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Highlights of April 2010 Trade Shows and ConferencesMarch 2nd, 2010CRE Rentals highlights the upcoming Trade Shows and Conferences in April. IPC APEX EXPO 2010
The EXPO features the industry’s best standards development discussions, technical conferences and professional development training, as well as an exhibition featuring the industry’s top suppliers. If you are exhibiting, you need to grab the attention of the thousands of passersby, which can be done with plasma rentals displaying your company products, Web site or even a live webcam feed. NAB 2010
The Show was promoted with electronic communications instead of direct mail, social networking sites were leveraged for publicity and registration took place online. Post-consumer recycled materials are being used for conference bags and the limited amount of printing required. CRE can supply exhibitors with energy-effective rentals for NAB, from modern LCD monitor rentals that draw half the power of 5-year-old models to wireless tablet PC rentals for taking notes, downloading conference materials and communicating with others via Skype, chat or e-mail. The NAB Show’s famous annual exhibition features some 1,500 companies covering over 800,000 square feet. Special pavilions include Destination Broadband, with more than 50 cutting-edge firms and a theater, which will showcase the online video experience and map out the “broadband ecosystem” from basic infrastructure to the latest home entertainment technologies. Other technology-focused pavilions include the 3D Pavilion, Mobile DTV Pavilion, Technologies for Worship and Content Central. Interop
For exhibitors who need to be in two (or more) places at once, CRE interactive kiosk rentals are a good move. You can capture attendee contact information, offer product specs and maximize your conference investment. If you have a booth, nothing grabs and holds attention like touchscreen feature available in the all-in-one computer rental with some “push-button fun.” You could also plug a laptop, a DVD player or a home-theater system into a plasma rental to present a PowerPoint slideshow, Flash animation or multimedia brochure. You will also see new technology being deployed, as the InteropNet will be offering a stable high-speed network for attendees and exhibitors, from the conference rooms to the exhibition floor. InteropNet will showcase leading technologies in a live environment, with “virtualization in action” and information on bringing the same cost-effective power to your company. If your company is exhibiting at any of these events and needs technology rentals, partner with CRE Rentals – your one-stop conference and expo shop. Fill out the Quick Rental Quote form and one of our expert Account Executives will work with you to ensure you get the gear needed to make your conference presence a success! March 2010 Trade Shows Spring ForthFebruary 9th, 2010
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. - – -
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. “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. 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. November Trade Shows Focus on Gaming, Auto, HospitalityOctober 6th, 2009HD Expo 2009
The Hospitality Design Exposition for this year is right around the corner. HD Expo 2009 will run November 4th and 5th at the Burbank (California) Marriott, providing a matchless annual resource for the newest products and services. Most important for attendees, it puts them in touch with the global hospitality design community. HD Expo 2009 will feature over 1,200 exhibitors, the manufacturers and artisans behind the hottest hospitality products and services. Informative and innovative sessions on hospitality design will cover the latest and most important issues facing the industry. With some 11,000 attendees, 2009 HD Expo is the best way to establish your firm and reach the design professionals that dominate the industry. You will also connect with established buyers and sellers in the industry, so making your booth stand out with a special convention rentals package from CRE is a smart move. Raise awareness, expand your marketing reach and promote your product—with CRE’s help. SEMA Show 2009
SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) will take over the Las Vegas Convention Center November 3rd to November 6th. The SEMA 2009 Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world, drawing an international attendance that needs to stay abreast of the ever changing opportunities in the automotive, truck, RV and SUV markets and aftermarkets. The show offers attendees product demonstrations, educational seminars, special events and important networking opportunities. Staying in touch with your marketing team at the SEMA Show has never been easier, thanks to tablet PC rentals from CRE. With a pen-driven, touch-screen interface, WiFi and a full complement of efficient software, you can manage staff and notes at the same time. If you want to show booth visitors sell-sheets, animated logos or new TV commercial, an interactive kiosk or SEMA plasma rental (including the magnificent 61″ NEC) provides an excellent way to do so. We’ve created a lot of great, custom rental packages for SEMA conferences, and can take care of you, too. Global Gaming Expo (G2E)
The Global Gaming Expo 2009 (G2E) is set for a four-day run, also at the Las Vegas Convention Center, from November 16th to the 19th. G2E is the world’s largest, most comprehensive exhibit and conference for the gaming industry. The 100+ presentations and educational seminars are developed by leaders in the industry to educate attendees in the latest technologies, emergent management practices, amenities and marketing. G2E helps gaming professionals succeed in today’s volatile marketplace. The exhibitor list is a long one, and many of them will be ready with kiosk rentals, monitors and other helpful technology. If you deal in products and services that serve any of the many aspects of the gaming, hospitality and entertainment industries—such as video gaming, cashless systems, game design, customized and electronic games, furniture, etc.—then you know you’re going to be there. You should also know that when you need a LCD monitor rental, CRE Rentals is ready to help. In fact, we are ready to help you at a conference or a trade show—or help you put on your own—with powerful projectors and portable screens plus everything else you could possibly need. CRE is also your source for special processing tools, like the new Mac Pro rental powerhouse, powerful PC desktops and a full range of special video editing workstations. Whatever you need, our expert and efficient Account Executives can get you set up quickly and cost-effectively. Fill out the online Quick Rental Quote form, give us a call or send an e-mail, and you’re one huge step closer to having everything 100% covered. Meeting the Economic Challenges with Rentals from CRESeptember 17th, 2009It seems that “financial experts” just pop right out of the woodwork during tough economic times. This recent recession is no different, and there are tons of ads and spam touting penny stocks, how to make money in down markets and other magical maneuvers. In times like these, however, it is wise to keep a historical perspective, and always to “go with what you know.” CRE customers are no strangers to the ups and downs of the economy, the “whole one” or the portions