicating effectively with your clients during the development of an install often makes or break client retention. In essence, communication is key for the AV industry. But does the platform for that communication always get the love and attention it deserves? If not intentional, companies might adjust their entire business process just to match a communications platform; communications should be assistive, not demanding.
Mobile ordering and self-service technologies have been dominating all kinds of industries in recent years, often being seen in food & beverage, retail and hospitality businesses. The way younger generations are interacting in these markets has changed, and continues to change financial institutions have had to grow to meet these trends as well.
When a sporting event is taking place, very few people stop to consider everything going on behind the scenes to allow the event to go off without a hitch. On today's episode of the Industrial IoT Podcast, we talk to a company that is responsible for providing wifi for some of the largest events in the world. They joined us from Daytona International Speedway ahead of the Daytona 500 to explain how they do it and why it's so important.
MarketScale recently traveled to Amsterdam to cover Integrated Systems Europe 2019. This episode of the MarketScale Pro AV Podcast recaps that trip and looks back at the themes that developed over the course of the four day show.
Considering that our oceans cover more than 70 percent of our planet’s surface and contain more than 97 percent of the Earth’s water, it’s surprising to realize that only about 5 percent of the world’s seafloor has been mapped in detail, leaving approximately 65 percent of the Earth (excluding dry land) unexplored. With so much of our planet yet to discover, governments, organizations, and private funding are furthering mankind’s ventures into sea, helping us to unravel the mysteries of the deep.
Yet, there is a high degree of difficulty and cost in exploring undersea. Vessels are one of the most critical elements in any ocean-going venture, carrying food, water, fuel, and the equipment necessary to the crew’s survival while on mission. These vessels must also house specialized tools and technologies that allow scientists and researchers to explore underwater environments, including cutting-edge computers and navigational and communications systems. For video production staffs responsible for capturing potentially once-in-a-lifetime discoveries in these extreme environments, their equipment must be rugged, dependable, and of superior quality in order to provide quality image streaming to shoreside teams and online viewers.
On today’s MarketScale Science podcast, we got to sit down and chat with Ed McNichol, Video Operation Manager on contract for Ocean Exploration Trust. OET was founded in 2008 to engage in pure ocean exploration, seeking out new discoveries in the fields of geology, biology, maritime history, archaeology, and chemistry. With all scientific research conducted at the highest international academic standards, OET pushes the boundaries of ocean engineering, technology, education, and communications, sharing their expeditions with explorers around the world via live telepresence.
“The most fascinating thing I’ve ever seen at the bottom of the ocean is what we’re just about to see next. It’s just such a mystery. And whatever’s just outside the reach of our lights, no matter how tired I am at sea, that’s what keeps me energized and engaged, because it’s such an unknown. So, I can’t fall back and say there’s any one particular thing I’ve seen that stands out because it’s all such a magical, mysterious area of our planet," McNichol said.
As OET’s contracted Video Operations Manager, Ed shoulders a lot of responsibility. He must ensure that each expedition is optimally captured and recorded on film. While new technology such as satellite equipped vessels have made a great impact on ocean video exploration, evolving technologies and companies like Cinedeck's are helping to refine and optimize undersea video production.
Matt Abbrederis, president and founder of Ponto Solutions, joined the podcast to shed some light on an ever-increasing trend among Pro AV companies. For some time now, companies in Pro AV have made the business decision to focus their service on either "hang and bang" solutions or client-oriented relationships. Though there's some overlap, most businesses are choosing the one-and-done installation to expand the breadth of their client base, while many are turning to a more business-oriented install to develop richer contacts for future projects.
Both approaches have their benefits, but Ponto Solutions enjoys business-oriented installations, as they are able to get an understanding on the company’s objectives and how it translates into technology, growth, and profit. "You really get that word of mouth support from your clients because you're there with them," Abbrederis said.
Abbrederis also discussed the rise in power of the digital menu board, and how they're able to transform the food industry by providing a greater influence on the customer. This has been an important market for AV companies with a more end-to-end strategy; since menu board elements are able to be altered to each unique audience, the content is just as important as the technology itself. A partnership then between an AV company and a business becomes one of content strategy and implementation.
More and more, societal culture is emphasizing the need to be environmentally conscience. Everyday citizens are becoming more aware and socially active in their concerns for the air quality in their neighborhoods. Traditionally, legal standards have enforced monitoring ambient air for a standard criteria of pollutants, but this wide net is no longer sufficient.
Air quality is now a factor that can attract new residents, businesses, and, in some areas, tourism. This social push is setting a demand for more specific, and complex forms of monitoring. Companies such as CIMCON Lighting, and Ramboll’s Environment and Health Division are working to deploy sensor solutions that are flexible and can satisfy the unique goals for every region.
"We are really starting to see monitoring in new ways. Ways that are social and ways that are fueled by the public and public awareness," said Julia Luongo, Managing Consultant for Ramboll Group's Air Quality division. Luongo came on the podcast, joined by Chris Davis, Vice President of Smart Cities for CIMCON Lighting, to discuss what are the major reasons – regulatory, social, environmental, economic – that compel cities and utilities to measure environmental air quality, and what is driving the need for more distributed and granular air quality monitoring?
While the technology is growing in efficiency, the challenge deepens for city planners, as the amount of data can be overwhelming. The question now is how do cities process instrument data and provide meaningful solutions to its citizens.
MarketScale met up with recurring guest of the podcast and ISE Managing Director Mike Blackman on Wednesday afternoon. He gave us his impressions of the event, how the organization measures success and what attendees can look forward to in 2020, when ISE heads to Barcelona, Spain.
On Day 2 of ISE, MarketScale was back on the show floor seeking out some of the most captivating and interactive displays. There is a natural diversity of products among the 1,300 exhibitors and Tyler Kern sifted through the halls to learn more about the technology that drives these products.
In this episode of the Software & Technology podcast, we’re joined by Shaun Stuger [embed contributor page], General Manager of Business Development and Services at Braxton Technologies, LLC. Braxton Technologies provides satellite ground systems, command and control, and secure data distribution solutions for government and commercial clients.
Stuger explains that to stand out in the aerospace field, especially as a software solution provider for government and military operations, you need to bring speed to market and low costs, as low as a tenth of the cost when compared to competitors.
"We look for excellence across everything that we do: It’s the people, the products and services that we provide, the reciprocities that we have in place, and I think when you look at the comprehensive nature of everything that we’re trying to do from all those areas, it really does provide an ecosystem where we can bring all of those pieces together,” said Stuger on how Braxton Technologies works to bring down prices and provide a great product.
The fact that Braxton tech products are needed “to protect and serve our nation” drives their desire for excellence at all levels, but also requires a partnership with their customers to ensure that they are providing the customer service needed to ensure the success of their products—and of their customer’s products and services as well. The result? Thirty percent growth in 2018 alone.
Video conferencing started as a sci-fi dream on the Jetsons. Now it's the sought-after communication method for any company with an active global presence, a flexible workforce, or a virtual command center. How video conferencing technology grows from day to day is astounding, but perhaps more interesting is how far it's come up until now.
ISE 2019 is underway and although we may not be able to speak with all 1,300 exhibitors and 80,000 attendees, we are determined to find answers to the burning questions in the Pro AV industry.
On the first day of this year’s ISE, Tyler Kern sat down with five Pro AV insiders to get their impressions of the show and what they are excited about on an industry level.
Before that, we chatted with MarketScale’s resident audio expert Zac Brummett to pick his mind on some of the biggest movements in the audio world over the last few weeks, including how industry-giant Bose is moving more into the B2B space. Another brand making news recently is Audinate, and Brummett told us about the debut of the company’s video-over-ethernet solution at ISE.
When companies are looking to make massive expansions to their businesses, staying ahead of the cyber security risks can be a very tough challenge. To combat these problems, more and more companies have been using 24/7 operation centers, the nerve center of the modern company, to make sure the back end of their businesses are firing on all cylinders. But to see positive ROI from an operations center, it's conception needs to be intentional.
"A lot of it is really good planning from the beginning, figuring out what your requirements are, how many people would be within the space, the type of information you have to monitor," Heather Conover, Senior Project Manager at Constant Technologies, said. "These rooms are utilizing really rigorous equipment, stuff that's turned on and doesn't get turned off for the life of the operation center."
Conover joined us on the podcast to break down the technology that's powering the operation centers of today, the benefits of using operation centers, and how a great design of a center can improve productivity. Often, the design is not just envisioned as a functional install, but as an aesthetic and cultural representation of the company and the market that it serves. Though, no aesthetic operation center is complete without its staple attraction.
"The center of any operations center is typically a video wall," said Conover. And when your entire operation is running off of a large piece of technology, "reliability is key."
Is pressing delete enough? Is physically damaging a hard drive enough? In both instances, not really. Deleting a file by dragging it to the trash bin and emptying your trash makes it look like the file's gone, but with the right tools is completely recoverable. It's just hidden from your operating system. Taking a hammer to your hard drive works if you completely obliterate it, but if there's even a chance your hard drive will spin again, bad actors can salvage information. What does it actually take to permanently delete data in the digital age?
To help us break it all down on the Software & Technology podcast, we’re joined by Ryan Lobo, Vice President of Marketing & Sales at Proton Data Security. Proton Data Security is a leading manufacturer of degaussers and data security products designed to wipe hard drives. On this episode, Lobo talks Cloud service paranoia, consumer remedies for safely deleting data, and the data deletion standards that the NSA recommends.
“Just drilling a hard drive is not going to take care of it, or [even] hitting delete. That leaves the data definitely there and any skilled person that knows what they’re doing can retrieve the data," Lobo said.
Every day, people across the world receive phone calls that often begin with “This call will be recorded for training and quality purposes.” While this typically doesn’t concern the majority of folks, you’re often left wondering why these companies choose to record their calls. For contact centers and Business VoIP Providers, call recording capabilities can help to improve processes in several ways.
In the futuristic movie Minority Report starring Tom Cruise, the protagonist (played by Cruise) is able to see actions before they happen through a complex system of dreams and technology. This obviously leans strongly towards the fiction side of the science fiction genre, but the movie raises the question of what you would do if you could see a person's actions before they committed them.
When considering how to build a new smart home or transform an existing home into an automated one, there are generally two options available: DIY or a professional custom solution. Manufacturers of smart home equipment have made it exceedingly simple to do it yourself, but there is something to be said for hiring a pro. The decision typically comes down to what is wanted from a smart home.
There's nothing more frustrating in the workplace than organizing a meeting only to find out the conference room is already being used. Well, maybe that one colleague who always steals your leftovers from the fridge is more annoying, but an unavailable conference room is a close second.
The modern office is utilizing pro AV to help avoid these headaches and help business get done. On today's episode of the MarketScale Pro AV Podcast, Robert Parsons, Vice President of Sales for Taurus Technologies, joined us to discuss how technology is helping with the meeting scheduling process.
Also on this week's episode of the show is a conversation with Dave Howden, Director of Technical Services for Community Professional Loudspeakers. He helps us preview the big ISE trade show coming up February 5-8 in Amsterdam. Be sure to follow along with MarketScale's content from the show on our Pro AV industry page.
There are aspects of life that we have largely accepted as a necessary evils. Technology is stepping in to find solutions to these issues that have previously existed as blindspots in our society. On today's episode of the MarketScale IoT Podcast, we look at how IoT is changing the game when it comes to pest control and safety on the roadways.
For a country that prides itself on pushing the envelope, technologically, we haven't really been bold with the deployment of outdoor LED displays outside of Times Square or the Vegas Strip. Globally, the market is telling a different story.
"In 2016, it was roughly a $4 billion dollar industry, globally. It's projected to reach somewhere in the $14-$16 billion dollar range by 2023, so, you're talking 6 years, 7 years. That's a lot of growth and it's something that definitely needs to be looked at. Especially if it's not in your strategy as a company," David Venus, Chief Marketing Officer for PixelFLEX said.
Venus, and the industry as a whole, have spoken; outdoor LED screens are here to stay. The applications are continuing to vary and grow in scope, too: they're powering residential living facilities, sports facilities, commercial building displays, you name it. On today's podcast, Venus discusses the growth of the technology, the future expansion of use cases for outdoor solutions, and how the integration of these displays into architecture can open up a new world of functionality.
Cameras, sensors, audio recording devices. They're put in place at a company to provide safety, and when dealing with the well-being of your employees, this tech is expected to function properly. When it isn't, there are no excuses. "There's a certain amount of risk to the end user associated with security equipment not being in operation," Jonathan Pine, CEO of Renova Technology, said.
How should companies stay on top of their security equipment and ensure safe operations? The answer lies in the data; in 2019, data is going to be one of the most valuable keys to success that a business can take advantage of. Companies like Renova Technology, who specialize in collecting and analyzing after-market service operations, are stepping up to the mantle to bring those services to the Commercial Security Industry.
Pine joins us on this Industrial IoT podcast show to discuss how businesses use this kind of data, the challenges in analyzing data, and what it takes for a business to be Best-In-Class. "The collecting of the data, not so difficult; using a faction which is actionable, that is always a challenge," Pine said.
Whether you look at Warby Parker, Marriott, or Sony, it's clear that no matter the size, every company is susceptible to bad actors. It's this very real concern that drives companies like Telarus to educate their clients on these risks. Having a secure data network is more than just encryptions and software; it's a cultural shift for a company. This means a layered, constant approach to security, engaging stakeholders in initiatives, and planting seeds for future security measures.
Josh Lupresto, Vice President of Sales Engineering for Telarus, joined us on the podcast to give an insider perspective on what clients are looking for in their cybersecurity. MarketScale host Tyler Kern asks the questions: how does each partner present a different and unique challenge, and are any two solutions the same? What innovations do you see coming down the road that will have an impact on the industry? Lupresto explains in detail, giving tips on how other providers should approach the client relationship process when tasked with protecting their sensitive data.
"Everyone has the end goal how do we make money, how do we become more efficient, how do we improve our aging technology. But sometimes how we get there, the journey for each of those is different and the timeline is different," Lupresto said.
Coming off of CES and NRF, two of the biggest trade shows of the year (and it's only January!), we're already deep in the trenches of innovative technology that's going to take the world by storm in 2019. With everything from giant quadcopters, to wearhouse management softwares and robots, to engine-monitoring fluid and sensors, we're on the cusp of innovation constantly. For this episode of the Software & Technology Podcast Show, we didn't want to do more exciting tech highlights. Instead, we took a step back to look at how industries are being affected by some of that tech, and more concretely, how that tech is integrating with the world around it. In essence, today's episode is all about cause and effect.
This weeks episode of the Pro AV Podcast Show is getting an inside look at one of the industry's biggest trade shows and explores one of the most creative markets for integrators and designers. Explore the AV world of possibilities by getting a preview of ISE (Integrated Systems Europe) 2019 from one of the directors bringing the show to fruition. Then take a dive into the world of nightclubs and how they are using Pro AV technology to create unforgettable experiences.
Can IoT help bring innovation to an industry that has remained largely unchanged for centuries? Ed Anthes-Washburn and the New Bedford Port Authority is saying yes. Today's episode of the MarketScale IoT Podcast looks at how IoT technology is changing the game in fishing and strengthening supply chains.
Energy is essential to life as we know it. The planet is facing some big challenges when it comes to energy and many scientists are working away on how to remedy this. In this podcast, we talk to two academia experts on what the future of energy may be.
In an increasingly connected world, automobiles are not being left behind. The capability for cars to be able to connect with every device in our lives is the path forward in the industry. Today's show features conversations with people who work in two different ends of this endeavor.
Daniel Litwin returned from CES 2019 and joined Tyler Kern in the MarketScale podcast studio to talk about everything he saw at one of the largest trade shows in the world. If you missed the show, this is your chance to get caught up on all of the incredible innovations in the world of software and tech.
Sometimes it's hard to stop and remember where technology was 20 years ago. These days it feels like innovation is happening at such a rapid rate it can be hard to keep track of where we've been. On this episode of the MarketScale Pro AV podcast we take some time to look back and where the industry has been, where it is now, and where it's going in the future.
MarketScale is live in Las Vegas for CES 2019 this week and we checked in with our own Daniel Litwin who is currently getting a firsthand look at the latest innovations in the software and technology world.
Stay tuned for live interviews with representatives from the following companies right here:
11:15 PST: Patrick Santucci, Product Manager , DJI
11:30 PST: ‘Cam’s Corner’, CES observations from our own Cameron Cooper
11:45 PST: Jacques Bonifay, CEO, Transatel
12:15 PST: Nadia Giuliani, COO, Next Industries, Tactigon Skin
12:40 PST: Jerome Loubert, Director of Business Development, FlexFuel Energy Development
This week's episode of the MarketScale IoT podcast features conversations with two industry experts who are using their knowledge to bring innovation to the industry. Correspondent Shelby Skrhak caught up with David Gilley, the Assistant Vice President of Business Development and Strategy at Encore Networks. He discusses the use of private LTE networks by energy utility providers around the world. These providers are harnessing LTE capabilities in-house for better oversight.
Also on this week's show, MarketScale correspondent Sam Mosher chatted with Vice President of Brand Marketing at Allrecipes, Esmée Williams. She discusses how beacon marketing has been a massive success for Allrecipes and how others can learn from their success.
MarketScale is live in Las Vegas for CES 2019 this week and we checked in with our own Daniel Litwin who is currently getting a firsthand look at the latest innovations in the software and technology world.
Daniel has been on the show floor all day and said it has been “overwhelming but in the best way possible.”
He said an emphasis on smart technology and 5G connectivity is evident at this year’s event and checked in with the LG ThinQ and Samsung Mobile booths to learn more about what two of the biggest brands brought to Las Vegas for CES.
https://twitter.com/TechMKSL/status/1083080545121136640
Stay tuned for more live broadcasts from the show, including MarketScale’s two-hour broadcast starting at 11 a.m. PST on Thursday.
2019 is a big year for the energy industry. Companies are taking advantage of emerging tech like drones and machine learning to improve operations, we're doubling down on a renewable future, and continuing to see booming oil production in the Permian Basin to name a few things. It's definitely a year to watch out for.
Like any industry, seeing those changes come into play takes time and a lot of cutting through red tape. That's what our content explores on today's episode. How should you approach 2019 headstrong to get energy initiatives moving with vigor, and how should countries, municipalities and companies coordinate to make these energy initiatives a reality?
As pro AV devices grow increasingly interconnected the need to ensure the security of these devices grows. Protecting pro AV equipment from bad actors is an important step in making sure a project goes off without a hitch. Tim Albright, President of AVNation Media, joins this week's episode to discuss the steps that can be taken to prevent security issues. This week's episode also features a conversation with MarketScale correspondent Beth Osborne to recap the ways that retail locations utilized pro AV over the holidays. She walks through specific examples detailing how AR and VR made a big push into the retail landscape.
The evolution of the AV industry has been fueled by technological advances that have garnered much debate through the years. While analog systems have a long and rich history of producing sound resulting in legendary gold and platinum music, this technology can require a whole studio full of equipment. In the ‘90’s, digital development rapidly revamped the boundaries of analog limitations, providing a cheaper (and eventually comparable) method of producing sound that continues to evolve through today. This evolution is making its way into the live event scene, too, changing the job description for the professionals involved.
Creating a memorable trade show experience begins with the booth itself. This may seem obvious, but there are a number of decisions that need to be made regarding a booth for a trade show. What size is your booth going to be? Are you going to rent the materials or purchase them? What are your AV display needs?
Bruce Ulrich, President of Productive Displays, joined us on the Pro AV podcast to advise the industry: we need change the way we think about trade show displays. "It's viewed as an expense and not as a marketing investment opportunity," he said. "It's a channel just like email, direct mail, radio, print, and TV are. Thinking of it in that vein is helpful for the client because it changes their planning perspective."
Ulrich equated trade show booths with billboards along the highway, with the goal being that you’re trying to catch people's attention and get them to leave the highway, or in this case, the literal path they were walking along. Planning ahead and utilizing the right materials are essential to finding success in this process.
Today's two features put IoT to work in different industries. In each, we get to see how interconnected data is lowering price points, increasing data access, and overall creating big wins. We get a look at connected energy with Tom Raftery, Global VP, Futurist and Innovation Evangelist with SAP, and turn to Can Algül, CEO of Pubinno, to talk about his mission to create an “Internet of Beer.”
Today's Software & Technology podcast show explores big moves in the industry, literally and figuratively. Apple's expansion to Austin, Texas, the struggles of choosing a college, bringing cryptocurrency to an untapped market; the industry is chalk-full of boundary-pushers, and we catalog three of the most exciting ones.
AV and furniture. AV in furniture. It sounds like two subjects you'd never hear colliding, but that couldn't be more untrue. The balance between the interior design of a functional work or creative space and the AV powering that space is delicate and very intentional. Does your meeting room have a historic 20th-century oak table but you want seamless charging stations and ethernet inputs? It looks like you're going to have to drill a hole in that heirloom. It's a problem AV integrators have faced time and time again.
Today's episode explores how Pro AV technology is evolving to power content creators, from the podcast host to the retailer. We'll hear from Australian author and podcast host Jono Pech on how the commoditization of AV gear is giving life to a new generation of creators. Plus, we'll get insight from Robert Parsons of Taurus Technologies on his own Hot Market Corner, answering the question: what's making video walls the hot market of the month?
Traditional marketing has been around since products needed selling, and is something that continues to evolve as we navigate through the digital era. With the use of digital devices amongst consumers increasing, businesses more than ever must adapt to this changing landscape, and insert themselves where consumers are finding their information. Join us today for our Digital Marketing Professor Series as we chat with Dr. Mark Bender, assistant professor of Marketing at the University of South Florida. We discussed how digital platforms are subsidizing, and how advertisers are charged for consumer metrics. We also took a look into streaming platforms, like Spotify, and the individual royalties they offer to attract content producers to that particular platform.
Though digital marketing has changed marketing, Bender analyzes the unique intersectionality of digital and traditional marketing: how a traditional offline campaigns metric’s can be tracked online, and vice versa, how a digital ad campaign can be taken offline to attract the most consumers. “Traditional methods of marketing that are now being measured online, because it’s easier than ever before to track consumers and see what people are talking about," Bender said.
There can sometimes be a misconception that because a solution is "scalable" that it is simple to scale either up or down to fit the need. That's not necessarily true. On the other hand, sometimes a simple solution can reveal extra benefits that were unintended. How are we seeing this idea of focused solutions impact the Indsutrial IoT industry and the relationships between companies and clients? On today's podcast, MarketScale Host Sean Heath had a chat with the Director for PROXI, the Global Product Strategy and Design Group for Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, Milan Kocic. They discussed the rapidly growing importance of education in Industrial IoT, the challenges of separating a "trend" from "hype," and the crucial role customers play in helping determine the actual IoT problem they want to solve.
