In every phase of your business now – from marketing and prospecting to R&D, from attending trade shows to exhibiting and making presentations at them, as well – you can avail yourself of today’s potent interactive and collaborative technologies. With wireless mobility and real-time connectivity come faster product development and better feedback from clients and prospects, which is good no matter what industry you’re in. CRE can help you leverage this technology to great benefit, no matter where you are or what you are doing.

Apple’s iPad has been getting a ridiculous amount of press, but precious little has been said about serious, productive uses (even in our own first look). Its size, about midway between a smart phone and a netbook, means it has enough screen real estate to do real browsing, writing (with a nice on-screen keyboard or a Bluetooth wireless one), reading and document handling (PDFs, photos, video, etc.). With WiFi-only and WiFi-plus-3G connectivity, you can stay in touch with one, two or 200 colleagues, customers, clients and/or coworkers, wherever you are, to accomplish pretty much whatever you need to do. When the “excitement of the new” wears off, the iPad should be standing tall, regardless, as it really can be a great tool for you, as Adobe proved this week with its release of iPad-specific publishing tools.

Tablet PCs running Windows have been around forever, it seems, and have been refined over the years. It can be argued that the humble tablet PC was a precursor to the iPad, as it combined Wi-Fi, handwriting recognition, a good bit of audio-video capability and ease of use in a mobile (if not pocket-sized) form factor.With CRE’s tablet PC rentals, conference teams or salespeople can run PowerPoint presentations, maintain contact with headquarters, stay abreast of breaking news or take handwritten notes. On site or on the go, a tablet or pad can be a true collaborative tool. Although Windows tablet PC’s typically run a special version of Microsoft Windows XP, CRE can configure your tablet PC with the ever-popular Microsoft Office, or even the Ubuntu version of Linux. CRE features award-winning tablets from Motion Computing, which can also run Windows 7 if you’re a Top Geek, like the fellow in this YouTube video.

A recent CRE blog discussed some of the new technologies finding their way into Audience Response Systems. In addition to tighter integration with MS Office applications, particularly PowerPoint, the leading ARS makers are making much more capable keypads and are allowing input from more and more wireless devices all the time, from smart phones to (yes) the iPad. There are few better methods for getting real-time input from your audience than one of CRE’s Audience Response System rentals.

Despite CRE carrying a number of interactive, collaborative devices, our interactive kiosks are the only products in the CRE lineup that feature “interactive” in the name. Standalone kiosks let you multiply your presence at trade shows, conferences or your own annual shareholder meetings. They can be set up remotely, as well, to run product demonstrations, capture contact information from interested parties, feature surveys, connect job seekers to your firm’s online employment application and 1001 other things.

When it comes to helping you meet the challenges of today’s marketplace, whether it’s with a number of iMac rentals for post-production or some audio-visual rentals for that conference or presentation, CRE Rentals is ready to help. Send an e-mail or make a call to our experienced Account Executives, or fill out our Quick Rental Quote form, and we will get you “interactivated” and “collaborational” in no time.

When you need feedback from a marketing focus group, a room full of shareholders or a few score people attending your conference breakout session, that’s where CRE’s Audience Response System rentals (ARS) really shine. The Audience Response Systems are fully integrated with Microsoft Office applications, letting you turn a flat, boring PowerPoint slideshow into a two-way, interactive mutual learning experience. A simple, easily installed PowerPoint plug-in enables real-time audience polling, as well as the acquisition, analysis and display of the collected information. And you do it all from within the PowerPoint application.

It is not difficult to get going with the presentation once you have the plug-in installed. It provides a new toolbar that lets you edit professionally-designed templates to your needs. You can change graphics, colors and styles in a few mouse clicks, use the special toolbar to create content fields and choose your settings, quickly and easily. Save your slide, move on to the next one and repeat as needed. Load your finished presentation onto a laptop or desktop computer, then plug into a projector rental, set up your screen and start getting that audience feedback you need.

How does interactive polling work?

Audience Response Systems offer small response card keypads that are wireless and use both IR (InfraRed) and RF (Radio Frequency) technology depending on the model. With the keypads, the audience can answer multiple choice, multiple response, short answer, essay and alphanumeric questions throughout the presentation.

Need to poll the audience from different (even distant) locations in real-time? Now there is remote polling technology that allows a presenter to address and question audiences, either using a web-based polling application (through their iPhone or Blackberry smartphone) or a hand-held keypad. This gives the presenter the capability of combining the remote results with those of the local group. Real-time feedback allows the presenter to keep remote participants attentive and focused by displaying results of their ongoing input.

