As the saying goes, “The devil is in the details.” At the same time, a popular aphorism states, “You’ve got to spend money to make money.” I take issue with that aphorism because there are more exceptions to it than examples. In reality you’ve got to make money to make money, then take a disciplined […]

If you’ve ever seen “When Harry Met Sally,” you know it’s a great example of a relationship that didn’t work the first time. Or the second. Or even the third. But eventually, after years of near misses, misunderstandings and stubborn resistance, Harry and Sally found themselves perfectly matched. That’s an apt analogy for what’s happening […]

Many of us constantly monitor the Kastle Office Occupancy Reports that come out weekly. And, for the last two years, there hasn’t been much to report. But, this past month — and this week — set new records in recent years. In fact, we hit a post-pandemic record for office occupancy in the top 10 […]

It’s post ISE, and although I observed this year’s show from afar, I was able to gather a lot of information via my team on the ground in Barcelona, as well as the quantity of videos and interviews produced on the floor and shared on platforms like rAVe and social media like Linked In. I […]

At ISE 2025, at the annual industry awards powered by Inavation and ISE, Telmaco took first prize in the Government and Public sector for its work on the UN Africa renovation. Every now and then in the ProAV business, if you’re lucky, you get to touch a special project … a project that not only […]

Years ago, I was in Calgary doing store visits. I stopped at the location of one of my retail accounts, and the salespeople exclaimed, “Lee! Thank goodness you’re here! Our manager was fired last month, and none of us know how to place orders on your portal!” First, I showed the keyholder how to access […]

Shure Incorporated is celebrating its 100th anniversary, marking a century of pioneering innovation, quality, and unyielding commitment to audio excellence. S.N. Shure started the Company in downtown Chicago in 1925 selling radio parts kits. In 1932, Shure became one of only a few U.S. microphone manufacturers with the introduction of the Model 33N microphone. Since […]

ISE 2025 was filled with the potential of an upcoming AV Cloud onslaught. Big brands such as Legrand AV, Crestron, QSC, Shure, BrightSign, Philips, Sennheiser, and Microsoft each had cloud-related pre-show announcements and were pitching their versions of managing products via the cloud. The show was simply too big to walk in four days, but […]

As ISE 2025 comes to a close, one thing is certain… the cloud is becoming the backbone of Pro AV. Walking the show floor, I heard more mentions of cloud-based platforms than ever before. From remote device management to content delivery and AV-over-IP, it’s clear that the industry is embracing cloud technologies at an accelerating […]

Back in 2015, the AV and collaboration industry was all-in on the death of the large conference room. The huddle room was the future, analysts claimed, brandishing inverted pyramid charts that showed demand shifting toward smaller spaces for two to three people rather than cavernous boardrooms seating 20 or more. And then, just as the […]

Alright. I will be writing this again in 10-minute chunks of time. Apparently. Let’s talk about today. My calendar was full to the brim with appointments and I got to check out the tech and insights from: I entrusted Gary with running around the show floor and keeping his eyes peeled for anything that he […]

Day 2 of ISE 2025 was all about one thing: broadcast production and its growing influence on Pro AV. Yesterday, I focused on the impact of AI, but today, it became even clearer that the lines between broadcast and Pro AV are blurring faster than ever. Walking the show floor, you can’t miss it—Blackmagic has […]

Wow; it’s been a minute since I wrote one of these. Okay. Deep breath. Let’s go. ISE 2025 is probably the biggest trade show I’ve ever seen in my life. There is so. much. happening. More manufacturers than I can possibly get to — in fact, I barely made it out of Hall 3 on […]

Day 1 of ISE 2025 is in the books, and if one thing is clear—it’s that our industry is in for a game-changing year. I spent the day exploring the show floor, talking to industry leaders, and diving into the latest technologies. Here are some of my biggest takeaways from Day 1 at ISE. AI […]

Often at the start of a new year, I give thought to what the next year will bring. How will technology affect our work? What incredible new things will pop up in the consumer world that will soon be something we have to deal with in an enterprise environment? This year, 2025, brings a different […]

ISE 2025 is gearing up to be one of the most exciting ProAV events of the year, packed with new technology, immersive experiences, and inspiring keynotes. From esports to AI-powered AV, here are five things to watch for at this year’s show in Barcelona from Feb. 4-7. Make sure to tune into our trade show […]