"There's this expression that I saw that says 'the next big thing will be a lot of little things.' I kind of subscribe to that piece that a lot of these companies we tend to do in manufacturing have a lot of little problems," Kocic said. "If you help them fix a lot of little problems, inevitably, you will help them fix bigger problems."
On this episode of the Business Development Podcast on MarketScale, Shannon Maverick highlights the importance of business partnerships. Winning companies serve their clients and have a rapport that leads to them evangelizing their brand. Capturing those moments can become the strongest case for your sales representatives to turn a maybe into a yes.
On this episode of the Business Development Podcast on MarketScale, Nick Minor (Dodgers Fan) talks about the importance of treating your business the same way you would treat your personal brand. Every business is comprised of individuals that make a brand great, learning how to harness that is half the battle.
On this episode of the Business Development Podcast on MarketScale, Mackenzie Williams highlights her passion for business. She explains that although content is still "king", without proper distribution and analysis it can be a wasted investment. Have a listen and learn how content can become headache free.
Light, sound, art. Let's start with the light. MarketScale host Elmer Guardado explores how important lighting can be, not only in a work environment, but an entertainment one as well. Something as simple as good lighting can increase productivity, keep people at hotels longer, immerse them into live events, and even promote healthier body functions.
Stage lighting in particular has remained stagnant for decades, but now with the advent and affordability of LEDs, we’re starting to see new possibilities on stage. Brandon Wardell, professional lighting/scenic designer and assistant professor of lighting design at Northern Illinois University's School of Theatre and Dance, joined us to explain how this evolution has affected the theater landscape. Brandon also thinks back on specific use cases that exemplify the industry’s progress and about how the approach to teaching lighting design has completely evolved. Let's get some insight on how commoditization of LED has changed lighting design for the better.
On today's episode, we pose some "how" questions for you, and we're sure by the end of the show you'll have all the answers.
First question: How can you best stay ahead of regulations and compliance in the cannabis production industry? It's a growing industry, and growth creates strain. We chat with Washington-based Sugarleaf to shed some light on the unique back-end for weed growers, and why they need software to handle the whole process, seed to sale.
Let's be honest: insurance can be overwhelming in the best of times. Finding a way to simplify it can sometimes feel like a search for the mythical lost city of Atlantis. In another odd irony, insurance is something that people pay for, yet hope to never use.
Technology is helping ease the anxiety on both sides of the insurer/insured relationship. On today's podcast, MarketScale Host Sean Heath spoke with Executive Vice-President of Sales & Marketing for SmartPay Solutions [https://www.smartpaylease.com/using-smartpay], Dino Carbone [contributor page]. They discussed how the industry is finally stepping out of its historically stodgy image and the ways in which technological advances can help build the trust necessary for the industry's success. Also, Carbone told us the single most important determination that companies face when establishing an insurance protocol: the difference between a "nice to have" and a "need to have”.
"An insurance company touts their best services are their claims handling, and I totally get it, right? When something goes wrong, that business wants to make sure the carrier that they're with is solid financially and knows how to handle claims. But, guess what? What if your client, your insured, never has a claim," Carbone said. "Aren't they your best clients? You're getting all of this premium and you're not having to pay any claims. And so now, the phenomenon again, with technology, is such that: 'let's make sure that the way we bill our best clients is the most efficient way of doing it.'"
Digital signage in the sports market has reached ubiquity, meaning applications are getting more creative. Whether it's for interactive stations to bring fans to the stadium, jumbotrons that display real-time social media feeds, or LED art displays that inspire and put local retailers in the eyes of fans, applications seems limitless. To get perspective on this market growth, we sat down with Patrick Jackson, Senior Business Development Specialist at NanoLumens. Patrick is a business development veteran in the audio-visual world and has helped bring visions and goals to life in the signage market. On this episode he’ll talk about how digital signage has changed arena design and construction, why it’s been so successful, how it can convert a “dead space,” and about some of his favorite digital signage solutions in different stadiums and arenas.
“Once people really started seeing some of these dead spaces, these little utilized spaces, get turned into revenue generating spaces, it really started to take off,” Jackson said.
Today’s episode is all about "salvation:" saving industries, saving lives. This is the kind of salvation IoT is capable of, and what innovators are looking to accomplish. Hear from Manish Agarwal, co-founder of Axelta Systems, who talks about how the IoT industry abroad, specifically in India, saved itself from the doom of weary customers and grew into the innovative force it is today. We’re also going to talk about everyone's favorite, the bees, and why they’re disappearing. A world without bees is not one we want to live in. We get great insight from OSbeehives about how, surprisingly, IoT may be a solution. We also hear about how IoT is saving human lives, specifically the lives of the elderly. Where elder care suffers the most, IoT is stepping in with the solutions, turning homes into smart homes and smart homes into independent, safe, functional havens for senior citizens.
How important is lighting design to the feel and success of a corporate event? Kurt Wunsch, Lighting Designer at Alford Media, tells us it's everything. With over 20 years in the industry, working in many aspects of lighting design from theater to concert touring, to corporate and special event designs, Wunsch has seen first hand how critical both the aesthetic and functional elements of lighting are for an event that is worth traveling for. Technology has brought us together in many ways; whether it's personally over FaceTime or professionally over Cisco WebEx, the in-person conference or live event on a corporate level isn't as necessary for communicating crucial information. That means they have to go above and beyond in their design and purpose to feel unique.
Above and beyond doesn't mean big and bright, though, especially in the corporate world. "It's not like you're going to a rock and roll concert where you're expecting spectacle and intensity," Wunsch said. "You're going to retrieve information, you're going to bond with other people." Crafting lighting design for a trade show has several subtleties, and there's a balancing act in perfecting the stage wash to not interfere with the spot lights, and then those to not interfere with the ambient color highlights.
Even more exciting is how lighting design is leaking from the stage to the entire show floor or ballroom. With the experiential aspect of the trade show taking higher precedent, finding ways to immerse audiences has become essential. "They're bringing in custom furniture in the audience," Wunsch said. "They're trying to engage the audience in a full capacity, that's really brought our job away from the stage and out into the house."
Keeping the financial data of customers secure is a huge concern for businesses, yet the number of Americans who experience some form of credit card fraud is still shockingly high. Migration to EMV has raised the standard for protecting the interests of consumers for many businesses, but this migration hasn't taken place at the same rate for one primary sector of business: gas stations.
Matt Nelson, CEO & President of AvaLAN Wireless, joined the MarketScale IoT podcast to talk about the pressing need to fueling stations to adopt EMV migration. "You've seen it in the indoor world if you've shopped or gone to a restaurant," Nelson says. "But in the outdoor world, that migration hasn't really happened yet."
He says this reluctance to adopt new technology could create a massive backlog when the migration deadline hits. "One of the issues the industry is facing is there's just not that many service guys that can implement the system," Nelson says. He is worried that many store owners are waiting until the pain of footing the bill for credit card fraud becomes too great before acting, creating a massive rush that will be too much for the industry to handle.
Today's episode hits on two different aspects of the tech world, but each is centered on up and coming companies led by stars who are motivated by and passionate for technology. We will hear from Zac Cherin, co-founder of Secret Sauce, who tells us of the tech exodus from Silicon Valley, and why it's bringing more opportunities to young aspiring tech professionals. But first is Rayne Steinberg, CEO of Arca, who gives us a great look at his blend between cryptocurrency and traditional financing to try to create a digital financial standard.
Today's episode of the MarketScale Pro AV Show is focused on the integrator; the people living the industry every day. What Pro AV professionals see every day in the field changes at light-speed. We wanted to ask; how does the life-blood of the industry adapt? First, we hear from Jesse Miller, CTO of Midtown Video, about what it's like for professionals to integrate IT knowledge into their workflow. Our second feature sources George Ayrouth, the founder of MVT Productions in Orange County, California, who gives us a first-hand take on how AV and media installers adapt to changing technology and training requirements. Learn from leaders in the industry on exactly how they keep ahead of the curve, one that changes almost daily.
Today's MarketScale Energy Podcast Show hosts two varied features; one looking at the future of a familiar power source and its impact on local communities, and the other looking at the energy behind drones. We hear from Founder of BP Capital & TriLine Index Solutions Toby Loftin, who analyzes an article on MarketScale Energy that digs into the impact of increased production in the Permian Basin, and how one stretch of land is impacting not only Texas and New Mexico communities, but the global oil market.
We also get a drone-themed recap compilation of several MarketScale guests who we've sourced over the last year, looking at innovation in drone technology. Specifically, what's the best way to power them? Some say hydrogen fuel cells, others say battery power. We give them the platform to voice their opinions and insights, and show why thoughtful changes in drone power sources means more capable payloads.
In this episode of our Industrial IoT Podcast Show, we're exploring the surprising challenges that still loom over farmers, ranchers and growers, as well as the technology that's taking them to new heights. With net farm income at its third lowest over the last decade, the people who keep the industry afloat are always looking for innovation to cut costs and improve efficiency; IoT is key in this search.
We hear from Darcy Pawlik, VP of Agriculture for weather data company Understory, who explains the eco-friendly and economically beneficial impact IoT has already had on the agricultural sector, as well as from Pete DeNagy, President and Co-Founder of Internet of Things America, who sheds light on the lack of sensor connectivity still keeping many rural growers from taking command of this expanding technology.
Water is one of planet Earth’s most precious resources. We use water to keep our bodies hydrated, to clean ourselves, to water our crops, entertain ourselves, etc. And while it might seem like water is a limitless resource, the numbers say otherwise. Only 3% of Earth’s water supply is fresh, consumable water; that number could heavily decline if we don’t find ways to conserve water. Our water use hasn't even been stretched to its full capacity; growing fire destruction in California and continuing challenges in basic sanitation across the globe put us in a tricky position on how to move forward with thoughtful, efficient water us.
Joining us today is Klaus Reichardt, CEO of Waterless Co., inventor of the no-flush urinal, a product which has helped save venues like the Mercedes Benz stadium hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. "While the state of water is still good, we still have to be prepared for what's coming," Reichardt said. Reichardt knows first-hand how vulnerable the world or even just the United States can be with a limited and strained water supply. He provides insight on how his waterless invention came to be, the economic benefits of being a water conservationist, and what the state of water will be in the United States in the near future.
With the ubiquity of digital signage on the rise, new frontiers like the convergence of AV and IT and the explosion of VoT are on the horizon. Larry O’Hagan, Inside Sales Associate for NanoLumens, joined us this episode to talk about why AV and IT need to learn from each other, why he thinks VoT devices are the future. “This makes a visual impact statement upon people," O'Hagan said.
He gives us some examples of how digital signage is evolving and innovating in different industries. In addition, Larry also opens up about why color spacing and flexibility are given such great focus at companies like NanoLumens. "Typically, it’s the first time they’ve seen something like this [and] they tend to remember the content that’s being displayed to them, simply because it’s on an unusual background, whether they consciously realize that or not," O'Hagan said.
Today's episode explores Pro AV in the sports world, but not just in the traditional sense. The sports world is evolving, and with those changes comes an opportunity for the Pro AV industry to step in and step up. Sports fans have begun to include and embrace eSports, bringing millions of dollars in revenue to the market. The sports industry is also struggling to get fans to their stadiums; the game-day experience just isn't worth it. In our two features today, we hear from leaders in the industry that are looking to arenas as the place to innovate. Jennifer Willard, Founder of WAVE, and John Greene, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for New Era Technology, explore why audio-visual providers need to take command of the eSports market. James Giglio, CEO of MVP Interactive, also joins us for a look at how sports teams and stadiums are using AR/VR to enhance the fan experience.
Africa is a massive continent home to hundreds of countries exporting goods — in a variety of industries — across the continent and the globe. But there is something Africa is missing: drone legislation. According to Microdrones Sales Manager Hanno Truter, a lack of official drone regulations is a major hurdle for companies, African and foreign, when attempting to adopt commercial drone technology there.
“Only 28 percent of African countries have official regulations in place which govern the use of drones,“ Truter said. In this episode of Propelling we take a look at the types of industries that could benefit from better drone regulations and how companies can get involved with the fledgling drone enterprise in Africa.
"Hopefully it can be much more regulated, and obviously [I hope] the aviation bodies work on legislations in each and every country to grow the business of drones because that's where the future is headed," Truter said.
The average consumer is well acquainted with IoT products; in January, 39 million Americans owned a smart home product, and the number is only growing. As consumers get more comfortable with these products in the home, the market for automating every aspect of the house from the air conditioner to the blinds becomes more exciting and attainable. What's commoditizing these products, and how is that affecting the manufacturers looking to enter or expand in the IoT market?
Michael Longoria, Business Development Manager for Universal Screens, joined us on the podcast to analyze IoT product growth, both consumer-grade and commercial-grade offerings. What Longoria has seen is a trend toward app-based IoT in both spaces, a trend that's changing how providers package and brand their tech. "The trend is everyone's going to either hire a company to do it, or they're going to try to do it themselves," Longoria said.
More apps means open-sourced technology, a positive trend for some and a headache for others. Either way, customers expect products to integrate seamlessly, and that's translating back to the commercial side as well. Longoria clues us in to how that's affecting the market, what new IoT technology is catching the most wind, and what the biggest inhibitor on the market's growth is today. "I think it's just the lack of knowledge, just not knowing what the product is since it is a growing product," Longoria said.
University campuses are constantly looking for new and fresh ways to stimulate learning and encourage growth in their students. As the needs and expectations of students change, campuses have to adapt along with them.
Increasingly, universities are turning to pro AV and LED screens to help create experiences that foster learning and community within their spaces. Bob Haefke, Senior Business Development Specialist at NanoLumens, joined the Pro AV Podcast to explain how they're working to meet the AV needs of these institutions of higher learning.
"Well we try to understand what the client wants...and what their vistion is, and then try to interact with our technology to make sure we can bring it from a concept to a reality," says Haefke.
He says LED screens are frequently used as tools to communicate messages to students about events and other opportunities on campus. They're also frequently used in the classrooms as tools to further learning and in common areas for gaming.
As technology has continued to grow, it’s started to touch every aspect of our lives. Not only do we have smart TVs on our walls and smartphones in our pockets, but now the cities where we live are getting smarter, too. As migration from rural to urban living has steadily increased, the need to create more efficient cities has grown. How can cities that are already large begin to accommodate even more growth?
The first step in answering that question is smart lighting, according to my guest on today’s podcast, Anil Agrawal, CEO of CIMCON Lighting. “Cities have to really learn how to become more efficient with the use of their resources,” he says. “That the reason they’re all talking about becoming smart.” One of the reasons why he believes cities should start with smart lighting is because it offers a good return on investment. “If you look at the typical city 40% of the electricity spend goes towards powering street lights.” he says. “The solution that we have in terms of connected lighting can save them 20% on energy costs.”
Saving money isn’t the only incentive, though. Another benefit to smart lighting is that it helps protect the citizens that live, work, and play in a particular city. With smart lighting, the brightness can be raised in the case of an emergency to help alert first responders. “If you think about it, we have the ability as a company to influence the life of millions or even billions of people living in cities across the globe,” says Agrawal.
It's the holiday season! With Thanksgiving putting a little pressure on everyone's schedule, we figured this was the perfect time to give you, our audience, a charcuterie board of previous MarketScale Pro AV content. Plenty of one-time podcasts on our Pro AV publication haven't gotten the love they deserve, so we wanted to infuse them with the holiday spirit and showcase three Pro AV podcasts that encapsulate some of the most important trends, troubles and talents in the industry. Kick back while learn how the industry has adapted over the last decade to be more inclusive to women professionals, how live streaming has become more powerful and commoditized at a commercial level, and how digital signage is powering more than a great football experience for schools and universities.
The AV needs in the workplace are changing drastically. Gone are the days when workplace AV was synonymous with clunky media carts and huge projectors. AV is now being seen as a tool for creating and fostering office culture.
Joining the Pro AV podcast today to discuss workplace AV is Scott Schoeneberger of Bluewater Technologies. He talks about the shift in the way the office is viewed by workers of all ages. "The workplace used to be a place for people to come and do work,” he says. “Now, it's very much a tool to attract and retain talent. Today's workforce is looking for this new type of experience in whatever facility that they're going."
This shift in the way that people view the workplace has drastically altered the AV needs of businesses. “Let’s consider a digital signage network inside a corporate environment...it’s a really great tool for effectively communicating information out to employees...Today it’s not difficult at all to make that an interactive experience,” says Schoeneberger.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication. A new episode of the Pro AV Show drops every Thursday.
In the marketing class taught by Ernan Haruvy at the University of Texas at Dallas, “accelerants of relevance,” is the technical term students take notes on. For those without a marketing background, the term may be more easily understood as the data-supported elements of what makes a piece of social media content go viral.
We sat down with Haruvy on this episode of the Digital Marketing Professor Series to discuss the specific data analytics that his class uses to measure social media marketing effectiveness.
“We were trying to find out ‘what is it in terms of content and the actual demographics of the people doing tweets and retweets that accelerates retweeting that causes virality’,” Haruvy said.
As part of a collaboration with PR firm Golin, marketing students at UT Dallas analyzed tweets for content words, emotion, and sentiment analysis, including positivity and negativity. Haruvy said this is especially key in social media marketing.
“You don’t want something to just diffuse very fast; You want it to diffuse positively,” Haruvy said. “You want people to be excited about your product or story.”
On the podcast, Haruvy weighed in on whether a message from an unlikely source is either more, or less, likely to go viral. We even discussed Taylor Swift’s latest Instagram post, urging her fans to register to vote, which is the first outwardly political Instagram message she has posted.
On this episode of Propelling, we sat down with Audrey Pann, Microdrones' Sales Manager for the South and West parts of Europe, to discuss Microdrones partnerships with distributors. “Today we can see a stronger cooperation between the distributor and Microdrones," Pann said.
She gives us a deep dive on some of the best practices for distributors selling Microdrones products. Audrey also explains the benefits of specific models like the mdMapper 1000DG and the mdMapper 1000+, talks about some of the most interesting use cases she’s seen in her region, and she breaks down what the newest from Microdrones means for her customers.
Today's episode explores how Pro AV installs are stimulating knowledge and the imagination, taking people to new worlds or guiding them through new subjects. We hear from two industry professionals on how Pro AV is educating in very different ways. We chat with Larry O'Reilly, CEO of ARHT Media, to see if a future of holographic professors is really around the corner, and how hologram technology might beat out traditional AV-linked broadcasts in the classroom. We also hear from Chet Kaplan, Director of AV Integration at Capitol Exhibit Services, to peel back the evolving needs of museums, and why digital signage and immersive technology is more cost-effective and versatile than your traditional exhibit.
The new FASB standard is having a drastic effect on lease accounting. Though what you pay isn't changing, how you pay and categorize your leases is seeing a major shift. Under the FASB standard, lessees must use their balance sheet to recognize operating lease assets and liabilities, not just capital leases, which puts a new strain on CFOs and their teams to adjust.
How should companies prepare for these new standards, considering they go into effect for public companies in December, and for private companies a year after that? On today's podcast, we get insight from Weaver's Jody Allred, Partner for Risk Advisory Services, and Colby Horn, Director of Real Estate and Hospitality accounting. Allred and Horn walk us through the exciting changes and the most common pitfalls to avoid under the FASB lease accounting standards, detailing which industries will be affected the most, how the standards have an impact beyond financial reporting, and more simply, defining what will now be considered a lease.
The house of worship has been a place of constant evolution and growth over the past several decades in terms of pro AV technology. The demands presented by congregations, both big and small, have been instrumental in moving the industry forward. Our guest on this episode of the Pro AV podcast, Duke DeJong, is perfectly suited to comment on the past, present, and future of AV in the house of worship. He is the Vice President for Sales and Integration at CCI Solutions, and has 21 years of experience in audio, video, and lighting system design and operation for churches.
DeJong said many of the AV challenges that churches are battling today are the same ones they’ve been working through for years, but LED boards are helping to change the game.
“We’ve always put these big giant projectors in to overcome the ambient light...and it works but it’s never been great,” he explained.
But now with the increased prevalence of LED boards, places of worship are much better equipped to meet these challenges.
“All of a sudden, those guys who are doing amazing things with video these days, whether it’s a testimony or filming a mission trip, when you put that up on screen it actually looks like what the guys were trying to create in the first place. So, it really, I think, is just the next evolution in solving an age-old problem: giving us something that can fight ambient light but still look good,” DeJong said.
DeJong also previewed the 2018 WFX Conference in Orlando, Fla. and explains the benefit of these gatherings.
“At the end of the day, just getting to hang out with other ministry folks and look at solutions...WFX is, for us, a couple of days of conversations of ‘how do we help people get to where they want to go?’,” he said.
Data, data, and more data. It’s what allows businesses to make informed decisions and optimize the customer experience. To expand on this, we sat down again with Kevin Levi, Vice President of Marketing for OrecX, a call recording company. You’ve heard him on the Software & Technology Podcast before; we discussed the overall value of call recording and which positions, from customer service to CEOs, could find value in consistent call recording. This time around, we go into greater detail about the value it can provide in the worlds of sales and marketing.
“I think we’ve entered into a new era. This technology isn’t necessarily brand new, but the adoption rate continues to grow, so companies are starting to really see the value in analyzing their customer interactions,” Levi said. He not only explains the benefits it provides in both sales and marketing, but how to maximize and follow through on the best practices for each. In addition, he also breaks down why some companies are still feeling trepidations when it comes to gathering and analyzing this kind of data.
A new HTF MI study reports that the residential and commercial security markets will begin to witness huge growth worldwide within the next 4 years. To understand what this means for the IoT market, both technologically and economically, we sat down with industry veteran, Johnathan Pine, CEO of Renova Technology, a company that focuses on component level repair and rework of complex, and often proprietary circuit boards. A focus on transparency and customer satisfaction has set Renova apart from other players in this field, and their internal case study series on commitment to customer service articulates how flexibility, proactive support, and critical insight has helped them foster satisfactory client relationships.
This episode’s main topic revolves around service challenges that hold commercial security integrators back, and Johnathan provides context and potential solutions to some of these challenges. The CEO also goes into how Renova broke rank and innovated in the data analysis department as he shares some of the best practices in commercial security return, refurbishment, and repair.
This is The MarketScale Pro AV Show, hosted by Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B. Your weekly B2B kick-back for the best thought leadership in the industry, bringing you education, information and inspiration.
