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“Greening” of Events & Convention CentersJanuary 28th, 2010In 2003, the Green Meetings Task Force of the Convention Industry Council (CIC) was asked to create minimum best sustainability practices for event organizers, vendors and participants. The task force included representatives of industry, government and think thanks, from the EPA, the Ocean’s Blue Foundation and the World Travel Organization to convention and visitor’s bureaus, hotel firms, convention centers, meeting planners and other organizations. The Task Force’s work resulted in a set of guidelines for event organizers and suppliers for producing “eco-friendly” events.
What is a green event? The CIC Task Force defines a green meeting or event as one that “incorporates environmental considerations to minimize its negative impact on the environment.” Once the principles were established, it was thought, the continuing march of technology would provide ever faster, cleaner and more sustainable methods for reducing the negative impact. This has, in fact, occurred. Since 2003, wireless networking has found its way into every laptop line, like MacBook Pro rentals, and with inexpensive wireless access readily available, event organizers can reduce their use of paper for programs, maps and schedules by emailing or using Twitter to keep attendees informed. Digital recording has progressed leaps and bounds. A Digital Recorder rental, like the M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96, offers a professional, 2-channel, mobile digital recorder that records WAV and MP3 files to Compact Flash (CF) cards and fits in the palm of your hand. Event organizers can record sessions and upload them, making it easy for attendees to listen to sessions missed; add PDF files of session handouts and notes, and you’ve created a greener event. High-Tech Convention Centers Advances in green meetings are being paralleled by advances in convention technology, which we will cover in an upcoming blog. There is another trend, however, that is most exciting, and that is the new generation of high-tech convention centers. When the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) built its new Boston convention facility, the goal was to create a high-tech convention center that would serve as the centerpiece of the city’s waterfront revitalization program. Designed as a totally wired facility, it provides visitors with site-wide Internet access and exhibitors with under-the-floor boxes for easy access to all utilities and communication. Setting up a networked PC to run presentations on an LCD monitor rental is a snap with this kind of pre-planning. Convention center management used the facility’s Ethernet backbone network to design the Building Automation System (BAS). The BAS allows third-party systems to inter-operate with its single front-end system,which has over 5,000 control points. Convention center staff can manage and monitor the entire center’s operations and systems both centrally and remotely — everything from HVAC equipment, fire alarm interfaces, A/V systems and more. When a problem occurs with any of the systems, the BAS alerts convention center staff via cell phone or e-mail. Looking for a partner that is committed to “green” and is a leader in convention planning and rentals? CRE Rentals is ready to help you plan, implement and equip your next event. Give our expert Account Executives a call, send an e-mail or fill out the Quick Rental Quote right now to start “greening” your next event. Rentals for February Trade Shows: From Macs to MedicineJanuary 26th, 2010
Exhibitors that want to present their new, innovative products — everything from carpet, tile and hardwood to rugs and laminates — in the most effective way should consider CRE plasma rentals. Connected to a laptop, DVD player or other media device, it will bring big-screen excitement to presentations, product videos and even Web site displays. With industry experts leading more than 40 workshops and breakout sessions concerning sales, marketing, installation and design, exhibitors and attendees will be putting a lot of mileage on their soles. What better way to “virtually meet ‘n’ greet” them on their journeys than with strategically placed interactive kiosk rentals from CRE? It can be set up to present your product as well as capture new contact information from passers by. Four on-floor “education stages” will focus on four hot topics in the floor covering industry — sustainability, design and trends, business and technology, and installation — with live demonstrations and presentations running throughout the show.
For easy note-taking, reading or wireless access in the hustle and bustle of a conference, consider renting a tablet PC. It makes taking notes, downloading files, and staying in touch, even collaborating with colleagues and others easy. And, as a core component of the largest design and manufacturing event in the Western U.S., your MD&M West badge gets you free admission to six more industry-related shows at the same location: WestPack, Pacific Design & Manufacturing, Electronics West, PLASTEC West, Automation Technology Expo (ATX) and Green Manufacturing Expo. They account for an additional 1,500 suppliers and 200,000 sq ft more of equipment, systems and services of interest to medical manufacturers.
