SMART Technologies Launches 84″ kapp Along with New Premium Services

On the heels of last week’s Microsoft Surface Hub 84-inch multi-touch collaboration board announcement, SMART Technologies has launched its own 84” product with the kapp 84. SMART is also announcing something called SMART kapp Premium Services, which enables SMART kapp app users to unlock a range of enhanced features to the already revolutionary SMART kapp […]

SMART Technologies Launches 84″ kapp Along with New Premium Services

D-Tools: Brings It All Together

Several months ago, I watched a colleague present a webinar on D-Tools, a AV integration software package. I was interested in certain aspects of the software, particularly the integration with Visio and the project quoting, and paid minimal attention to all the other features. After working with my D-Tools rep, we decided to move forward […]

D-Tools: Brings It All Together

The Easy Status Quo, or the More Difficult Option

I recently had a faculty member ask about whether they could present their power point, and use the presenter tools. They had some notes they wanted to be able to read, and see their timing. Unfortunately, they were in a room with a dedicated computer. So, the computer went to a switcher and was distributed […]

The Easy Status Quo, or the More Difficult Option

Must-Reads for CTS Holders

CTS holders pride themselves in standing apart from the crowd. Keep your edge fresh. Carve out some time to stay on top of the industry trends. Your schedule is not a light one, so we collected resources that are important for you to know about. Here are a few topics that might interest you. Plus, […]

Must-Reads for CTS Holders

InFocus Breaks Into Sub-$2,000 Category with JTouch 65″ TouchScreen Display

InFocus was the first projector company with a sub-$1000 4,000-lumen projector, now the company’s first sub-$2,000 65” touchscreen display company. The new 65-inch JTouch from InFocus is aimed at the K-12 education market. Like the rest of the native 1080p JTouch models, the 65-inch mirrors the content of a connected PC or Mac and makes […]

InFocus Breaks Into Sub-$2,000 Category with JTouch 65″ TouchScreen Display

Make it a Good New Year

As I write this column, we are on the cusp of a new year. Many times, people will write about predictions for the new year, or their resolutions. I am writing to ask you to think about your resolution and make one with me. This request comes from a couple of recent articles that I […]

Make it a Good New Year

This System Sucks

By Mario Porto Director of Strategic Accounts, HB Communications “THIS SYSTEM SUCKS! NOTHING WORKS!!!” How many times have you heard that comment? If you’re like most of the people I’ve spoken to over the years, you’ve heard it more times than any of us would have liked. I recall meeting an architect from a very […]

This System Sucks

Higher Ed & Corporate Thinking – Part 2

Thanks to my colleague Brett Tipton for his contribution to today’s blog post. Brett is a writer, teacher, and public speaker. He brings a great in-the-trenches perspective to the topic of higher education, how well it prepares students for the real world of corporate America, and how corporations themselves — and IT departments, in particular — […]

Higher Ed & Corporate Thinking – Part 2

Higher Ed & Corporate Thinking – Part 1

Thanks to my colleague Brett Tipton for his contribution to my first rAVe Pubs blog post. Brett is a writer, teacher and public speaker. He brings a great in-the-trenches perspective to the topic of higher education, how well it prepares students for the real world of corporate America, and how corporations themselves — and IT departments, in […]

Higher Ed & Corporate Thinking – Part 1

Beacon: The Future of Technology That’s Already Arrived

A month or so ago, a participant in an upcoming article that I have written about Google Glass and wearables usage in higher education (coming in December) and I started another discussion, this one touching on beacon technology. I have to say that it was so enlightening, I decide that we should have a followup […]

Beacon: The Future of Technology That’s Already Arrived

AmpliVox Upgrades Audio Power of Integrated Multimedia Lecterns

AmpliVox Sound Systems has unveiled major upgrades to over 15 of its integrated multimedia lectern products, now equipping them with 150-watt digital amplifiers. An upgrade from the 50-watt amps in previous models, each lectern also includes new connectivity and control features. In addition, the lecterns are now integrated with Bluetooth audio streaming capability from a […]

AmpliVox Upgrades Audio Power of Integrated Multimedia Lecterns

How Important is “Being Green” In the Classroom Technology Decision Making Process?