On today's episode, we're focusing on powerful connections of all kinds: between mentors and mentees, prisoners and court rooms, and AV networks and board rooms. We'll hear from Colin Birney, Principal Consultant for Birney Consulting, on the market for AV links in courtrooms. For our main features, we sat down with WAVE founders Jennifer Willard and Abigail Brown for updates on WAVE's newest international mentorship program, and we also hear from Steve Metzger, ZeeVee’s Co-founder and VP Hardware & Software Operations, who answers the question of why AV network security isn't as standardized as it should be yet.
Drones are evolving in the public eye from toys to tools, and the effects are already sweeping. More detailed wildlife exploration, topographical scanning, and more efficient search and rescue missions are putting drones on a high pedestal. Behind each drone is a person, though, and finding a career in drones is more fruitful than ever. Drone pilots are reporting making over $100,000 a year, and companies are encouraging young STEM students to look at the drone market for their future. What kinds of careers exist in drones, and what does it take to become a drone professional?
On today's Propelling podcast, our host spoke with Eva Spexard, the HR Manager EMEA & Global Recruiting for Microdrones. With drone technology becoming so much more complex than just "flying a kite", so to speak, the two discussed the new opportunities for college drone scholarships, some recent technological developments, the traits that are looked for in new hires in the industry, and what a possible luxury version of a drone might look like in the near future.
"What I see in my job, on a daily basis, is professional tools for professional people that help them doing their job. So, it's really surveying, land development, it's infrastructure inspection, environmental monitoring. It's so much more than just taking pictures from above. So, I really think the drone industry is the next automotive industry," Spexard said.
The 20th century was the century of the electron, but that's old news. The 21st century is the century of the photon, and photonics technology is revolutionizing every industry from Pro AV to IoT to AEC, powering fiber-optics, improved homeland security and topographical scanning. The evolution of the products themselves has also been tremendous. Where as previously, photonics were used more for inspection of products, photonics are now the core components powering those products, creating a chain reaction that goes all the way up to internet services, cloud storage, e-commerce, and even deep space exploration. How and why exactly has the technology grown so much, and how do manufacturers stay ahead of the diverse and expanding markets that photonics serve?
Here to give us his insight is Glenn Jackling, President of Applied Image. "The diversity of photonics technology is what's staggering to me," Jackling said. He breaks down the latest and greatest in photonics, from 3D imaging to augmented reality. With these innovations, however, have come challenges in production; projects reaching into microscopic and monstrous sizes are pushing the envelope of Applied Image's and other photonics companies' capabilities. "Light is being used in instrumentation and devices in so many different ways, and what we find is a lot of those devices need to be calibrated, and standardized to the point where they can be compared lab to lab," Jackling said.
Fresh off a meeting with the Rochester Regional Photonics Cluster, Jackling clues us in to the dramatic local growth of the New York photonics industry as well, and how it's a positive representation of where the global industry is headed down the road.
On May 18th, 2014 at the Billboard Music Awards, we witnessed the miracle of resurrection. Ok, maybe not a real miracle, but we did see an artist digitally rise from the grave and perform: Michael Jackson. Besides the legal and ethical conversations around this, the holographic technology that made it possible was eye-grabbing and stirred the imagination. The method is pretty simple actually, and has been around for hundreds of years. Light reflection and large mirrors make the illusion a reality, but in 2018, we're inching closer and closer to the Star Wars reality of holograms we've grown to imagine. How is this tech impacting the Pro AV industry, and how can it be useful for businesses?
On today's podcast, we're joined by Shawn Lunsford, Service Technician for Alford Media Services. With almost 20 years in the industry, Lunsford has seen a steady change in holographic projection technology. "In today's day and age, the need to be able to have your attendees experience these types of things at an event is huge and growing. You can do so much with CGI, you can do so much with TVs and computers," Lunsford said.
He describes some of the most exciting applications and how it's being used in corporate spaces to elevate brand and interactivity. But more importantly, Lunsford explains the conversations Pro AV providers are having with clients about holograms, when it's appropriate to use them, and how to not fall into a trap of chasing technology. "If you can't compete with what's wowing someone on their phones in real life, you're gonna be missing the mark, especially in an industry like ours where technology is so crucial to what we provide," Lunsford said.
For something as ubiquitous as air travel, the stress of the airport process is inescapable. Delayed flights, long wait times, luggage fees-- they're part of the flying experience that don't seem to be going anywhere, and it's leaving travelers unhappy. A 2017 Kelton Global survey claimed 97 percent of passengers had some issue with the airport process and experience. How do you begin to approach these staggering numbers? One approach, which hits on aesthetic and practical solutions, is robust digital signage.
"LED displays are really enabling airports in the world of creativity," said David Venus, Chief Marketing Officer for PixelFLEX LED. Venus joined us on the Pro AV podcast to break down the ways visual displays can change the entire airport experience for the better. Not only can digital signage be used for wayfinding and emergency situations, easing the navigational stress of an airport, but it can be used to visually transform an airport's appearance. Immersive digital experiences and digital art give travelers something memorable, entertaining and inspirational during their travels. Retailers should be excited too; not only does happy travelers mean happy shoppers, but digital signage can reinforce advertising campaigns and sponsorship activation. According to a study by Sixteen-Nine, 49 percent of items advertised on digital signage saw a direct sales increase. Venus explains that this multi-layered affect makes visual LED installations a must for the airports of the future, large or small. "You can balance both dynamic, immersive, digital art, but then also incentivize yourself as an airport to bring in additional dollars," Venus said.
For hundreds of years, banks were one of the only ways to achieve the funding necessary to start your own business. And with roughly 10% of the United States population being entrepreneurs in 2018, most small businesses owners have had to work out some kind of lending agreement with a local bank.
But with the rise of the internet, companies have been popping up as alternative options to help fund businesses and projects that a bank might not. Joining us to discuss alternative lending is Eden Amirav, CEO of Lending Express, to discuss how his company helps match small business owners with potential lenders, and also to discuss the future of the alternative lending industry. "One great thing about how this industry is that it puts away all racial stuff or unfair treatment because these lenders and also us are looking at just simple, financial data. We don't in person know who's signing up so we have to treat everyone equal," Amirav said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Cybersecurity affects all verticals and sizes of organizations. One space that is overlooked is the security of IoT, though as Chris Rouland, co-founder and CEO of Phosphorus Security Inc. will tell you, IoT devices are really just computers in a different-looking package, and so too require a necessary level of security. "Twenty-five years ago we were largely concerned with theoretical vulnerabilities. Someone could get in; someone might embarrass you by changing your website," Rouland said. "Today, cybersecurity isn't an existential threat. A company could go out of business."
With the addition of connected lighting, smart building management capabilities, IP cameras and mobile phones, the security of these devices is imperative. Rouland talks about the trends he is seeing in this space, including data hostaging, as well as who is at risk and the mindset a company needs to tackle this important issue. "The only businesses that haven't been compromised are the ones that don't know it. Everyone has been compromised," Rouland said.
Finding a good WiFi signal is becoming a common, daily concern, as our smart devices multiply, especially in the commercial world. Dropping a connection while checking Instagram is not exactly a catastrophe. Losing connection to a drone flying over a disaster area is another story. On today's podcast, our host spoke with Professor Joseph Camp Ph.D., Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at SMU's Lyle School of Engineering. After receiving an $850,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to find innovative solutions to improve drone communication, Camp and his team are working toward infrastructure for three-dimensional drone connectivity.
On the podcast, Camp discussed the difference between 2D and 3D communication, the challenge of weight to energy ratio, and the reality of using drones to help solve ground-based network outages during a crisis. "What we found was that, unlike the 2 dimensional communication that we're used to, we noticed that when we took the drone up to a certain height, that directly below the drone we were having no connectivity to that ground," Camp said. "And this happened only about 60 feet in the air that we started to experience this effect."
In 2018, drones are used anywhere from personal to professional use. However, most people would have you believe that drones are just used for getting high angle helicopter style footage. But with new technologies from Microdrones, the use cases of drones are expanding year after year, especially in the construction field. Joining us today on Propelling is Dominik Wojcik from Microdrones to break down this European market.
"The eastern part of Europe is way behind in infrastructure, especially when it comes to roads compared to western Europe. So basically it's one big construction site, and our products are suited for helping with this," Wojcik said. He discusses the drone market in eastern Europe, how Poland’s more open drone flying laws allowed their market to skyrocket, and how Microdrones' new technologies are extending the possibilities of what can be achieved by using drones.
There are great things ahead for the commercial drone industry, said Samuel Flick of Germany-based Microdrones, which recently completed a successful corridor mapping mission on the Autobahn. Flick discussed the systems and commercial partnerships that made this feasible in this episode of Propelling.
The mission was a key advancement in Beyond Visual Line of Sight, or BVLOS, making it possible to use drone aircraft for extended lengths of time and distances that would not otherwise be possible in advanced corridor mapping. "Microdrones is really at the forefront of this," Flick said. "Right now in Germany we have by law a 400 meter line of sight barrier, so you have view of the drone at every time. BVLOS really unlocks the potential of the drones."
On the first episode of The MarketScale Pro AV Show, you'll get to hear from thought leaders, analysts, and innovators alike, exploring some of the most timely topics in the industry. Besides updates on industry news and a preview of SEGD's Xlab in Brooklyn, we'll hear from John Melillo, Digital Media Group Senior VP for Diversified, who breaks down why the German audiovisual content market is booming in 2018, and what it means for Pro AV.
The industry would be nothing without it's people. We showcase one rigger who, after 40-plus years industry experience, is taking a personal approach to Pro AV safety. Finally, we'll host a Podcast Panel with two industry leaders, looking at the added benefits of digital signage that often get overlooked or underplayed, but can be even more beneficial than the initial client deliverable.
Labor shortages across the nation are starting to cripple many industries. A lack of construction workers makes picking up the pieces after a natural disaster all the more difficult. The agricultural industry is seeing it as well, like in Portland, where greenhouses and nurseries have dealt with a 30 percent drop off of growers with little sign of refilling those positions. Some markets though, despite this labor shortage, are seeing unprecedented growth, and a key example is the boom of oil production in Texas and New Mexico's Permian Basin.
With this expansion of drilling operations comes growth for supplemental companies in the market, like DuraCoatings, which provides hard coating applications for machinery in the energy, oil and gas sector. Positioned in Oklahoma City, the company has felt the positive effects of this boom, and it doesn't show signs of stopping. "With some of these [other] markets fleeing the United States, it's been a great opportunity for us to organically grow," said Craig Smith, VP of Sales and Marketing for DuraCoatings.
Smith joined us on the podcast to break down how the coatings market has adjusted to this production boom, from established companies to small-sized newcomers. More importantly, he gives insight on the difficulty in training and retention of high-skilled workers in the coatings industry, and why this market growth could be the perfect catalyst to educate and excite potential laborers to join the wave. "It's no secret that we don't have the trades in high school like we used to, there's not as many young people coming out seeking the industrial trends," Smith said. "For all practical purposes it's very very competitive."
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @EnergyMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On this episode of Propelling, we sat down with industry veteran Sion Rowlands, Eurpoean Sales Manager, as he hits his three-month mark with Microdrones. Rowlands shares his thoughts on 2018’s Intergeo conference, the Frankfurt-based global hub for the geospatial community. “This year there was a really heavy influence and presence of multiple [kinds of] drone companies and solution providers. A few of the key main professional outfits like ourselves [were] there, but [there’s] a lot more interest in this space for the whole conference itself," Rowlands said. "I think there’s a bit of a realization within the industry that this is the way forward and [that] people need to clue in and get these solution as a part of their portfolio.” He also introduces Microdrone’s newest product: the MDLiDAR3000, and finally, helps us break down what we can expect from the industry’s future.
Welcome to the Pro AV podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in Professional Audio Visual! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we unpack the latest in everything from LED to Digital Content.
Interactive flat panel displays continue to grow not only in popularity, but capabilities. They're making their way to businesses, venues and even college campuses in volume. According to MarketScale's recent higher education technology study, 47 percent of college campuses have a video wall. Persistence Market Research is putting the flat panel display market at a 4.4 percent growth rate over the next several years. It's clear that people are craving the aesthetic, interactive and unique value of these displays in their spaces; how is this affecting Pro AV professionals? What design changes are the most exciting, how is supplemental technology adapting to this IFP growth, and how does more interactivity mean more challenges with the convergence of AV and IT?
On today's podcast we're joined by Aaron Rubner, President of AVTEQ and Wes Burkett, Sr. Account Manager for AVI Systems, who have seen first-hand how the rise of IFPs has affected Pro AV. "You're taking the technology that people are using and putting it into the environment that works for them," Burkett said.
Rubner and Burkett describe a brighter (pun intended) future where flat panel displays continue to get thinner, lighter, more seamless and more accessible. With these improvements come new ways of implementation. As manufacturers and resellers, Rubner and Burkett explain how Pro AV professionals should adapt their deliverables to clients, and which applications are the biggest game-changers. "One thing that I think we do a good job of is listen to feedback from partners like AVI Systems on the aesthetics of our carts and stands," Rubner said. "The things need to look good."
This is the first of many collaborative podcasts between Women in AV (WAVE) and MarketScale Pro AV, where WAVE Founder Jennifer Willard and MarketScale's Voice of B2B Daniel Litwin discuss challenges, positives, trends and important figures affecting women in Pro AV.
In this first episode, we want to take you back to 2011, when Willard founded Women in AV. Not that long ago in the grand scheme of things, but as Willard recollects in her June article "Why I'm Proud to be a Woman in AV," things were a lot different for women looking to get involved or already entrenched in Pro AV. Just look at the InfoComm tradeshow floor; Best of Booth Babes slideshows adorned the projector screens, and there was more hired female talent than actual women representing their organizations. Since then, through efforts taken to recognize and advance women with training, awards, mentoring initiatives recently launched in the UK, and with AVIXA's Women's Council local groups taking off in the past year and a half, things have improved a lot for women in Pro AV. "When it comes to the Women in AV, the only requirement that you have to be a 'woman in AV' is that you support us," Willard said.
That doesn't mean there aren't new or deeper challenges that need to be addressed. Willard and Litwin will discuss a sort of "State of the Union" for women in Pro AV, building a foundation of the most exciting wins and distressing problems afflicting the space, new WAVE initiatives being launched to tackle existing challenges, and setting the stage to hear from other thought-leading women in Pro AV about their experiences, insight, innovations and creativity.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
2018 marks the 30th anniversary of the Live Design International conference in Las Vegas, the premiere Pro AV show for the best in innovations in the live audience experience, from concerts, to theme parks to houses of worship. Live venue manufacturors have always been a key group for innovation in Pro AV; by always looking to bring the best experience for the audience, an experience that consistently feels unique, those professionals have to search for changes in design, technology or implementation.
This year, two main issues are going to be the buzz at LDI: rigging weight and labor time. As LED tiles get bigger, crisper and in effect heavier, how can manufacturors cut down on the bulkiness? How can they maximize set-up and tear-down time? How do you maintain safety and attention to detail with these pushes for efficiency? Here to give their thoughts on these important industry questions and what they're most excited about at LDI are Chris Prosio, Director of Sales for Rental & Staging, and Alison Maxson, Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications at Absen.
"One of the big factors from an ROI is how quickly the teams, the riggers, the AV technicians out there unloading and loading, how quickly can they get them up, how quickly can they can get them down," Maxson said. "The faster they can move, the faster they can turn through from one show to another, is going to ultimately lead to being able to book more shows which is more money in their pocket."
This year, Absen is showcasing a new product that looks to bring solutions to these industry growing pains: ALTAIR, an LED display designed for touring. A lighter framework, fast installation, safe-guards for load in and load out, and brighter more efficient performance make it an exciting contender at LDI. Absen hopes to show off not only its aesthetics but practical capabailities by putting it to work for their entire booth setup; more than 60% of the booth will be ALTAIR LED tiles. At the end of the day, Absen represents a perfect example of how manufacturers are looking to stay ahead of their user's needs. "You're dealing with numbers of tiles, right? So each tile is built up of a structures. In the past, that structure has been aluminum or maybe steel," Prosio said. "One of the ways we're addressing this is changing how that structure is built. We've been using magnesium, which is a lighter metal."
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
This is a MarketScale Software & Technology Podcast Series, hosted by Daniel Litwin. This is the first episode of a three part series titled Bringing AI to Businesses with Ben Taylor, Chief AI Officer & Co-founder of ZIFF Inc. In each episode, we’ll explore different aspects of AI’s push into business-operations ubiquity, from its most useful applications to the surprising business ethics that come with implementation. Each episode will also feature a short article from Taylor, which you can read below.
How Do You Deliver on an AI Project, Both As an Executive and a Data Scientist? Many executives are naive when it comes to AI capabilities and navigating where AI might provide value to their business. The data scientists aren't helping either, where most struggle to communicate value to the business representatives. Most data scientists also lack urgency; they have no pressure to last-mile AI into production. Funding science projects will accomplish one thing: covering the tuition of your data science team so they can land better jobs at Facebook or Google. So, once the trigger is pulled and you have a team prepped and passionate about bringing AI to your business...how do you make sure everyone delivers so you avoid wasted time and money?
Avoiding The Science Project Landmines If you are an internal advocate for AI, do everything you can to constrain the timeline. Ask yourself: Is there anyway to do an internal proof of concept in 60 days instead of 12 months? What can I do to reduce internal budget? What can I do to reduce the number of people required? The more you reduce these variables, the more likely you are to get buy-in from the internal business units.
I've always been a fan of leveraging outside hardware companies, consulting groups, or AI platforms to shorten do-ability tests.
Crawl, Walk, Run Some AI projects fail because they are too ambitious. They don't have a short-term proof-point, and the complexity comes tumbling down like a house of cards, revealing a project that had no clear goals, tangible value or structure. This flaw can come from inexperienced data science teams that are too "academic," where they are more interested in a challenging thought experiment than a Bayesian method in production. If you can carve your project up into bite size milestones, your chances of success are higher. It shouldn't be ignored that AI projects aren't a one-and-done either; you have the advantage of improving on your algorithms. Just look at the evolution between AlphaGo and AlphaGo Zero, and how they would've never achieved such a grand level of "reinforcement learning" without trying a few, more tangible methods first. Get some novice wins into production and then level up on subsequent versions.
It Is Harder Than It Looks Getting a successful AI project to value is much harder than it looks. Most major wins for AI are behind six to 10 iterations on the same problem. We see successful companies solving the same problem multiple times, where each time they solve it they understand the data set and problem a little better. Once a project has crossed a predefined criteria for success, taking that AI project into production can create additional problems. Supporting AI in production requires quality monitoring (e.g. did your incoming features drift) to ensure models are behaving as designed. This requires an involved data science team. And yes, I said team. Collaborate, get multiple eyes on the project, and make sure everyone is on the same page before launching something into production. You don't want your AI project to end up like the Mars Climate Orbiter: dead in the air because of a unit conversion mistake. Double check, triple check, and then check again that the final product is in line with the initial vision you set up for success. Feels a lot like simple project management, huh?
Highlights from the Episode [transcription]
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates
Most industries benefit from consistency, whether that takes its form on the demand or the supply side. What feels more consistent, reliable and available than...well, the Sun? On today's podcast, our host sat down with the CEO and Co-Founder of Yotta Solar, Omeed Badkoobeh. Currently, our energy consumption lives off electrical grids. "The grid is the world's largest machine. It was created over a hundred years ago and it's always been created to flow energy in one direction, from a centralized power plant outwards to all the homes and business and suburbs," Badkoobeh said. His company is actively working toward the perfect solution for adapting the Sun's viable energy source into something that can make its way to those same businesses and homes. The answer may lie in how the energy is stored.
"What solar generation does is it completely changes that map. So, now, you have power coming in from many different sources, from many different rooftops. Really storage, the ability to store the solar energy, completes that picture," Badkoobeh said. On our Energy Podcast, Badkoobeh discussed the challenges the industry faces once the energy of the Sun has been captured, the remarkable change in pricing, and how several utilities are responding to advances in solar technology with an eye to the future.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @EnergyMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Venues and businesses have relied on AV installations for decades now, from loud-speakers to projectors, to engage audiences. But as time marches forward, many of these businesses' AV systems have become outdated, especially digital signage. Static graphics make it hard to display new or adjusted information, some AV systems use bigger, bulkier hardware as far back as the early 2000s, making it harder to fix and move around hardware setups, and most problematic of all, many AV experiences aren’t tailored to people with physical or mental disabilities.
In comes QuickSilver, the next generation in AV technology, which is looking to become an affordable upgrade for businesses and venues of all kinds. Beyond the affordability, QuickSilver has the power to create and change moving graphics for several audiences on-the-fly, whether that's adapting to people with visual or hearing impairments, or people in wheelchairs to make the experience more accessible, or whether that's adjusting content to be family-friendly. Joining us is one of its creators Maris Ensing, to discuss how his team created their wish list for what they wanted to see in a perfect AV system. "We wanted something that was a lot more flexible," Ensing said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
When looking to install an AV system, business owners have to balance two crucial things: the technology and the price. On one side, you have technology that's transitioning away from hardware solutions and embracing software instead, specifically when it comes to web conferencing platforms like Cisco WebEx or Skype for Business. Technology evolves rapidly in Pro AV, as well; by the time a client purchases a smart-camera set-up and that set-up is installed and integrated into a business, the software powering it could've already become outdated. On the other side, you have the expenses. Business owners have to ask themselves: what is a reasonable price point for AV solutions in my work space? What payment model is going to work best for me? How do I invest in technology that will still be useful in the long-term, five years or even one year down the line? This constant fluctuation in balancing price with tech is putting the Pro AV providers in their own bind, adapting to an educational and advisory role for their clients.
On today's Pro AV podcast, we're joined by David Privitera of Baker Audio Visual, where his mission is to design, build and support, no matter the price point or AV need. "They're investing in a process, not the actual equipment itselfm," Privitera said. "The equipment should be a means to that process, and the process is how do we build better communication between our departments, how may we deliver better information to our executive team, how do we communicate better with our customers. If equipment is not being maintained effectively, you're just gonna have repeat failures and when that happens you start getting that bad taste in your mouth." Privitera breaks down what clients should be looking for when balancing tech and price, how providers can educate their clients regardless of the revenue model, and why the core of the issue always leads back to quality of service.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
There is no uniform playbook on social media that could cover the sheer breadth of the topic or keep up with its speed of change. When it comes to this arm of digital marketing, everyone is learning day by day.
On this episode of the MarketScale Digital Marketing Professor Series, we spoke with Director of Marketing for the Detroit Regional Chamber, and part-time faculty at Wayne State University Nick Mattar. He teaches the university’s first digital marketing overview course for undergraduate students.