If you don’t have a Mac laptop already, get one of CRE’s MacBook Pro rentals and show up in style. Whether you are a creative professional or a programming pro, Macworld has all the conference content, special presentations, exciting exhibits and networking opportunities you could possibly want. Whether you are an exhibitor showing off your wares on Apple Cinema display rental or plasma rental for Macworld, CRE can help you make the most of every convention you attend – and every connection you make. The Macworld DEMO Best of Show presentation will unveil the most anticipated new products (but no Mac tablet, as Apple no longer attends the event), while musician BT will team with Berklee College of Music faculty and students to demonstrate the latest digital music-making trends. You can also test drive the newest mobile apps and talk to developers at the Mobile Applications Showcase. Whether you’re exhibiting or organizing a conference or event, CRE can help. We are the convention experts no matter what role you and your company need to play. Call our expert Account Executives today, or fill out a Quick Rental Quote form, and get the help you need to achieve your goals. Let There Be Lighting, Part 2 of 2- CRE RentalsJanuary 21st, 2010In Part 2 of “Let There Be Lighting” (read Part 1 here), we will give you some suggestions when setting up lighting for a presentation in a mid-size room (conference breakout, company meeting). Of course, if you don’t feel comfortable with lighting, CRE Rentals’ technical staff can assist to get you what you need for your particular situation.
Scouting locations and lighting needs When movie makers scout locations, they check more than just “look and feel,” and immediately assess the place, inside or out, in terms of lighting. This is what light meters are for – a great all-purpose tool for checking light levels, and assisting in developing lighting setup plans. Depending on the meeting type – screen presentation or speech, a dais up front or a podium – you will set up lights in a particular way. If you can’t hang lights from the ceiling to illuminate a podium, you can use freestanding spots from the sides. If the focus of the audience is a presentation on a large-screen, then you would keep that area dim and perhaps throw a small spotlight on the speaker. Interactivity needs light If you are using an Audience Response System rentals, your challenge is to keep lights low enough not to interfere with the screen image, and high enough for people to see their handheld response devices. This can be accomplished, somewhat counterintuitively, with more, not fewer, lights. With sideline lights every few rows, keep the rear lights a bit higher than the middle ones, the middle ones a bit brighter than the near-front ones and create a “lighting gradation” to achieve your goal. Alternatively, you can use an indirect approach, such as illuminating the room walls with bottom-up spots, even colored ones (choice of color matters). All of these maneuvers, of course, will depend on what the built-in room lighting offers, but if they are not “dimmable,” it is better to leave them out of the equation entirely. Speaking of control… Today’s lighting components, from ceiling-mounted spots to colored ones on stands, all connect to central control panels that can also run the audiovisual equipment – including a high lumen projector rental if you need one. The basic lesson is that more lights means more control, and greater flexibility in directionality, brightness, color and other variables. You don’t have to believe in Feng Shui to know that such room characteristics as size, paint and carpet color, seating arrangements and ceiling height affect your lighting plan – and mood, too. Our expert Account Executives can put you in a good mood by helping you put together a great meeting, so give a call, send an e-mail or fill out the Quick Rental Quote right now. CRE is in the solutions business, and we have one for you, too. Let There Be Lighting, Part 1 of 2 – CRE RentalsJanuary 19th, 2010Whether it’s a presentation, seminar, conference or trade show exhibit – in small rooms, large halls or a stadium – good lighting can make or break an event. As a leader in trade show management and convention rentals, CRE knows the importance not only of good equipment, but good information. Here’s some on basic lighting. Good lighting gives presenters a more dramatic, more impressive stage presence, and also ensures that video or film recordings are clear and usable. Armed with a PowerMac G5 with Kona card rental from CRE, an artist could adjust lighting and contrast “in post,” but you always want to capture the best possible original image. Different strobes for different folks
For large meeting halls or dinner events, theater-style lighting adds color and drama to the atmosphere, and can transform “the usual thing” into something truly memorable. Many of the new, smaller, integrated systems can be controlled by computers available to rent from CRE. Let there be light Consider these basic lighting tips as you plan your next event:
In Part 2, we will show how to set up lighting for a press conference or presentation in a mid-size room (think conference breakout or company meeting). In the meantime, if you’re planning an annual shareholder meeting or exhibiting at a trade show, CRE is the one-stop shop. Our experts can help you with everything from lighting to computers, audience response system rentals to kiosks– just request a Quick Rental Quote today. We can definitely throw some light on the subject for you. Five Technologies to Watch in 2010 – CRE RentalsJanuary 15th, 2010
