 |
|
Call us now (877) 266-7725
|
Hollywood: Greenest of Them All?November 1st, 2011
With today’s economic challenges, cutting waste by going green is a perfect strategy for a Hollywood that already drives Priuses, eats granola, recycles and loves Apple’s iMac (because it’s green and insanely great). By adopting sustainable production techniques and rejecting waste and excess, is Hollywood now becoming the greenest of them all? Hollywood Greens get organized The Environmental Media Association (EMA) started its Green Seal program in 2003. EMA’s president, Debbie Levin, called on some of her board members – actors Wendy Malick and Ed Begley, Jr., producer Bill Gerber, Fox chief Kevin Reilly and others – to come up with energy-saving, waste-reducing ideas that would do some good “without driving the crews crazy.” They did so, establishing a comprehensive EMA best practices guide that continues to evolve to this day. The EMA guide essentially walks production crews through a detailed process of “greening” their shows, covering everything from set construction to computerized reporting. As experts in post-production, computers, audiovisual equipment rentals and event production services, CRE knows that part of the “green solution” is energy-saving technology. Another important part, of course, is how you use it. Wide-ranging changes The general goal of “going green” means cutting inefficiencies, reducing waste and designing sustainable systems, and Hollywood set managers started making changes. Every department and every production step was up for greening – post-production, too, where the efficient use of render farms saves time and money (especially if you rent render farm). Some changes were obvious, some were subtle, but they showed a comprehensive approach that still continues:
Apple’s ever-greener Mac Pro features the latest, greatest, greenest technology yet, with similar energy-saving changes showing up in PC desktop computer rental inventory. 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, crafting the perfect “green” solution for your unique challenges. Outpacing Star Trek: Future of Flash MemoryJune 23rd, 2011In the mid 1960s, Star Trek featured some futuristic Interestingly, flash memory didn’t even make the list of “Top 10 ‘Star Trek’ Technologies that Actually Came True” – check it out, it’s a cool list! And if you think that Mr. Spock’s Tricorder looks quite a bit like one of CRE’s iPad rentals, well, you’d be right. Flash review Flash memory was introduced in the late 1980s. There are various form factors – CompactFlash, Sony MemoryStick, etc. – but the most popular appears to be SecureDigital. The latest generation of SDXC cards have capacities up to 2TB. The popular SDHC cards hold from 4 to 32GB of data, and slots are built into many of CRE’s computer rentals. These slots are turning up on most (not all) new Macintoshes, too. Apple may not be the earliest adopter of new tech all the time, but when the company adds a feature to the Mac line, you can be sure it’s been widely tested and is a true standard. These slots are now in CRE’s iMacs and MacBook Pro rentals, as well as Mac minis. Flash forward Due to its insanely successful products, Apple has passed HP and every other electronics/tech manufacturer to become the largest consumer of semiconductors on the planet. A market research firm reports that Apple spent $17.5 billion on semiconductors in 2010, an astonishing 79.6% increase over what it bought in 2009. And don’t get started on Apple dominating touchscreen purchases – that’s enough for a whole other blog (on its way soon). Apple uses flash memory for Solid State Drives (SSDs) in iPods, iPhones and the crazy-popular iPads, making Apple the world’s top purchaser of flash memory. Measured against the total amount used, about one-eighth (11.9%) will end up in tablets and by 2014, tablets will account for 16% of all flash memory. After that, who knows? Future flash Who knows – and how? The way companies spend money yields clues about their plans. Where’s Apple headed? Well, the firm spent more than 60% of its 2010 semiconductor budget on wireless “iDevices” while Hewlett-Packard spent over 80% of its semiconductor budget on servers, desktops and notebooks. These are two very different approaches, but it may take both to build Star Fleet. We’ll keep you posted! While you’re waiting for the 23rd century, CRE has your convention rentals and high-end post-production gear, too. Our expert Account Executives are ready to help you right now, by phone or e-mail – or use the Quick Rental Quote form for even faster service. We are ready to help, right now! Say “Hi” to the Awesome New iMacsMay 10th, 2011The new iMac models (released Tuesday, May 3rd), show that Apple is still at the top of its game. Let’s take a look at what makes the 2011 iMac a winner.