Mattar discussed the mechanics of implementing a good social media post into digital marketing plans, which means integrating three primary elements: engaging copy, a value proposition and a call to action.
"The call to action is one piece, and also the value proposition. How is this going to stand out in a feed where people are seemingly scrolling for hours on end?" Mattar said. Businesses are hoping for more than just a noticeable tweet, though. Social media has become a method of attracting clients and increasing revenue.
"Not just posting on behalf of a business but, how can I turn this content into something that drives the bottom line? What is the ROI of this content? That question is hard to answer in a lot of different scenarios," Mattar said.
Mattar also pointed out that not every social media platform serves the same purpose. Twitter for example, is a great tool for brand awareness but does not produce the concrete benefit that a site like LinkedIn does, according to the professor. "The number-one key that I tell students from day one is, when you're looking at social media analytics, you need to look at that click-through rate and your conversion rate, because that will tell you how successful these posts are for a business," he said. “It's not about the vanity metrics like the likes and comments, and those are important, but the key is how much is the business gaining from this post?”
Not all content is the same and having a comprehensive and strategic social media plan is critical to ensure businesses get the most out of their efforts. More than a decade after the birth of social media, the world is still catching up to it. However, by keeping Mattar’s three primary focuses in mind, businesses can benefit more than their competition.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
AVIXA's Women's Council began five years ago, and even from its inception, entered the Pro AV industry with overwhelming support. Well-beyond the bare minimum of 25 AVIXA members went to the organization with an idea for a group that would elevate, educate and connect women with opportunities in the industry. Three years later in 2016, the Women's Council took the next step; two volunteers within the organization pitched the idea of local Women's Council groups, formed in order to reach Pro AV women and supporters of women, beyond just the yearly InfoComm conference and Women's Council Breakfast. The idea, once again, was met with resounding enthusiasm, and after an inspiring call to action during InfoComm 2018, the number of local councils has doubled in under three months.
The most recent local group to join the ranks is the Orlando Group; joining us on the Pro AV podcast to explain their inspiration for starting the group is Alison Maxson, senior manager of marketing and communications for Absen, and Ashley Dorst, marketing associate for Evolve Media Group. "How do we continue these conversations? The best source to do that is to start generating city or regional groups," Maxson said. They explain why Orlando, with its numerous and ever-growing tourist destinations, is the ideal place for diversity in Pro AV, and some of the more timely progress and challenges women are facing in the industry.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On our Pro AV Podcast, we often talk about exciting, innovating or challenging new technology that's entering the industry. It can be difficult to keep up, too; things move at break-neck speed. What we wanted to do this time around was explore how one of these exciting innovations, i.e. huddle rooms and the tech that powers them, is affecting each of the main roles within Pro AV: the manufacturers, the manufacturer reps, and the integrators.
How are manufacturers training their workforce to stay updated with the best tech? How are the representatives learning to best sell potential clients on the social power of a huddle room? How are integrators learning to work with the design limitations of each respective business? We're joined by Nelson Solares, Sales Executive for Contemporary Research, to break down these changes and why huddle rooms present both unique challenges and reliefs. "As an integrator, you need to be a good listener and know all the technologies out there, the different manufacturers that might be doing the same thing," Solares said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Is the first impression a company makes actually the most important? What about everything else that happens immediately after that introduction? And what if that interaction took out the human element? On today's podcast, our host had a chat with Mike Yoder, the Co-founder and CEO for WinTech. They discussed the realities of virtual receptionists, the psychological challenge of implementing an electronic receptionist versus having a traditional human in that role, and the ways that security verification technologies could change the approach in the future.
"It goes beyond, sort of, being that gatekeeper," Yoder said. "It now becomes more of that AI, where it's providing information sort of flawlessly, without the user required to do a lot of search and queries to get that information out."
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
IoT technology doesn't feel like the new kid on the block anymore; even in 2010, the number of devices connected to the internet per person was already well past 1.8, according to a 2011 White Paper by Cisco. But in the grand scheme of things, IoT solutions for businesses still come off as shiny and overly promising. This mentality, which often falls in the shadow of emerging technology, can keep people from remembering the crucial basics that will doom future projects if not addressed; in the IoT world, this would be data collection, aggregation and security. On today's podcast, we go back to those basics with Darren Legge and Tyler Gross, IBM Watson IoT Solutions Specialists.
"It's really the connectivity piece and the data aggregation piece that is usually missing in the infrastructure," Gross said. "When you would like to employ some of the more advanced technologies, there's a bit more legwork that you might initially think." Legge and Gross break down why businesses tend to overlook basic applications of IoT and the potential problems that arise with too broad of an IoT scope, as well as give some commentary on the open-source IoT revolution and how IBM is helping educate clients on the basics. "We do want to start with 'what is the use case, what is it that you're trying to accomplish' at the end of the day," Legge said. "Make sure you back track all the way to the fundamental steps and don't just launch in in the middle, because you just don't set yourself up for success."
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the IoT Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @IOTMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Zac Cherin believes students and tech startups go well together. After all, he fell in love with the tech industry during his college internship at a startup. Now, as co-founder of Secret Sauce, Cherin connects students with tech startups to help them start their career. He joined us on our Wildfire Podcast recently, to explore the mission behind Secret Sauce and how he's looking to stand out as a mentor in the tech industry.
This time around, Cherin discusses how startups are changing, including their move away from Silicon Valley, and how this change is good for both students and the tech industry at large. “Being based in LA… we like to take the stance of ‘Hey, you really don’t need to go to Silicon Valley to work at an awesome tech company. You can find it right in your backyard,'' Cherin said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
This is MarketScale Software & Technology Podcast Series, hosted by Daniel Litwin. This is the first episode of a three part series titled Bringing AI to Businesses with Ben Taylor, Chief AI Officer & Co-founder of ZIFF Inc. In each episode, we'll explore different aspects of AI's push into business-operations ubiquity, from its most useful applications to the surprising business ethics that come with implementation. Each episode will also feature a short article from Taylor, which you can read below.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
When it seems hackers and security breaches happen as quickly as news outlets can report them, one data security company is taking a "hands-on" approach to digital identity.
On this episode of the Software Tech Podcast, we sat down with Covault founder and CEO Louie Gasparini to discuss how biometrics are the new wave of digital security. Gasperini has been involved in identity security since "identity started on the Internet in building the first online banking system at Wells Fargo back in 1996," Gasparini said.
"At Covault, we figured identity should be something that you control, like you do with your driver's license, membership card or credit cards that prove who you are," the security veteran said. "It should be like that where you're given an online identity that you can fully control."
Covault is a digital encryption mobile app for consumers to keep their own personal data and important personally-identifying documents safe and at their disposal with biometric key encryption. Gasparini says, "You should be in control."
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
It’s no secret that blockchain has emerged to become a disruptive technology in our world. The possibilities of it’s usage are not limited to cryptocurrency, which may be a common misconception; its core foundation of decentralization makes it ideal for data-driven optimization. Today, specifically, we will be discussing its use with data science, and how blockchain can and will eventually transform data science as we know it. We sat down with Luciano Pesci, CEO of Emperitas and a 5th time guest on MarketScale, to get his take on how blockchain can and will transform data science. “Block chain is a very different approach to data basing information," Pesci said.
We take a look at the future of data science, what’s standing in the way of it’s reform through decentralization, and ultimately how the emergence of block chain in data sciences can open up a new frontier for machine learning and AI applications by using the past to predict the future. "Ethereum probably represents more of the future and more of what's possible with data science moving forward than bitcoin," Pesci said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Call-recording technology is a simple but effective way to provide value to a company from just about any industry, empowering consumer insight, quality control and providing data for important company-wide decisions. On today's podcast, we're joined by Kevin Levi, VP of Marketing for OrecX. Last time we spoke on the external benefits of call recording technology; which industries benefit from it and how. This time, we're digging in deeper, exploring the internal benefits of the software; how can individual roles and departments within a company find value and often financial gain with call recording, from the compliance officer to the CEO?
"The CEO is going to be benefiting from all the intelligence the call recording system feeds to all the departments," Levi said. We also get a look into the evolution of the technology itself, how it's reflective of a software trend toward open source systems that're removing barriers to accessibility, and how these innovations are putting this tech in the hands of small companies and start-ups as well.
"Imagine a CEO who has those weekly town hall meetings...what if he or she were to play a portion of a really positive call where somebody was praising the company up and down," Levi said. "Putting the voice of the customer out there for the staff to hear in some sort of motivational manner, could have a really big impact."
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Traditional marketing gives consumers a look into a company’s identity. On today's podcast, we were joined by Beibei Dong, Associate Professor of Marketing at Lehigh University. She spoke on the changes that smart technology is bringing to marketing strategy and the ways it is shaping how consumers interact with brands directly. With the advancement of technology, companies must find ways to engage potential customers or become stale and obsolete.
“If you really think about today’s world, so the digital technology has really stressed on the importance about like customer engagement because now customers are active co-producers or sometimes even destroyers of value for companies," Dong said.
Dong lays out examples from some of the world’s largest brands, including Walmart, McDonald’s and Doritos to explain how technology is changing their experience and business model. Consumers are now more tied to brands than ever before, and the ones who are letting their customers have a stake in the company direction are making a mark.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
September 23-27 marked ASIS' Global Security Exchange, one of the epicenters of physical security innovation, inspiration and creativity. MarketScale attended the conference, and while there, we noticed a common thread among how exhibitors and speakers were communicating the importance of prepping yourself for physical security threats as a business: if you think you're not at risk, you probably are. Barriers to updated software, displays or practices for dealing with security threats are typically either financial or stem from a general lack of information, but either way, leave companies spending manpower in misguided ways to secure their employees.
On this podcast, we dig into some of these changes in physical security operations, from the back-end software automating the processes, to the ergonomics of the operation hubs. We're joined by Robert Cameron, Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Mission Critical Environments Group at Diversified. Cameron, along with his team at Diversified, supply companies with the software and the displays to, and knows all about the innovations and challenges that are changing Security Operations Centers. "In the past, a lot of security operation centers have been reactive...more and more, security operation centers and the leadership teams are adopting analytics, the correlation of the analytics, machine learning and automating their processes to take human error out of the equation," Cameron said.
He calls in from the GSX trade-show floor to give his insights on the practicality of these innovations, and how Diversified is educating business owners on them. "There are so many nuances and so much science behind the technology...if somebody is going to build out a new security operations center, why would they not look for the subject matter experts out there that can help them fine tune their new center," Cameron said.
A decade ago, business intelligence sounded like more of a burden than enlightenment. Data was inaccessible, financial analysts were basically human calculators, and making important business decisions on KPIs derived from 7+ siloed data hubs stirred too much doubt to be useful. Things are different now; cloud technology and interoperability have made business intelligence intelligent again. On today's podcast, we're joined by Kellen Jemeyson & Clint Bowers of Smart Business Concepts, who have seen the evolution first hand. "Profitable companies understand the numbers," said Bowers. With increased accessibility and comprehension, extensive KPIs are now in the hands of medium-sized, small and even start-up companies, encouraging proactivity instead of adaptability. Kellen and Clint break down how analysts have gone from calculators to consultants, the true power of cloud data on profitability, and some examples of how business intelligence might benefit a manufacturing-focused company. "It's no longer going to be big that eat the small, it's going to be the fast that eat the slow," Jemeyson said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
"Synergy" has become a bit of buzzword, which has the potential to diminish its power and validity. However, in some industries, it grows even more accurate with each successive use. In Pro AV, the synergy between creativity and innovation is an ever-cyclical loop; as providers, designers and manufacturers look to be more creative, they're encouraged to be creative, and to be creative in the space, you have to continue to innovate. On today's podcast, our host spoke with Rachel Bradshaw, the Director of Program Design for AVIXA. They discussed the scheduling reality of Infocomm, how technological innovations enable creativity (and creativity spurs innovations), and how eSports is the perfect evolution and creation of a totally new paradigm. "I think that a lot of artists really view our tools as a medium, like paint, like marble. It's one more medium for expression of creative ideas," Bradshaw said. "But, when they find a partner, who themselves is a really creative or innovative AV practitioner, they discover that it's more. That the creativity inherent in the AV industry empowers them to think in new ways about their own work."
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Let me paint a mental image: summery Friday night, crowd cheering, stands full of fans, the sound of body-to-body impact. You probably guessed it by now; we're talking high school football, a staple event in any sports-centric community. Maybe what doesn't immediately come to mind is a multi-million dollar LED display showcasing highlights in slow-motion and illuminating the crowd with sponsors and promotions. This professional sports experience on a high school level is a reality now, and with this high quality technology comes amazing benefits and growing pains.
On this episode of the Pro AV podcast, we're joined by Clint Burges, Senior Event Production and Onsite-Tech Manager for Nevco. After 11 years at Lamar University in Beaumont, TX, Burges knows the impact high school and collegiate football can have on an institution, both culturally and financially. "Curriculum directors are starting to realize there’s a lot of mitigating factors here that we can benefit a lot of areas, not just the football coach and not just the AD. We can benefit so much more within the community with it," Burges said.
He comes on the podcast to break down the creative ways LED stadium displays are bringing communities closer together, bringing revenue to schools, giving students opportunities for CTE, and some of the difficulties in training local users on the full capacities of a rich, versatile LED screen. "Lot of these people, they don't get to go to a Cowboys game or Spurs game or Pelicans game and see what's out there. So they have to rely on us and they had to rely a little bit on what’s out in the real market to say 'Hey, here are some things we want to do, you know, here's what we want to do,' and that's where we come in to kind of assist that to say here's how you do it," Burges said. "Once that's over with, you know, it’s up to you guys to sit down and actually repeat that process and get savvy on it."
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On this episode of the podcast from our Digital Marketing Professors Series, we sat down with Eric Karson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing at Villanova University. In the undergrad digital marketing course that he teaches, Karson covers SEO, analytics, email marketing and social media marketing. However, a significant portion of time is devoted to a hands-on SEM simulator.
"SEO used to be the main component for digital marketing," Eric told us. "[Now] we spend quite a bit of time on SEM, because buying those keywords is critical in today's digital marketing space."
The move from SEO to SEM has marked a large shift in digital marketing itself, where marketers have transitioned from "being attitude theorists to being behavior analysts," Eric says. "The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, and more and more we have the data on what behaviors our consumers are doing."
Sometimes, technology's presence gets in the way of the event that the technology was meant to enhance. In Pro AV, professionals know the power that a well-integrated display can have on the feel of an environment; from a museum to a conference room, the art of the technology becomes as important as its functionality. On today's podcast, our host spoke with Jonathan Yacko, Engineering Manager at Adwar Video. They discussed the art of technological camouflage, the balance between tech needs and integrated design, and how not being noticed can be a good thing in Pro AV. "Being able to come in and find the delicate solution that matches not only their AV needs, but also matches their aesthetic needs is a great opportunity we get to have," Yacko said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
This is the Sciences podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way scientists, aerospace professionals, chemical distributors, physicists and everyone in between adapt to new technology and industry insight! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of the sciences.
What we see is not always the entire story. Traditionally, camera technology has had the same limitations, but cameras on drones are changing that story drastically. On today's podcast, our host spoke with the Senior Vice President of Sales for Yuneec USA, Frank DeMartin. They discussed how thermal imaging is changing the possible applications for UAVs, the groups that benefit greatly from those advances in technology, and the next level of intelligence for drones.
"It's like a recipe, right? Follow these instructions... Do exactly this... What's beginning to happen now, is, we're introducing artificial intelligence, AI, to have these automated flights become more intelligent," DeMartin said. "Let's say for example, the drone is flying the same mission every day and collecting the same data, but since the previous day there's been an obstacle that's been put, maybe a crane has been moved into the area that the drone is not aware of. The drone needs to be able to sense that and change it's mission. So, that's the thing that I think is really going to be the most impactful."
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Major natural disasters have shocked the United States in recent memory and left many without their homes, communities and loved ones. From the California wildfires to most recently Hurricane Florence, first responders need the resources to better save those in need, and now they have a new tool in their toolbox: the HD video, AR capable drone. We connected with Adam Kaplan, CEO and co-founder of the AR software firm Edgybees, to learn more about using augmented reality and drones to aide municipalities in natural disaster relief and public safety missions. "We really focus on the ability to use AR to better understand and collaborate with video," Kaplan said. "We believe that there's a lot of really great practical applications that can do a lot of good for the world." Edgybees' video software is in action right now for Hurricane Florence relief. It's allowing for unmanned search and rescue (SAR) missions that are more efficient with better video and better search patterns. "What started off as a game has turned into a technology that is helping people complete their missions in public safety environments. In fact, I'm here outside of Hurricane Florence where we're doing work with our software and a number of drones," Kaplan said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Just as audio and visual helps create an experience for audience members, social media helps recreate that experience for an online audience. That’s the challenge our guest on the Pro AV Podcast faces on a daily basis. We sat down with Lauren Koske, Harvest Productions Inc. digital communications coordinator, to discuss how to share your client’s story on social media. Her advice? “Our number one goal is to highlight the clients and let them be the hero of the story or the star of the event,” Koske said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
The "Financial Industry" is not known for being super flexible when it comes to new technological advancements, for good reason. Money is an extremely delicate thing and there is an advanced level of reliability needed on a daily basis. Technique Data Systems has a specific focus on improving the "middle" part of the daily processes. On today's podcast, our host spoke with the Vice President of Sales for Technique Data Systems, Scott Milliken.
They discussed the growing impact/flexibility that middleware is having, the common misconceptions surrounding middleware, and Scott described the time he basically walked into Scrooge McDuck's vault. "The reporting and auditing that you're going to get from middleware is outstanding. I mean, It's a game-changer. When it comes to realizing the ROI for the new recyclers that are available today, the middleware really, really does that," Milliken said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
We're used to the phrase "this call may be recorded for quality assurance purposes" by now; it's in practically every customer service hotline. 20 years ago this wasn't the case, and even now, not all businesses have been educated on the value of call recording technology. Kevin Levi, marketing manager for OrecX, is a veteran of the call recording industry, and has seen the improvements in tech and the spread in adoption. "Most call centers with more than two people in them, just about every single one today uses call recording for quality assurance or for compliance," Levi said. Though call recording software is common place in call centers, Levi still sees a struggle in convincing all businesses that they could benefit from this simple yet insight-bringing software. He joined us on this Software & Technology podcast to reveal the varied but essential benefits of empowering a company with call recording capabilities, from consumer insight to verification. Levi walked us through changes in speech detection technology and sorting metadata, as well as how OrecX educates their customers authentically.
For more information on OrecX and to learn about ways, you can visit their website and read through their blog.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
For an industry so driven by the technical aspect, Pro AV benefits most from the human component. This is why it's so important to get people, especially students, excited and interested in Pro AV, something that our guest today has noticed as a consistent struggle in the industry. On today's podcast, our host spoke with Nyere Hollingsworth, the Director of Audio/Visual Services for The Advisory Board Co. "Going forward, we're going to have to get better at recruiting the kids out of high school and kids in college and making this a viable first choice career, as opposed to something that most of us fell into," Hollingsworth said."
They discussed the necessity of people skills in balancing the IT and AV aspects of projects, how international relations prepared Nyere for his career in Pro/AV, and how falling prices in technology can spur on the next wave of innovators in the industry. "Computers do exactly what you tell them to do; it's the people that have to spend money on the computers, and manage the computers, and operate the computers, and things of that nature, that's where the real "problem" lies," Hollingsworth said. "A lot of what I do is actually not very technical, in the strict sense of the word, but more diplomatic and, you know, all of those soft skills that play into that."
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Sometimes the way to clear up a situation is to simply make the image a bit clearer. Those metrics are different for each space. On today's podcast, our host spoke with Mark McIntosh from PixelFLEX. They discussed the relationship between resolution and install space, the impact of average viewing distance, and how resolution can actually impact content. "I encourage anyone that is thinking about using LED at a show or using it for your corporate board rooms, or using it for an installation in your business, using it for your concert, whatever the use is; just stay close in contact with either the provider or the manufacturer of the product that you're using, so that you know those resolutions, and you create specifically to that," McIntosh said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Drones are more than just toys or weapons - they're at the forefront of new technologies for property rights, human rights, and global development. The way we think about drones and their uses has vastly shifted over the years. Businesses and entire industries have begun adopting them for one key point, and that is data collection. We sat down with J.B. Bernstein, CEO of AviSight, to talk about recent innovations in drone tech, and how he utilizes them for comprehensive data collection. “Drones represent the best way to collect data," Bernstein said. We discuss the importance and limitations of going past BVLOS, how the FAA is working to regulate drone use, and where he sees the development of drones going in the next 5 to 10 years.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Trends have a tendency to be cyclical. That helps explain the recent interest in everything "retro." In the Pro AV world, "legacy procedures" don't typically have the same romantic image. Cinedeck is bringing a classic, common-sense workflow approach back to the forefront. On today's podcast, our host spoke with the Director of Business Development for Cinedeck, John Harris. They discussed the reason some procedures were so functional in the first iteration, how scalability is critical for new clients (of all sizes), and how CineDeck is constantly trying to improve their approaches and products to challenge the "that's just the way it's done" mindset.
"We can't avoid the first render, we have to create that file, there's no doubt," Harris said. "But, what we have to consider in all our workflows: when are we ever repeating the same task again?"
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
The labor shortage hasn't discriminated in which industries it affects. After consistently hearing that one of the main obstacles in Pro AV is still finding and developing qualified individuals to fill open positions, we decided to sit down with Ernie Beck from Integrate Baltimore to get his take on the issue and what he's doing to counter it. "The perception to the public, first of all there really isn't much of a perception, and second off if there is it doesn't really carry that this is a dynamic and growing industry and instead sorta just the 'nerd' side of things," Beck said. "So I think that's the first thing: awareness. There just isn't a lot of it. So that's something we're trying to do by not only integrating students with the professional network, but also integrating the professional network with the larger STEM and technology community in Baltimore." Beck talks on how he himself got into the industry, his method for getting students excited about Pro AV early in their academic careers, and why it's so important to have a fresh generation of passionate professionals in the industry.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
For many years, the technical-heavy AV field has been and still is mostly dominated by men. However, with recent pushes to get more young women involved in STEM fields, groups such as AVIXA have come to do the same thing for the Audio Visual industry. Joining us today is Christy Ricketts of Contemporary Research, to discuss how she markets the AV field to women, the challenges in getting women involved in AV , as well as the benefits of having a more diverse AV industry. "It's really about being helpful to others and being a positive influence to help everyone be the best person they can be," Ricketts said.
