As we navigate the reasons to get together in person, collaboration seems to be one of the main terms used as to why we still need physical spaces. We’ve seen a multitude of solutions pop up in this arena, typically consisting of a screen, cameras, microphone, speakers and screen sharing software. Some systems take this […]

THE rAVe Agency and HB Live Inc., a full-service event production company, have partnered to create LAVNCH HYBRID, an on-site and remote event production resource. LAVNCH combines virtual events, press conferences, shows, meetings, webinars and a publication to grab the audience’s attention — both in person and virtually. THE rAVe Agency unveiled LAVNCH nearly two […]

Magnima released the AirPoint Ring, a wireless wearable mouse ring designed for teachers, trainers and presenters. The AirPoint Ring is a wireless wearable mouse that offers dual surface and air tracking, allowing users to change slides with air gestures. It also allows apps on a connected Mac, Windows, iPad or tablet to be controlled wirelessly. The […]

In late December, a flaw in software that is ubiquitous around the world was reported, and it sent cybersecurity pros into a frenzy and turned the hairs of technology pros gray. There are countless articles about this vulnerability, so I am not going to go deep into the technology of what occurs. Here is what […]

AVI-SPL announced a formal agreement to acquire SKC Communications, a Kansas City-based collaboration technology company, bringing together two companies focused on UCC. SKC’s expertise in cloud voice services and unified communications-as-a-service (UCaaS) adds to AVI-SPL’s solutions portfolio that enables hybrid work strategies. SKC will bring voice communication solutions such as IP telephony and headsets to […]

After all the guessing, prognostication and assumptions, it actually happened. InfoComm 2021 took place in Orlando the last week in October. What surprised me most during the event was the social media banter that went back and forth between the “should” and “should not” crowds. That is those who thought that AVIXA “should have” InfoComm […]

By Bryce Dunn Audinate Supply chains — once solely the domain of product managers and procurement specialists — are now being discussed in the evening news as disruptions impact the availability of a wide range of consumer and commercial goods. Semiconductors, in particular, have been affected by a significant uptick in demand that has not […]

What YOU Can Do To Prevent Hackers From Hijacking Your Smart Device’s Microphone   For each column in this series, rAVe writer Paul Konikowski takes a deeper dive into a recent security event or data breach, shedding light on supply chain vulnerabilities, infrastructure and cyber-physical security. OMG, did you watch the Apple “Unleashed” stream? No, not the […]

First, let me say this was an extremely difficult list to narrow down to only 10. Not to mention the struggle for what goes first and what goes last. But, in my experience, these are the top 10 reasons for a career in AV! 1. Job Security I’ve been doing this for 20+ years now. […]

In Part 1 of my “Simple Expectations of InfoComm 2021” series of blogs, I explained some of the elements of how InfoComm 2021 will be like no other InfoComm we’ve had in history — for OBVIOUS reasons. In part 2, I explained why showing only one product in your booth is critical to success at InfoComm […]

Over the past couple of months, we have seen some in-person conferences begin to resume. The biggest in our industry, InfoComm, is coming up in just a few weeks. AVIXA has been very clear that unless it is told by authorities to cancel the show, the show will go on in person. Yet, there are […]

Nominations for the Readers’ Choice Awards have now closed. Our next step is that we will open up voting for your favorite companies, products and more — so keep a lookout for next steps. We’ll announce the winners during rePLAY 2021 on Nov. 2-4, 2021. To learn more about rePLAY 2021 and to register, visit […]

One of the reasons I advocate for internship and apprenticeship opportunities for young people is because of the opportunities that I experienced myself as a young person starting out. When I graduated from high school, I enrolled in the tech program in college to become a chemical engineer.  I applied for and joined an organization […]

Over the past several months at my institution, we have been implementing a new Information Technology Service Management Tool (ITSM). After looking at several different products, we chose to go forward with TeamDynamix. The cost is reasonable (not cheap, but reasonable), even for small higher ed institutions (like us). Cost was a factor in our […]

PPDS announced the appointment of Patrick VanTreese as its new education sales manager for North America. VanTreese will be responsible for developing and executing the company’s education division for PPDS in North America. Using his expertise in the EDU space, he is tasked with creating new business opportunities, partnerships, relationships and revenue streams while also […]

THE rAVe Agency just announced Megan A. Dutta as emerging markets director. Dutta brings more than 15 years of marketing, communications and leadership success to THE rAVe Agency. She will be instrumental in expanding rAVe LAVNCH to emerging markets and technologies. Dutta — former content director for Systems Contractor News (SCN) and Digital Signage Magazine, both […]

