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Cloud of Confusion?

January 31st, 2012

Confused about “the cloud”? You’re not alone. Still, believe it or not, we may be nearing that point where we’re finished defining it and are moving into some clearly understood efforts and approaches. Perhaps IT managers can finally stop going to every workshop or conference on “virtual teams” or “whatever-as-a-Service” (the first was probably SaaS, Software as a Service).

We’ll call that the good news. And the bad? The cloud computing options are seemingly limitless. That a list of just the “top firms” in cloud computing runs to 100 is a sign of just how big this latest top-down paradigm shift might be. For now, though, the whole thing still seems big and a bit unwieldy – and hard to explain in the desktop computing vocabulary most people have learned via basic home and office use.

The real problem with “the cloud”

There is a dizzying array of activities surrounding “the cloud,” but that’s not really the problem – having choices is a good thing. But it gets complicated when you have to decide on vendors, choose commercial vs. open-source solutions, ensure the “portability” of applications among various clouds and so on. For individuals and firms exclusively using the Mac Pro or other Macs, Apple has a top-down solution in iCloud. But for PC users and mixed environments (like most companies), it can be messy.

Running a business has never been more complicated than it is now. Everyone is talking about “cloud projects” but your IT manager (or outsourced service) spends 70-80% of the time (and budget) just keeping things running. Now, if you’re a small post-production firm handling your own IT you may be comfortable with high-tech gear like a Xserve RAID rental but confused by all these cloud offerings. And it’s expensive to acquire the right skills whether you promote internally, retrain, cross-train, get a consultant or hire a full-time expert.

Public or private?

For larger firms a Private Cloud may be worth a look, so study the best practices of current Public Cloud operators like Netflix to see what you can implement. And it’s not just about what happens in the office. If you outfit your conference team with iPad rentals you’ll want access to your cloud for PDF brochures and other data. Universal access is one of the main reasons to have a cloud.

From chaos and confusion comes opportunity, as long as you’re open to change, new ideas and an incremental (read “cautious”) approach. We’re experiencing an historic change in computing and communications that will affect businesses on many levels. How inventors, vendors, businesses and individuals handle the challenges will chart the course of IT for the next decade or two. It should be interesting!

For event production rentals or post-production gear, CRE is your one-stop shop. We can support your cloud project with a room full of iMac rentals or mass storage. One call or e-mail does it – and if you know what you need already, use the Quick Rental Quote form.

Microsoft’s “3 Screens and a Cloud”

January 26th, 2012

When Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer did his keynote address at CES 2012, more than a few attendees (and most of the media) thought that the overproduced hip-hop-techno-video-extravaganza introduction was a bit odd. Plus, there was no “core messaging” at all regarding Microsoft’s focus of “three screens and a cloud.”

The three screens are PCs, tablet/game devices and phones, all with online storage and apps in the “cloud.”

PCs – Microsoft’s “first screen”

Microsoft is doing great with the “first screen” – PCs. Windows 7, which powers all of CRE Rentals’ PC desktop computer rental units and PC laptops, has shipped over half a billion copies since 2009 and is solidly ensconced in both homes and businesses.

Games & Tablets – “second screen”

Following the introduction of Kinect, the Xbox 360 has overcome its slow start to become a billion-dollar success. With new film and TV partnerships, Xbox is becoming a media hub for moms and dads, at least when they can get the kids off the thing. Chasing the success of iPad rentals are hundreds of Android tablets, but Microsoft can’t field a tablet product until later in 2012, after Windows 8 ships. Hardware details are nonexistent at this point but it’s fair to say that Microsoft is moving in the right direction with the “second” screen.

Smartphone – “third screen”

The firm’s biggest problem is with the third screen – smart phones. Windows Phone got mostly positives reviews, but market share is tiny after more than a year and attempts to use it on devices like tablet PC rentals didn’t work out. Apple and Samsung products dominate phone hardware, while iOS and Android own the software side. Windows Phone has a big challenge ahead.

The big question…what about the Cloud?

With little information about how and when Microsoft and its partners plan to roll out Windows 8 tablets, even the rosiest scenario puts the company in a distant third place at the end of 2012. So much for the three screens – what about the cloud that ties them all together, like Apple’s iCloud? For consumers, Microsoft has steadily refined SkyDrive and Windows Live, introducing new features and planning much better Windows 8 integration. For business users, Office 365 is doing well against Google Apps as Windows Azure continues a slow but steady growth.