Fuel technology is entering the forefront of major conversations among drone users, pilots and manufacturers. What's the most efficient way to not only power longer flights, but empower varied drone applications? Fuel cell technology looks to be the solution for commercial drones, but for Julian Hughes, senior vice president of Intelligent Energy, the answer lies in multiple power sources.
"There are peaks and lows on the power required to fly a drone," Hughes said. "The most efficient way is to hybridize it with a small battery." We spoke with Hughes on the InterDrone trade-show floor to understand why flexible fueling is needed in drones, what he sees for the future adoption of hybridized fueling, and where that leaves innovations for consumer drones.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @EnergyMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Whether it’s the final scene of a movie, an off-shore site inspection or a life-saving search and rescue mission, the last thing a drone pilot needs is a bad delay on their video feed. That half-a-second delay could end up costing thousands of dollars, or even lives. Enter Amimon, a drone tech company that uses Connex technology to bring less than one millisecond of delay for a reach of over three kilometers.
"We know that when first response need to act in a second, it's very important," said Aharon Kamhaji, sales account executive for Amimon. "If you're talking about for the cinematographer, every minute on the set costs a lot of money. Any time there's monitoring delay, it costs a lot of money." Kamhaji joined us from the InterDrone trade show floor to explain how critical low delay is for drone operators, as well as how collaboration and open sourced products are key for continued drone innovation.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
GIS technology has become a staple part of drone technology, powering much of the site-mapping and surveying for critical infrastructure, agricultural, and energy operations. Esri, one of the leaders in geo-spatial technology, hasn’t stopped there. The power of geo-mapping has shown tangible economic benefits in everything from banking to retail, and our guest today, Esri senior product manager Peter Becker, joined us from the InterDrone trade-show floor to break down these exciting and evolving applications.
"It's not just 'fly the drone and then hand somebody a disk,' it's 'how does that help me make decisions and become valuable,'" Becker said. Listen to Becker explain how Esri stands out in the industry, as well as how the company prides itself in educating drone professionals on this powerful technology.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Much of the conversation around drones over the past year has been focused on pushing public perception on them from toy to tool. What hasn’t been the focus is how to best power these commercial drones. Lithium ion batteries were an easy first choice; they were commercially standard and accessible. But can they really elevate a drone to its full potential? On this podcast from the InterDrone trade-show floor, we were joined by Adam Schlender from Doosan Mobility Innovation, who explained how hydrogen fuel cell technology is the future of drone power.
"You end up in a 10x efficiency gain, not looking at flight time, but looking at the amount of data that can be collected in a single flight," Schlender said. We dive into the inaccessible applications that fuel cells empower, their economic and ecological impact, and how to beat educate commercial drone users on the benefits and eventual necessity of improved flight time and diversified payloads.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @EnergyMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Pro AV professionals know, that even when you plan and test all your gear, live streamed or video conference technology can surprise you with unexpected delays, dealing with a minute or two of trouble shooting. As live-streaming and personal broadcasting becomes more common and expected from clients, the industry faces a new need: for AV professionals to also be IT experts.
In today's episode of the Pro AV podcast, Midtown Video's Chief Technical Officer Jesse Miller dives into the AV industry's need to marry AV and IT. "A couple years down the road the new approach will measure the longevity of the relationship with your customer - Not how many conference rooms you've built for them but how many years you've had all their conference room business," Miller said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
As Caleb Nelson of Bridges System Integration will tell you, there's no typical systems failure in the Pro AV world. What remains constant, however, is the end user's need for communication during every step of the way. That communication is not only the biggest component to customer service, but also the most important.
"Communication at the beginning is almost as important as the communication during the [installation or system failure] process," Nelson said. On today's podcast, we dive into the changes in customer's integration expectations, what system failures are most common, and what innovation around the corner will present new challenges.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Have you ever wondered how we know about things that happened in a closed meeting or court proceeding? Or exactly how the television knows what to display when closed captioning is in use? Project Steno is providing a window into that process, as well as a doorway into the profession. On today's podcast, our host spoke with Nancy Varallo and Jim DeCrescenzo, executive director and president of Project Steno.
They discussed the reasons for the longevity of the profession, a few of the benefits of court reporting as a career, the unique viewpoint stenographers possess, and how Nancy and Jim were way ahead of the curve on "text speak". "Court reporting offers a view into all the courtrooms throughout the country, the halls of Congress, Hollywood, Camp David. There's no glass ceiling. We have a ringside seat to history," DeCrescenzo said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
It’s no secret that the technological advances in our world have been transforming the way we not only think about technology, but about our lives in general. In the Pro AV space, while these innovations are great for the customer and for progression as a whole, the revenue trends that follow them have some catching up to do. We sat down with Jeremy Caldera, CEO of IAS Technology, to get his take on the current industry standards, and where he sees recurring revenue models fitting in.
“Maintaining client relationships is what’s really important when it comes to these recurring revenue models,” Jeremy said. We evaluated recurring revenue trends and discuss the potential benefits they have for both customers and vendors within the Pro AV space.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @ProAVMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
How can you truly determine when a project is finished? It's definitely not done if you're at 95%. On today's podcast, our host spoke with Steve Chizmar, a Sales Engineer from Audio Visual Associates. They discussed how important the final 5% on a project is, how the cloud is changing perspectives, and the logical reason to have a dedicated AV department, instead of "just having the IT guys handle it". "To get to the 95%, that's the easy part. It's that last 5% of buttoning everything up, making sure your client is happy, and making sure you did the job to the best of your ability," Chizmar said. "That's the hardest part, that last 5%."
With the rise of modern IoT systems, there has been a strong need to transform supervisory control and data acquisition, or SCADA systems, to keep up. We sat down with Kittur Nagesh, Founder & CEO of Cognito Networks, to unpack traditional SCADA systems and discuss the intersection of interoperability and security. Nagesh breaks down his thoughts as to why these systems are ripe for change, and pin points the key drivers for this process, with a focus on Industry 4.0. We also discuss both the key benefits and challenges with this transformation process, and ultimately how businesses and customers alike will adapt and benefit to these changes.
Securing data. It's the focus of conversation from Healthcare's EHRs to Industrial IoT's smart cities. The Pro AV industry is no stranger to security either, but as the connective power of installations continue to grow and customers demand more capabilities, new security risks present themselves. Whose responsibility is it to make sure installations are safe, easy to use and as well protected against bad actors as possible? The clients? The integrators? The manufacturers? Tim Albright, President of AVNation Media, has a simple answer: "The last person to touch a network is the one most responsible for it." He joined us on today's episode of the Pro AV podcast to chat about his preparation for CEDIA and dig in to the recent struggles with security in Pro AV, including: who's liable for successful integrations, knowing global regulation differences, and how to simply solve the security issue.
As going green and conserving energy has become not only a more widespread social push as well as financially viable,, companies are looking for new and efficient ways to automate and advance utilities at the next level. The possibilities are practically endless at a city level, and joining us to talk about applications from sustainability to crime prevention is Greg Myers, VP of Global Electric Marketing for Sensus. Greg gave us insight about what makes Sensus unique, the potentially life-saving ways smart lighting can be integrated into a smart city, and some of the surprising uses of smart meter data.
As we continue deeper into the 21st Century, our involvement with AV technology grows, and customers expect more. While there are some people who are self taught experts of all things AV, there aren't many avenues as a provider/technician for keeping up on changes, innovations and shifts in audiovisual tech. In comes AVIXA, a website that features hundreds of tutorials on many aspects of the AV field, aimed specifically at the people who live and breath the AV space every day. Joining us is Chuck Espinoza, an educator at AVIXA, to discuss teaching content in the AV field, the ubiquity of AR and VR, and how those can be effectively used in a Pro AV classroom experience.
Welcome to the Pro AV podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in Professional Audio Visual! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we unpack the latest in everything from LED to Digital Content.
Sometimes it really is all in the name. On today's podcast, our host spoke with the CEO of Simplistic IT Solutions, Dan Miller. "I can't think of anybody that has ever called us and says 'Hey. How do I make this difficult to use?' It just doesn't happen," Miller said. The two discussed the clear mission of the company that is embodied in the name, the importance of keeping your head and hands in the technology game, and some wise advice that Dan's father shared with him. (No, it was NOT about bacon. But, the topic might have come up.)
For too long, businesses have approached AV with very analog thinking; it's time to go digital, so to speak. On today's episode of the Pro AV Podcast, we talk about the intersection of AV and IT with Nick Paton, a programmer with M3 Technology Group, and why meeting customer expectations of simplicity and user-friendliness shouldn't be a perk in Pro AV, but a standard. "These days with the way desktop computing, the cloud and all that, it’s kinda taught us that there’s a better way," Paton said. "An end user expects to be able to login to their computer and access services the first time, every time, so why should that expectation be different with installed AV systems?"
As integrated solutions like automation, robotics, and process development become more and more integrated in the manufacturing industry, we decided to sit down with Dan Allford, president of ARC Specialties, to get some insight on his industry and break down just why “manufacturing became cool again.” "One thing that I see that proves my point is all the high school robotics programs. We’re very active with U.S. First for example, where the kids design and build robots. I’ve been working with them since 2001, and it’s a great program. It’s just like when I was a kid except we didn’t have a formal outlet for it," Allford said. The ARC Specialties President also talked on how he built ARC right out of his garage, what to look for in building the right team, his development on the first collaborative welding robot, and how innovation in manufacturing technology is affecting global trade.
With every new invention in the IT and software industries - which to be perfectly honest is almost everyday - thought leaders in the industry are forced to find new and inventive solutions to meet their clients' needs, expectations and budgets. In today's episode, William Maker, solutions architect for Pinnacle Business Systems, explained one recent disruption in IT, public cloud vendors, and what it could mean for the future of the industry. "I think a lot of jobs are going to move away from the typical company that an IT person might work for to where they may migrate and move toward these larger data centers and work for these hosting providers that run public clouds," Maker said.
Safety, security, ethics and morals. For many companies, these issues sit in a gray area. Should the users and consumers bear the responsibility of these issues within IT? Or, rather, should the responsibility fall on the shoulders of the developers and distributors? In this episode, Kevin Williams, CEO of WISE Power, answers this question as well as introduces the concept of lifestyle management and what he believes is required for the future success of smart devices. "As consumers we don't want to have 15 different icons on our phone or another 15 different passwords to manage in our lives," Williams said. "If you've got all these different smart devices - its great to having a Ring Doorbell, a Nest thermostat, a Samsung refrigerator, but its really helpful for consumers if you can make things simple. And there are other behind the scenes technologies that are available to help with that integration."
No matter the industry, HR executives are looking for new ways to glean meaningful insights from their workforce to improve the company’s culture. In today's episode, Disco co-founder Justin Vandehey explains how more than 30,000 HR teams across the country are using his application to do just that. By socializing success, Disco is changing the way businesses give real-time feedback and workplace recognition. "As an HR professional you don't have to prod or poke people to respond to a survey," Vandehey said. "Parallel to all of the engagement that's happening with Disco, we've started to collect and aggregate information for the culture and HR executive."
On this episode of Propelling, a Microdrones podcast, Elmer Guardado and Mike Dziok take the conversation across the Pacific to talk to Darren Wilkinson, Microdrones Sales Manager for the Australia and New Zealand regions. Darren speaks on drone market trends in Australia, his methodology for building relationships with clients, and how drone technology has evolved, been adopted and been appreciated in his regions.
Since the early 1900s, the assembly line has been a vital aspect of manufacturing cars and many other products. In 2018, there’s been a massive evolution from the simple one-way conveyor belt system used to manufacture the Model-T, to a more versatile, complex system created on a product by product basis. Joining us is Kevin Howe, product and installation manager at Intellifinishing, to discuss the conveyor systems he’s worked on and how the concept of the assembly line has evolved over time.
The same conversation is being had across so many industries today: how can emerging technology, or old technology that's getting a 5G boost, be used intentionally? Live streaming is no stranger to this conversation; increased ease of access, competitive pricing and more efficient connectivity is making the technology an intriguing investment for Pro AV providers and customers. However, optimizing live streaming is the most crucial selling point of the tech. Today we're joined by John Dudley, Founder & President of DC Webcasting by Dudley Digital Works, who has dedicated his time to teaching both providers and clients the ins and outs of live streaming, the pitfalls of poor pre-production, and the impact the tech can have for pushing out and leaving a legacy for important messages.
As LED technology improves and the lifespan of installations grows to practically a decade or more in length, architects are becoming more incentive to implement LEDs into their ideas and building designs. This crossroad between AV technology and architecture, coined perfectly as AVitecture, has allowed for more creativity among building spaces, from commercial to residential. Joining us is Will Dickey from PixelFLEX to discuss this trend, as well as talk the benefits and challenges of working with LED display technology.
There is a Latin phrase, "Fortuna Eruditis Favet," which loosely translated means "Fortune favors the prepared mind." Perfecting that preparation process, especially in business, can make or break company. Paul Harris has spent his entire life in that process. On today's podcast, our host spoke with Paul Harris, the CEO/CTO for Aurora Multimedia Corporation. They discussed the nature of "standards" in the Pro AV industry, his approach to new challenges and technologies, and how he feels about being part of a large amount of "firsts."
Cell phones are an expensive investment, but a standard one, and now more than ever, companies are fighting to get customers on their plans. Whether it's Verizon now offering unlimited data, AT&T offering free HBO subscriptions, or T-Mobile being so bold as to pay for your latest Netflix binge, companies are getting inventive. Even more inventive could be FreedomPop's method: a freemium business plan that currently keeps over 50 percent of active users paying zero dollars for their wireless data. Today, Stephen Stokols, the CEO of FreedomPop, joins us to talk about the effects of unlimited plans, the Sprint and T-Mobile merger, and the intricacies of a freemium business plan model to help you make better sense of the digital wireless carrier landscape.
When it comes to education, sight is everything. In Pro AV, you can quite literally see the changes on a daily basis, meaning new technology, methodologies and practices to teach. When we look at the current state of Pro AV, however, we need to be careful; we cannot simply adopt the most flashy and exciting technologies just because they look the part. They need to perform. Today, Marcus Yarborough of AVIXA joins us to talk about not only how you can best educate yourself to keep on top of the latest trends without experiencing the set backs, but also how you can pass your knowledge on to the next generations of Pro AV experts.
The Law of Conservation of Mass states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed. It can, however, be transformed into another form, a process that always results in a net loss of energy. It's unavoidable. One way to minimize that loss is to increase the efficiency of the conversion process, and Dandelion Energy focuses on that exact challenge every day. On today's podcast, our host spoke with the Principal Engineer for Dandelion Energy, Ryan Carda. They talked about a few of the misunderstandings regarding geothermal energy, the fact that the planet's internal core is a marvelous source of usable energy, and the genuine need for education to prepare the next generation of engineers to utilize it.
In mathematics, adding an additional factor to a calculation can cause an exponential increase in the accuracy of the result. When providing assistance to underdeveloped countries, ensuring that the human factor is included in the technological decisions can result in much more successful outcomes. On today's podcast, our host spoke with Johannes Schwank, a professor of Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and the Director of the REFRESCH program. They discussed the ways in which technology should be presented to maximize effectiveness, how humility (on the side of the "rescuers") is an incredibly important component when devising assistance, and how powerful the input from those being helped actually is when devising strategies.
For fans of Reese's cups, they are not chocolate and peanut butter: they are a uniquely balanced and new hybrid treat. The two worlds of offline and online advertising are on a similar path to create something altogether new. On today's podcast, our host spoke with Kevin Gordon, the Chief Marketing Officer for Hypervsn. They discussed the current reality of 3D advertising, the likelihood that our phones will become the primary delivery system for advertising, and how the nature of the ads we see will become even more "in your face" as grabbing attention becomes more critical for success.
The animal kingdom has countless examples of when it's good to stand out... and when it's better to blend in with the surroundings. Flexibility is one of the keys to survival. The same can be said of the digital signage industry. On today's podcast, our host spoke with Paul Johnston, the Vice-President of Technical Service and Operations for Absen America. They discussed the balance between standing out and blending in, how education is a critical part of a successful deployment, and the sense of satisfaction that comes with being unnoticed in some situations.
As blockchain products and projects continue to enter the market and make the technology more ubiquitous, we invited Joseph Pitluck, CEO of Free Range Spaces, to help us make sense of the current landscape. Though blockchain is making its way into almost every facet of our lives, Joseph also talked about the difficulties with getting mainstream consumer adoption and some of the tech’s true potential. “In order for this to go mainstream, we need to get rid of gas fees. Like, imagine if on Facebook every time you clicked a like button you had to pay 20 or 30 cents of cryptocurrency," said Pitluck.
There is a saying that goes, "sometimes it is easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission." In the Pro AV world, it is MUCH easier to consider integration during the actual planning stage than to treat it as an "add-on". On today's podcast, our host spoke with Phillip Cordell, the VP of Technical Development for M3 Technology Group. They discussed the possibilities of a "cable-free" industry, the move towards including the AV team in the planning process during the construction phase, and how disappointing it is to watch a six-figure installation turn into a clock.
Steve Roemerman, CEO of Lone Star Analysis, a north Texas-based analytics company serving the oil and gas industry, has a good rule of thumb for on-site data collection from the oil fields. "If you can't order a Domino's Pizza and get it delivered, then you probably don't have the infrastructure to [deliver on-site data from the pad site.]," Roemerman said. In this episode of the Energy Podcast, Roemerman discussed how seeing these challenges is how Lone Star Analysis has created efficiencies and breakthroughs in big data that weren't previously recognized.
On today's podcast, our host chats with Kate Strohanova from Jasoren. They discussed how Jasoren uses augmented reality to help improve warehouse efficiency, how artificial intelligence can be used to train airline cabin crews, and how education can become a major piece of any project that involves significant advancements in software.
Animals have a natural tendency to form groups, whether for social reasons, or strictly for survival. Some groups are stronger simply by the nature of the individuals in the group. The financial industry has traditionally been a difficult club to join for smaller businesses and entrepreneurs, and now Azlo is trying to level the playing field. On today's podcast, our host had a chat with the Co-founder and CEO, Brian Hamilton. They discussed the simple motivation to help smaller businesses survive (and thrive), the regulatory challenges of being globalized, and how businesses need help in rediscovering why they exist in the first place.
The first generation of chatbots didn’t have real natural language processing capabilities and most of them didn’t even provide correct responses after multiple tries. However, the current generation of chatbots do, and now report high, near perfect levels of accuracy. What about the next generation? Here to talk about this evolution and the consumer benefits of AI is Ravi N, Raj, CEO and co-founder of Passage AI.
Will Flavin first fell in love with stage lighting during an elementary school field trip, where he spent more time looking up in awe of the huge lighting rig than he spent watching the show. Now, the 21-year-old admits he’s ruined for all live shows because his fascination persists. “There’s something about a live show that always has had my attention,” Flavin said.
Flavin got his first job in lighting right out of high school, skipped college and has never looked back. He launched his own company Flavin Lighting in Nashville, where he’s worked with musical artists, corporate shows and large-scale conferences. Being a young guy on the block, Flavin keeps track of the emerging technology available for stagecraft, and came on the podcast to discuss the exciting possibilities he sees, including video game-inspired virtual reality use for both designers pre-production and pitching clients before a single light is rigged.
Some people think that over the years the AV landscape has become too obtuse and too inconsistent, but Jesse Fishman Sr. AV Systems Designer at The Sextant Group, hopes to change the negative perceptions around the industry. On this episode Jesse talks about consumer knowledge, standardizing AV practices with AVIXA, and finally what about the industry he is most excited for.
Stepping out of your alma mater and into the workforce is one of life's biggest decisions, and more-so than ever, young professionals with high expectations and focused goals are struggling to find that perfect first job, not wanting to make a misstep early in their career and not wanting to settle. Zac Cherin, Co-Founder and CEO of Secret Sauce, saw this among his peers, and didn't want to stand on the sidelines. After several signs pointed him in the right direction for his career, including powerful mentors and an encouraging and challenging job offer, he decided to give back and share the secret sauce that made his career possible. He sat down with us to give us insight on what drove him to the tech industry, the disconnect between universities and start-ups, the power of a good mentor (accepting one and being one), and how he's aiming to connect hungry self-starters with growing companies.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/TechMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Wildfire Theme by Green Point Empahy Featured Song: You've Got Mail by Pottsi
On today's podcast, Sean Heath sat down with the Senior Director of Content Creation for ALMO, Jim Nista, and Manager for Business Development, Jay Saret. They discussed the challenge that overwhelming choice brings, how clients are gaining more understanding of what they want, and the always present "christmas lights" dilemma.
On today's podcast, Sean Heath talked with Jonathon Nelson, the CEO of HACK Fund. They discussed the challenges that blockchain technology faces with regard to regulation, the flexibility that this liquid approach creates in the investor space, the massive opportunity that liquidity provides to entrepreneurs, and how world-altering a lower cost of entry can be for ALL investors. (Sean also got the distinct impression that Jonathon wants Sean to stop sending him cat photos on social media.)
As we’ve come to learn, both humans and artificial intelligence have their limitations. The big difference: compared to humans, it takes AI significantly less time to unlearn and correct for problematic patterns and behaviors. In today's podcast, Ben Taylor, co-founder and chief AI officer of ZIFF, shares how AI can be used to combat unconscious bias and discrimination.
As generations come and go and technology continues to evolve at an accelerated rate, the AV landscape needs to create smooth transitions to make sure knowledge is distributed and embraced by incoming generations. Tim Albright, Executive Producer, Founder, and President of AV Nation Media, joined us to talk about the generational tensions and hurdles in the industry, the video over IP fight, and the need for tighter and more consistent network security.
Grabbing and holding people's attention as a creator is more important than ever. For many creators, this means creating infotainment for their audience, a piece of art that not only delivers on the fun, but the knowledge gained. For our guest today, his mission was just to entertain; the info came from a personal passion to be scientifically accurate, and people caught on. On today's Science podcast, Andy Weir, author of The Martian and Artemis, joined us to share in some laughs and give his take on the unexpected power of infotainment, from the living room to the classroom. He detailed his journey creating The Martian and Artemis, and how collaboration led to an unforeseen but welcomed bastion of life-long learning. We also couldn't help ourselves and dived into some fictional geek-dom match-ups, from Luke Skywalker vs. Captain Picard, to Thanos vs. Doomsday. Buckle in.