Expanded uses, expanded capabilities

Audience Response Systems have proven their tremendous value in a wide variety of settings. No longer do seminars, product demos, breakout session presentations or other corporate meetings have to be one-way streets – someone talks, you take notes – now that true real-time connectivity is easily achieved. The old salesman’s saying, that the best salesmen listen more than they talk, is a powerful insight, and an ARS gives you the ability to listen to hundreds of people at the same time, responding with information that your organization really needs to know. An Audience Response System, being fully plugged into the MS Office applications, makes it easy to tally, analyze and display the gathered information.

Ready to interact with your audience at your next meeting? Simply fill out the Quick Rental Quote form, give us a call or  send an e-mail and we will take care of you right away. Whether you need audience response, kiosks (another great interactive tool!) or plasma rentals, our objective is to equip you with the best tools available so you can finish on time with excellent results, whatever the task.

From the start, the educational potential of the Internet was a source of tremendous excitement. There is a wealth of online training available today, in every imaginable subject, with many top universities and even elite Ivy League institutions delivering courses, counseling, certificates and degrees on the Web. It’s even better for ongoing education and professional certification, as well as for people who want to learn specific skills or knowledge without a degree program.

At CRE, we support all kinds of businesses in every industry, but have a particular expertise outfitting creative people – designers, audio engineers, video pros, marketing mavens – with powerful media manipulators like our Mac Pro rentals. We know how much effort it takes staying updated on all manner of different software and hardware, with the ability to jump into one of our G5 with Kona card rentals and do your thing. Should you decide to take some online training to maintain and/or improve your professional standing and specialized skills, we would commend you for your work ethic – then share a few tips.

Always check training sources

You must always consider the source of online training because not all teachers and schools are created equal. Use your Web search skills, make some calls, ask questions, get references – anything to get some third-party insight. As you search for a source for training, you should consider the type of training that would work best in your specific situation. You can watch live online classes, or buy books and read online class notes, or use webcams to interact with others, and you can study on your own or in a group.

Rentals for in-house training

If you are looking for training for a group of people, perhaps for professional certification of some kind, you can buy the instructional materials on DVD. CRE has the projector rentals, as well as the audience response system rentals, that can make group training simple and effective. Especially in the IT and technical fields, where widely-regarded certifications are essential for a tech firm’s employees to have, using CRE laptop rentals rounds out a cost-effective training regimen. The more people you can get trained together, of course, the lower the unit cost for the preparation. Win-win.

With large enough hardware or software purchases, vendors can also customize a total solution for your firm and easily integrate online or offline training into the plan. You don’t need to tie up your workstations (which are making your company money) or budget a large hardware purchase when you use computer rentals for training. A room of iMac rentals and/or PCs, the right software, the right learning materials and the right amount of time, and you’ve got another group of experts in Excel, Exchange. Photoshop or InDesign – or Maya, C+, Logic, Pro Tools, Avid, Javascript, Ajax, Cisco, Microsoft, Novell or whatever else you can think of.

CRE has its share of experts, too. Our Account Executives know exactly what solutions will fit your particular challenge, whether it’s a post-production bottleneck, convention, presentation or training session. Call or send an e-mail, or fill out the Quick Rental Quote form, and we’ll get you that personalized training solution you need.

The breakout session is a mainstay of the modern conference. It is a chance for exhibitors, sponsors and invited speakers to bring good, usable information to attendees, who can range from special guests and industry colleagues to possible collaborators and potential customers. Media events, presentations, panel discussions and such audience participation activities as Q & A sessions and polling involve various (and numerous) pieces of equipment, all of which need to be in place and ready to go. For smooth sailing, you need a basic breakout room package that will fill the bill.

Content is king

In the process of familiarizing yourself with some pretty nice audiovisual equipment and computers, never forget that the most important thing is the content. In many cases it will be a PowerPoint presentation and/or some Flash animation. One of CRE’s laptop rentals with the Microsoft Office installed will be plugged into the 3K projector, set on a cart/stand with a power strip and locking wheels. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a backup laptop running the presentation simultaneously on its own screen. If the presenting PC crashes, the other will be in sync to continue.