of it they work in, their chosen industries. For animation pros who’ve run Final Cut Pro on a Mac Pro computer rental, working in a volatile industry is old hat. Hollywood is notoriously cyclical, although the trends have always been generally “up.” Office managers at all kinds of firms have relied on CRE for everything from that extra desktop PC to multifunction office wizardry like the Panasonic 595 Fax/Laser printer. They have done so in good times and bad. The “in-between” times There are also times like this, when there are definitely some big national economic issues, but certain industries are still going strong. Technology is running somewhat against the grain right now, but the real super-tech-types, the ones who know they need to get their new project backed up onto a high-capacity XServe RAID rental from CRE, aren’t always the folks watching the financial news. Sometimes it’s someone else in management, who might misinterpret economic signals at times. The techies have to educate others as to the cost-effectiveness of good backups, whatever is going on with the New York Stock Exchange. You could call what we are going through “in-between times,” for want of a better term. There is great volatility, but this is America, after all, so there is always great hope and a lot of enthusiasm. There are a number of important technology conferences coming up in the last quarter of 2009, and CES actually starts earlier than January 2010. It looks like plenty of folks are still investing in booths to make their presence known. What kind of signal does it send when you don’t go? That may take more explaining than it’s worth. It’s less costly to go ahead and make plans for the convention rentals that CRE offers than to weather the storm of doubt that might follow you in the wake of your decision to stay home. The right time for new marketing
A exhibit booth with a few high-res monitors or perhaps a high lumen projector rental from CRE, along with some enthusiastic sales reps and a tech guy (or gal) with all the answers—this is not a backbreaking expense. In fact, it’s an investment. Many marketing experts assert that the time to redefine and expand your marketing efforts is when others are not doing so. That time could be now. Don’t just follow the headlines in the business section, but dig down deep. That’s where you will find out what is really going on, like you will when you call up the people you know and ask the right questions. Get back to the basics of business, doing good work and making good deals for your great clients and customers, and you will not simply survive, but thrive. When you start getting busier, rent the laptops or other equipment you need from CRE until you know whether you should buy any. Often the smart thing to do is stay lean, renting what you need when you need it, and directing the capital that would have gone into equipment into marketing, instead. CRE’s experienced, business-savvy Account Executives are ready to help. All you have to do is fill out a Quick Rental Quote form, give them a call or send an e-mail. We can help you get through the challenges and set yourself up for the future. With the right attitude, the right help and the usual hard work, the future usually turns out to be pretty bright. Tele-Immersion: Videoconferencing on Holographic SteroidsAugust 6th, 2009Let’s take an imaginary look at the office of the future, perhaps even the near future. Forget picking up a phone. You will simply tell your computer, “Phone home,” and one of your office walls will flicker to life when your spouse, child or genetically engineered SmartDog answers. On their end they will enjoy the same, totally immersive experience. That’s “tele-immersion,” a Brave New World-ish technology that can bring two or more distant locations into one simulated setting. It could put a big dent in business travel, no question about it. Even today, you can rent a nice plasma display from CRE, add some software to a sufficiently powerful computer, hook up your webcam and have a pretty impressive videoconference. Tele-immersion, however, is a new kind of communication that goes way beyond videoconferencing. If you’ve used a webcam for a videoconference then you know that it is far from a perfect form of communication, with hardware limitations, software glitches and network delays that can create “jerky” video. In addition, walking out of view of your single camera will cause you to disappear from the other person’s view. In a tele-immersion scenario, not only can’t you disappear from view (unless you leave the room), the person you are speaking with can look around your office simply by viewing their display screen from various angles. It’s pretty much like looking through a window. The most advanced holographic environments will require computers many thousands of times faster and more powerful than even the Mac Pro “personal supercomputer” that CRE rents. This is why today’s systems are hugely expensive, build-to-order propositions, or installed at tele-immersive “studios” where you would book time for holding your teleconference.
Yet there are working systems online today. Cisco’s “On-Stage” TelePresence Experience captures holographic meetings for broadcast over IPTV (Internet Protocol TeleVision), so TVs or PCs with wireless or wired broadband connections can join in. Cisco says there are over 150 rooms, in almost 30 countries, now capable of high-definition videoconferencing. Today’s computer/Internet kiosks, like the Friendlyway Interactive rental available from CRE, will quite likely evolve into service platforms where customers can interact with real people, in real time. Perhaps five years from now, telepresence will no longer be restricted to special locations or costly devices. Cisco engineers and tech pundits alike are predicting that homes, offices and hotels will be on the holographic conferencing bandwagon—they just can’t say exactly when. Another firm, however, thinks it is onto a better way already. DVE (Digital Video Enterprises) has designed its Tele-Immersive Room with industry standards that allow other, older videoconferencing systems to participate in the “DVE experience.” DVE is assisting Christie Digital Systems with the integration of its technology into Christie’s Mirage HD3 units, among the most impressive projectors in the world. The Mirage HD3 leverages 1080p DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology to deliver an incredible 120 frames per second of lifelike, high-definition, flicker-free, active stereo imagery. Before following the usual technology “trickle down” route to the enterprise level, 3D holographic teleconferencing will likely be used at large conventions, media events and conferences. After that—again, no one knows when or cares to predict with any specificity—the tele-immersive experience will come to the average person’s office or home. Your friends could walk into your living room, virtually speaking, and talk to you the same way that Princess Leia did with Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. The possibilities of this futuristically realistic technology are limited only by the imagination, and there seems to be plenty of that still left in the world judging by what Cisco, DVE and others are doing. |
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 
The Association for Laboratory Automation’s annual conference — 
SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering, presents 