For many Americans, the fully electric self-driving car seems likes technology out of a science fantasy story. But for Tom Raftery, innovation evangelist for SAP SE, this massive change in how we get from point A to B is just around the corner. This week, Tom joins us to discuss the current state of both electric and self driving vehicles, how IoT technology is taking them to the next phase, and where they will be in the next decade. Tom said, "the next 10 years in transportation, it's gonna be brutal for some people, but for the end user, it's going to be phenomenal."
As global warming and climate change continue to dominate the headlines, companies around the world are looking for new and creative sources of renewable energy. One of the newer ventures leads us to water reservoirs around the US where companies like Ciel & Terre are looking to innovate with floating solar installations that offer competitive pricing on an already existing resource. Chris Bartle, Business Development Manager at Ciel & Terre USA, joined us to discuss green option adoption, why renewable energy is so important, and what his company is doing to innovate in this space.
David Venus, Chief Marketing Officer at PixelFLEX, joined us to talk about how companies can inspire creativity and innovation just by upgrading their physical work space. We also talked about some emerging trends in his industry and how LED can truly enhance an aesthetic.
The future of space exploration looked bleak after 2010 when NASA's Space Shuttle program was officially retired. Beyond satellites and research conducted from the ISS, there weren't many plans to travel the stars. That is, until private companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Orbital ATK, and others fundamentally changed the way the industry operated, pushing the limits of who could take the next steps beyond Earth. Enter Tanya Gupta, a VR intern at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Because of these thriving government and private partnerships for space travel, technology in the space is flourishing, allowing for upgrades in AR and VR to take hold and grow exponentially. Tanya joined us on this Science episode of Wildfire to give us insight on how technology like VR is simplifying and speeding up the process for innovation in aerospace engineering, the collaborative power of NASA, and why being a creative in the STEM space was so important for her (pun intended). She also sheds a little light on her fabulous twitter name, Space Barbie.
Paul Spraque, Director of Sales Engineering at Oblong Industries joined us to talk about collaborative technology, the importance of design and the user experience, and the unique origins of his company is. We also talked about some of the downfalls that occur when technology is not efficiently used, and why getting new user adoption is such a hurdle in the industry.
With e-commerce, the ease of instant communication, the popularity of streaming services — it’s undeniable that the world runs on the Internet. And if you're anything like our host Landon, you search for a free hotspot to connect to whenever you can. Today, Digital Lobby President & COO Kevin Neibergal and CSO Lou Phillips joined Landon to explain the infrastructure Digital Lobby has created to power public Wifi networks and how it's benefiting communities across the country. "If a community wants to become a smart city the first thing they need is a Wifi network," Niebergall said. "Not a bunch of kiosks, not a random access point, but a real honest to goodness Wifi network."
Tread lightly. You are about to enter a new dimension. Beyond this point you will soar to new heights, encounter new sights and sounds. You are moving out of the land of pilot and into the realm of remote operator. You’ve just entered - the drone zone. All joking aside, on this episode President of BFD Systems Max Tubman talks all things drone. From cinema to disaster relief, customized industrial drones are revolutionizing air spaces with longer flight times, more precision and safety, and the ability to carry heavier loads. Tubman lives for the challenges of being innovative with his drones, who said, "it's so rewarding for us at BFD to have a customer come up with a crazy idea that we never thought of and say, 'This is a problem we have, what is the best solution?'"
On your morning commute to work, chances are you are inundated with dozens of the same drab billboards across the interstate highways. But with the rise of video walls, suddenly advertisements are getting a lot more interesting to look at. Today I’m joined with Randy Pagnan, member of RP Visuals, who says "traditional video walls are kinda morphing into digital spaces," and he came on the podcast to discuss how video walls are allowing more creative ways for artists and advertisers to display their ideas and products.
As the AV world becomes more saturated and competitive from both the product and specialist side, companies are being forced to adapt and instead focus more on A) building relationships, and B) collaborating on building a more complete and unique user experience. Luke Jordan, Account Manager at Electro Acoustics, joined us to talk about how his company has embraced the industry’s new focus on design, built meaningful relationships with clients, and the specifics of one of their most lucrative projects.
With the audio-visual field evolving at the fastest rate we’ve ever seen, it’s become increasingly difficult to not only showcase iteration and evolution, but also remain reliable and consistent as quality increases. Chris Prosio, Director of Sales, Rental and Staging at Absen, joined us to talk about the future of LED displays and some of the obstacles that come with trying to relate these products to different kinds of consumers.
Trey Merritt, a rigging expert and safety guru in charge of the important task of keeping concerts, venues, and events safe for everyone, came on today's episode, to discuss the importance of safety on the stage. In Merritt's eyes, the show mustn't always go on if it means the audience or performers will be unsafe in the process. Merritt discusses the Indiana Stage Collapse, how it affected his field, as well as how businesses have adopted new safety measures for their venues.
For smart buildings, connection equals success. To work best, they need to be free from proprietary silos, said Kittur Nagesh, founder and CEO of Cognito Networks, on today's episode of the IoT Podcast. The Silicon Valley startup founder came on the podcast to tell us how companies should be using modern IP-based solutions to bring smart buildings into their full potential. "A smart building is like a city," Nagesh said. "It's time to move to modern IoT."
For more information on Pure LiFi
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the IoT Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – @BuildingsMKSL Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we were joined by Brad Plothow, VP of Brand & Communications at Womply, who shared his insights on small business marketing. Brad talked about the industry's shift in marketing priorities, the rapid adoption of software as a service, and the rise of digital threats to small businesses (and how to buckle down and overcome them).
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Virtual reality simulations are changing the way companies like Wal-Mart and KFC conduct employee trainings. Immosis co-founders Brian Hoang (CEO) and Marwan Kodeih (CTO) explained some of the innovative ways they've helped businesses harness the power of VR. "When you engage your employees better, you're probably going to find that you'll have better retention and a better return on investment from your employees."
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Artificial intelligence may seem daunting and out-of-reach for a small business owner, especially if they have to hire a software engineer to create a new application from scratch. I mean, who has that kind of cash? But Mahesh Kashyap, Chief Digital Officer of Deep Cognition, has a solution. Kashyap is collaborating with software engineers from all around the world to create a marketplace that will allow anyone - not just the millionaires - to buy and access AI applications.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Richard Derbyshire, Consultant Relations Manager of Christie Digital Systems, joined us today to talk about how technological innovations are improving business and user experiences, and gave us insight on the obstacles that come with trying to keep up with this ever-evolving industry.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Professional AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Joining us to talk about his new company and the groundbreaking future of intelligent pixels and dynamic imaging is CEO of Ryff, Roy Taylor. On the podcast, he also shared some of the familiar and unfamiliar obstacles that come with new technological discoveries, as well as his take on “the learning of learning.”
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Professional AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we chat with mark Kilaghbian, co-CEO of Cryptoconomy. We discuss how they are trying to remove some of the fear that accompanies cryptocurrency, how the U.S. is falling a bit behind the rest of the world in its approach to cryptocurrency, and the truly democratic (small d) nature of the industry.
Some say cash is on its way out. However, according to a Health of Cash study, cash remains the most commonly used payment method, used by nine out of 10 consumers in the past six months, and by 80% on a monthly basis. With a substantial portion of consumers still using cash, the need to streamline cash transaction processes is ubiquitous across a wide array of sectors. Whatever the industry—from retail to hospitality, to healthcare and the restaurant industry—no challenge is too big or too small for Tidel to handle.
When Walt Disney opened the first modern theme park in Anaheim in 1955, it represented the first concrete attempt to create an alternate reality for visitors. Recent developments in VR technology are creating a seismic shift in just how realistic that will feel for guests.
There have been several attempts to incorporate VR elements into rides, such as roller coasters, but they have mostly suffered from the intrusion of the unwieldy gear necessary to present the alternate visuals and movements.
The suspension of disbelief is difficult to sustain when the weight of the headset reminds you of its presence. Glitchy video components can also diminish the impact of the experience.
One way to address the challenge is to build attractions specifically for the VR perspective.
Good examples of this can be found in the Showdown at Ghost Town at Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Vista, California and the Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire offered by The Void at the Disney resorts in California and Florida.
When it comes to collaboration software, Prysm Vice President of Marketing Hannah Grap says the best results come when the sharing information isn't limited by the software needed to display it. "I always say, let the content drive the creative," Grap told us on this episode of the Pro AV Podcast. Grap shared how Prysm's collaboration software is helping industries convey complex concepts and information in easier-to-digest formats, that in turn are helping drive better participation and comprehension by users. Plus, she shared what's on the horizon for collaboration software and bezel-less hardware.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Professional AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Welcome to the Software & Technology podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Software & Technology Industry! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in cryptocurrency, AI, IPs, innovative cross-industry tech, and everything in between.
While Crypto has become a hot button issue in many industries, blockchain has remained in the background due to its association with the volatile currency. Mike Templeman, founder of Foxtail Marketing, joins us today to talk about how this association has actually held back blockchain and kept us from embracing it’s true cross-industry potential.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
IoT has graduated from just an emerging technology to being integrated in practically every industry, providing valuable data to business owners and operators. But even with its capacities, IoT works better as a team, especially when it has AI by its side. Darren Legge and Tyler Gross, Watson IoT Solution Specialists for IBM, came on the podcast to discuss the ways IoT and AI can collaborate to deliver only the most useful data and help businesses better predict shortcomings before they occur. They also give us some insight on Watson's famous Jeopardy appearance and how they're making Watson work for them.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Industrial IoT Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Ben Taylor, Chief AI Officer of Ziff.AI, joins us today to talk about the future of AI and some of its obstacles in terms of adoption. Ben also talks about some specific Deep Learning examples he’s worked on, including: solving the country-of-origin prediction problem and accurately predicting the Bachelor and Bachelorette contestant order.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Fresh off winning AVIXA’s Women in AV Award, Samantha Phenix, Vice President of Research and Development for Planar, joined us today to talk about women's power in the AV industry, how video walls are helping make emerging tech more ubiquitous, and about the overall future of the industry.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Professional AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Live streaming has revolutionized several aspects of our world, from personalized streaming on sites like Twitch, to professional streaming of entertainment and political events. But what about in filmmaking? Chris Carson, owner of SteadiReadi, came on the podcast to tell us about the production process of creating a film that can't be edited or reshot, and what kind of stories benefit from this kind of innovative process.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Professional AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
After coming on the show to talk about the industry changing effects of BYOD spaces in the workplace, Colin Birney, Owner and Principal Consultant of Birney Consulting, joined us to talk about software as a product, how we can improve AV design, and about how consumers are beginning to get more control and power over their hardware and software.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Professional AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
The World Cup brings together the entire spectrum of light and color every 4 years. This year’s tournament in Russia is being made much brighter by Absen LED displays.
Absen panels were utilized on the stage during the Final Draw for the 2018 World Cup Russia, and 3 of the 12 stadiums hosting matches during the tournament have partnered with Absen, both inside and out.
The Kazan Arena which will host a last-16 game, as well as a quarter-final, uses a 340sqM A1688 for in-stadium replays and messaging.
The Kaliningrad Stadium, which will host Spain vs Morocco and England vs Belgium, has a 27M by 15M C15 model integrated on the exterior, as well as two 15M by 10M A1099 panels on the interior.
The arena located in Rostov, which also features an exterior panel and 2 interior screens, will play host to the matches pitting South Korea vs Mexico, Iceland vs Croatia, and a last-16 game.
On today's podcast, we chatted with Daniel Shwartzberg, Director of Customer Experience for HDBaseT Alliance. We discuss the drive for standardization that they have embraced, the benefits of hybrid protocols and the challenge of expectations versus possibility.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Professional AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we sat down with Mike Weems, a 40-year veteran of the Pro AV industry. We discussed the changes in the industry over a 40-year span, a few of the challenges that have emerged as a result of technological advancement, and he gives a common sense tip for all concert goers. (Spoiler: watch the concert through your eyes, not your phone's screen.)
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Professional AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Sometimes the shiniest toy on the market might not be a good indicator of future versions.
Apple’s iPhone X made waves last year with its “notch”, but the more powerful development was its stunning OLED screen. And while flagship models act as sort of a proving ground for new technologies and form factors, they don’t always serve as an accurate prediction of what is on the horizon.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple’s supply chains have been producing much higher numbers of LCD panels, which are used in Apple’s less expensive, non-X smartphones.
Analysts believe that although Apple claims that the iPhone X was its best selling smartphone for the 1st 3 months of 2018, the company’s less expensive LCD-based models make up the majority of Apple’s sales.
While Apple doesn’t appear ready to abandon the OLED screen in the next “X” version, it appears that most consumers will still be presented with an LCD screen on their next iPhone.
On today's podcast, we chat with Mitch Rosenberg, Director of Sales Fixed Install for Absen. We discuss the life of the LED, where we stand today on its evolutionary timeline, and the future of the industry. (Also, he divulges his Halloween candy distribution standards.)
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Professional AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
While IoT devices may be an integral part of most of our lives, many areas in rural America are still either unconnected or under connected. Pete DeNagy, President and Co-Founder of Internet of Things, America, joined us to talk about why this is an issue worth targeting and how he and the industry are approaching the daunting task.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Industrial IoT Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
The average person is bombarded with over 1000 advertisements a day, and in the retail space, the go-to ad has been static signage. But as the years have gone by, there's a new need for something that can maintain the open, inviting design of a window-front shop while still draw in new customers. David Venus of PixelFLEX LED sat down on the podcast to tell us how transparent LED screens are bringing exciting and reusable advertisements to the retail industry, and how the technology is making its mark in other industries through human-centered design.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Professional AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
As more and more AV applications find their ways onto IT infrastructure, the industry is seeing active changes in distribution, education and adoption. Garth Leach, Director of Marketing for ZeeVee, joins us to talk about 4K AV over IP distribution, 4K and 8K adoption, and the convergence of IT and AV.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Professional AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Innovations in the Industrial IoT space are exciting and often industry changing, but they don't act alone. The best, most ground-breaking changes occur when technology works together to create a co-working ecosystem. Tom Raftery, Global VP, Futurist and Innovation Evangelist at SAP, sat down on the podcast to tell us how blockchain and AI play an integral role in the flourishing of IoT tech, from transportation, to finance to healthcare.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the IoT Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today’s Throwback Thursday we have Eric Anderson back on our podcast. He is an Engineer at Anderson Optimization and he joins us to talk about a massive power failure in 2003 that forced the energy industry to adapt and rethink their strategy.
For more information on Anderson Optimization, log on to https://andersonoptimization.com/.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in Energy, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Preserving your digital footprint might frighten millennials and Gen Z-ers on Twitter, but it's a better situation than the legacies lost from senior citizens. As the world continues to move toward digitally preserving memories and stories of their own, the opportunity to turn seniors' oral history into meaningful life stories for families is ripe for the taking. David Sawyer, founder of TSOLife, is doing just that, and sat down with us to describe his streamlined approach to software integration and automation, and how it's creating purposeful content for families to cherish and share.
For more information on TSOLife, log on to https://tsolife.com/.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in Software and Technology , be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Sometimes, technology just moves too quickly. By the time one new thing is integrated, the next big industry-shaker comes along and puts a new challenge on the table. Brad Grimes, Senior Director of Communications for AVIXA, comes on the podcast to tell us how the Pro AV industry is taking a breather and refocusing on the experience of their services and how to adapt innovative solutions to each specific market. He says building products and experiences with a human-centered design will be what generates great success for the Pro AV industry in he near future.
For more information on AVIXA, log on to https://www.avixa.org/.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
As the world gets more connected and IoT devices become more comprehensive, the network sustaining them has to be powerful enough for thousands of interwoven devices. Luckily, 5G is on the horizon. Derek Johnston, Head of US Marketing for Networks for Samsung Electronics America, dives in to the capabilities of 5G and how each industry might find use in its powerful bandwidth.
For more information on Samsung, log on to https://www.samsung.com/us/.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software and Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
A cultural shift years in the making has arrived; technology has finally reached a point where videoconferencing for businesses is not only reasonable and reliable, but expected. David Maldow, founder and CEO of Let's Do Video, clues us in to the innovations in videoconferencing over the past few years and how the Pro AV industry has switched from providing technology to quality service.
For more information on Let's Do Video, log on to http://letsdovideo.com/.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
A cultural shift years in the making has arrived; technology has finally reached a point where videoconferencing for businesses is not only reasonable and reliable, but expected. David Maldow, founder and CEO of Let's Do Video, clues us in to the innovations in videoconferencing over the past few years and how the Pro AV industry has switched from providing technology to quality service.
For more information on Let's Do Video log on to http://letsdovideo.com/
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
With technology continuing to bridge gaps in communication and data, our access to information is as wide as it is deep. Bridget Benedetti, Director of Marketing & Customer Experience for Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, shows us how software, from the user experience to the data it analyzes, is more connected than ever before. She also reminds us of the importance of face-to-face connectivity and how it can spark new ideas and new missions for innovators.
For more information about hexagon log on to https://hexagon.com/.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software and Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Bringing your home computer to work seemed redundant for years, until infrastructure and hardware got advanced enough to handle Bring-Your-Own-Device work spaces. Colin Birney, Principal Consultant for Birney Consulting, gives his thoughts on the shift toward BYOD environments and how the Pro AV industry is adapting to survive.
For more information on Birney Consulting log on to http://www.birneyconsulting.com/
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we chat with Dr. S. Ann Earon from TRI. We discuss the technology-driven evolution of communication, the psychology of properly instituting these advancements, and she shares an interesting tale about the ups and downs of the application of these technologies.
Four more information on Telemanagement Resources International log on to http://www.triinc.com/
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
New research shows that the future of online retail is about augmented reality.
According to ABI Research, AR is a useful tool for online shoppers who are unable to interact with the products they want to purchase. Retailers like Target are already adopting augmented reality into their online shopping experience. Target Beauty Studio is an app that lets you try on makeup via the power of AR.
Nick Finill, senior analyst at ABI, notes that AR is not as viable for in store shoppers stating, “For consumers in brick-and-mortar stores, however, AR can disrupt the customer journey and provides little additional value overall.”
Let's hope that ABI’s predictions for the future of online retail become a reality.
After coming on our podcast to discuss net neutrality, Luciano Pesci, Founder and CEO of Emperitas, is back to discuss what he says is the most exciting technology out there today: cryptocurrency. He discusses its democratic nature, the varied use of blockchain technology and how it can fundamentally change the way we do business on a global scale.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Though most music venues and sports teams have mastered their in-house video production, multi-purpose event centers are still struggling. We chat with Bill Magod, Project Manager for Advanced Concert & Event Resources, to learn more about the most common setbacks these event centers face when building a production team, and how they can get ahead of the curve.
Today we sit down with Mark Coxon, Regional Sales Manager for Barco and a frequent guest on our podcast. This time, we learn more about the move from hardware interfaces to cloud-based software for Pro AV services, and how those softwares match up on speed, security and cost.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
How Net Neutrality Affects Cryptocurrencies and Businesses with Enrique Sotomayor of Cryptoconomy
As people ponder the fate of the internet with or without net neutrality, cryptocurrencies remain uniquely positioned among the conversation. Today we chat with Enrique Sotomayor of Cryptoconomy, who explains the relationship between blockchain technology and ISPs, as well how businesses have adopted cryptocurrencies.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software and Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Facial recognition technology could be the most innovative way to market to potential customers. Omron Electronic Components Europe in collaboration with ANQ has developed facial recognition technology that can recognize different people change the type of advertising that is displayed on digital signage based in their preferences.
Lee Gibson, managing director at ANQ, “As digital signage is maturing and developing so is the greater need for strategic application. Our dynamic digital signage offering gives customers more tailored content and through video analytics, retailers can build a better picture of what’s working in-store.”
This innovative technology is changing the face of advertise to today's consumers.
Multinational technology company Microsoft has acquired Semantic Machines in hopes of advancing conversational artificial intelligence. Semantic Machines has developed a new approach to building conversational AI.
By using machine learning, users can discover, access and interact with information and services in a much more natural way, and with significantly less effort. All eyes will be on Microsoft to see if this acquisition makes advances in AI a new part of the conversation.
Today we chat with Raheem Dadabhoy, Co-Founder and CEO of Surge. Raheem tells us how his time in corporate America led him to see the problems and needs of attractive, comfortable workplaces, and how those amenities can be used by small businesses to retain talent.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Today we sit down with Jake and Eric Anderson, CEO and CTO of Anderson Optimization. The two brothers clue us in to the struggles renewable energies have brought to typical power grids and how artificial intelligence could be the solution.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Energy Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Log on to https://andersonoptimization.com/ for more information about Anderson Optimization.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Today we chat with Greg Mattison, Managing Partner at Cumulus Rebates. He tells us how renewable energies have both cut costs and caused problems for companies small and large, and how automation can do a lot of conservation's heavy lifting.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Energy Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Log on to http://www.cumulusrebates.com/ for more information about Cumulus Rebates.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Today we have discussion with Luciano Pesci, an economics professor at the University of Utah and CEO of Emperitas. With Net Neutrality on the chopping block in the next month, Luciano helps us understand the broad scope of internet regulation, how it effects businesses and where he thinks the real changes need to be made.
Here is your Pro AV Minute, brought to you by MarketScale.
Fidelity Investments has developed a virtual reality financial advisor to answer your questions and give you support.
Cora, the virtual advisor, was developed using Amazon Sumerian a new service for creating virtual reality and augmented reality applications from Amazon Web Services. The firm stated that, "This proof of concept is a prototype. But imagine what experiences like this could mean for how you interact with your finances in the future? Virtual reality can help you imagine your savings goals.”
With Cora, Fidelity Investments is making the future of financial advising right from your home a reality.
I’m Bret Brown, and this has been your Pro AV Minute, brought to you by MarketScale.
Today we chat with Scott Noteboom, Founder and CEO of Lit Bit. He tells us how the world's access to information is challenging us to sort through it all, in both our personal and professional lives. He points out how we can use artificial intelligence to consolidate data into valuable, relatable information.
Log onto http://www.litbit.com for more information about Scott's company.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the IoT Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Samsung's slim bezel infinity display will be on their new, more affordable J6 model. The smartphone will also include a 13MP camera, 64GB of internal storage and a back fingerprint scanner.
Virtual reality is gaining ground in nursing facilities, helping senior patients regain mobility. VR technology is continuing to advance, with more detailed scans and reports making the experience streamlined and accessible.
All of the time needed to set up your own smart home just might be saved if a recent collaboration between Amazon and home-builder Lennar catches on.
The two companies recently unveiled the Amazon Experience Center in the North Bay Lennar housing development in Vallejo, California, as well as seven other locations around the country.
As virtual reality continues to expand into mediums like film, South Korea is staying ahead of the curve. The country is encouraging filmmakers to explore VR in films with VR film festival competitions and updated cinema technology.