Since the company’s cloud strategy requires customers loyal to Microsoft on all three screens, can Microsoft bring smart phones into the mix? The firm has been slow to deliver solutions for Android or iOS, and there are no Office apps on non-Microsoft devices. Microsoft already has a presence on the iMac and other Apple computers – as Macs run the Windows OS natively. If the company dedicates itself to “invading” the iPad and iPhone, this will be a very interesting year.

One call or e-mail puts an expert Account Executive on the job for you, or use our Quick Rental Quote if you know what you need!

Auto & Health Conferences in February

January 24th, 2012

NADA 2012

The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) represents around 16,000 dealers of new vehicles, both domestic and foreign. Over 90 percent of new-vehicle dealers in the U.S. are members, and representatives from most will be at NADA 2012 from February 3-6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The many tech breakthroughs in computer and communications are being embraced wholeheartedly by makers of transportation technology.

For the first time, NADA 2012 will be held in conjunction with the American Truck Dealers (ATD) Convention and Expo. Exchanging ideas, getting updates on new marketing approaches and networking with other dealers are invaluable experiences for attendees. With the right setup – a LCD touchscreen monitor rental to engage exhibit hall visitors, breakout session aids using Audience Response System (ARS) rentals, etc. – you can make an impact at the event that puts the new vehicle industry in your sights.

This year’s conference promises a powerful conference with such heavy-hitter speakers as President George W. Bush and Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne. Everything on the NADA 2012 program is geared to pushing dealerships to new levels of success.

Catch the “mobile health wave” at HIMSS12

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society is holding its 2012 annual conference and exhibition, HIMSS12, at the Las Vegas Convention Center from February 20-24. The leading group to approach healthcare from the information technology (IT) and systems side of the equation, HIMSS is focusing this year’s conference on “mobile health IT” and the integration of such mobile devices as a smart phone or iPad rental.

With education sessions, special programs and wide-ranging exhibits, health IT and systems professionals from around the world will have their eyes, ears and minds wide open for new tools, techniques and services. With our plasma display rentals you can capture the attention of passersby and draw them into your booth. Of course, there are a lot of people you can miss that way, so you should rent interactive kiosks and place them strategically to capture attendee contact information.

HIMSS12 is the premier location for promoting products and services that empower healthcare professionals to speed workflows, deliver patient care and make educated decisions on technology. A “conference within a conference” event, HIT X.0: Beyond the Edge, will introduce you to hundreds and hundreds of special health/medical applications for smart phones, Wi-Fi gadgets of all kinds and tablet PC rentals running Windows, iOS or Linux. It may help to outfit your conference team members with an iPad rental as well as a Windows device to do “test drives.”

A single call or e-mail puts an experienced Account Executive on the job for you, while our Quick Rental Quote form will save you time when you know what you need. Either way, we’re here and ready to help.

What Comes After 3D?

January 19th, 2012

3D was supposed to be the “next big thing” in television (and computer monitors, once the cost went down) following the success of flat 3D Glasses screens. Some Mac fans even thought Apple might have plans for a “3D-ready” screen in the iMac (circa 2010). You can trace the waning 3D mania to CES 2010, where firms such as Samsung and Sony promised a fast, painless paradigm shift.

Despite a few years of expensive, celebrity-filled ads aimed at getting folks excited about 3D TVs, monitors, smart phone screens, tablets and mobile gaming devices, pretty much everything “3D” has come up way short of the hype. Frankly, 3D has to be one of the biggest technology flops of the admittedly young 21st century, despite little islands of development or adoption. TV makers went full speed ahead, marketing 3D as if it were as “ready for prime time” as the mature technology in plasma displays, LCD touchscreen monitor rental and other state-of-the-art screens. It wasn’t.

Niches, not riches

Apparently many manufacturers felt that 3D was the natural upgrade path for all the flat screens in the world. Unfortunately, those unpredictable consumers were not ready to replace their still-new HDTVs just to watch the few good 3D offerings. And some of the “active” 3D glasses sell for up to $100, a very expensive proposition for a family. So much for the mass market.

Although 3D technology for TV is still a work in progress, the price and the discomfort are major factors to it not being adopted by everyone. There is also the fact that some users of 3DTVs have complained about feeling sick and having headaches after viewing programming on 3DTV.