The honest answer is “not exceptionally important.” The reason, however, may surprise you. Many schools have sustainability initiatives in place that cover a wide variety of campus life processes from printing and food services to facilities and grounds keeping. While technology is an obvious environmental concern, that concern is usually a result of the amount […]

How Important is “Being Green” In the Classroom Technology Decision Making Process?

Higher Ed on the Hot Streak Down a Green Path

The lofty halls and ivory towers of academia have been a cornerstone in the sustainability movement and continue to be a beacon for those looking to become learned students of sustainability. We see this in a rise in curricula, degree programs and students matriculating into careers in sustainability in a range of disciplines from business, […]

Higher Ed on the Hot Streak Down a Green Path

Extron Announces New Fiber Optic USB Extender

Extron has a new fiber extender line in the FOX USB Extender Plus, which extends signals from USB peripheral devices extreme distances over fiber optic cabling. The extender supports USB 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, and 1.0 devices with data rates up to 480 Mbps. Used in conjunction with an Extron FOX Series DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI or […]

Extron Announces New Fiber Optic USB Extender

RoomView Connected Displays

For years, I have been touting the advantages of getting your AV equipment on the network. I think I was one of the first people to use RoomView, certainly one of the first amongst the colleagues I regularly speak with. Yet, all this time I was missing out on a huge benefit of RoomView and […]

RoomView Connected Displays

Extron Enters Wireless Presentation/Collaboration Market with ShareLink 200

If you’re using or spec’ing the Barco ClickShare or the Crestron AirMedia, you’re going to really like Extron’s ShareLink 200. Extron’s entry into the wireless presentation market is both a quad-screen (like most of the other systems), network-based presentation system AND a stand-alone wireless access point. Like most of the other systems out there, ShareLink […]

Extron Enters Wireless Presentation/Collaboration Market with ShareLink 200

VISIX Ships New Meeting Room Signs

Visix’s new room sign line will display event schedules and room availability, but can also be used for mass alerts and interactive content. The signs are Microsoft Exchange compatible and are integrated with EMS by Dean Evans & Associates, Google Calendar, R25/25Live by CollegeNET and Delphi by Newmarket. Alternatively, you can use text file import […]

VISIX Ships New Meeting Room Signs

TECOM Ships New Lectern

TECOM’s new TecPodium Presenter HD is ADA compliant and equipped with electronically controlled lift. It’s integrated with a 24” wide-screen HD monitor with multi-touch capabilities and a complete integrated stereo audio system. With a new HD switching and scaling system coupled with built-in projector control, the TecPodium Presenter HD is designed to be a complete […]

TECOM Ships New Lectern

DS in the Education Market

When thinking of selling digital signage to the K-12 market, many integrators would simply walk away. We all know the budget struggles of public schools, therefore we know that there is not excess money to spend on what may be seen as frivolous. Yet, there are some things you may not know, particularly if your […]

DS in the Education Market

Manage Your Projects – And Your People

This month’s column is a little bit different from others in the past. I some ways, I am not ever writing about AV or education. Instead, I am writing about something that is near and dear to all tech manager’s hearts, and I am assuming everyone who does work of any type: management. How do […]

Manage Your Projects – And Your People

Clary Icon Adds Screen Skills Guru Button For OneScreen, On-Demand Support

Clary Icon OneScreen users will have immediate access to live technical support via video. Once a user touches the Screen Skills Guru button, they are instantly connected to a live tech support person who can answer product usage questions, teach users new screen skills, or help diagnose any product issues. For teams and students working […]