Anything that affects your firm’s long-term plans and ongoing operations is called “a strategic consideration,” like the 2009 buzz phrase “going mobile.” New technologies always fit that description. No matter what industry you are in, you must start factoring new technologies into your strategic planning now. You must determine how to approach each of the top five new business technologies for 2010 that are presented here (in no particular order). We start with a “big buzz holdover” from 2009. 1. Cloud computing Here it is again, waiting to be crowned As Important As The Wheel, which proponents insist will occur any day now. It does look promising, as cloud computing promises to deliver a huge menu of IT options to cost-conscious companies (and everyone else, eventually). Fact is, with an XServe rental from CRE you could create a cloud or two of your own, as well as educate your employees on the change that’s “right around the corner.” 2. Client computing “Virtualization” means using computing applications in such a way that hardware and operating system (OS) considerations are not deal-killers. Companies need to look at everything from device specifications, ownership/support of hardware and software selection to management structure and security. Getting a powerful desktop rental can help you discover the difference between running your current, aging hardware and the new generations of Macintosh and PC computers, especially in terms of the new Internet standards heading your way. 3. Flash memory Flash memory is increasingly important for storage solutions. The kind of semiconductor memory device found in USB “thumb drives” and digital camera cards, flash memory is smaller, sturdier and faster than hard drives. Flash memory will come to dominate embedded systems, personal electronics and mass storage, and laptop rentals will include units with solid-state flash memory soon after they hit the market. Flash memory provides advantages in space, heat resistance, power consumption, ruggedness and speed. 4. Advanced analytics A variety of analytical tools help companies investigate alternative scenarios and manufacturing/marketing outcomes. Fixed rules and inflexible policies are being replaced by informed decision-making based on “the right information at the right time.” Since advanced analytics provide overlapping, real-time alternatives and predictions, not just dry data, it may take a widescreen LCD monitor rental to keep everything in front of you at once while you make some very important decisions. 5. Mobile applications Some 1.2 billion people around the world will be using devices capable of truly interactive, mobile commerce by the end of 2010. In an environment where mobility is converging with wireless and the Web, a huge number of new applications will pop up. There are already almost 100,000 programs for the Apple iPhone and Google-ized Droid, even with the high prices and unique coding for each device. Newer software programs will operate on both mobile computers, like tablet PC rentals, as well as a range of mobile systems – netbooks, phones, PDAs and even portable media players. Did we miss any technologies that should be watched? We’d love to hear from you. CRE Looks at “The Year of the Netbook”January 12th, 2010
The move to “pocket computers” follows the trend to smartphones, of which the iPhone and the new Google-powered Droid are prime examples. The phones are truly pocket-sized, can run tons of “apps” that are easily downloaded for low or no cost, and are great for quick messages as well as long talks. The netbooks, most with keyboards between 60-80% the size of a normal PC laptop, offer real e-mail interaction, a normal Web experience with a real browser, memory card slots, USB ports, Ethernet — wow, just like a real computer! Critical mass for netbooks Interestingly, it was the niche players — companies like Acer and Asus that were more business- than consumer-oriented, and also sold motherboards and other components — that drove the development of netbooks. Soon enough, major players like Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba and Hewlett-Packard which makes everything from netbooks to high-power desktops (available as a rental), were in the game. You won’t be doing Vegas Video editing on a netbook, and forget Final Cut Pro as Apple, despite persistent rumors, has steadfastly refused to enter the fray with a “Mac netbook.” The processors, although Intel, aren’t quad-core, dual-core or even hard-core (like some tried-and-true Pentiums). More powerful CPUs will not be possible until better battery technology is available, and dissipating heat is always a problem in small spaces where fans don’t fit. “Phone-replacement” computers? Businesses may find a use for netbooks as smartphone replacements, but they are simply not fast enough, and the screens are too small, to be true laptop replacements. If you need a powerful HP or Mac laptop in your line of work, an Atom-powered HP Mini is just not going to cut it. In fact, if you need a few laptops for your department to stay in touch at a conference, take notes, send e-mails and browse prospects’ (or competitors’) sites, you’d be pushing a poor little netbook into a nervous breakdown. As always, get the right tool for the job. If you need help figuring out just what that is, call one of our expert Account Executives today. If you like, explain your situation in an e-mail or, if you know what you need, just send us a Quick Rental Quote form. We will make sure you have exactly what you need to do the job right. Tradeshow Roundup for JanuaryJanuary 7th, 2010
The NAMM Show starts each morning with music and the informative NAMM University Breakfast Sessions. The theme for both days of seminars is the “new normal” that has been created by the economic upheavals of 2008-2009. It’s always “normal” to put your best face forward, which is why exhibitors rely on interactive kiosk rentals to get the message out — and get contact information in return. Live, up-to-the-minute Web coverage of the NAMM Show will be streamed at the NAMM Web site. You can also follow the NAMM Show on the group’s Twitter page. CRE is proud to be affiliated with NAMM. LabAutomation2010
