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5 Steps to a Basic Collaborative WorkflowSeptember 30th, 2010With today’s networking technologies you can collaborate on projects with people across the office or across the ocean. While the post-production pros that use CRE’s Xserve rentals and other server setups already know the score, Step 1: The central server The first thing you need is a way to share the same documents, as well as access graphics and company art. If you do not have much, you can probably make do with a standard office network with sharing enabled. However, it is more efficient to use a central server, which can be connected via Ethernet to your router, whether wired or wireless. The principles are the same with Macintosh, Windows or mixed networks. If you have video or audio files (which are huge), CRE does a lot of Xserve RAID rentals and can help you with this. Step 2: Permissions and preferences Project managers will need to decide who has the authority to do what on the network. Some employees may need to read and write to the server, as well as delete, add or revise stored items. Others only need read and/or markup privileges (more on markup below). If you do not establish a clear structure and hierarchy of users, anything could happen – and it will. Step 3: Collaboration method The next decision has to do with the way in which you will do the work. If a number of people need to work on the same document, natively (that is, in PowerPoint, Word or a publishing program), then they will all need a licensed, legitimate installation of the software being used. You can get site licenses and multiple-user discounts to save money. Your document creators can output PDF files that can be annotated and returned to them. GoogleDocs is also a way to collaborate via the Web, and will be the subject of a future blog. Step 4: Markup methods All major software in Windows will save to PDF, and all Macs, like the workhorse iMac rentals at CRE, can save any document as a PDF, right from the print dialog box. Newer versions of Adobe Reader (from 7 up) and the freeware FoxitReader, as well as the Mac’s Preview application, have annotation capabilities. In this way, revisions can be made without too many hands mucking things up. Step 5: Oversight and approvals Whether you use a wall-mounted whiteboard, printed documents or a Web-based tool, you need some sort of timeline or chart to track the project. This should be strictly controlled by the project manager, of course, but all participants need to see it to stay on track. It would be up to the managers to approve the various changes and versions leading up to the final document. At this point, the document can be output to hard copy, Web formats or a specialized output (Press-Quality PDF) that will be used for printing. These are basic steps that you can tailor to your unique needs. For other unique needs, like office equipment rentals or interactive technology tools, CRE is your premier source. Fill out the online Quick Rental Quote form, and we will gladly collaborate with you to solve any problems in your workflow. The Wireless Office… Almost!September 28th, 2010If you worked in an office during the 1980s, you may remember the promises of “the paperless office.” This slogan never caught on with paper and printer manufacturers, of course, but plenty of others waited breathlessly. They are still waiting. However, we have advanced to “the wireless office” – almost. Wireless isn’t brand new. Wi-Fi has been around for a number of years now, so routers were the first wireless devices in the average office, followed by inkjet printers. Then Apple led the way forward with another technology, Bluetooth. Macintosh OS X has supported it since version 10.2, and all new Macs, like CRE’s powerful iMac Rentals, come with it built in. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Wireless USB We won’t get “overtechnical” here, but it is important to understand the differences among these three types of wireless devices, and the uses to which they are best put:
That @$%#! tangle of cords
Your stacks of paper may not be getting any smaller, but you can now outfit an office without a serpentine tangle of connecting cables. Is it a “wireless office”? Almost – you still need power cords, but now you will have about half as many wires. You won’t even need those as soon as those R&D departments have perfected wireless power. It’s coming. Really! CRE is in business to solve your problems. Need a few Mac Pro rentals to finish that Comedy Central cartoon? Want a wireless handset using Audience Response System rentals for your next focus group or breakout session? Fill out the online Quick Rental Quote form – do it today, and have a solution in place tomorrow. Don’t forget to bookmark our blog, too. We cover all the high-tech happenings, and explain what new advances mean to your business, with new blogs posted every Tuesday and Thursday. Futuristic Monitors Are Arriving NowSeptember 23rd, 2010The amazing advances in screen technology that began in 2009 continued into 2010, and it doesn’t look like the pace will slow anytime soon. Among the most popular developments are 3-D (and “3D-capable”) TV displays, flexible displays, multitouch screens (as on the iPad available for rent) and LED lighting. Although some of these trends may have you thinking of a sci-fi flick, let’s do a brief review at what you will be looking at in the days (and years) to come. Panasonic VT25 3D plasma TV