There is also a lack of content in 3DTV even though some of the big broadcasters have aired programs especially in 3D. Unfortunately, they were all one-off attempts, and there is no proper 3D channel of programming available. There are DVDs of 3D movies available which allow users to recreate the 3DTV effect at home but not everyone wants to watch 3D movies at home as its cheaper to watch them in the cinema on a larger screen.

3D TV could easily work well for gamers who would go for it but it does not have a place for normal TV viewing or watching movies. The biggest sign to prove that 3D TV is a flop is when the biggest 3D hit of all times “Avatar” came out only on Blu Ray and had no support for 3D.

Although 3D technology isn’t widely used, there are lots of other technology gadgets that are. From HD plasma rentals to renting iPad 2, CRE Rentals has the latest gear in stock and ready to deliver. Complete a Request for Quote or call us so we can help you figure out what works best for you.

CES 2012 Highlights

January 17th, 2012

There’s a lot of exciting news to absorb from the recent CES 2012, as it lit up Las Vegas once again with the latest and greatest consumer electronics. Here are some of the show’s hottest items.

OLED Monitors…the next generation

CRE Rentals’ selection of plasma display rentals and other monitors have kept pace through the years with evolving technologies. The next paradigm shift features OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) screens. LG will offer the first OLED TV – model 55EM9800, a 55-inch model – in the third quarter of 2012. OLED screens feature “absolute black,” superb viewing angles and an ultra-thin form factor. Computer monitors will come as the technology spreads (and gets less expensive).

PC gaming tablet

Razer is an ambitious hardware maker that is entering the computer market from the gaming side. Its Project Fiona gaming tablet runs Windows 8, which Microsoft is seriously promoting as a game platform, but it won’t be competing with our iPad rental, which is a full-featured, business-capable productivity tool.

Tablet time for Asus Asus MeMo 370T

With a potent quad-core chip and Android 4.0, the Asus Memo 370T tablet approaches the power of CRE’s tablet PC rentals. Standard configuration includes 1GB of system RAM, 16GB for storage, a high-res screen, 8-megapixel camera and HDMI output.

HP’s take on ultra books

The PC industry has a name for the MacBook Air-inspired lines of super-thin, light laptops. They’re called “ultra books,” and the HP Spectre “out-ultras” many with its all-glass lid and palm rest. Of all the new laptops at CES 2012, the Spectre is special, with premium Beats Audio, an inset analog volume control wheel and HP Wireless Audio.

Software and apps for Windows 8

BlueStacks, which is going to be pre-installed on certain Windows 8 computers, puts the entire Android marketplace at the beck and call of Microsoft’s upcoming OS. So when Windows 8 launches, some 400,000 Android apps will be available to run on your PC.

Dashboard tech for cars

QNX has developed a car “apps system” that provides instant, automatic Bluetooth pairing of the auto sound system with a smartphone. In addition to Bluetooth, the short-range radio connection built into everything from the MacBook Pro to iPods, QNX has included technology that renders phone calls in CD-quality stereo, as well as apps integration for front- and back-seat passengers.

Watch upcoming blogs for complete coverage of the new technologies rolling out of CES. Meanwhile, for everything from trade show convention rentals to do-it-all iMac rentals, one call or e-mail puts an expert Account Executive to work on your solutions. (As always, if you know what you need, use our Quick Rental Quote form.)

The iPad 3 Is Coming… Really!

January 12th, 2012

Sure, Apple will continue to upgrade its Macintosh line in the coming year, with the next changes in the iMac likely to be with the display (as well as a cosmetic facelift). The potent Apple portables, with the MacBook Pro rental at the top of the food chain, will probably get some “evolutionary” refinement, but no major changes. So what insanely great changes are coming up this year?

Apple’s 2012 strategy

The real action at the Cupertino company in 2011 was with its iOS devices, which will continue to be the firm’s big newsmakers in 2012. One thing we know: iPad rental will have a “3″ at the end of its model name. It seems pretty clear that Apple’s big-ticket product in the first half of 2012 will be the iPad 3, with the iPhone 5 debuting in the second half of the year. We will take a look at the iPhone in an upcoming blog – the iPad 3 is the first order of business this year.

iPad3

Despite the proliferation of mobile devices like tablet PC rentals, Apple will doubtless continue to rule the market in tablets (and smart phones). There are literally dozens of iPad-centric sites, but the original is iLounge, and its recent coverage of iPad 3 rumors (and others) is cautious and thankfully un-hyped.