With all the included cables and power cords properly attached, you’re ready to roll. On a 6-ft. tripod screen (with skirt) you can showcase your product or service with a presentation including video clips, bullet points that follow your script and/or a slideshow, all controlled by a cordless presenter. If your message is as high-quality as the presentation system, you have the ingredients for a great session.

Stepping it up a notch

If you anticipate a large crowd, you may need to consider some supplemental equipment, for starters a cordless microphone and powered speakers, and other kinds of audiovisual rentals. Depending on the room, you may need some lighting equipment, too, and for archival and/or training purposes you could also bring in some video recording gear. CRE’s digital recorder rentals can be used to hold digital media for use in your presentation, record the session or capture attendee contact information.

If you’re going to have a table in the room for registration, collecting business cards, getting contact information or providing sell sheets or brochures, CRE’s office equipment rentals could be a big help.

Some of the best help you can get in a breakout session, of course, is from your audience. With one of CRE’s Audience Response System rentals, you can interact with attendees and poll them during and after the presentation – or base the presentation around an audience Q & A session in the first place. Whatever your breakout room plan, our experienced Account Executives are ready with the ways, means and expertise to bring it to fruition. Call, send an e-mail or fill out a Quick Rental Quote form and we’ll break out, bring over and set up whatever you need, whenever you need it.

The 2010 Game Developers Conference (GDC) is set for March 9-13 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. This conference is the largest, professionals-only, high-tech game industry event in the world, and every spring in the City by the Bay it provides a forum for sharing, learning and networking for the people who conceive, create and market computer, hand-held, mobile, console and online games.

Nothing pulls people to your booth like the impressive plasma rentals for Game Developers Conference, offering up to 65 inches of high-definition pizazz. You can use one (or more) to display promotions, animations, Flash and PowerPoint presentations, or the biggest, brightest version of your company logo. Since you can connect most any digital device to the monitor, you can show DVDs or even use the screen as a huge browser window to show off your Web site. With upwards of 17,000 attendees expected at Game Developers Conference, you can try any number of approaches to reach the widest possible audience.

Game Developers Conference is the primary annual grazing ground for artists, game designers, programmers, producers, audio/video pros, business owners and others in the game industry. If you want to capture as much contact information as possible, and multiply your effectiveness (whether you’re short-staffed or not), interactive kiosk rentals can be a great help. If you have more than a few people going, you might consider standardizing on CRE’s wireless MacBook laptop rentals to stay in touch throughout the five-day extravaganza.

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WESTEC 2010 is being held from March 23-25 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Manufacturing is changing in amazing ways, with new economic forces, dramatic advances in technology, new “lean and green” ideas and evolving, emerging industries. WESTEC has been the West Coast’s premier manufacturing event for over 40 years, showcasing breakthroughs in production methods and materials, machine tools and business strategies.

Whether you’re a multinational corporation or an independent consultant, if you’re one of the 450+ exhibitors at this year’s event you need to stand out from the crowd. Holding a breakout session or tutorial? You’ll want to check out CRE’s Westec plasma rentals and Audience Response System rentals. They constitute a powerful one-two punch for showing off the goods, then getting usable feedback.

WESTEC puts you face to face and right in the midst of all the experts, vital suppliers and industry innovators. If you’re bringing a convention team, you may want to have some of your staff check out the speakers, panel participants and other exhibitors while you hold down the fort. With CRE’s digital recorder rentals and digital note-taking tablet PC rentals, they’ll get all the important info that you need.

Whether you’re planning to exhibit, attend or both, as one of the leading convention and computer rental firms CRE can help you maximize your presence while minimizing the cost and complexity. Our Account Executives are experienced professionals, and good listeners, which means you will get first-rate help, often in ways you don’t even anticipate. Let them help you make the most of your trade show time by calling, sending an e-mail or filling out a Quick Rental Quote form today.

In 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.

The 2010 NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) show runs from January 14-17 at the Anaheim Convention Center.  CRE is proud to be the official computer rental supplier to exhibitors at the NAMM show. Many firms will also avail themselves of  plasma rentals to present their products and services in gorgeous, wide-screen color.

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

The Association for Laboratory Automation’s annual conference — LabAutomation2010 at the Palm Springs Convention Center from January 23 to 27 — brings together engineers, scientists and other professionals from all over the globe. A wide range of industries are represented at the world’s premier lab automation event, including security, energy and petrochemicals, agriculture, clinical diagnostics and pharmaceuticals.