What motivates a hacker or group of cyberattackers? The answer is typically money. For each column in this series, rAVe writer Paul Konikowski takes a deeper dive into a recent security event or data breach, shedding light on supply chain vulnerabilities, infrastructure and cyber-physical security. The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack in May of 2021 caused […]

I took my third business trip post-vaccination today and headed up to New York City for Sony’s first-ever AV Tech Expo at its 25 Madison Ave. location. I’d say it was worth the masking, walking and mouth-sweating (inside the mask). The expo was primarily focused on the new B (for high-brightness) and C (for high-contrast) […]

Why did the pipeline get shut down if the hackers only attacked the business end?  For each column in this series, rAVe writer Paul Konikowski takes a deeper dive into a recent security event or data breach, shedding light on supply chain vulnerabilities, infrastructure and cyber-physical security. By now, most people heard about the Colonial […]

We’re fewer than 100 days from InfoComm 2021 week — the first InfoComm since 2019 and the first time two InfoComm shows will be in the same town two times in a row in over 20 years. I don’t think we need to review how and why we came to where we are with this […]

The yet-to-be-renamed Digital Signage Expo (or DSE) will take place March 21-23, 2022 in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Convention Center; now part of the Questex family of shows. The new DSE will be co-located with the Bar & Restaurant Expo (formerly Nightclub & Bar Show) and be aimed at an end-user audience, not […]

There’s no Anna Kendrick, but in many ways, it’s like a Hollywood movie. The collaborative presentation platform Pitch just raised $85 million more. Pitch began as just another startup in Berlin; it set out in 2018 to change the way we present and collaborate. Not exactly a new and novel idea. Hundreds of companies have […]

After a more than two-year hiatus (and you know why), InfoComm 2021 registration is finally open! Set for October 27-29, the show will be in its most familiar location: Orlando, Florida. For the first time in history, the show will be in the fall. This year marks the 24th time the show has been hosted […]

Remember way back when, when phone calls didn’t include video? I miss these days. Unbeknownst to my clients — sans the occasional siren or Harley Davidson motorcyclist, there were many, many times where I would jump on a call with them and walk, and walk and walk while strategizing. I loved it. Not only was […]

Chances are, you’ve heard of the Newline FLEX — we even covered it last year when it was first unveiled on the market. The Newline FLEX is a solution completely designed for desktop collaboration. The 27-inch monitor includes capacitive touch, full device touchback capability (with palm rejection), USB Type C connectivity (with power) and an […]

By Claire Kerrison Futuresource Consulting The outbreak of COVID-19 forced higher education campuses across the world to adopt distance learning overnight. “The education technology industry has been one of the few to witness growth as a direct result of COVID-19,” said Claire Kerrison, senior market analyst, Futuresource Consulting. “This is reflected in the Futuresource Higher […]

Do not underestimate what I am about to tell you. In case you haven’t been reading the tech sections of the newspapers lately, there’s a global semiconductor shortage (branded as the “chip shortage of 2021”) and, although it hasn’t affected our market yet, it will, starting in late July. So, who cares? Well, you’d better, […]

HD Distributing just hired Mark Coxon as its new Western regional sales director. Coxon will manage the HD sales efforts in the Western region, with an emphasis on the direct-view LED market.   Coxon will be responsible for driving revenue and increasing awareness across all of HD Distributing’s LED-focused solution set. He will also oversee rollouts […]

ZeeVee is upgrading its ZyPer Management Platform with new multiview, preset and grid features (aka: integrating rAVe’s own Gary Kayye’s “Digital Canvas” concept into its AV-over-IP platform). Version 2.2, designed for the company’s ZyPer4K (SDVoE, uncompressed 4K, 10 Gbps) and ZyPerUHD (JPEG2000, compressed, 1 Gbps) AV-over-IP encoders and decoders, enables source content to be simply […]

On March 31, THE rAVe Agency Founder and Director Gary Kayye was joined by ViewSonic’s Ryan Strayer, Dan Sharpe and Chris Graefe for another installment of our LAVNCH & LEARN sessions. The session — titled “Collaborative Education and Workplace Solutions” — aimed to discuss ViewSonic’s exciting new products designed to foster collaboration in workplace and […]

While ProAV Day of LAVNCH WEEK 3.0 went exceedingly well (if you missed it, catch up here), we have to say we were equally excited about Wednesday’s End User Day. End users are a passionate and devoted audience in AV, UCC and Digital Signage, involved in verticals from higher ed to corporate to events and […]

Being a technology manager in AV has been a wild ride. For years, many of us have felt like we were crashing the party. At first, we were not welcome at InfoComm, then that slowly changed. Then, when manufacturers started communicating directly with us, visiting us on-site, offering training, etc., integrators were not happy. Then […]