Eliminating Barriers to Adoption in Higher Education Technology
The pace of digital transformation in higher education has accelerated immeasurably over the past three years. To complement video lectures and engage students in virtual classrooms, higher education facilities have adopted technologies to accelerate interactivity and hybrid models of online and in-person learning. The new technologies have changed learning, teaching and assessment and have become […]
rePLAY CEDIA Expo 2023 Wrap-Up
Hey #AVtweeps, welcome to the official wrap-up of of rePLAY CEDIA Expo 2023! In this episode of rePLAY, our hosts, Steph Beckett and Emily Dean, walked us through their favorite moments of rAVe’s coverage of CEDIA Expo, the show that showcases the latest and greatest in HomeAV technology. “The great thing about our product videos […]
Recruiting Talent in the AV Industry? Company Values Matter.
By Peter Hansen AVIXA Company values matter. They impact how your business runs, they impact our society, and, according to new data, they hold substantial importance to the ProAV workforce. The link between company values and hiring is not an entirely new topic. In recent years, more and more data has shown that workers place […]
A Cautionary Tale About Software
Over the past several years, software has become a significant source of revenue in the AV industry. The approach to providing software can vary widely amongst different vendors. Some “give” their software away since it only works with their equipment. Of course, we all know we are paying for that software when we buy the […]
Professional Power Amplifiers Poised for Long-Term Profitability
By Grant Youngman Futuresource Consulting Professional power amplifiers continue to gain momentum after a pandemic-induced poor performance in 2020. The market achieved a global value of $668 million in 2022, according to Futuresource Consulting’s latest industry report, and is on track to exceed pre-pandemic levels this year, with a projected market value of $753 million. […]
The Daily Raff: CEDIA Expo/Commercial Integrator Expo 2023 Day 3 Thoughts
For the last Daily Raff of CEDIA Expo/Commercial Integrator Expo, I don’t have a ton of new products to show you. I always find it hard to just wander a show floor. What am I supposed to look at? I receive so many press releases before a show that sometimes it’s overwhelming to just walk […]
The Daily Raff: CEDIA Expo/Commercial Integrator Expo 2023 Day 2 Thoughts
I don’t know what it is about trade shows. You’re so tired at the end of the day no matter what! I could be doing a million interviews one after the other or just walking around and seeing all the products for myself. Either way, I’m spent by the time the show floor closes. Let’s […]
The Daily Raff: CEDIA Expo/Commercial Integrator Expo 2023 Day 1 Thoughts
Hi, everyone! I’m so excited to provide you with my thoughts on Day One of CEDIA Expo/Commercial Integrator Expo 2023! What a first day it’s been! I have only a few things to leave you with today because it was my day I haven’t had the most time to walk the show floor, but I […]
August Temperature Check Results: The Resimercial Market
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, when home offices became more popular than ever, we started to hear more and more about resimercial technologies. Resimercial solutions are those that blend residential and commercial aesthetics and technologies in order to cultivate workspaces that support both productivity and well-being. For our August Temperature Check, we wanted […]
Backpacks and Shiny New Sneakers
Late August to early September is the time when students flood back onto college campuses, many of them bringing with them their shiny new sneakers and their brand-new backpacks. They have had a summer filled with fun (hopefully) and are ready to dive into another year of learning. For the tech managers in higher education, […]
AI-Powered Cables! Don’t Laugh as CEDIA Expo Will See AI Everywhere
CEDIA Expo 2023 will be filled with new HomeAV gear; no doubt about it. And, although I can’t predict what product will impress all the attendees the most, I can — without doubt — predict what trend will dominate in nearly every booth: AI. AI will be everywhere, thanks to some of the most unimaginative […]
Why Your Meetings Are Still Bad — Part 3: What to Do About It
If you’ve been following along with this series, I appreciate your continued interest in the topic of fixing our meetings. If you’re new to the series, welcome! Here are the links to Part 1 and Part 2 so you can catch up. In the last blog, I asserted that we are having the wrong types […]
rAVe’s Guide to Commercial Integrator Expo 2023
With the upcoming Commercial Integrator Expo 2023 right around the corner, we’re thrilled to showcase some exciting educational sessions ahead! Once you’ve immersed yourself in the show floor, these sessions provide the perfect opportunity to both learn and recharge. Take a look at rAVe’s top picks for a rewarding event. “Future of Work: Home and […]
rAVe’s Guide to CEDIA Expo 2023
With CEDIA Expo 2023 a little over a week away, we’re excited to highlight educational sessions we think you’re going to enjoy! After exploring the show floor, these sessions will give you a chance to learn and recharge. Check out rAVe’s picks for a rewarding event. “The Unstoppable AI Revolution That’s Coming to the Home” […]
Why Your Meetings Are Still Bad — Part 2: The World has Changed
If you missed “Part 1: New Tools, Old Mindset,” feel free to go back and read the anecdote I posted there. Our meetings have become bad over time because the world has changed significantly, but I’d argue that our meetings haven’t. You may be thinking, “Well Mark, you’re wrong because today we have new tools […]
Automation and AI Are Powering the Next Generation of Pro PTZ Upgrades