On today's podcast with Hunter Gabbard, we discuss how relative perspective is, the comparison between a volcano in Hawaii and matter in space, and we determine who wins when two black holes meet.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Science, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Over 500,000 new jobs were generated by the renewable energy industry last year, a 5.3 percent rise when compared to 2016, according to a report.
The number of people working in the renewable energy sector — including large hydropower — hit 10.3 million in 2017, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) study said.
The world's biggest renewable energy employers were China, Brazil, the U.S., India, Germany and Japan. Altogether, these countries represented over 70 percent of jobs in the industry globally.
"Renewable energy has become a pillar of low-carbon economic growth for governments all over the world, a fact reflected by the growing number of jobs created in the sector," Adnan Z Amin, director general of IRENA, said in a statement.
"The data also underscores an increasingly regionalized picture, highlighting that in countries where attractive policies exist, the economic, social and environmental benefits of renewable energy are most evident," Amin added.
"Fundamentally, this data supports our analysis that decarbonization of the global energy system can grow the global economy and create up to 28 million jobs in the sector by 2050."
Breaking the figures down, IRENA said that the solar photovoltaic industry employed the largest amount of people, with almost 3.4 million working in that sector. China remained a solar powerhouse, and accounted for an estimated two-thirds of solar PV jobs, or 2.2 million.
In the wind energy sector, IRENA noted a slight contraction in the market last year, with 1.15 million jobs recorded. China again led the way, accounting for 44 percent of employment.
The Internet of Your Commute
Time for today’s IoT minute, brought to you by MarketScale.
The internet of things just might be able to make your daily commute a bit smoother.
Yotta, a technology firm in Great Britain, is currently using specially-equipped vehicles to take laser measurements, accurate down to a nanometer, to create a working database of the exact state of road repair in the UK. The fleet of survey vehicles can connect all of the data gathered, including pavement conditions, bike paths, and even streetlights, into a database that can then be used to schedule maintenance in the most efficient way possible.
This technology can not only recognize current issues that need to be addressed, it can also predict future problems, based on statistical performance data.
As new assets are placed into service, they will contain sensors that will improve data gathering moving forward.
The advances in technology that help our homes get smarter, might help turn our roads into a literal information highway, as well.
I’m Sean Heath and this has been your IoT minute.
Small Graf: The EU General Data Protection Regulation is redefining data security, meaning more accountability for the handlers of that data. AV pros now have to figure out how to better protect video conferences and integrate smart speakers to the corporate world.
China's New Silk Road project could help land-locked countries like Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan share their AV market on a global scale. The "Stans" are Europe's fastest-growing AV segment, with a projected nine percent growth every year through 2022.
On today's podcast, we I talk with Delix Alex from Panasonic. We discuss the advance of IP-based video delivery, how this affects professional video production workflows, and how increased transmission speed/reliability can also improve real-time editing capability.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Today, we spoke with Charlie Key who founded Losant, a company that helps large corporations manage their IoT device environments. Charlie talked about the growth in IoT and emerging trends in how big companies are handling their security and IoT device needs.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the IoT industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we chat with Jeffrey Stansfield from Advantage Video Systems. We discuss The current advances in IP production delivery, the extinction of TVs, and how this technological revolution could change storytelling forever.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast we hosted Box Baxley, Chief engineer at Bastille, an Internet of Things (IoT) and cybersecurity company. Bob talked about how his company applies technology and protocols to ensure vulnerabilities with wireless devices are addressed.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the IOT Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication. Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Today we hosted Fergus Hayes, who is a PhD student at the University of Glasgow. Fergus discussed the measurement and data tracking of colliding neutron stars and gamma ray bursts.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the science Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication. Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast I spoke with Yotam Gutman of Securithings, a Tel Aviv based company specializing in Internet of Things device and cybersecurity. Yotam described the importance of securing devices that are integrated into things like cameras, autonomous vehicles and buildings.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the IOT Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On Part 2 of our podcast series with Hunter Gabbard, we discuss some really odd things about black holes, energy, and how a black hole "disappears".
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Food & Beverage Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we chat with John Meagher form Samsung. We discuss the best way to "live on the ladder", how the approach to service is changing, how that builds better brand loyalty, and how living in the future can help our performance today.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, I have a discussion with Hunter Gabbard from the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. We talk about the nature of human learning, how machine learning can accelerate that process exponentially, and how machines can help us filter (and possibly understand) some of the most interesting sounds in the universe.
On today's podcast, CEO Klaus Reichardt talks about the initiatives his company has taken with it's conservation efforts and he shares his thoughts on the future of the industry.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Energy Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, I chat with Dan Cui from SiOnyx. We discuss the advancements in the concept of wearables, the benefits of being able to have superhuman vision at night, and the future of cellphone.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, I chat with Chris Neto from Barco. We discuss how the generational workforce has changed the way work-spaces are designed and used, the increasing importance of the "Wow Factor" in a corporate lobby, and how important "ease of use" is in today's industry.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale Itunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pro-av-by-marketscale/id1368087708?mt=2
On today's podcast, Kelly Perdew shares his thought leadership on venture capitalism.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, I get to have a conversation with Joe Gregory and Barry Cohen from Orbograph. We discuss how they are navigating the delicate balance of the ever-evolving payment formats for the industry, and the way in which the digital age is actually strengthening the status of paper checks.
On today's podcast, I have the chance to chat with Paul England from SNA Displays. We discuss how the industry has evolved as pixel pitch has shrunk, and the financial economics of sharing screen "real estate".
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale Itunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pro-av-by-marketscale/id1368087708?mt=2
On today's podcast, we get to chat with John Jung from Greensmith Energy. We discuss the ever-increasing focus on efficiency and how it is moving the industry forward, the critical importance of improving the software running the industry, and the fundamental change that energy-consciousness brings to our everyday approach to life.
On today's podcast, we chat with Mike Dziok from Microdrones. We discuss how the introduction of drone technology is not a replacement for actual surveyors, and how they established a partnership for distribution.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we have conversation with Joe Johnson from Marxent. We discuss the distinct mindsets that it takes to work on both VR and AR, the challenges with processing the massive amount of data needed to have a productive system, and he lets us in on a way to present a completely new approach to art in the MOMA in NYC.
For more information on Marxent, be sure to check out - marxentlabs.com
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Welcome to the Software & Technology podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Software & Technology Industry! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in cryptocurrency, AI, IPs, innovative cross-industry tech, and everything in between.
On today's podcast, we have a conversation with Maris Ensing from Mad Systems. We discuss the inherent disconnect that VR presents to a museum visitor, the critical difference between a "presentation" at a museum and an "experience" at one, the strategy of using fewer touchscreens in an information-driven environment, and we formulate a list of museums that he would be happy to upgrade.
For more information on Mad Systems, be sure to check out - http://madsystems.com/
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we have a conversation with Thomas Lee from Jumdle. We discuss the challenges faced in developing VR vs AR, the rapid advancement in hardware and how it will impact AR, and Thomas approves of the "less is more" approach to Star Wars movies.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we have a conversation with Travis Mariea from Inventory Source. We talk about the way dropship is altering retail in general, how it opens up the industry for smaller merchants, the increased functionality of social media as an e-commerce option, and the dream goal of an actual universal product code.
For more information on Inventory Source, check out - inventorysource.com
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, I talk with Eddie Bugg from Schletter. We discuss the changing material usage in the industry, the increasing focus on construction efficiency, and a new application of technology that allows us to follow the sun.
For more information on Schletter, be sure to check out - schletter.us
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Energy Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we get to chat with Stephanie Gutnik from Broadsign. We discuss how they help clients manage the massive amount of data that they need to effectively communicate their message, the growing world of mobile displays, and the interesting approach to tailor a campaign based on real-time conditions.
For more information on Broadsign, be sure to check out - broadsign.com
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro A/V Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we have a chat with Michelle M Collins from A Non-Agency. We discuss the challenge of balancing rapid technological advancement and developmental lead-in, designing for the future, the changing relationship between technology and customers, and she accidentally announces a magnificent art/historical plan for the Empire State Building. (It's amazing.)
For more information on A Non-Agency, be sure to check out - anonagency.com
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro A/V Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we chat with Chris Lafayette from The Armada. We discuss the current state of VR, AR, and MR, the challenges that developers face when needing collaborative spaces, the future hurdles that VR faces, and just how important the human eye is in this whole calculation.
For more information on The Armada, be sure to check out - thearmada.co
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we speak with industry veteran Mike White from Unified AV. We discuss the importance of approaching a client with a value proposition instead of "another set of boxes", the common experience that many customers have had that leads them to rethink their entire approach to digital signage, and Mike leaves me hanging with an epic content tease for later this year. (Hint: We think it's in Atlanta. That's all we could get out of him.)
For more information on Unified AV, be sure to check out - unifiedav.com
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro A/V Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we get a chance to chat with Bryan Meszaros, the CEO of OpenEye Global. We discuss the move towards a more personal approach to the AV experience, the focus on the "storytelling" aspect of digital advertising, and we think he's about to start a new trend of holding all of board meetings at waterparks.
For more information on OpenEye Global, be sure to check out their website - openeyeglobal.com
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro A/V Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On our Energy podcast today we are joined by Judith Joan Walker, who heads up Operations for African Clean Energy! We not only learn how devastating cooking smoke is for the Sub-Saharan residents but also how financially depreciating it is as well as environmentally destructive. The good news is the people at ACE are doing amazing work in not only eliminating black carbon, but they also have a product that virtually eliminates smoke as well as over 50% of the costs associated with these cooking methods. Another thing we discuss is the trend of micro-finance and how this has ultimately enabled anybody to take the necessary steps needed to take the next step in cooking technology and solar energy.
For more information on African Clean Energy, check out their website - africancleanenergy.com
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Energy Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter - twitter.com/marketscale Facebook - facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, I chat with Brian Iwerks from Daktronics. We discuss the interesting connection between software and hardware in the industry, the inherent security concerns with increased data reliance and creation, the need to analyze that data properly, and how connectivity can increase efficiency in Pro A/V.
Be sure to check out Daktronics other awesome projects on their website - daktronics.com
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro A/V Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B! Twitter - twitter.com/marketscale Facebook - facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, we chat with Gary Fuller and Alison Maxson from Absen America. We discuss the relatively recent ideological changes in the industry, the approach they take in communicating (both speaking and listening) with their customers, the benefits a local infrastructure presents to a company, and we talk about a dream project for Gary.
For more information on Absen, be sure to check out their website - usabsen.com
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Professional A/V Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates! Twitter – twitter.com/marketscale Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
On today's podcast, I have a conversation with Kevin Collins from Diversified. We discuss the extremely wide influence the AV space is having across several industries, how transforming a clients' "dreams" into "done" is supremely satisfying, and Kevin gets the chance to bring a narrative touch to one of the most famous landmarks in the world. (He also has a few ideas for the Louvre, if they would like to get in touch with him.)
For more information on Diversified, check out diversifiedus.com
On today's podcast, we get to chat with Dr. Ravi Balasubramanian from Oregon State. We discuss the relationship that robotics and biomechanics share, the growing adaptation of robotics to the consumers' everyday tasks, and the impact that new advancements in materials play in robotic innovations.
At some point in time, you probably remember the days where everything wasn’t so integrated but now with the inception of all-in-one devices like the cell phone, this technology hasn’t just affected the cellular world.
Welcome to the Software & Technology podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Software & Technology Industry! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in cryptocurrency, AI, IPs, innovative cross-industry tech, and everything in between.
Welcome to the Software & Technology podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Software & Technology Industry! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in cryptocurrency, AI, IPs, innovative cross-industry tech, and everything in between.
This is the Energy podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way energy providers and innovators adapt to accommodate to the needs of those they serve! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of oil, wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear energy, and everything in between.
On today's podcast, I chat with Sam Kim, the CEO for KR8OS. We discuss the revolutionary idea of transparency in advertising tracking, the role of blockchain in transforming the ad industry, and the benefits of decentralized behavior, in general.
For more information on KR8OS, be sure to check out their website - kr8os.com
And for the best articles, interviews, videos, and podcasts from the Software & Electronics industry be sure to subscribe to our publication.
Welcome to the Industrial IoT podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Industrial IoT world. Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in technology, use-cases & applications, hurdles, and all things IoT.
On today's podcast, we have a chat with Thomas Hotze from Lonquist. We discuss the mechanics behind using salt caverns for storage, the growing potential in the oil and gas industry across the world, and we confirm our theory about the wasteful aspect of "gushers" in any movie about oil wells.
On today's podcast, we get the chance to chat with Cory Schaeffer from QSC. We discuss the importance of being able to actually hear each other in a meeting, the interesting evolution of the software approach to traditional hardware solutions, and Cory starts planning to wire the entire city of Dubai.
On today's podcast, we get to chat with Nolan Hill, the CEO of Highland West Energy. We discuss the impressive efficiency of natural gas usage (and its useful byproduct), the evolving attitudes towards natural gas, and we analyze a few trends in the energy industry that are making an impact in 2018.
On today's podcast, we chat with Glenn Woodruff from SolarTech. We discuss simple truths about the sun's consistency (and the fact that sunlight is hot), the challenges of dealing with that heat efficiently, the differences between black and... more black, and some steps to take to increase solar energy efficiency in the future.
LED is booming right now in the industry of Audio Visual with companies like Planar and Leyard continue to expand their inventory of LED Video Wall products which features a revolutionary pixel pitch of only 0.7 millimeters.
Welcome to the Industrial IoT podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Industrial IoT world. Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in technology, use-cases & applications, hurdles, and all things IoT.
On today's podcast, I talk with Chris Carson from SteadiReadi. We discuss the influence storytelling has on today's marketing strategies, how live streaming is a complete revolution in the industry, the financial ramifications of this new delivery model, and how new technologies are opening doors for the future of filmmaking.
On today's podcast, we get to learn from Hunter Gabbard from the LIGO-Virgo Space Collaboration. We discuss the increasing utility of machine learning in astrophysical research, the fact of just how sensitive planetary-based monitoring systems are, reinforce the brilliance of Albert Einstein, and look to the future for ways to better understand science today.
This is the Energy podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way energy providers and innovators adapt to accommodate to the needs of those they serve! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of oil, wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear energy, and everything in between.
Recently at the ever-popular AV event ISE 2018, Commercial Integrator conducted a survey stating that a surprising 80% of integrators have compiled some version or another of a global business strategy.
On today's podcast, we get a chance to speak with Karie Daudt from Insite Software. We discuss the impact of the e-commerce evolution on B2B, the ever-growing demand for efficiency in B2C, and how the younger generation is creating a mode of communication all their own.
For more information on Insite Software, check out insitesoft.com
On today's podcast, we get to chat with Alden Morris from KR8OS. We discuss a radical approach to advertising, the need for transparency in the industry, the fact that tech people can truly benefit from better "people skills", and how getting fired from a job can be a blessing, as opposed to a curse.
For more information on KR8OS, be sure to check out kr8os.com
This years Technology Innovation Design Experience Confereice encourages AV professionals to think about the design of their events. Many speakers at TIDE talked about how design is crucial to the future of AV.
Welcome to the Software & Technology podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Software & Technology Industry! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in cryptocurrency, AI, IPs, innovative cross-industry tech, and everything in between.
On today's podcast, I get the chance to talk to Eric Larsen with TEAC/TASCAM for the Americas. We discuss the interesting desire for analog experiences with digital technologies, how the tangible feel of something can influence the sound of it, the forward move to retro creative environments, and the artistic merit of GWAR.
This is the Energy podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way energy providers and innovators adapt to accommodate to the needs of those they serve! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of oil, wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear energy, and everything in between.
Welcome to the Pro AV podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in Professional Audio Visual! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we unpack the latest in everything from LED to Digital Content.
On today's podcast, we have a conversation with Rebecca Corliss from OWL Labs. We discuss a radical change in meeting room technology, a true shift in attitudes towards working from home, and how video is becoming more and more commonplace in the world of communication.
For more information on OWL Labs, check out owllabs.com
Welcome to the Industrial IoT podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Industrial IoT world. Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in technology, use-cases & applications, hurdles, and all things IoT.
On this episode of our Energy Podcast, we're going solar! Jack Roberts, who runs Business Development and Marketing for ARE Solar. We discuss his entrance into the renewable energy industry and how government mandated tariffs have recently impacted the Solar business. We also discuss the excitement of the Denver Green Roof initiative being passed this past November and how that will open up a lot of commercial and residential work for green and solar companies in the Denver/Boulder area. With these types of buildings putting out a lot of high energy consumption, it's very beneficial that they will now be equipped with green technology.
For more information on ARE Solar, check out aresolar.com
This is the Energy podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way energy providers and innovators adapt to accommodate to the needs of those they serve! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of oil, wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear energy, and everything in between.
On this episode of our Pro A/V Podcast, we get to catch up with Matt Abberderis, President of Ponto Solutions. We dive into all things digital signage, and topics of discussion include: how to explain to your clients the return on their investment when it comes to purchasing digital signage and even what their approach was when it came to making Beer Garden stick out in the Vegas strip! We also talk about the importance of taking the complexity out of digital signage and the value that it brings the customer when you're able to really simplify the process for them to control all aspects of their digital technology.
For more information on Ponto Solutions, be sure to check out their website - pontosolutions.com
This is the Sciences podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way scientists, aerospace professionals, chemical distributors, physicists and everyone in between adapt to new technology and industry insight! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of the sciences.
Welcome to the Software & Technology podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Software & Technology Industry! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in cryptocurrency, AI, IPs, innovative cross-industry tech, and everything in between.
In today's podcast, we talk with Enrique Sotomayor from Cryptoconomy. We discuss the growing cryptocurrency ecosystem, the challenges and strengths of cryptocurrency, and the difference between "price" and "value" as financial concepts.
Welcome to the Industrial IoT podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Industrial IoT world. Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in technology, use-cases & applications, hurdles, and all things IoT.
We're really excited to have Brad Plothow, Head of Marketing & Communications from Womply on the show today. We discuss various issues affecting the world of small business. We also discuss why actual business performance is under more scrutiny rather than metrics and even talk about why smaller businesses really need to take ownership of their online presence on sites like Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor, etc. Automation is definitely key here in this society considering that if you have a small business and you can't seem to find the time of the day to manage everything like reputation, revenue, or your customers, companies like Womply give you the technology to truly have an automatic business.
For more information on Womply, be sure to check out their website - womply.com
Welcome to the Industrial IoT podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Industrial IoT world. Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in technology, use-cases & applications, hurdles, and all things IoT.
This is the Energy podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way energy providers and innovators adapt to accommodate to the needs of those they serve! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of oil, wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear energy, and everything in between.
On this episode of our Pro A/V Podcast, we get to have a chat with Patty McGoldrick, who recently recieved the 2017 Women in AV Award from InfoComm (which is now AVIXA). We dive deep into the issues of employees vs. independent contractors and how the industry is moving more and more towards a gig economy. Another topic of discussion is Patty's solution to these issues with her companies "gig economy" website where it not only handles the booking side of things, but payroll, benefits, projects, and the whole nine yards!
For more information on Immediate Connections, be sure to check out their website! http://immediateconnections.com/
Welcome to the Software & Technology podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Software & Technology Industry! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in cryptocurrency, AI, IPs, innovative cross-industry tech, and everything in between.
Welcome to the Industrial IoT podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Industrial IoT world. Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in technology, use-cases & applications, hurdles, and all things IoT.
This is the Energy podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way energy providers and innovators adapt to accommodate to the needs of those they serve! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of oil, wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear energy, and everything in between.
Welcome to the Industrial IoT podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Industrial IoT world. Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in technology, use-cases & applications, hurdles, and all things IoT.
This is the Sciences podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way scientists, aerospace professionals, chemical distributors, physicists and everyone in between adapt to new technology and industry insight! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of the sciences.
On this episode of our Software & Electronics Podcast, we're joined by Brian Hoang & Marwan Kodeih of Imosis! We get to talk with them about emerging trends within the AR/VR space in terms of influencing the business world, training mediums, and how adaptable the tech is for different industries. We also dive deep into some of the exciting projects that their company is currently working on while utilizing the evolution that they're seeing in the industry.
Keep up with what they're doing by following their business pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well as LinkedIn.
http://immosis.com/
In a recent study, nearly half of NSCA members claim that AV recruiting is indeed the biggest issue they face today. Ironically, half of the NSCA’s total membership group said they had never heard of the Ignite Program, which is designed in recruiting more and more new talent into AV.
On this episode of our Software & Electronics Podcast, we get to speak with John Ryan from ORM Technologies. We discuss the importance (and often the invisibility) of medium-sized businesses in the United States, the drastically large improvements that come with properly using analytics in business, and the delicate balance of the need for security and the desire to personalize when working with personal data.
Welcome to the Industrial IoT podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Industrial IoT world. Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in technology, use-cases & applications, hurdles, and all things IoT.
Welcome to the Industrial IoT podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Industrial IoT world. Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in technology, use-cases & applications, hurdles, and all things IoT.
This is the Energy podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way energy providers and innovators adapt to accommodate to the needs of those they serve! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of oil, wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear energy, and everything in between.
This is the Sciences podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way scientists, aerospace professionals, chemical distributors, physicists and everyone in between adapt to new technology and industry insight! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of the sciences.
This is the Energy podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way energy providers and innovators adapt to accommodate to the needs of those they serve! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of oil, wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear energy, and everything in between.
Moody Gardens, a popular educational tourist destination in Galveston, Texas has brought a dynamic new display to the lobby of their Aquarium Pyramid. Exhibit designer, 1120 Exhibits, decided to change the projects plans and install a FLEXLite NXG LED video wall system from PixelFLEX.
Tired of big broadband companies meddling in their business and blocking any other consumer options, the town of Fort Collins, Colorado is fighting back. According to an article by Jon Brodkin for arstechnica.com, the city council has overwhelming votes in favor of building their own broadband network with gigabit speeds and staying neutral without data caps. Once built, the city promises a better price plan and privacy versus the bigger broadband that tried lobbying aggressively against it because the city claimed they were spreading misinformation to the voters through their ISPs.
On this episode of our Energy Podcast, we get the chance to chat with Johnny Wood from KPS Global. We discuss the evolution of cold storage solutions, how Amazon is changing grocery shopping, the wide range of industries that need controllable environments for storage, and we may have renamed the entire industry.
For more information on KPS Global – be sure to check out their https://kpsglobal.com/
This is the Energy podcast, by MarketScale. Here, we dive into the latest trends and news that revolutionizes the way energy providers and innovators adapt to accommodate to the needs of those they serve! Tune in for interviews with trend-setting thought leaders who provide compelling insights into the future of oil, wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear energy, and everything in between.