Key educational sessions concern detection and separation, micro- and nano-technologies, and informatics. Over 400 booths will showcase the top automation technologies, a perfect job for a LCD monitor rental from CRE. Networking opportunities abound, of course, as educators, researchers and manufacturers discuss the hot topics of the day. It’s a perfect place to bring a Motion Computing Tablet PC rental to take notes, get names and addresses, and access the interactive conference schedules and maps via WiFi (saving many a tree in so doing). SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering
The symposia will cover biomedical optics, lasers and applications, micro- and nano-fabrication, and integrated optoelectronic devices. Photonics West covers all the bases, from product roll-outs that save you money to free courses that offer training and a healthy dose of “value added.” Attendees can use laptop rentals to stay connected while exhibitors display their wares in various ways (including a 61″ plasma rental available from CRE Rentals). The SPIE event actually comprises two separate, world-class exhibitions — with a total of 1100+ exhibitors — at SPIE Photonics West, North America’s essential photonics and laser exhibition, and SPIE BiOS, the world’s largest biomedical optics exhibition. For these events, or others like them, remember that CRE is your one-stop shop for computers and audiovisual gear. From audience response system rentals to the latest laptops and office equipment, we have whatever you need, and not just to “make the scene ” — but to make the scene brighter and better for your business. Call, send an e-mail or fill out a Quick Rental Quote form right now. We’ve got you covered. Tech Resolutions for the New YearJanuary 5th, 20102010 is upon us, and it’s likely you are considering yet another list of New Year’s Resolutions. These usually concern losing weight or changing careers, but smart computer users should resolve to keep their computers in good working order.
This may seem silly to you, but it really isn’t. You need to check your power cords, USB/FireWire cables and so forth. It’s possible for cables to “go bad,” particularly when they are bent into 90-degree angles or squished under heavy printers. With LCD monitor rentals, for example, you get the cable in good shape and ready to work. It is important to keep sufficient airflow around your high-tech equipment, so check out your “office ergonomics” to ensure enough room between devices. Layers of dust can build up on internal PC components, too, sometimes causing overheating, so have some canned air handy for a quick “spray” every month or so. Backing up You simply must back up your files. This means the system files, work files, everything. Your primary drive is likely internal, but if you save files to external or online storage, back those up, too. Windows Backup in Windows Vista and Windows 7 is a good tool. You can also clone your drives and make “disc images” with ImageX (free from Microsoft) and other applications. Macintosh users also need to back up everything. The Mac OS boasts Time Machine, which automates the process in a lot of customizable ways. Naturally, when you use a Mac Pro rental you should save all your work to an external drive, which means that you should back it up to an online service, another hard drive or to DVDs. Security Always “okay” the Windows and Mac automated system updates. This will ensure you have the latest security fixes for your OS as well as updates for installed programs. On the Mac, Software Update can also be started from the Apple menu. The Windows Update application in Vista or Windows 7 can even recommend settings for folks short on time, expertise or both. In addition to using your firewall, get a good anti-malware and anti-virus utility – or two or three, since not all programs can defeat all types of malicious code. Since e-mail continues to be a primary method for spreading Trojan horses, viruses and other destructive malware, check that your antivirus program will scan your e-mail. Also use anti-spam software like MailWasher or a mail-checking service. Other tips Consult a more thorough article on maintenance if you need to, then create a schedule for taking care of things regularly. Actually, if you are doing a comprehensive backup for the first time, it may be a real time- and money-saver to rent a computer to act as “command central” for copying, duplicating, deleting and moving files around your network. CRE employees know their way around technology, so we’re the ones to call when you need help. Send an e-mail, fill out the Quick Rental Quote form or use the phone. Whatever your business goals for the New Year, we’re here to help you achieve them. That’s our resolution, each and every year. |
SURFACES 2010
MD&M West 2010 — the annual 
There are many leading specialty lighting makers offering a world of lighting products for every situation. Event lighting can include fluorescent, incandescent, strobe and LED lights, and are available in banks, spots, tubes and other shapes, in all sizes and wattages. No matter what type of lighting you need, there is a light that will meet your needs.
The only thing constant is change, right? This past year proved that the computer industry still had product niches left to develop and exploit. The rise of the “netbook” – a low- to medium-power, small-format computer with a bright screen, built-in WiFi, and basic productivity software that will never be confused for a rootin’ tootin’ laptop, like the new 
The 
The Association for Laboratory Automation’s annual conference — 
SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering, presents 