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

SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering, presents SPIE Photonics West at San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center from January 23 to 28, featuring four symposia and access to 3,600+ research papers.

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.

The pace of technological change is not only relentless, it’s breathtaking. Every day, new kinds of devices make work (and play) less time-consuming and therefore less costly. It’s too much for the average person to stay abreast of, so CRE Rentals brings you monthly updates from every corner of the Tech Universe. Whatever kind of technology you’re using for video, post-production, event planning, conferences, meetings or just plain office work, CRE has you covered when you’re in a crunch. From advanced Audience Response System rentals for meetings and marketing focus groups, to a dozen wifi-enabled Tablet PC rentals to keep your conference staff connected, we’re here with solutions.

Pro specs at a consumer price

Panasonic’s newest, most compact “Micro Four Thirds” camera is the Lumix GF1, which has 12-megapixel resolution, a 3-inch LCD viewscreen and integrated flash. Professional photographers and filmmakers, many of whom have MacPro rentals, know that the “Micro Four Thirds” standard is an impressive extension to the “Four Thirds” standard that Leica, Olympus, Panasonic and other makers developed for their pro-level digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras. The GF1 stores images on SD/SDHC cards, has a dust cleaning feature, boasts optical image stabilization and still comes in 35% smaller and 26% lighter than its predecessor, the G1.

Smartphone for video pros?

Philips is set to debut its latest Google Android smartphone, the V808. It is the firm’s second Android-powered unit and has a bright, detailed 3.2 inch touchscreen display, support for microSD storage cards up to 8GB and a full-featured 3.2 megapixel camera. Video post-production pros that use AJA Io HD rentals from CRE can now get up-to-the-minute samples of projects sent to their phones, as the device offers both “widget” support and an audio/video multimedia player. The V808’s 1000 mAh battery should give several hours of service at full-on use, and its GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity will interface every which way.

MacBooks get a boost

Apple just upgraded its MacBook with more powerful components, with CPU speed upped from 2.13 to 2.26GHz and the hard drive from 160 to 250GB. The 2GB of DDR2 RAM was replaced by the latest memory module technology, the faster DDR3 memory. Cosmetic changes include the new rubber bottom, the Apple-exclusive multitouch trackpad (made of glass), a seven-hour built-in battery and LED backlighting for its 13.3-inch display. As CRE integrates newer models into its MacBook and MacBook Pro rental inventory, users will find a unibody polycarbonate enclosure in the former and an aluminum one in the latter.

If you have questions about how the new technologies can help you, call one of our expert Account Executives today, toll free, at (877) 266-7725. You can also use our Contact Page or Quick Rental Quote web form for immediate assistance.  We’re here to offer first-rate service and support, and get you the solutions that you decide you need.

Watch for Part 2 of the CRE Tech Product Update, set to appear on Wednesday, November 4th.

For over 60 years, Audio Engineering Society (AES), founded in 1948 by a group of forward-looking audio engineers, has been the major force promoting the discovery, analysis and distribution of technical information for the recording industry. This year’s conference—AES New York 2009, to be held Oct. 9-12 at NY’s Javits Center—is the 127th AES convention and, as always, is the most important annual gathering of audio professionals in the world.

The landmark event is expected to bring attendees and presenters from more that 100 countries together for a full schedule of seminars, workshops and exhibitions. Many exhibitors of hardware, software, instruments and equipment will demo their products on the Apple Mac Pro computers that CRE rents. They can also display their wares on AES plasma rentals or  bright, clear LCD monitors, while others will opt for standalone kiosks to capture attendee information and present their product lines. You can do one or all of these things with CRE’s help.

The show offers participants a unique opportunity for forming new, innovative business partnerships. Journalists as well as corporate sales and marketing personnel can use wireless tablet PC rentals to stay in touch, take important notes and get up-to-the-minute information over WiFi. In a departure from previous years, top recording artists will broaden the view from engineering to a musical-and-technical take on such recording processes as choosing studios and producers, nurturing creative relationships, and using Macinstosh and PC computer rentals for audio recording.

The Platinum Mastering panel will focus entirely on the cataloging, repair and preservation of landmark recordings. Other Platinum Panels will share new insights, behind-the-scenes stories and audio clips from classic sessions on such historic albums as Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA,” Paul Simon’s “Graceland,” and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” A MicroTrack Digital Recorder from CRE could come in very hand to capture all of the information being dispensed at this amazing conference. Of course, all the things you need to make a good impression as a presenter or exhibitor—projector rentals, displays, PCs—are available from CRE.