Fiberguide’s focus on practical Fiber Optic solutions means they are able to customize and create solutions for a wide variety of clients spanning multiple industries. From digital projections, to welding sheet metal, fiber laser based devices are doing jobs for a fraction of the price that it used to be. The real innovation is in electronics, handling, and multiplexing, that can seamlessly transfer data through multiple lines of cable and the new devices that are able to intelligently switch from line to line.
Find out how Fiberguide gets to use these new technologies and innovate every new project they get to work on. We’ll delve into the science of fiber optic cables and the transfer of light, sensory analytic capabilities of embedded fiber optics, and the longevity of fiber optic cables. From the micro to the macro, we talk about smaller particles that make up the basis of the large particles that we see everyday in communications.
This week on our PRO AV Podcast, we chat with Mike Derby, the founder of AvaLAN Wireless. We get Mike’s hot take on the of Internet of Things in industries and cross-industries, and AvaLAN’s role in this interconnectivity. We delve into new technology requirements in security and how data is coming across wireless connectivity, and answering the burning questions of how data is secured on the networking side. AvaLAN’s role in fuel-center products and security is evolving the process in how consumers’ information is kept private and secured through chip card readers at the pump and eradicating challenges the fuel industry are faced with. Ethernet helps to check credentials, keeps information secured to the network, and organizes that information to get it where it needs to be. What are we moving towards in the next 3-5 years? Where is the future of interconnectivity going, and what are companies like AvaLAN doing to protect the integrity of personal information as it’s transferred through an ethernet cable?
This week on our PRO AV Podcast, we chat with Mike Derby, the founder of AvaLAN Wireless. We get Mike’s hot take on the of Internet of Things in industries and cross-industries, and AvaLAN’s role in this interconnectivity. We delve into new technology requirements in security and how data is coming across wireless connectivity, and answering the burning questions of how data is secured on the networking side.
AvaLAN’s role in fuel-center products and security is evolving the process in how consumers’ information is kept private and secured through chip card readers at the pump and eradicating challenges the fuel industry are faced with. Ethernet helps to check credentials, keeps information secured to the network, and organizes that information to get it where it needs to be.
What are we moving towards in the next 3-5 years? Where is the future of interconnectivity going, and what are companies like AvaLAN doing to protect the integrity of personal information as it’s transferred through an ethernet cable?
Today I chat with Stuart Sikes from People Power Company. We discuss the accelerated growth of IoT on a general scale, the developments within the smart home space, and look ahead to possible areas where this technology could save lives on a daily basis.
Today I get to chat with Undrea Patterson from Multitech. We discuss the evolution of IoT, challenges with the need for widespread adoption across multiple industries, and the arrival of the internet age for corn and cattle.
On this weeks episode of our Pro A/V podcast we're joined by Trey Merritt, Rigging Manager for Elite Multimedia, to discuss the difficult situation out of Brazil where a stage collapsed and took the life of a DJ on stage. As we look back on this tragedy, it should serve as a reminder to anybody in this industry as a reason to go above and beyond when it comes to safety. Other topics of discussion include proper rigging techniques, what's the right balance when it comes to weighing the entertainment and safety side of things, and how the A/V industry has completely made a 180-degree turn in this area over the last 6 years!
On this weeks episode of our Pro A/V podcast, we feature Scott Schoenberger, Executive Vice President of Marketing for Bluewater Technologies Group. We take a deep dive into the world of "tech-oration", where we're seeing industries like architecture working alongside A/V solutions companies to implement higher level communications tech into the design phase of planning large-scale projects. Scott insights into how these elements are coming together to provide an experience show us that experiential marketing is something to be looking for in 2018.
On this episode of our Pro A/V Podcast, we get an inside scoop on the rich history of Baker Audio Visual, a pioneer in the A/V industry. From providing the audio equipment for an iconic Beatles performance to the recent work they've been doing for The Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Baker Audio Visual has played a pivotal role in designing the solutions that work.
On this episode of our Software & Electronics Podcast, we get to chat with Michael Dowgert, Vice President of Sales at CropX. Farming, one of the cornerstones of the United States economy, is an industry that is constantly innovating. Whether it be a new farming technique, an irrigation innovation, or a new piece of tech to improve crop yields, the world of commercial farming is changing every day. From genetics to fertilizer, Michael delves into the "Internet of Soil" and how data can help to better manage your farming business.
On this episode of the Pro A/V podcast, we have the chance to chat with Jason Young, Senior Channel Technical Manager of Samsung Electronics America. Jason leads us through the world of digital signage, and how it plays a major role in the fan experience in the world of sports. As consumer electronics continue to advance, the incentives for watching sports in person are becoming few and far between, and the display industry has had to adapt. With new advancements in digital signage, jumbotrons are becoming larger, smarter, more interactive, and a major game changer when it comes to the fan experience.
In the first episode of a two part series focusing on Daktronic’s installation of the new Piccadilly Lights in London, we have a conversation with Patrick Halliwell, Managing Director, who takes us inside the thought process that brought the new installation to light. Patrick describes, the new concept, the idea of always looking for re-invention, the power of content, and what it felt like to turn the lights off in Piccadilly Circus for the first time since World War II during the eleven month project. You can learn more about Daktronic’s amazing work in the iconic Piccadilly Circus as well as other projects across the globe by visiting www.daktronics.com/piccadillylights.
In the second half of our two-part series on Daktronics’ installation of the Piccadilly Lights, we speak with Rahman Amin, the Senior Project Manager on the project. He takes us deep into the specs and engineering that went into the installation of the video wall and how the team was able to implement the vision. 780 sq. meters, 640 display cabinets, stunning 4k, and one seamless video wall. Or in British terms: Four Double Decker busses high and wide, the length of 55 phone booths, eight British footguards tall, and one seamless video wall. Listen in as Rahman talks about the tech behind the content.
You can learn more about Daktronics’ amazing work in the iconic Piccadilly Circus as well as other projects across the globe by visiting www.daktronics.com/piccadillylights.
We sat down with David Venus and touched on everything A-Z in LED. David hits us with some stats that will make you think, tips for how to maximize your spend when adding an LED wall, how brick and mortar retail might have a fighting chance, and what we can expect in the very near future.
Today on the podcast, I have a chat with Myke Ireland from ENGIE Services in Melbourne, Australia. We discuss how his music background gives him a different perspective on the Pro AV industry, and how creative thinkers are driving technological advancements.
Internet of Things, or IoT, is what most companies are starting to implement but what is it and how safe is it? IoT, to put it simply, is the ability of things to communicate and share data with each other. Basically, your smart refrigerator can connect to that bracelet on your wrist that tracks your steps and share data. With that said, companies want to implement iot with certain projects and stay ahead of the curve of improving productivity with more precise data collected. 94% of IT professionals from organizations are embracing (IoT) initiatives to stay competitive, but most have admitted to having encountered barriers according to research carried out by Vanson Bourne and reported by helpnetsecurity.com. The main two barriers are security and cost. The overhaul of changing out equipment to meet these standards can be expensive so that’s understandable. With advancement of hacks that happen within todays time, security is a valuable concern. Updates constantly being added to all of technology can cause the iot to replace in a matter of days and, once again, to be costly and have the security vulnerable. It’s not all frightening, the research also found that the benefits of IoT cite better business efficiency at 54%, 45% have seen lower costs and 41% higher customer satisfaction. IoT’s may seem scary but these show a positive direction in the technological age.
Astronomers have discovered a new SUPER EARTH planet that could be the next frontier. K2-18b was originally discovered in 2015 but after further study by astronomers has been categorized as a SUPER EARTH planet. Right now, scientists have narrowed down the planets makeup to being either mostly rocky with a gaseous atmosphere like Earth OR a water planet with thick layers of ice covering its surface. “With the current data, we can’t distinguish between those two possibilities,” says Ryan Cloutie, PhD student at University of Toronto Scarborough. “But with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope we can probe the atmosphere and see whether it has an extensive atmosphere or it’s a planet covered in water.” It’s sounds like the next Earth is in a galaxy not so far away after all.
Welcome to the Software & Technology podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Software & Technology Industry! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in cryptocurrency, AI, IPs, innovative cross-industry tech, and everything in between.
If you’ve been on any sort of social media or news outlet recently, you’ve heard about the rising popularity of this brand-new form of currency known as Bitcoin. However, you may not be aware that while value for Bitcoin is rising, it’s also consuming an astronomical amount of energy to the point where it’s providing high environmental concerns.
Competition is in the air at Manchester University and it’s all about Industry 4.0! A brand-new IoT competition is in the midst and is also known as the Digital Innovation Challenge, which tasks its participants with developing new-found solutions for the future ahead in Industry 4.0.
Things are alive at MIT these days, even tattoos! Recently, it was a team over at the university that was experimenting with genetically modified bacteria cells that led them into creating a new technique of 3D printing regarding tattoo design. It was through this concept that something special occurred, a living tattoo that provided varied responses based on different provocations.
On today's podcast, we get to speak with Ryan Moore, discussing the dangers of water vs salt water, and the future of protecting our electronic lives.
On this episode, we sit down for an in-depth chat with Sarah White, Creative Director for D3 LED. From all the different industries D3 has serviced, one recent project stood out from the rest and needed to be discussed: the dynamic space installation for Netflix’s new headquarters. Creating original content for the kings of content is no easy task, so how did D3 convince Netflix to trust their vision, and what new technology was used? Sarah explains AEPIMS and how LED will never be the same.
On today's episode, Marx Coxon of Barco discuss the realities of virtual reality, how the gaming industry is leading the way for technological advances.
On today's episode we have Anthony Coppedge on the show to debunk some of the various myths facing A/V integration in the House of Worship space, and how most of the industry is missing out on one of the highest growing sectors of the A/V world.
On this episode we get to chat with Brent Stevens of Daktronics on their most innovative project yet: the 360° Halo Display for the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Incorporating next level LED panel technology, this project is one of the most interesting developments in the world of Pro A/V.
Welcome to the Pro AV podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in Professional Audio Visual! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we unpack the latest in everything from LED to Digital Content.
Welcome to the Pro AV podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in Professional Audio Visual! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we unpack the latest in everything from LED to Digital Content.
Welcome to the Pro AV podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in Professional Audio Visual! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we unpack the latest in everything from LED to Digital Content.
Welcome to the Pro AV podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in Professional Audio Visual! Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we unpack the latest in everything from LED to Digital Content.
Today, I have the chance to speak with David Kung, VP of Product Strategy with Oblong. David explained how they have brought aspects of the movie, "The Minority Report", to life, effectively shrunk the planet, all while increasing the power of teamwork. Also, I'm fairly certain that I may have convinced him to commit to building me a Star Trek holodeck."
Welcome to the Industrial IoT podcast, by MarketScale: Your home for everything B2B in the Industrial IoT world. Join us for new episodes every week featuring conversations with industry leaders as we explore trends in technology, use-cases & applications, hurdles, and all things IoT.
The most complex electrical system on earth just became slightly more visible due to the efforts of researchers in the Pacific Northwest.
The Internet of Things is poised to make a quantum jump in manufacturing usage worldwide over the next 5 years.
It has finally happened, scientists have found out what happens when small atom dopants in lattices use positron annihilation spectroscopy made from larger atoms using the miracle of mathematical modelling. The surprising fact learned from this experiment utilizing a variety GaN crystal types was that even though a direct route wasn’t necessarily found throughout the process, it provided another route that extends the applications of more than just GaN.
With the rise of U.S. Production as well as Middle Eastern tensions on the rise in the Oil Industry, prices have surprisingly remained stable. Despite apprehension regarding the potential output increase, middle eastern tensions have actually proven to support the market.
Harry Shaub has been working in the audio industry as a tour manager for a band and has since transitioned to become the Head of Audio at Elite Multimedia. On this episode of Pro A/V brought to you by MarketScale we dive into the in's and out's of the audio industry, from acoustics, to just how those engineers keep your favorite popstar in the right key.
On today's episode we have Matt Isler, a member of the Microsoft Developer Team, who talks about how Microsoft is pushing technology further in the worlds of audio, video, and computing. We talked about the rapid technological advances taking place in both the software and hardware worlds, how technology is evolving to enable creative processes, and how we just might be living in a Star Trek universe.
Ron Devoe, President of Total Marketing LLC. joins the show to tell us what to expect this week at Total Marketing's 2017 Fall Solutions Showcase! Top brands like Contemporary Research, Lumens, Crimson, and many more will be out to display their latest A/V products so make sure you sign up today!
Time is running out as it starts Wednesday of this week at the DoubleTree Hilton in Dallas by the Galleria! Sign up today at: totalmktg.com!
According to the IEA, Oil Consumption and Demand is predicted to remain a strong force well into the 2040’s despite speculation about the recent popularity boost of electric car sales. In their 2017 World Energy Outlook report published this past week, they state that four major factors will reshape the landscape of the global energy industry over the next 20 years.
The company Bsquare which provides Industrial IoT solutions recently put out a study titled, “2017 Annual IIoT Maturity Study” which displayed the fact that Industrial IoT is growing at an astounding rate and should be taken seriously.
Today we have joining us Brian Good, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for iPoint Solutions, and they are trying to make the A/V Business world a little bit easier.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
There is a new discovery that is so powerful, yet so terrifying, it almost wasn’t published. That is, until they realized it’s implications just aren’t possible.
The Healthcare industry is always changing, and always trying to find better ways to educate patients. They are also trying to find the best ways to educate potential doctors, surgeons, nurses, and other medical professionals.
Despite a shift in market conditions, the research company Futuresource Consulting estimates the pro speaker market will grow by $1 billion by 2021. Currently, they are valuing it at $2.6 billion globally, but in their recent study, they state that the industry is about to face some demands that will provide new manufacturing opportunities.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
The race to cure cancer is an ongoing battle. New research may be showing positive signs for it’s eradication. Researchers with Northwestern University in Illinois may have found a way to kill cancer cells.
Follow us on Twitter @ScienceTodayNow for daily updates!
Up until this point, most electronics ran off of an actual electronic signal inside the circuitry of your device. But lately, some companies have been trying to make those circuits optical-based CMOS chips, not electrical based.
Follow us on Twitter @SElectronicsNow for daily news updates!
Drones are becoming more and more popular these days. While the technology is still relatively new, the push for drones has increased dramatically over the last few years. However, now other industries are starting to take notice of the technology, and they are starting to utilize them for work rather than play.
Find us on Twitter @SElectronicsNow for daily news updates!
We see them every day. The white puffy things in the sky that bring us shade on the hot days, and rain on the dry days. However, clouds in the sky are doing more for us than just that, but that could be changing.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @ScienceTodayNow for daily news updates!
Satellite service provider Dish Network has quietly (or not so quietly) spent $20 billion purchasing large chunks of the licensed cellular network spectrum. Indeed, Dish now owns more of the low-, mid- and high-band licensed spectrum than any of the major mobile carriers from Verizon to AT&T to T-Mobile.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
Today we take to the skies... kind of. We are talking about drones on this episode, and we have joining us today Mr. Mike Dziok, who is the marketing director for Microdrones, a company specializing in high performance, professional quadcopters.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @SElectronicsNow for daily news updates!
Researchers may have found a link between the organisms in your body, and how you react to cancer treatments.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @ScienceTodayNow for daily news updates!
Researchers have been trying to do it for quite some time, and now they may be one step closer. Thanks to research into aquatic life, electronic skin has now taken a huge leap forward in development.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @ScienceTodayNow for daily news updates!
Researchers have been trying to do it for quite some time, and now they may be one step closer. Thanks to research into aquatic life, electronic skin has now taken a huge leap forward in development.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter #@SElectronicsNow for daily news updates!
You are constantly using technology. Whether it be your phone, your computer, your TV, and even the device you are listening to this on. The issue has always been battery life. SAI has developed a software that will help manufacturers design devices that use the least amount of energy they can.
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SElectronicsNow for daily news updates!
Toys “R” Us is trying to reclaim its coveted spot at the top of retail toy empires, and despite reorganizing under bankruptcy protection, several significant efforts were made in October. On top of reinventing the in-store experience by unveiling the free-to-play augmented reality (AR) app known as Play Chaser in locations nationwide.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av!
We have the pleasure to having Mark Coxon, the Regional Sales Manager for Barco join the show today to not only share about the latest news happening on his side of the industry, but also some components to ensure your next video wall is a success!
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
Transforming London into an adventure playground for all ages, the Hop-on Hop-off Treasure Hunt app brings London’s most iconic landmarks to life through the intuitive AR design as the user hunts for the missing crown jewels.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
Today we dive deep into the field of electronics. So deep, that we are getting into the actual electronic design of devices, and here to talk with us is a director with SAI and CEO of Conidae Investments, Mr. Brent Waller.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @SElectronicsNow for more S&E News daily!
3D Technology is something that has started popping up a lot lately. Whether it be 3D printing, 3D movies, and even 3D video games. But now, car manufactures are hoping to start putting the same technology into the driving experience.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @SElectronicsNow for more S&E news every day! Also keep up with our latest news articles at marketscale.com!
Earthquakes are one of Earth’s most destructive forces, mainly because they are not very predictable. However, a group of scientists may have figured out a way to at least see if some of the tectonic plates are getting ready to unleash havoc, or if they already have.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @ScienceTodayNow for more science news each and every day! Also read our publication at marketscale.com!
In 2015 Mercedes-Benz became the naming rights partner and principal sponsor of the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Germany; formerly O2 World. Following investment from its new principal sponsor, AEG chose to upgrade the venue’s technology infrastructure, with a new IPTV and digital signage system. Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av!
No one knows how big space truly is, what all is out there, and the processes of how it all formed in the first place. There are many questions that astronomers are trying to answer every day about the universe, but they may have just answered one.
Follow us on Twitter @ScienceTodayNow and make sure to keep up with the latest news by reading our publication at marketscale.com!
Braille is a skill that is becoming less used every day, mostly because of today’s technology. Tablets, computers and other devices can now read sentences aloud for the blind to hear, even if they aren’t pre-programmed recordings. However, while technology may be causing the demise for braille, it may actually be helping it too.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @MarketScaleELEC and read all the latest industry news at marketscale.com!
According to a new report by Markets and Markets, North America is expected to hold the largest share of the wireless display market between 2017 and 2023. It valued the wireless display market at USD 2.86 Billion in 2017 and expected it to reach 5.38 Billion by 2023, growing at an astounding rate of 11.1% CAGR between 2017 and 2023.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
Recently we were joined by Jonathan Brawn but now we are joined by his father, Founder/Owner of Brawn Consulting, Alan Brawn! He calls into the show today to discuss some key elements of Digital Signage in the industry as well as highlights a new/old Display technology: Direct View LED.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
Our guest this week is Lance Gordon, co-owner of Soundcheck Technologies, and he knows his way around a soundboard. His company has installed and run sound for countless companies and industries across the U.S, and he has installed and run sound for the 2006 and 2010 Olympics. He says that changing technologies in the industry are very beneficial.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
We're back this week for part 2 of our interview with Bryce Button, the Director of Product Marketing for AJA as he shares with us his incredible background in the industry as well as some key elements of HDR! He also guides us on where Broadcast IP is headed and how companies will soon utilize live streaming in their businesses.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVNOW and read our publication at marketscale.com!
This week we have the pleasure of having Jonathan Brawn from Brawn Consulting to talk about his early start in the A/V industry and the emergence & affordability of LED in the market today.
Catch up on all the latest episodes of Pro A/V Now by following us on Twitter @ProAVNOW and read our constantly updated publication at marketscale.com!
You’ve probably seen them before. The pickup truck pulling behind it a trailer with a digital sign on it with rotating ads, bright colors and it’s very catching to the eye. In London, people are going to start seeing a lot more of that technology thanks to Exterion Media’s new tech.
Make sure to keep up with all of the latest episodes of Pro A/V NOW by following us on Twitter @ProAVNOW and read our publication at marketscale.com!
Over the years, virtual reality technology has improved so much that insurance companies are starting to experiment with VR headsets like Facebook’s Oculus Rift. Farmers Insurance, which is affiliated with Swiss giant Zurich Insurance Group, has started a major initiative to train its army of claims adjusters with the help of Oculus Rift headsets.
Follow us on Twitter @ProAVNOW and read the latest industry news and updates on our publication at marketscale.com!
This week, I'm joined by Bryce Button, the Director of Product Marketing for AJA as he shares with us his incredible background in the industry as well as some key elements of HDR! He also guides us on where Broadcast IP is headed and how companies will soon utilize live streaming in their businesses.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
The New Mexico Museum of Space History wanted to update its planetarium theatre which had previously been utilizing a dual IMAX projection system. However, their goal in mind was to eventually upgrade to a single system that could project a broader diversity of vivid content across its 360-degree, 40-foot dome screen. Tune in to hear the whole story!
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
On this Pro A/V Minute, Andrew Herzog speaks with Clarus VP of Marketing, Bryce Stuckenschneider about the future of where Clarus is headed in terms of glass-board technology!
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
In this week's episode, we're joined by Kelly Perkins, the Marketing & Communications Director of AVI Systems! We talk about the marketing aspect of Pro A/V and what companies need to know as they look at investing in content paradigms and market strategies.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
Amtrak and Intersection have partnered to install twelve 65-inch digital displays in New York City’s Pennsylvania Station, marking Amtrak’s first digital expansion into the concourse of New York Penn Station.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
We're excited to have Rich Pierro, co-CEO of Premier Mounts join the show this week and share his expertise on the Top 5 Future Trends of Digital Signage and where it's headed next!
Here's the article we were discussing this episode: https://www.digitalsignagetoday.com/blogs/5-digital-signage-future-trends-set-to-change-the-market/
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
AVIXA recently released it's PRO-AV Sales Index and it displayed some good and bad news. Sales remain strong and show steady growth, but opportunities for employment consistently were heading downward. Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out - marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
We're excited to have Paul Hughes, National Sales Manager of ThinkSign join the show this week and share his expertise on the future of LED & Digital Signage in the markets around us.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about Pro A/V check out marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
The latest attraction at The Dubai Mall can't be missed! The new curved video wall above the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo measures a stunning 700 square meters with 1.7 billion pixels on 820 OLED displays!
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about the Pro A/V industry check out -marketscale.com/industries/pro-av
With the resurgence of projectors taking over the market, the question we must ask ourselves as AV professionals is what’s next?
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @ProAVMKT as well as rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!
For more articles, videos, and news about Pro A/V check out marketscale.com/industries/pro-av