Quad-core processor in every model The previous iMac models offered quad-core processors (Intel Core i3, i5 and i7) on some models, but all iMacs now have at least a quad-core i5. The four “stock” models include two with 21.5-inch screens and two 27-inchers, with the former getting 2.5 and 2.7GHz i5 chips and the latter offering 2.7 and 3.1GHz i5′s. Build To Order ( BTO) models get you the most potent CPU’s: a 2.8GHz i7 with the smaller screen, and a 3.4GHz i7 with the larger, which will make them among the fastest (and definitely the coolest) computer rentals available. Advanced graphics Three new AMD Radeon HD cards offer two to three times the graphics performance of previous iMacs. The base 21.5-inch iMac (same size as the current iMac rentals) has 512MB of dedicated graphics memory. The top 21.5″ version and the base 27″ model have the mid-range card (also 512MB) and the top 27-inch model boasts the best card with an incredible 1GB of video memory. (The BTO option gets you 2GB of memory.) All models support a second monitor up to 30 inches in size – which brings us to Thunderbolt. Lightning fast data transfer Thunderbolt is a new high-speed connection that works with multiple devices (using adapters for some). In addition to new Thunderbolt devices, you can connect USB and FireWire drives, scanners, cameras, etc., as well as LCD monitor rentals and other displays. There is one Thunderbolt port on 21.5-inch models and two on the 27″ models, carrying two simultaneous streams (in and out) at up to 10Gbps, over 20 times faster than USB 2. Top tech firms such as AJA (maker of our AJA Io HD rentals), Avid and Western Digital are already making Thunderbolt products including displays, storage devices, audio/video interfaces and more. Details, details The iSight camera is gone, replaced by the same HD FaceTime camera that debuted in the recently revamped MacBook Pro (along with Thunderbolt). Other common components are 4GB RAM standard (max 8 to 16GB depending on model), 1TB hard drives (512MB on base model), SDXC card slot (32GB to 2TB), FireWire 800, four USB ports and audio in/out. Solid State Drives (SSDs) up to 256GB in size can be added as a BTO option (with an interesting twist). Finally, of course, the iMac has Gigabit Ethernet for hooking up to networks and Ethernet disk raid rentals. Every iMac comes with a wireless keyboard, plus either a Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad. CRE will keep you posted as to when the new iMacs will be in stock, what configurations will be available and so on. Call or e-mail an expert Account Executive about the new iMacs, or anything else you need to get the job done. We’re here with the solution – and if you already know what it is, save time with the Quick Rental Quote form. Fun Time with High TechJanuary 25th, 2011We blog about high-tech gadgets and toys at times (check out this post) just to balance all the hard work with a little fun. Today we’re talking playthings again – not Android tablets or the “big news” from CES (check our recent CES coverage for that). As the New Year starts picking up momentum, let’s take just a moment for a few smiles, shall we? Robot teacher
The Rover can negotiate obstacle courses in a room full of iMac rentals, carry small items, stand guard and go on missions (with 10 routes in memory at once). It is equipped with LED headlights, microphone and speaker, caterpillar tracks, a “third wheel,” a cargo bay, a “ReCon go home” command and sound effects. In addition to included sounds, there is memory space reserved for four more (like this cool sound). Indoor/outdoor flying Radio controlled (RC) devices are nothing new, and helicopters are quite popular. The latest advance is voice control, and the aptly named Voice Control Helicopter that recently hit the market follows five commands: start engine, fly higher, fly lower, hold an item and turn off upon landing. A standard joystick remote control turns it right and left, while a ceiling sensor prevents in-home crashes. New Mac Pro rentals, of course, have powerful speech command capabilities built in for doing serious work more easily. RC copter makers want to make it easy to have serious fun, too. Thus, the Voice Control Helicopter understands commands in English, French or Spanish, while another copter from Japan needs some commands in Japanese and others in English. Get set for more innovations from this industry. Party lights for Jedi Knights If you want a unique touch for a party, consider Illoom glowing balloons. There are LEDs built in, so you just pull a tab before blowing them up for über-cool lighting effects. In a room full of computer rentals with glowing plasma rentals, the balloons would complement the lighting nicely – another instant workplace party recipe. And there’s more to the Illoom balloons than a choice of colors, such as pumpkin and ghost images for Halloween, and others for different holidays and purposes. Make sure to have fun to balance your hard work, but when you need to blow through a production bottleneck, or put on a great show with our soup-to-nuts convention rentals, we’re ready with everything you need. Call or e-mail our experienced Account Executives, or fill out the Quick Rental Quote form, and let’s get it done. Learning from Apple (and Walmart)January 18th, 2011It’ s been a rough couple of years for the global economy, but both high-tech Apple and down-home Walmart are doing quite well. Each succeeds like any other business, by giving customers what they want, but they also keep people spending regardless of the direction the stock market is going, a rather more difficult challenge. We’ve blogged about financial challenges facing today’s businesses, and today we can learn from these two firms about strategies for success. Apple’s triumphant decade