Clary Icon Adds Screen Skills Guru Button For OneScreen, On-Demand Support

Sharp Ships 24” 10-Point Touchscreen LCD

Sharp’s new LL-S242A-W is a 24” LED-lit LCD touch screen that offers 1,920×1,080 resolution monitor with a viewing angle of 178 degrees, both horizontally and vertically. It includes 10-point multi-touch capability that also features handwriting support via a fine-tipped touch pen. One cool feature is that a palm cancelation function prioritizes pen recognition, so you […]

Sharp Ships 24” 10-Point Touchscreen LCD

The SMART (Enterprise) Way To Do Business

I tell this great story as if it was only yesterday. Back in my early days in AV integration sales in the late ’90s, within three months of being hired by the company, the owner comes into the sales cubicle area and a few of us turn to look at him as he starts speaking. He […]

The SMART (Enterprise) Way To Do Business

Is the Education Market Bouncing Back?

By Len Scrogan Display Central Is the education market bouncing back after nearly a half-decade absence? Many existing companies and startups hope so. And if the recent ISTE conference—held this week in Atlanta—is any indicator, then the education market is indeed on the mend. ISTE 2014 is the largest ed-tech conference in the U.S., organized […]

Is the Education Market Bouncing Back?

Chief Expands Mobile XL Cart Solutions

Chief’s Extra-Large Fusion Mobile Cart was designed for extra-large and touch panel displays — including the SMART 8000 series — from 55″ to more than 100″ and up to 300 pounds (136 kg). It has space for internal storage, including hardware to vertically mount 2 RUs worth of AV gear. The Extra-Large Fusion Video Conferencing […]

Chief Expands Mobile XL Cart Solutions

Dog Days of Summer

As I sit down to write this column for July, I expected to be overflowing with excitement and interest from InfoComm. I am on a bit of an InfoComm hiatus, having not attended for three years. Yet, I am struck that there does not seem to be any HUGE news out of the show this […]

Dog Days of Summer

Hitachi Adds Two New Interactive Projectors

Hitachi America introduced two new interactive projector models, the Hitachi CP-TW3003 and CP-TW2503. Both are interactive models that feature an ultra-short throw design and are aimed at the K-12, higher education and corporate presentation markets. So-called “new generation interactive features” include multiple pen capability, auto-calibration, PC-less drawing, and multi-display interactive use. Additionally, a suite of […]

Hitachi Adds Two New Interactive Projectors

SMART Kapp Offers Replacement for the Dry Erase Board

SMART Technologies used InfoComm to launch SMART kapp, a new digital capture board that has the easiness of a dry erase board combined with advanced collaboration features. While SMART claims that kapp is just as easy and intuitive to use as a dry-erase board, it allows users to write, draw, diagram and brainstorm using an […]

SMART Kapp Offers Replacement for the Dry Erase Board

Global Education Hardware Technology Spend Hits $13 Billion

The global spend on education technology within classrooms reached US$13 billion last year, up 11 percent on 2012, according to a new market study from Futuresource Consulting, the leading provider of education technology research. The study explores mobile PC devices, classroom displays (such as projectors and interactive whiteboards) and complementary devices (visualisers, voting systems, voice […]

Global Education Hardware Technology Spend Hits $13 Billion

Build It and They Will Use It

As you are walking the cavernous hallways of the Las Vegas Convention Center this year, and you hear a voice whisper “build it and they will use it,” don’t worry, others are hearing the same voice. The amazing gadgets we see at InfoComm and other tradeshows and in publications, are so exciting, they get us […]

Build It and They Will Use It

Calling Out All Reps

Hello to the rAVe World! I am told that many of the readers of this publication are manufacturers reps and integrators. That is good, because I am calling all of you out right here, right now. You may want to do some homework before reading any further. I wrote a blog about this in April, […]

Calling Out All Reps

Selling to Schools (Part 1)

By Len Scrogan Display Central The challenge of selling to schools reminds me of a flowing description I penned in a soon-to-be published book: Imagine a river, deep and fast, charging downwards through a majestic canyon, slowing to a crawl as it ambles its way through a lush green valley. Although a winding river may […]

Selling to Schools (Part 1)