Where was iPad 2 weak?

The iPad 2 added some potent new features to the original model, but still failed to live up to several expectations. The dual-core A5 chip was a bona fide improvement, but both cameras in the iPad 2 are somewhat underwhelming compared to some competitors. Not for long. All this will change with third iteration of the iPad, which will likely feature an A6 processor and new, high-definition cameras, probably the same ones that will end up in a revamped MacBook rental line, too.

When the new iPad does launch, it will probably cannibalize sales of the iPad 2. However, this gives Apple the opportunity to place its legacy model in the mid-range tablets market, currently topped by Amazon’s new $199 Kindle Fire. Despite a great deal of speculation about Apple introducing a “mini” version of its hit tablet, or putting the iOS in a downsized MacBook Air, but there has been no evidence of this being seriously considered.

CRE Rentals stays abreast of technology and supports all your important work, from intense post-production tasks with an AJA Io HD to conference breakout sessions with our first-rate trade show convention rentals. Our expert Account Executives will respond swiftly to your call or e-mail, or you can speed things along even faster with our Quick Rental Quote form. When you’re ready, we’ll be here to help!

Trade Shows in 2012: Concrete and Science

January 10th, 2012

We’re going to go out on a limb and predict that the world will not end in 2012, as some ancient Mayan calendars have been interpreted to mean. Even if it does, it’s supposed to happen in December, so the following two trade shows in late January and early February should be right on schedule.

World of Concrete Trade Show

From January 23-27, 2012, the Las Vegas Convention Center hosts the only international conference dedicated to the commercial concrete and masonry construction industries, World of Concrete (WOC). CRE’s expertise in trade show convention rentals will help you create an inviting, effective presence in WOC’s 500,000 square feet of indoor and/or outdoor exhibits.

With around 1,300 exhibitors showcasing a wide range of products, services and technologies, you need the right sights and sounds to stand out – like big plasma display rentals for indoor exhibits and audio visual (AV) equipment rentals for outdoor exhibits. WOC also has a full program of demonstrations and competitions, as well as a first-rate education program.

Lab Automation Conference gets new name

SLAS2012, the First Annual SLAS Conference and Exhibition, is bringing the best of the former Lab Automation and SBS conferences to the San Diego Convention Center from February 4-8, 2012. Over 5,000 engineers, scientists, technologists and researchers – from government, academia and industry – are coming from around the world. A wide range of industries will be represented, including drug discovery and development, food and agriculture, forensics and security, energy, consumer products and more.

Whether you decide to focus on the display floor, inviting people to your booth with an interactive presentation running on an all-in-one multitouch display PC (or several), or lead a breakout session with one of our advanced Audience Response System rentals (ARS) to gather feedback, we can put it all together for you.

Attendees will enjoy some 130 presentations and scores of workshops, tutorials and short courses, and will also be investigating exciting technologies from about 270 exhibitors. Arm your conference team with the iPad rental and you can all stay in touch with FaceTime, IM and SMS messaging, e-mail and web conferencing services. Rent interactive kiosk technology to augment your human crew, and capture contact info from all the people you don’t see.

One call or e-mail – or a few clicks on our Quick Rental Quote page – will put an expert Account Executive on the job for you. We will craft just the right solution for your unique challenge at these upcoming trade shows (and future ones too!). Give us a call today or learn more about our products and services

Technology in 2011: The Downside

January 5th, 2012

For every rousing success in life – the Denver Broncos’ Tim Tebow, Oreo cookies, our all-in-one multitouch display PC – there are many more flops. The disappointments in technology were widespread this past year (don’t forget to check out the winners in “Technology in 2011: The Upside”). And now, the winners… er, losers.

Netflix

This web innovator was too smart for its own good when it decided to spin off the DVD-delivery service as Qwikster. The move showed the worst possible timing, as the company had just doubled rates on its combo DVD+streaming plan. Netflix had a one-stop shop to order DVD deliveries or stream movies to any web-connected device – HDTV, MacBook Pro, smart phone – but users would now be forced to go to a different website for each service. Netflix reversed its decision within a month, but took a big hit to its reputation.