Apple succeeds because it is focused and cuts no corners. From industrial design to the “user experience,” every Apple product has to meet not just high standards, but the highest ones. As every user of CRE’s iPad rentals knows, Apple doesn’t follow trends, it sets them. And the world follows, as the CES 2011 avalanche of wireless “padlets” proves. Lesson: Commit to quality, aim for excellence, work hard and don’t settle for second best. A different kind of focus Sure, Apple is on a roll, but According to survey results going back some 40 years, the store’s greeters are second only to “low price” (and way ahead of quality) in keeping Walmart customers loyal. The key business insight gleaned from the surveys, of course, is that business is really very personal, and people value being treated with politeness, respect and a smile. Service at every step CRE believes in the customer service model, too – 100%. We also stay on technology’s leading edge so we can always offer you the best possible alternatives while keeping things simple, easy and glitch-free. It starts with a call, an e-mail or our Quick Rental Quote online form. An experienced Account Executive will give you the best possible service, and every contact with CRE will prove just how hard we work to do that. Your success is our success, it’s that simple. Latest, Greatest, Fastest: What Do You Really Need?January 11th, 2011Our technological tools are getting faster and better all the time, but you’ll spend a fortune trying to stay on the leading edge. This is why renting from CRE is such a powerful budgeting strategy. You may be better off thinking of computer technology the same way you think about renting equipment for conventions. How so? Unless your company is a Fortune 500 company, you’ll probably rent what you need for that upcoming trade show. Why pay for equipment that won’t be used most of the time? This is analogous to the tech question you need to ponder, “Why pay for computer power that won’t be used most of the time?” Why, indeed? Overselling as an art form PC and peripherals manufacturers suggest that you need the latest, greatest, most powerful hardware (and software) at every employee’s desk. Not so. Basic, entry-level computers can handle all the normal “office productivity” tasks you need done – word processing, spreadsheets and charts, even presentations – so you do not need leading-edge tech for the bulk of your employees’ work. You really need to match the equipment to the job at hand, ensuring that each employee has enough power for their work. Having too much power means you are spending too much money. Once you look at what you really need to run your business, you may find that you can save a good deal of money on hardware. Crunch the numbers and you may discover that half a dozen iMac rentals makes more sense than continuing to buy them on a regular basis. Likewise, if you have production bottlenecks a few times each year (pilot season, FY end, etc.), your bottom line may respond better to some short-term render farm rentals than to purchase orders for the same equipment. Customize technology…consider rentals Any plan to save money on technology implementation requires a good deal of study. Customer service reps typically don’t need $6,000 gaming PCs, just as iPad rentals are most cost-effective for your field personnel than rubberized laptops. Many employees will do just fine with entry-level devices. You may even find that certain models in CRE’s wide range of computer rentals are more cost-effective (and more powerful) than the plain vanilla solutions that you will have to replace down the line. Still, your situation is unique – so YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary). Our expert Account Executives can help you figure it all out if you give them a call or send an e-mail. Know what you need? Then fill out the Quick Rental Quote form and we’ll take care of everything. We are always ready to help. It’s what we do! Linux Makes Three…December 7th, 2010There are three major computer operating systems (OS) running the world’s PCs. According to this ongoing survey the usage as of October 2010 split up this way: 87% Windows (with almost twice as many people using XP as Win7, and twice as many using Win7 as Vista), 8% Mac OS, and 5% Linux. The Mac usage has about doubled in just three years, while The history of open-source Linux is based on AT&T’s Unix, created in 1969, and got its name from Linus Torvalds in 1991. The main tools and “user space” libraries came from Richard Stallman’s GNU Project, and the Free Software Foundation still refers to the package as GNU/Linux. In the early ’90s, there was a great deal of confusion involving drivers, those little bits of code that help your computer connect to monitors, peripherals, modems, and networks. Today’s Linux OS computers can be used with everything from CRE’s LCD monitor rentals to standard office equipment like printers, scanners, and external storage devices. The major packages of this open-source OS are Ubuntu, Red Hat, Slackware, and openSUSE, which differ mostly in the number of custom utilities added to the mix. Historically, installing Linux has been a bit technical, and it hasn’t been a particularly user-friendly OS, unlike the elegant Mac OS X on CRE’s MacBook Pro