By Shubham Kumar and Olivia Lowden Futuresource Consulting After a spell of limited innovation during the pandemic, professional pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras are entering a new technological era. Futuresource Consulting’s brand-new report reveals that AI and automation are the powerhouses behind many of the new-generation products entering the market, with auto-tracking, facial recognition, and automated camera […]
Successful Digital Signage Experiences in Corporate and Hotel Lobbies
Since joining the AV industry in 2008, I have attended many trade shows, events, on-site meetings and more. In my travels, I have noticed a significant increase in digital signage applications in corporate and hotel lobbies, including upgrades from standard definition displays to 4K (and higher resolution) video walls. As everyone knows, lobby signs are […]
Why Your Meetings are Still Bad — Part 1: New Tools, Old Mindset
When I was 18 years old, I went to visit my grandpa. We sat in his living room and talked about his favorite subject, his grandkids. He took pride in updating me, the family, his waitress at the local Greek restaurant — and anyone else who would listen for that matter — on their accomplishments. […]
Designing for Climate Change
As we enter 2024, managing the effects of our changing climate continues to become a hot topic among leading architects and engineers worldwide. These experts have to grapple with our new reality of worrying extremes in temperature in climate zones around the world, from snow in Texas to flooding in India. So, what does this […]
Going Above and Beyond
I’ve talked before about how frequently I receive queries from end users. It’s because when people Google one of the brands we distribute our website comes up, and my name, phone number and email are right there. I don’t sell to end users. I have dealers for that. But I always take the time to […]
Technical Debt in Higher Ed
In the IT world the phrase “technical debt” is a well-known phrase and it is used effectively to describe problems and why they are so difficult (expensive) to fix. The term first came about in 1992 and was coined by Ward Cunningham. Cunningham was particularly referring to software coding, and that is a common way […]
Zoom Now Thinks WFH Doesn’t Work As Well As The Company Originally Thought
I am sure, by now, you’ve likely read all the stories about Zoom demanding all its employees — living within 50 miles of any Zoom office — start working in the office at least two days a week, some three days a week. This, to me, is a bit ironic as, in 2022, Zoom published […]
Ynvisible Signs First Large Commercial Order for Outdoor Signage Product
The global digital signage market may be projected to reach US$29 billion by 2027 (with an anticipated growth rate of 8%, according to The Business Research Company’s “Digital Signage Global Market Report 2023”), but we all know it isn’t easy dough (DOOH). Even so, newcomer Ynvisible announced a deal with a prominent European customer specializing […]
How Can Offices Prioritize the Needs of the Future Workforce?
By Chris Pennell and Olivia Lowden Futuresource Consulting Amid the physical changes to office design over the last seventy-odd years, the role of offices has remained static. But COVID-19 turned the world as we knew it upside down, taking the workplace along with it. Remote working has become ubiquitous, and in the post-pandemic landscape, the […]
The Sphere and the AV Industry
On July 4, The Sphere lit up on the Vegas Strip for the first time, and the buzz about it went viral. I doubt there is a single person in the AV/IT industry who has not seen or heard about the Sphere, but even if you have it is worth taking a few minutes and […]
MORE Things I Never Expected
My grandfather was fond of saying “If you live long enough, you get to see it all come around again.” It wasn’t until much later in life that I came to realize how true that is. Off-topic, his retirement hobby was going to the hardware store and telling anyone who would listen how much that […]
The Way the Ball Bounces: AV Style
For the very first time, the world governing body for basketball allowed a state-of-the-art court with an interactive video floor. In Madrid, the site of the FIBA Under-19 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2023, players dribbled over an innovative ASB GlassFloor. While fans didn’t “dribble” in the same way, their mouths were certainly left agape. The […]
Measure Twice and Then Some
American mathematician Alfred Korzybski coined the phrase, “The map is not the territory.” He was talking about psychology and the human mind, but his analogy is just as apt for our businesses. Just when I feel like I’ve seen everything, something happens that proves me wrong. No indeed, it’s still possible for me to be […]
Could This Be Written by a Robot in a Chinese Room?
ChatGPT and AV Design — Part the First ChatGPT has been a major topic both in the world and in our corner of life in AV. How, exactly, does it fit into our world? Why don’t we start by asking the thing itself? Then we’ll talk among ourselves, while the robot isn’t listening to us […]
Creating an Innovative Mindset
Disclaimer: This is NOT a technology post. If you are looking for a post on AI cameras or the latest and greatest all-in-one sound bar, you should click the back button and surf the rest of the rAVe site. However, if you’re looking for a post on innovation, keep reading. For all the corporate real […]
The Esports Opportunity for Professional AV
By Helen Matthews Futuresource Consulting Esports’ ascendance into the mainstream is presenting an ever-growing opportunity for manufacturers and resellers of professional audiovisual, IT and video equipment. Despite the pervasiveness of online-only events throughout 2021 and 2022, as well as the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, the market saw a 76% rise in pro AV sell-in, when […]
Meet Your New Marketing Assistant: ChatGPT
You need to update your website. What’s that? You don’t have time? You don’t know how? No one on your staff has the skills? You can’t afford to hire a contractor to overhaul your copy? No more excuses: Find $20 per month, and hire ChatGPT or one of the many other Large Language Model (LLM) […]