Eyeglass monitors Various industry analysts speculate that Apple has been developing eyeglass monitors (“wearable screens”) since at least 2008. In addition to video feeds and navigational features, wearers can choose to block or view their immediate surroundings. There are already some models out there that you can wear while using our iMac rentals, but CRE won’t carry such products until standards are solidly in place. LPD technology A company named Prysm has developed what is called a laser-powered phosphor display (LPD) that uses lasers instead of electrons. Richer blacks, high-definition (even that “3D-capable” resolution we mentioned) and low power consumption are among the major benefits, which would take on the same form factors as LCD monitors and LED screens (from tiny to giant, in other words). CLARO Holoscreen This technology is going on five years old, and is in constant refinement. Images projected to the transparent display appear to be suspended in air. Already compatible with today’s DVD players and game consoles, the economies of scale should bring the price down in the near future. Gestural interfaces Gestural interface systems track the user’s finger and hand movements in front of a screen, or on a handheld device. Researchers at Microsoft and MIT predict that gestural interfaces will appear on mobile devices and desktops in (once again) the “near future.” When Apple goes this route, you can bet CRE will carry whatever replaces the Apple Cinema Display rentals. Whether you need extra computers for a demanding digital workflow, or a range of convention rentals to put your best foot forward at a conference, CRE is here with the right solutions at the right time – right now. Fill out the online Quick Rental Quote form and we’ll get you the latest technology gear. That’s what we do! Greening of Convention CentersSeptember 21st, 2010CRE is serious about the environment, saving energy and “going green,” which is why we have a “Green Statement” front and center on our site. It’s also why we return to the subject regularly in this blog. The last time we discussed Green (5 Great Ideas for Green Meetings & Events ), it was from the perspective of the conference attendee – lightweight signage, energy-saving devices and so on. Green convention centers are similar to the new generation of green hotels. The major areas of concern for the builders and managers of these facilities are
Energy-saving operations The new generation of green convention centers debuted in the early 2000s with a variety of new, state-of-the-art, energy-efficient features. These include highly advanced, computerized building management systems with the latest in efficient lighting, plus occupancy sensors that reduce demands on lighting and HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) as meeting rooms are vacated. In the most advanced facilities, these systems also reduce power, light and HVAC for exhibit hall setup and breakdown. If you are setting up your plasma rentals and other convention rentals at your hall location, facilities managers can ensure that the power outlets to the floor are on for your convenience even when building systems are scaled back. When the exhibit hall opens and the conference gets going, energy-conserving compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) come into play and continue reducing the expenditure of both energy (up to 70% less energy than incandescent bulbs) and money. Also making major savings contributions are such construction techniques as the Sarnafil EnergySmart Roof system, which successfully and cost-effectively reduces atmospheric heat absorption. Other green roof systems use pre-vegetated mats, some half a foot thick containing sedum plants and other greenery. to provide both short- and long-term benefits such as reduced rain runoff and improved insulation. Cleaning, recycling, transportation Leading edge green convention centers also focus on the back end – what happens after the conference is over. Well-designed, comprehensive recycling programs deal with everything from composting food waste, reusing oil and grease, and collecting wood pallets to gathering up all glass, metal, plastic and cardboard materials. Exhibitors that anticipate a great deal of waste can arrange with facilities management for interim waste pickups or special handling of certain materials. Environmentally safe cleaning products are used in green convention centers, as well as low-flow toilets, efficient HEPA air filtration systems and paper products that are made from a high percentage of post-consumer waste. Before, during and after the big event, the same mindset holds – think green, start to finish. Green convention centers also extend the enviro-friendly thinking to transportation, too. Conference center managers work with municipal and private bus systems, and also cooperate with event organizers to set up whatever shuttle systems are