rentals. A new product named EasyPeasy aims to change all that with a drop-dead simple installation targeted at a specific kind of user, the netbook surfer. To that end, it is easy to install on any netbook, connects to the Internet out of the box, uses Web apps, and is built for the cloud. Linux done right Should you dump everything you have and move to a Linux platform? Probably not, and that’s overkill anyway. If you want to run Linux – to take advantage of open-source apps, learn the OS, whatever – you can install it on a PC or a Mac alongside your other OS (or alone). In fact, if you want to supercharge the already potent iMac rentals, you could install all three major systems on them – Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. If you need this kind of broad capability in a dozen top-of-the-line Mac Pro rentals for a TV/film project or training session, you just let us know. CRE Rentals can install the OS you need! At CRE, we do “everything tech” to support your workflow, convention presence, and presentation needs. Need the right solution for your unique situation? Simply complete a Quick Rental Quote and one of our expert Account Executives will follow-up to make sure you get what you need, when you need it. New iMacs and Other Apple GadgetsAugust 3rd, 2010Apple has done it again – and again! The Cupertino company just recently announced updates to the Mac Pros, but that was just the start, apparently. It has also retooled its iMacs, introduced some “insanely great” accessories and debuted a new, improved LED Cinema Display. Apple has been criticized in the past for over-hyping some relatively underwhelming product changes, but every one of the recent product introductions has been certifiable Big News. New and potent iMacs rental
The base 21.5-inch iMac has a 3.06 GHz Core i3 processor, an ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics card, 4 GB of RAM, a capacious 500GB hard drive and an SD card slot that’s SDXC-compatible. The upscale 21.5-inch iMac begins with a 3.2 GHz Core i3 but has an upgrade path to a 3.6 GHz Core i5 unit – plenty of oomph for running Final Cut Pro with CRE’s Aja Io HD rentals. The 27-inch model’s base unit has the same 3.2 GHz Core i3 paired with an ATI Radeon HD 5670 graphics card, and has an optional 3.6 GHz Core i5. The 27-inch line-topping iMac has a 2.8 GHz Core i5 with an ATI Radeon HD 5750 graphics card, with an upgrade path to a 2.93 GHz Core i7 chip and even an optional 256GB Solid State Drive (SSD). This is the kind of power and speed that used to require Mac Pro rentals. Prefer a “real world measure” to the technical terms? Put it this way: Many functions are up to two or three times faster on these new iMacs. That’s some upgrade, and it means the work you actually do will get done faster. Other new Apple gadgets Along with your iMac, or any time after you buy it, you can get yourself the new Magic Trackpad (MT), a standalone version of the built-in MacBook and MacBook Pro trackpads. The MT is wireless, like the iMac’s keyboard and Mighty Mouse (MM), and allows users to make the same multi-finger, multi-touch gestures, including swipes and zoom-pinches. To support the MT, MM and the wireless keyboard Apple has released a Battery Charger with six rechargeable batteries to cycle in and out of the units that need them. Apple also introduced its new 27-inch LED Cinema Display, replacing both the 24- and 30-inch models. The new display is, like its predecessor, an LED backlit system that supports the Mini DisplayPort-equipped iMacs, minis, Mac Pros, MacBooks and MacBook Pros. With the same 2,560 x 1,440 resolution as the 27-inch iMacs, the display will be right at home with any Mac user on any platform. It will be available in September, when CRE will add it to our wide-ranging line of LCD monitor rentals and plasma rentals that offer you every type and size of large screen you could possibly need. You know that CRE has everything you could possibly need as far as anything computer-related, but we also have you covered with entertainment industry rentals and even office equipment rentals. Call or send an e-mail to our experienced Account Executives, or fill out our Quick Rental Quote form, and get what you need to get the job done. We’re here for you, to make sure it all gets done on time, on target and on budget. Apple’s new big bad Mac miniJune 18th, 2010
The Apple Macintosh mini, the computer so small it doesn’t even get a capital letter for its name, is the latest Mac to get a facelift and refreshing. (“Facelift” refers to cosmetic changes, while “refreshing” means operating hardware has been upgraded.) Base unit drive sizes are 320 and 500GB. Of course, some real goodies are still standard in all models – Airport Extreme, Bluetooth, gigabit Ethernet, upgraded NVIDIA GeForce 3200M graphics, a FireWire 800 port, four USB 2.0 ports, SD card slot, Mini DisplayPort for external monitors, an HDMI port and both optical digital and analog audio ins and outs. This is not your father’s (well, older brother’s) Mac mini by any means. Not only are the Core 2 Duo CPUs ugraded to 2.4 and 2.66GHz, the base models come with 2 and 4GB of DDR3 RAM, respectively, and both now accommodate a max of 8GB. The mini bundle is brawny A tad wider than the original, the mini has a new, unibody aluminum case like CRE’s MacBook Pro rentals, and it’s only 1.4 inches tall. The external power supply has been miniaturized and installed in the case. All of the first hands-on reviewers (from Computerworld to MacWorld) have raved about the small