Pushing Technology for Churches

The debate between those who want technology turned off during church services versus those who not only want it on, but want to actively use it as part of the church-going experience, is a matter of personal preference. That being said, there are plenty of churches using passive technology that would jump at the chance […]

Pushing Technology for Churches

The Apple Watch – Enterprise Transformation and the Security Factor

In my previous blog A New Model for the Device Driven Enterprise about enterprise apps being written specifically for Apple Watch usage, I linked to an article from September 2014 Apple Watch: The Internet of Things’ new frontier where (InfoWorld’s executive editor) Galen Gruman stated that “Apple’s new Apple Watch — to be released in early 2015 and […]

The Apple Watch – Enterprise Transformation and the Security Factor

Is Apple HomeKit Only a Category Killer?

We’re likely less than a month away from a plethora of Apple HomeKit product announcements as Apple is likely to tie in its home control of nearly everything to a brand-new Apple TV. Although Apple is usually hush-hush on new product pushes, this time, with HomeKit, they’ve been talking about their position and plans, telling […]

Is Apple HomeKit Only a Category Killer?

A New Model for the Device Driven Enterprise

While I wasn’t one of the many who rushed to pre-order it on April 10, those that did led Apple to sell out of the most coveted device to hit the market in quite some time in a single day — the Apple Watch. In fact, it was reported that in that one day, Apple […]

A New Model for the Device Driven Enterprise

Crestron Intros Apple Watch App for Home Control

Crestron’s app for the Apple Watch allows users to access common commands and home scenes via a Crestron control system. At a glance, users can check the status of their home devices, check the current settings of their lights, shades, security systems, access and control of any device and customizable the user interface display. With […]

Crestron Intros Apple Watch App for Home Control

Siri Has Me Saying COMMA

The other day, I was on the phone leaving a voicemail for someone and I literally said “comma” and “period” in the same sentence — out loud. So, let’s back up. For those of you out of the “Siri-loop” let me bring you in. Siri is Apple’s voice-recognition and dictation software. It is simply awesome. […]

Siri Has Me Saying COMMA

Consumer Tech is the New Religion

I’m certainly not the first to declare it, but consumer technology is the new religion of the 21st century. With all due respect to your spiritual faith (or lack thereof), middle class consumers are quickly becoming technology zealots. Daily, we worship at the altar of social media and mobile devices. Our prayers for the blessings of bigger […]

Consumer Tech is the New Religion

The Apple TV Angst

This week, Apple spent 85 percent of its time during its Spring Forward press conference on the Apple Watch and how it works, what it’s priced at and what it actually looks like. And, I will likely pre-order — no, I will pre-order — the Apple Sport Watch on April 10th, the first day they […]

The Apple TV Angst

The New GIANTS of Home Automation

By Christopher Bundy CORE Brands This is still our industry… isn’t it? A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Google (Nest) taking steps to get deeper in the home automation industry with its purchase of home hub company Revolv. The company did this to acquire talent more than Revolv’s product offering, as part of […]

The New GIANTS of Home Automation

Three Things the iPhone 6 Tells Us About Future Audio Visual Systems

By Jeremy Boyd, CTS Systems Design Consultant, AVI Systems Apple is not the end-all-be-all in the electronics space, but Apple’s products are often indicators of where we are headed. The iPod was an indicator of how we would start to consume music and the iPhone was the catalyst for many of us to look at […]

Three Things the iPhone 6 Tells Us About Future Audio Visual Systems

The Top 7 Things to See at CEDIA 2014

Well, the annual eye-candy AV show known as CEDIA kicks off this week and I thought I would write a quick blog that, hopefully, you can print out and keep with you to make sure you see these seven things while in Denver: 1. The projector market is back! For years, the projector has been […]

The Top 7 Things to See at CEDIA 2014

Waiting for the Apple iWatch

By Charles Annis DisplaySearch Apple’s widely-anticipated entry into the smart watch market would be the company’s first major new product foray in several years. With Apple’s unparalleled functionality and design capabilities, as well as market clout, the “iWatch” could be just what smart watches need to move into the mainstream. In addition, the iWatch will […]

Waiting for the Apple iWatch

Using Cell Phones to Make Noise Measurements

Twice in the last month, we have heard “I just used my cell phone to make noise measurements so you do not need to make measurements.” Mobile phone sound meter applications have added a new twist to our consulting services. As for using our smart phones as sound level meters… The standard phone, as delivered […]

Using Cell Phones to Make Noise Measurements

Amazon Playing the TV Card

In case you missed it, Amazon has joined the STB (set-top-box) brigade with its own Amazon Fire device, as part of its future digital content delivery plans.  A quip from the online press release gives the big picture: “Amazon integrates the hardware, software, and the content into an easy-to-use, seamless, end-to-end service for customers,” and […]

Amazon Playing the TV Card

A Visit With Savant

Discussion of some project details recently brought me to the Savant Systems showroom in lower Manhattan. In addition to the matter at hand, I was treated to a showroom tour as well as a discussion on their offerings, the overall Savant ecosystem, and where they hope to be in the future. The demo space is […]

A Visit With Savant

New Apple TV: Yea – Comcast Deal: Nay

Get ready for a new Apple TV device, perhaps this one with gesture hand controls from Apple’s fresh acquisition of Prime Sense (the company that brought you the Microsoft Kinect). You can be sure that a new device is in the offing as the media is busy screaming (yet again) headlines that Apple and Comcast […]

New Apple TV: Yea – Comcast Deal: Nay

Apple, AV and a Whole New Perspective

As someone who has regularly blogged on AV/IT, cloud and mobility/BYOD, it was my recent blog interview article which brought a whole new angle on blogging for me, opening up a new door where I plan on making it a regular theme as I identify AV companies across the world in this format. I’d like […]