most suited to the event and location. The new, still-evolving green convention centers consider every step, every angle and every option that can save energy while sustaining the highest levels of comfort and quality. After you head back to HQ from the convention, and start going through the contact information you captured on your interactive kiosk rentals, the managers of the green convention centers are getting ready for the next conference – and keeping tabs on the latest energy-saving technologies, too. That pursuit of quality and dedication to progress are qualities that CRE embodies, as well. Whether you require a touchscreen monitor rental for your booth or Audience Response System rentals for a conference breakout session, we have what you need. We also have it when you need it, and can put it where you need it, too. Fill out the online Quick Rental Quote form, and let us know how we can help you get “green”. Office for Mac 2011: ReviewSeptember 16th, 2010Microsoft doesn’t suffer from many corporate news leaks, probably because, as various industry watchers have noted, the top management itself keeps dribbles of information coming regularly. On Wednesday, September 8, 2010, the firm announced some more features for the upcoming Office for Mac 2011. Light (if you prefer, “lite”) versions of Word, Excel and Powerpoint will now be available in your Web browser. You don’t even have to use Internet Explorer, Microsoft having apparently learned its lesson about locking out competitors. These Office Web Apps can also be used offline, as they are placed on your hard drive in the default installation setup. Another feature coming in Office for Mac 2011 will be the “broadcast slideshow” feature, a recent upgrade to PowerPoint 2010 for Windows, that lets users show their PowerPoint presentations to others through their Web browsers. If you’re setting up a breakout session with CRE’s convention rentals, don’t forget this great alternative presentation method as a fail-safe back-up if something goes awry with your big-screen slideshow. Collaboration nation A very exciting new feature is co-authoring for document editing and sharing, which will allow multiple users to change and update Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents. (It is not yet clear whether these features work with the Office Web Apps.) To work with users outside your default computer network, businesses may need to be running SharePoint Foundation 2010, while individuals can use their Windows Live ID. This is one of the areas that needs some clarification in the next set of “product dribbles” from Microsoft HQ. One interesting observation from a longtime MS-watcher is that Gates & Co.’s ads certainly feature a lot of Mac laptops. CRE’s MacBook Pro rentals were already popular, but it seems that Microsoft is emphasizing portability and wireless workflows in its Office for Mac 2011 campaign. It makes perfect sense when you think about it – it’s about ultraconnectivity, one of Bill Gates’ big unfulfilled dreams. Concerning connectivity, using Office Web Apps will require SharePoint, but it is still not known whether SharePoint is required for the co-authoring to work on the Mac platform. Sadly, one of the most popular tools in Office for Windows 2010, the OneNote scrapbook that holds text, charts, images, audio and video, will not be in Office for Mac 2011. Also gone, but not to be missed, is Entourage, the former (underwhelming) e-mail program on the Mac side. It is being replaced with Outlook for Mac in Office for Mac 2011. A new scheduling assistant feature in Outlook lets you view your calendar(s) right in-line with your mail, a very handy-dandy thing. CRE is the solution provider when you need the best Macs, PCs and peripherals for your digital work flow. From Xserve RAID rentals to Final Cut Pro-equipped Mac Pro rentals, we’ve got what you need to cut that mountain of digital assets down to size and push those pixels into place. For any work needing the most precise and potent tools, CRE is your best, most knowledgeable source. Fill out the Quick Rental Quote form, and we’ll get you outfitted to conquer that digital mountain in no time. October Trade Shows: All About MedicineSeptember 14th, 2010The 2010 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition (NCE) will be at San Francisco’s Moscone Center from October 2-5. The annual event makes Continuing Medical The NCE pre-conference event, “Pediatrics for the 21st Century,” will key on Health Information Technology (HIT) and quality. Speakers will explain the importance of HIT for improved patient outcomes, while the newest technology will be displayed in a “Pediatric Office of the Future” exhibit. If you are exhibiting, consider adding an all-in-one desktop touchscreen rental to showcase your products and services or rent an interactive kiosk to capture attendee information for later follow-up.
Free Wi-Fi access from the AAOasis booth allows attendees to get program info, view on-demand videos and visit the Virtual Exhibition. Real exhibitors of all kinds will be on hand so, grab their attention with a plasma rental to display product demos, infomercials and other presentations using various devices.