size, great design and energy-stinginess (it draws just 10 watts at idle, a 25% reduction over previous models). The mini is the most energy-efficient desktop computer you can get. Along with Mac OS X Snow Leopard (now at 10.6.x), the mini can be outfitted with an easy-to-configure copy of OS X Server, while every model in the line gets the usual laundry list of solid Mac programs – iTunes for your media, Time Machine for backups and other essentials like Spaces, Quick Look, Spotlight, Dashboard, Address Book, QuickTime, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row and Xcode Developer Tools. For productivity, you have Mail, iChat, the Safari browser, iCal and the fabulous iLife bundle (iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb and GarageBand). CRE carries wide array of Macintosh models, from the potent Mac Pro rentals to the best laptop for creatives on the go, the MacBook Pro. In addition, the phenomenal new 21.5- and 27-inch iMac rentals are in stock (as are the 20- and 24-inch models) and ready to help you push on through another deadline or another last-minute job. We are your Mac-at-work specialists so when you are ready to rent the new Mac mini, just give us a call or use our Quick Rental Quote form, and we will get you fully equipped in no time. Mac vs PC? Creative Professionals Weigh InJune 8th, 2010
Creative professionals weigh in on the age old question…Mac or PC? An unscientific sampling at a designer site indicates that between 70-80% of designers use Macs, compared to the 80% of “regular Internet users” who use PC’s. Although most designers acknowledge that the same design tools are available on both platforms, many tout the Mac’s ease of use and superior build quality. One respondent summed it up by saying that “the platform has nothing to do with the outcome of design. But designing on Mac feels a lot more natural to me. I’ve used both PCs and Macs extensively, each has its own advantages. For design, multimedia and other creative work, I personally feel more at home on a Mac.” Although some PC partisans – and, honestly, plenty of good work is done on PCs – brought up some good points about cost differences, it is clear that there remains a solid majority of Mac-using designers. Some professionals use both-Mac and PC Within that complement of Mac users, of course, are plenty of people who use both PCs and Macs, just as most companies do these days. It is not uncommon to see a Fortune 500 firm with PCs in the accounting department (although that’s changing slowly) and Macs in the art/marketing department. And with the cross-platform programs and ease of PC-Mac networking, there is no reason that both kinds of computers can’t co-exist peacefully. It’s just that when it comes time for entertainment professionals to edit the movies or master the records or finish the magazines, more of them reach for a Mac Pro rental than a PC, although CRE Rentals does rent both. Another important development is the power of the Macs. The fastest Mac ever tested by Macworld, by the way, isn’t an eight-core Mac Pro, but the top-of-the-line iMac with the new Core i7 Intel chip. The rest of the iMac family is similarly potent, making CRE’s iMac rentals a sensible alternative to the Mac tower. However, the Mac Pro has the advantage in many areas, like PCIe slots and other expandability options, that make it a continuing favorite for use with Final Cut Studio and other audio-visual software. CRE can equip any kind of Mac, any kind of way you need. Of course, if you need a PC to run PC-only software (certain accounting packages, proprietary builds, etc.), then CRE can outfit you with speedy PC computer rentals, as well. Which one….Mac or PC? Comparing Mac and PC computers makes for interesting reading. The bottom line is creative professionals should use “the best tool for the job. Nowadays the OSes aren’t different enough to make the decision for you based on features. If you already know one OS, stick with it until you have a very compelling reason to switch.” This is a reasonable position however, some Mac loyalists point out that Macs can run both Windows and the Mac OS. If you need desktop rentals for your post-production work, and want to use both OSes, then you really do have just one choice – a Mac (learn more about which Mac to rent). CRE’s Account Executives are experts at getting you what you need to push through your bottleneck of backed-up work, take on that new project or bring in new clients. Send an e-mail, make a call or fill out the Quick Rental Quote form, and you’ll be sailing smoothly in no time. |
|
Hollywood has been “talking the green talk” in movies and TV shows for some 30 years now, promoting sustainability, energy savings and 
technology we will never see (faster-than-light travel) but also predicted the development of “memory cards,” with Capt. Kirk and the crew plugging domino-sized storage devices into the (talking) computer. These accurately foreshadowed today’s flash memory, whose status as a “standard” was assured only after card slots appeared on 
The 
Over the last several years, tributes to Apple CEO Steve Jobs have appeared in such premier publications as Fortune magazine (
Walmart has done well over the latest decade, too. Their success is built on their famous “always low” prices, of course, but is solidified by their unrelenting commitment to A-plus customer service. Walmart spends considerable time and money to discover what it is doing wrong (and right – the stores don’t have 
Linux use has increased by about 80%. CRE’s 