Google

The high-flying Google axed a lot of products in 2011, often without warning, and suffered some backlash for it. With a presence on every platform from Android tablets to Apple’s iMac, Google has always provided great tools, but when they disappear people are often left with broken workflows. In 2011, Google dumped the following apps and services:

Android App Inventor, a favorite of computer science teachers;
Buzz, a bust as a social network;
Labs, the near-legendary collection of cool, useful, experimental apps;
Code Search, a developer tool;
Timeline, a date-range filter for search results;
Wave, a poorly defined collaborative real-time something-or-other; and
various other apps and services.

If you depended on the trashed tools, you are out of luck. Fortunately, some of them – App Inventor and Code Search, to name two – went “open source” and are still available.

Hewlett-Packard

HP bought Palm in 2010 and got webOS with it. Tech observers were hoping for a “third way” for tablets, an alternative to iOS and Android, but got the notoriously kludgey HP TouchPad. We see the popularity of our iPad rental and understand why companies want to emulate its success, but HP’s idea of beating the Apple tablet on price ensured the TouchPad’s demise. Soon enough, retailers were sitting on several hundred thousand of them.

In a move that precipitated his replacement by Meg Whitman, then-CEO Leo Apotheker axed the product and blew them out the door starting at $99, a move repeated in mid-December. Although HP appeared to be leaving the consumer PC market altogether, that didn’t quite happen, but after Whitman replaced Apotheker the company released webOS as open-source code. Perhaps “the crowd in the cloud” can finish what HP started.

Don’t want to be on the losing end of technology? For high-end post-production gear like render farms or trade show convention rentals, get the winning solution with CRE Rentals. Simply call or e-mail to get an experienced Account Executive to help. Or use the Quick Rental Quote form if you know what you need. We are always ready with the right solution, right now!

Technology in 2011: The Upside

January 3rd, 2012

It’s too early yet to decide what 2011 will be most remembered for, in the culture at large or its individual niches. For those of us in the technology niche – and the growing portion of the public that follows early adopters – there was plenty to like about 2011.

Smarter smartphones

Apple’s iPhone 4S is still a generation or two ahead of its rivals, a growing number of which are getting quite good, like the Samsung Galaxy and Nexus. The iPhone’s dual-core chip (which also powers our iPad rental) and camera technology, front and back, are both much improved. What sets it apart, though, are two future-is-now features: (1) its revamped antenna, which has markedly improved connection rates and call quality on both AT&T and Sprint networks, and (2) Siri, a talking voice-control system that starts out good and learns to be, well, insanely great.

Lighter laptops

Netbooks arrived a few years back and seemed to define a new form factor for lightweight laptops: low-power CPUs, limited RAM, a few gigabytes of flash storage, WiFi, pygmy-sized keyboards and a low price. Manufacturers stepped up, however – Apple with the MacBook Air, Sony with its VAIO line, Samsung with Series 9 – and brought Grade A design, power and style (at higher prices, naturally). Still, as with the iconic iMac, Apple sets the standard. Bottom line for the Air: The 2011 makeover brought a big power boost, it does Windows, the 11- and 13-inch screens are gorgeous and a 15-inch version is rumored to be in the works.

iPad, tablets and apps

In 2011, the “Year of the Tablet,” the second generation Apple iPad arrived with impressive new features, including the fabulous iOS 5 software. But it’s the several hundred thousand fun, productive and/or useful apps that make it numero uno. No other pads or tablets, not even our tablet PC rentals, have the iPad’s extensive library, and if you’re a “creative” type there is really no alternative. For less demanding people, however, a growing number of new tablets – Android no-names, the very good Samsung Galaxy Tab and, in particular, Amazon’s new Kindle Fire – will gobble up all the TV episodes, movies, music, YouTube clips, e-books and other media you care to consume.

Need for speed…USB3.0 and Thunderbolt

Another set of technologies, the protocols for connecting digital devices, kept improving throughout 2011. USB 3.0 on new PCs operates at 4.8Gbps and the new Thunderbolt bus, featured on the Mac Pro and other new Apple computers, runs two 10Gbps channels simultaneously. Apple’s previous high-speed connection, FireWire 800, is less than one-tenth as fast as Thunderbolt and not bi-directional.

If you want to move in a new direction, CRE can help. Find out how new technology can help you blast through production bottlenecks, or how our event production rentals can help you make a dramatic impact at your next conference. Contact us by phone or e-mail, or use the handy Quick Rental Quote form. We’re here, ready to help!

And don’t forget to check out Thursday’s blog, Technology in 2011: The Downside.