Coming from an Irish family, there is one pastime that we enjoy probably more than any other. And as the holidays approach, I know we will be doing this activity extensively over the next couple of months. No, no, I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not knocking back a cold pint or a slug […]
In the last year, I have had the great fun of advising a number of tech startups, in both a formal and informal role. It’s been so energizing and refreshing to see these companies bringing such interesting new technologies to the live events marketplace. The blend of science and creativity is really what makes this […]
If you ever loved the movie Almost Famous, you will certainly remember when the lovely Penny Lane (beautiful, young Kate Hudson) gets that gleam in her eye and proclaims, “It’s all happening.” Well, I must say, I am feeling that same sense of glee and excitement watching as the retail world becomes a tangible product […]
In our world, staging an event isn’t necessarily about putting someone on a stage for a performance, but the truth is that a large segment of our industry actually is doing exactly that. Although sometimes overlooked in the audiovisual industry, many AV professionals and much of the innovation for technology comes from the production and […]
Several years ago, I had the great pleasure of hearing Paul Polak speak at the Sustainable Brands conference. If you aren’t familiar with Paul’s work, he is the author of Out of Poverty, and co-founder of D-Rev.org, the non-profit product development company that designs and delivers products to the billions of people living on less […]
As promised last month, I am continuing the exploration of futuristic technologies that may have a major impact on the audiovisual industry. This month, I want to continue the conversation on the Internet of Things. One year ago this month, I wrote about the coming age of the Internet of Things (also commonly called the […]
Hear this: We are moving into an era where technology assumes a seamless place in our daily life, both professionally and personally. My washing machine talks to me via my phone. My cat can be located on my GPS. It is a time of wonderment and exploration as our lives increasingly resemble those of the […]
You know something I never really considered before? I never really stopped to consider the potential benefit both to and from places of worship if they were to implement greener practices. I’m sure some of you who service this market segment are shaking your heads at the no-brainer, but I’ve just recently stopped to think […]
Whether it be integrated AV, live event AV or any other arm of the pro AV market, one of the most oft-heard lamentations revolves around the difficulties in attracting and retaining talent. In February, InfoComm hosted its annual Live! event, bringing together a hundred or so of the industry’s leaders in live event production and […]
Today, I was sitting at a table of AV professionals and I heard a remark about how the weather is really actually consistent year over year, so those people in Washington should go stuff it with this whole climate change business. It was interesting to watch the reactions of those sitting at the table. There […]
As we approach the holidays and our year begins to wind down, I thought I’d have a little fun. I hope you enjoy my columns about world-changing websites such as change.org and green information on topics as varied as noise pollution, but I want to switch gears a little this month. I think we all […]
Can you imagine living in a world where an 18 year old boy’s complaints lead to a meeting with senior executives of a global clothing retailer just weeks later? Or one where a woman’s initiative eradicates an ancient caste system in an Indian town? Well, imagine it — because we do. We live in a […]
If there is one thing that has captured my imagination and leaves my head in the clouds daydreaming, it’s the concept of nonliving objects that can seemingly think, react and even anticipate needs. Often termed the Internet of Things, those of us in the AV industry are more familiar with the related concept of smart […]
In each of the last two years, in the month approaching the annual InfoComm trade show, I have provided you with lists of the best questions to ask your manufacturers to help you with your sustainable procurement. In 2011, it was really my best stab at an organized list, based off of my personal experience. […]
This month, I am going to throw some numbers, facts and statistics at you. I’m not going to give you all the answers as to how this information can be of benefit, but I want to provide the inspiration for you to think about how it impacts your business and how crucial sustainability is to […]
By Midori Connolly Right now, there isn’t much bigger than big data. Big data, data mining and business intelligence (BI) are the hottest terms around, and our industry is poised to capitalize on this trend. In case you’re still a little unsure about these terms, here is my best explanation of the relationship between these terms, […]
By Midori Connolly A few months ago, a good friend of mine reached out to me with the most interesting dilemma. She was overseeing a study on a new amphitheater project in a pristine area of Central America. She asked me what I knew about noise pollution, and the potential implications of such a project in […]