Apple, AV and a Whole New Perspective

Famous Last Words

Each year at this time, I am alerted to the coming of spring by that special fragrance that’s in the air, by those sounds that indicate the coming of a new season. In our business, that fragrance is the smell of shrink wrap and packing peanuts, and it harkens the coming of new technologies that […]

Famous Last Words

iPad Mini: A $400 Complete Tool Bag

In July of this year, I wrote about the uses we have found at Bates College for the iPad mini as a troubleshooting tool.  In that article, I wrote mainly about using the iPad as a portable touch panel for a technician. We continue to build on that success and have found more new and […]

iPad Mini: A $400 Complete Tool Bag

Intercepted! AV Letters for Santa

It has been an interesting December to say the least.  I have been from the “79 and Sunny” of Rancho Santa Margarita to the subzero climate of Eden Prairie for the Milestone annual meeting, I have had to break the reality of Christmas traditions to my 10 year old daughter, and I have fought the […]

Intercepted! AV Letters for Santa

Wireless Video: The Apple TV Reprise

One year ago I wrote my first column for rAVe Publications. What a fun year it has been. I have been fortunate enough to have heard from dozens of people with feedback, comments and questions about my articles. Even my daughter got in on the fun a few months back. We had a conversation that […]

Wireless Video: The Apple TV Reprise

Gesture Sensing Is the Future! Apple’s Move on PrimeSense

By Calvin Hsieh DisplaySearch After several months of reported talks between the companies, Apple confirmed the acquisition of PrimeSense last weekend for a reported $360M. PrimeSense is an Israel-based company known for its structured light technology (which it calls “light coding”), which was used by Microsoft in its first Kinect. Interestingly, Microsoft switched to ToF […]

Gesture Sensing Is the Future! Apple’s Move on PrimeSense

How is Apple Impacting Your Next Product?

By Bill MacKenzie DisplayDaily Forward-looking supply chain managers track Apple with an eye toward seeing what tech features are being introduced by the company and how they can be used by other brands for their businesses. By way of example, Apple first introduced fingerprint recognition for the iPhone last year and recently is trumpeting its […]

How is Apple Impacting Your Next Product?

Apple Save Sony? Apple Can’t Even Save Apple!

Gary just wrote a very persuasive post, detailing the synergies to be had if Apple were to purchase Sony. I’m not entirely sure that I can agree. The root of my disagreement is that Gary’s argument focused on why a buyout would be good for Sony, but didn’t really address why it would be good […]

Apple Save Sony? Apple Can’t Even Save Apple!

Sony Tanks Again (But Apple Can Save Them!)

While most of you were sleeping last night, Sony execs were mostly sleepless as they’d just announced a huge loss — one of the worst in company history. I mean huge. In fact, after releasing a 40 percent reduction in their 2013 profit forecast and a nearly $200 million loss for the most recent quarter, […]

Sony Tanks Again (But Apple Can Save Them!)

Kayye It Isn’t So: Why Gary May Be Wrong on the Relevance of CEDIA Expo

You know I can’t resist the chance to do a point/counterpoint article, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity (especially after I was so blatantly targeted in one of Gary’s Rants and Raves Episodes not too far back.  The guy acts like he owns the place . . . oh that’s right, he does! J […]

Kayye It Isn’t So: Why Gary May Be Wrong on the Relevance of CEDIA Expo

Is CEDIA Irrelevant?

The annual CEDIA Expo is the industry’s premier HomeAV trade show, where every major manufacturer of home automation, whole-home audio and video distribution systems, HDMI gadgets, HDTVs, projectors and set-top boxes convene annually to show their new stuff. And, the 2013 edition opens this week in Denver, Colorado. We have a handful of reporters there […]

Is CEDIA Irrelevant?

Airplay Is Here — Get Over It

So it’s been a couple of years now, and Apple’s AirPlay has reached, while not ubiquity, certainly a presence in the marketplace. For those of you who just awoke from a spell cast upon you by a wicked witch, AirPlay is Apple’s vehicle for streaming through networked devices. Beyond just Apple TV and devices running […]

Airplay Is Here — Get Over It

Think Different…Start with Why (Part 1)

What do the images below have in common? They are all people or companies that think, act and communicate in exactly the same way, and it’s the complete opposite of everyone else. The one you may not recognize is Simon Sinek. I’ll tell you more about him, but first a story. A couple weeks ago […]

Think Different…Start with Why (Part 1)

Apple’s TV: Is Licensing the Solution?

By Paul Gray DisplaySearch Could ‘iWatch’ be the trade name for Apple’s TV and not a watch at all? In the latest piece of the jigsaw puzzle to be turned over, Tim Cook recently hinted that Apple may open its ecosystem; might this pave the way for a TV product? While Apple connoisseurs might crave […]

Apple’s TV: Is Licensing the Solution?

Apple Patents Digital Signage Solution

Apple has filed a patent application, 20120296777, which describes a dynamic signage system for a sales environment such as an Apple Store. The dynamic signage device (which turns out to be an iPad) is associated with promoting a product to a customer in an interactive manner. The device could automatically check for updated product information […]

Apple Patents Digital Signage Solution

Apple’s Homecoming Game

By David Barnes Americans are excited about Apple’s homecoming game as a sign of more re-shoring wins to come. During a recent public address, the CEO of Apple announced his intension to create manufacturing jobs in the US next year. Executives at Foxconn and Lenovo made similar comments this month. While I agree that Apple’s homecoming […]

Apple’s Homecoming Game