It took more than two years, but First Impression in Netherlands succeeded: the company has earned certification as a B Corporation, a global movement to measure and certify a company’s entire social and environmental impact. First Impression joins 9,000+ companies worldwide that want their business to make a positive impact on people and the planet. […]

My role as an Experience Design Professional often intersects with my passions for biology, neuroscience and human behavior, and for good reason. To truly create a transportive experience, you need to immerse someone completely in a new world, making them forget that they’re in an alternate reality. I’ve often reflected on the challenges of a […]

When the vice president of the European Commission called on Taylor Swift to mobilize young Europeans to vote, the irony wasn’t lost on Liveurope. And Liveeurope is fighting back. Liveurope, as an EU-founded organization, brings together Europe’s iconic concert venues to fight for European music diversity. The group includes 24 famous venues in 24 European […]

At the time I am writing this, Christmas is past, and so is Boxing Day. New Year’s Eve is just around the corner. And I’m doing a cleanup on my reporting for our Q4 promotional activities, so that’s what my thoughts are centered on. When it comes to running promotions for your dealers and their […]

In May 2024, a news scandal hit higher ed. University of North Carolina administrators had secretly recorded a professor. Admins used the classroom recording system in order to do this. There are a number of stories in the press about this, including this one in “Inside Higher Ed” and this follow up from the same publication. There is much […]

As I write this, I’ve just returned home from the 2025 CES conference. With about 36 hours to let my thoughts settle, I’ve outlined my biggest takeaways from this year’s event. Here they are, in no particular order. First, the evolution of consumer earbuds is remarkable. As I discussed in an earlier blog, these devices […]

My mom called me to tell me about a cyberattack. I can’t make this stuff up. She said that she had recently gone to Stop & Shop, an East-coast grocery chain with more than 300 locations because she needed a cucumber. But they were out of cucumbers. She said they were also very low on […]

What’s the big buzz at CES 2025? That’s right, wireless earbuds. About 10 years after the price of earbuds nosedived, driving many high-end manufacturers out of the market, they’re back — and they’re not just about music or calling anymore. Once synonymous with cheap, commodity-level tech, earbuds are now reinventing themselves as multifunctional devices packed […]

Digital health technology at CES 2025 unveiled innovations that could redefine personal wellness and healthcare delivery. While the exhibition floor buzzed with cutting-edge products, the Digital Health Summit sparked critical conversations about integrating these advancements into often outdated healthcare systems. From AI-powered solutions to wearable tech, the potential to enhance lives and transform care was […]

TVs have always been the stars of CES. Yet, behind the glitzy displays and slick marketing, the current state of TV technology reveals an industry in transition, with a shift from the LCD-dominated past toward a more flexible, durable future in direct-view LED (dvLED). As I see it here at CES, this is what’s happening […]

Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, delivered a CES 2025 keynote presentation Monday evening that underscored NVIDIA’s commitment to innovation while grappling with pressing questions about AI’s broader implications. Beyond the product announcements and technical highlights, Huang’s keynote painted a picture of a tech company at the crossroads of ambition and responsibility. Here’s an […]

We are all familiar with the caveat “what you see is what you get,” and the ancillary “seeing is believing.” For years in AV, we applied this general rule to the overall display industry. We looked at an image and judged the color, contrast, and resolution … but then we would turn our attention to […]

As I arrived in Las Vegas for CES 2025, I was greeted not just by the glittering skyline and the promise of cutting-edge technology, but by the echoes of an inbox that’s been flooded for months. Being on the CES Media and Analyst email list is a privilege, but it comes with a deluge of […]

I was absolutely thrilled to see that Steph Beckett from rAVe and several other well-known AV companies were represented at Microsoft Ignite 2024. I don’t think this type of AV representation would have existed even five years ago at a conference such as Ignite. After all, back then, Microsoft was an IT company, and we […]

Here are some of the changes you need to know about It won’t be the same ISE in 2025: the ISE team is promising the most dynamic and engaging show yet, with a host of new initiatives and features. So let’s see what we know so far. First, there will be least 20% more show […]

I tell myself that it’s not just me, everyone keeps score in their head of various personal records, such as they are. For example, for quite a while, my record for how long it took me to close one particular new account from first contact to getting them to sign was five years. I’m aware […]