The Presidential Symposium will address the many challenges of medicine in an era of evidence-based practice. The meeting will highlight the latest advances in both research and practice. Of course, exhibitors are also an important source of information about new devices, technologies and practices. To make your most dramatic impact, CRE has an array of LCD monitor rentals and other displays that will stop people in their tracks. Consider promoting your “green-ness” by incorporating some of these green ideas at your next conference. When you need to put your best foot forward as an exhibitor, CRE can help — we have decades of experience and can help you strategize an effective trade show floor presence. Simply complete our Quick Rental Quote form and get a speedy reply. Gadget Time: Power in Small PackagesSeptember 9th, 2010Aspire Revo 3700 – Netbooks aren’t the only minimalist computers out there. A similar downsizing is taking place in the desktop niche, with all kinds of cool, small computers from all kinds of computer makers. A pioneer of the netback, Acer has also been busy shrinking desktop footprints with its Revo line. Apple TV – Introduced at Apple’s September 1st “special event,” the completely revamped Apple TV is all about streaming (in 720p) and has dispensed with the previous version’s 160GB hard drive. Seiko E-Ink Watch – The problem with getting excited about gadget site listings of “new ideas” is that many of them never get out of the idea stage. So it’s great to see a concept as cool as Seiko’s new E-Ink watch actually make it to market. The company has made E-ink models before, but the new one stands out because of features like higher resolution, a 180-degree viewing angle and radio-controlled timekeeping and display that get their signals from the nearest atomic clock. It’s not only nifty, nice and neat, but promises to be affordable. The watch is slated for release by the end of 2010. ROAMpay – If you are a traveling salesman, self-employed craftsman/artisan or freelancer of any kind, iPhone app builders have created a number of credit card payment systems for that platform. There are a whole lot more phones out there to draft into business service, and QuickPay Merchant Service has the solution. Its ROAMpay system is what they call “device agnostic” – it will work with phones running Apple’s iOS, as well as Android and BlackBerry. In addition to giving you real-time authorization for Discover, MasterCard, Visa and AmEx through your QuickPay account, it will let you log transactions and create receipts. If you want to be prepared to make a sale at the market or in line at Burger King, this is your gadget. At CRE, we love technology – all of it, from the interactive kiosks we rent for conventions to the scores of iMac rentals that are doing yeoman’s work in the TV and film industries, Fortune 500 firms and post-production studios. As tech experts, we understand “computer-ese” and other lingo, and can offer the assistance of our experienced Account Executives when you need to push through a bottleneck or ramp up for a new project (or five). Contact us by phone or e-mail, or fill out a Quick Rental Quote form, and we will tailor a solution that’s just right – right now! China, Electronics Superstore of the FutureSeptember 2nd, 2010At the end of the year, China will become only the third nation ever to boast a $5 trillion economy. The nation is on track to have a 2010 economy worth some $5.36 trillion, behind the U.S. ($14.2 trillion) and slightly ahead of Japan ($5.06 trillion), which it will knock from the number two spot. China’s economic future will affect the whole planet, and every industry from autos to electronics. Computers and electronics China’s economy has grown at breakneck speed for the last 15 years, with the growth rate for the first two quarters of 2010 being downright supersonic. Electronics, computer and communications firms are well represented among China’s top 100 firms, about 30 of which have annual revenues over $1 billion. The largest, named Legend Holdings – the firm that bought IBM’s Lenovo laptop lines – had almost $18 billion in sales for 2006, the most recent year for figures.
The new Japan? From the 1950s through the 1980s, Japan was America’s chief economic rival in certain core industries like computers and semiconductors. A slew of books were published with various predictions of just how fast the Land of the Rising Sun would leave the U.S. in the dust. In 1987, Japan was selling American firms 1MB memory chips for about $400. (If you were to max out the RAM on one of CRE’s iMac rentals at that price, it would cost you $6.4 million for 16GB.) In the late 1980s, newspapers reported economic gloom and doom for the U.S. and proof of Japan’s ascendancy. A decade later and Japan’s economy was toast. Japan squandered all the headway it made in the 1980s and 1990s by strangling its own economy over the last 15 years or so. As the Japanese started their long slide, China was still mainly an outsourcing destination, for getting your widgets mass produced at a good price. Since then, however, China has grown into a nation full of entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators, and everyone knows it: Apple, Oracle, IBM and every other forward-looking U.S. firm has one, three or half a dozen Chinese partners or vendors. What next? On the practical level, expect more and more digital gear to be manufactured (and designed) in China. Before long, Chinese firms will likely be supplying CRE with some of its LCD monitor rentals, and providing American consumers with the digital gear and gadgets needed for both work and play. Who says? In July of this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated that total annual growth by the end of 2010 would be 3.3% for the U.S. and 2.4% for Japan. The same report predicts a 2010 growth of 10.5% for China. CRE recognizes a good performer when it sees one, whether it’s an industry, a product or a process. Whether you need top-performing Mac Pro rentals or the extra digital horsepower of AJA Io HD rentals, contact our experienced Account Executives or fill out the Quick Rental Quote online form. We are top performers, too, and when you need our support and expertise, you’ll get our very best, very fast! |
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there are plenty of office newsletters and corporate projects being done without collaborative input. It is really not that difficult to do. Here are “5 Steps to a Basic Collaborative Workflow” that will truly harness the power of teamwork in your office.
Now that the green movement is in full swing, convention centers in cities large and small are on the bandwagon, incorporating the latest and greatest energy- and planet-saving procedures. Let’s take a look at what’s happening with these new 
Education (CME) a central focus, while industry leaders bring important new information about recent advances. For attendees, you cannot afford to miss the premier pediatric medical educational event.
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