Oracle OpenWorld 2009

From October 11th to the 15th, Oracle OpenWorld 2009 will feature over 1800 sessions, 400+ partner exhibits and keynote addresses from global technology leaders at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. Hands-on labs, special networking events and other interactive opportunities give the many OpenWorld attendees and exhibitors a chance to meet new people and old friends, field questions and hear comments.

If you are making a presentation at this important event, you can survey your audience responses and get crucial data with an audience response system rental. Well-prepared exhibitors and presenters will gain tremendous advantages by considering the entire event an “adjunct marketing opportunity,” and the information you can collect from the top global professionals in networking will prove extremely valuable in all facets of your business.

Although Oracle will not hold onsite testing or the popular “exam cram” this time around, the OCP lounge will fill in some of those gaps. With a MacBook or MacBook Pro rental from CRE, recording these sessions will be a snap with the built-in microphone and iSight camera. Oracle will also put on two certification-related Power Sessions for all those interested in pursuing Oracle certificates, at any level.

Members of the Oracle Certification team will attend OpenWorld this year. Their stated intent, per Oracle’s PR materials, is to mingle in the OCP Lounge with the people that they “communicate with throughout the year” by phone, fax and e-mail. This presents smart exhibitors the opportunity to do some effective, one-on-one interaction. Whatever you need for OpenWorld, from laptops to plasma displays, CRE will help you make just the right impression.

Get the right help with ComputerRentals.com

CRE’s own professionals, the well-trained Customer Service Representatives and Account Executives alike, can help you get whatever you need to outfit your booth(s) at one or both of these events. Fill out a Quick Rental Quote and get an even quicker answer, right now!

Read Part 1 here if you missed it!

Although there are a few kinds of Audience Response Systems (ARS), they all seek to do the same thing and feature various options to meet your specific information-gathering and interactivity requirements. A typical ARS comprises the following components:

• a base station (essentially a receiver)
• keypads for every participant
• ARS software on the presentation computer

The computer that is running the ARS software connects to the base station/receiver and, as it also runs the presentation software, to the projector itself. The various ARS software applications have different minimum computer system requirements, so make sure you are using the right combination of components.

A typical ARS-enabled presentation would run like this:

• ARS software is installed on the computer that runs the presentation software and projector
• Base station is connected to the presentation computer
• Presenter poses a question, offering a selection of responses
• Participants use keypads to make their choices
• Participants’ answers are sent to the base station then stored in a database component of the ARS software
• The software calculates and displays a graphic describing the results
• Data can be accessed later and presented in various reporting formats

Types of ARS’s

Early systems used wired keypads but most professional ARS applications now use wireless models. The two technologies used are RF (radio frequency) and (IR) infrared. The newest offering is browser-based software, which routes response data via an IP address, a system that obviates the need for keypads—wireless laptops, netbooks and hand-helds (Palm PDA’s, Pocket PC’s or browser-equipped cell phones) can be used instead. Let’s take a look at each.

RF systems are well suited to larger group environments. The base stations and keypads are typically larger than infrared models and, despite being bulky, can accommodate a larger number of participants and longer ranges. No line-of-sight is required because radio signals are used.

IR systems are good for small to medium-sized environments such as executive meetings, corporate training and college classrooms. As IR keypads need line-of-sight to the base station, they won’t work in large rooms, and sunlight affects IR transmission outdoors. Although not as powerful as RF systems, IR systems are lightweight and affordable.

Browser-based ARS’s are an emerging technology in early development. A software-only system, they are compatible with existing wireless devices. IP addresses are assigned to polling sessions and participants log in via their own wireless devices (phones, PDAs, laptops). Data is transmitted by wi-fi then displayed for the audience by the projector, as well as on every participant’s device.

Final considerations

In both the world of business and higher education, Microsoft’s PowerPoint is far and away the most popular presentation software. More than a few companies have developed plug-ins enabling a presenter to seamlessly integrate polling data into pre-fab PowerPoint presentations.

ARS’s don’t just collect data for display. They also have reporting functions to help analyze it. The pre-formatted reports export Excel and other common file formats, making possible participant tracking and grading for those in training and education environments. For corporate environments, the advantages are clear—an ARS is a “hearing aid” that gets good information and ideas that would otherwise be missed. CRE can equip your next conference or meeting so you don’t miss out on any great new ideas!