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Training Tips, Online and OffApril 29th, 2010From 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
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. For Computer Security, Keep Your Head in the SANSApril 13th, 2010As discussed in our April 8 blog (“Computer Security, Online and Off”), it wasn’t long before the computer revolution gave rise to the kind of negative, destructive activity that infects all other human endeavors. Hackers became the new anti-heroes – they destroyed research, stole credit card account information, brought down communications infrastructure and generally made a (costly) nuisance of themselves. To combat these so-called cybercriminals, new technologies and techniques were developed – and are continuously updated and improved – to provide security for both information and the systems that store it. As the technologies are in a state of constant improvement, The SANS Institute Founded in 1989 to undertake collaborative research and provide state of the art education, SANS (SysAdmin, Audit, Network and Security) Institute oversees programs that reach some 170,000 computer and network professionals worldwide every year. From auditors and system operators to network administrators and chief information officers (CIOs), increasing numbers of IT professionals are sharing insights, learning lessons and finding solutions to a never-ending stream of security challenges. SANS brings together security professionals from a diverse array of global groups – including corporations, think tanks, universities, government agencies and trade associations – to benefit everyone concerned with information security. It is among the most trusted, and without question the world’s largest, independent source for IT security training and professional certification. The group is a fabulous resource for everyone, from small TV post-production firms with CRE Mac Pro rentals to financial institutions running huge databases on IBM iSeries servers. In addition, SANS creates, maintains and distributes the most extensive set of research documents available regarding information security. Many of these valuable resources are free for the asking, including use of the Internet Storm Center (an “early warning system”), a weekly news digest called NewsBites, a weekly vulnerability report entitled @RISK and timely security alerts available by RSS or e-mail. Annual training conference In San Diego, from May 7th to 15th, the group will be holding its SANS Security West 2010 training conference. To benefit fully from over 20 top-rated course offerings presented by expert instructors, make sure your show attendees pack our convenient laptop rentals to take notes, stay in touch via Wi-Fi and download course materials. Security West 2010 is the place to be for security pros and business owners, and CRE can outfit you for attending, exhibiting or making a presentation. If you’ve reserved a spot at the Vendor Expo, we can set you up with touchscreen LCD monitor rentals, interactive kiosk rentals or anything else you need to present and promote your product or service. Diverse and comprehensive SANS veterans will recognize both classic, always-relevant offerings as well as exciting new courses in the comprehensive lineup. From SANS Security Essentials Bootcamp Style, Intrusion Detection In-Depth, Computer Forensic Essentials and Developing Exploits for Penetration Testers & Security Researchers to Comprehensive Packet Analysis, Security Architecture for Systems Administrators and Virtualization Security Fundamentals, the course offerings are both diverse and comprehensive. The conference will also feature special events, a Vendor Expo/Reception and SANS@Night talks, all absolutely free to registered attendees. There are many informal yet enriching networking opportunities at SANS training events where you can forge valuable professional relationships that can last for years. That’s the kind of relationship that CRE has with many of its valued clients and customers. Whether you’re an old friend or a new one, call or send an e-mail to our experienced Account Executives (or use the Quick Rental Quote form) for all of your computer, networking, storage, presentation and event management rental needs. Catching a New Wave with GoogleFebruary 25th, 2010
Wave has the potential to be a great tool for conferences and events by offering a collaborative environment. The “waves” — discussions, pictures, drawings, audio notes — can be “threaded” separately and can help event organizers, booth staff and conference attendees manage meetings, develop agendas, share content, capture data, record audio and video, and interact with one another in both planned and improvised ways. Using the Wave with technology rentals Google Wave is, of course, a computer tool and users will need good internet access and the right hardware, like CRE’s tablet PC rentals, to make the most of it. With the ability to capture handwritten notes, audio and even video with a small, USB Flip camera, tablets are perfect for staying plugged-in while strolling about a convention or meeting facility. In a seated seminar, laptop rentals would integrate perfectly with your “mobile tablet team,” and your booth in the exhibit hall can be “command central” with a computer rental. As Wave matures, it is likely that mobile applications will emerge to make “waving” (perhaps there’s a better verb available) possible on cell phones, PDAs and iPads (here is our take on the iPad). During this process, Google will also have to address the various criticisms of Wave, which are to be expected in any new software product. There is a fairly stiff learning curve, although there are a lot of online tutorials from Google and third parties. With the plethora of options and tools, Wave can be a bit daunting at first glance, and there is no way to master it without jumping right in and devoting the time needed. When you have questions about new technology – especially tools that can help you work more cost-effectively – give our Account Executives a call or send an e-mail. They stay abreast of all new products and services that can help you get your jobs done better. If you know what you need, use our Quick Rental Quote form. It may take time for everyone to catch this Wave, but it looks like it promises to be quite a ride. CRE Rentals, Your Co-Pilot During Pilot SeasonFebruary 23rd, 2010Those of you who read Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, not to mention all the specialty TV-biz newsletters, know that the last six weeks or so have seen a lot of action on the TV pilot front. ABC gave the greenlight to two dramas and a comedy in one day, with Fox, NBC and CBS spreading out their action over a bit more calendar space. Fact is, though, that the pilot season is in full swing, which means companies great and small will be doing title sequences, post-processing, digital effects and other work for the producers of the shows. CRE, of course, specializes in supporting the entertainment industry with the best computers and other high-tech equipment.
It was not that long ago that it took a room full of computing power to produce a single four-minute cartoon. Now there are independent films being created on single Macintoshes. Even the 17-inch iMac, for example, has a Core 2 Duo processor and a gigabyte of RAM, an unthinkably powerful combination that would have seemed otherworldly in the 2001 TV season (remember The Lone Gunmen?). It is muscular enough for audio/video chores and provides a potent platform for Adobe’s Creative Suite, too. Technology rentals for the entertainment industry Running hither and yon to meetings, day and night? If you take along one of the CRE laptop rentals, like the HP NX9010 with a 3GHz Pentium, you will power your way through them all. You will be in constant contact with its WiFi, and the 1GB of RAM will keep you multitasking with notes, video clips, audio addenda and everything else that is likely to come up. Staying put at your desk? Offload your extra work to your assistant or pilot-season temp, outfitted with an HP/Compaq D510, a desktop rentals star with a 2.4GHz Pentium 4. This rental package comes with a 17-inch LCD monitor, too. CRE covers you no matter what your production needs. From 30″ Apple Cinema Display rental for a big-screen work window, to powerful video and post solutions like the PowerMac G5 with Kona card rentals, we have it all. No matter what you have to do, we have the equipment to help you get it done, and everything arrives to you tested, double-checked and ready to rock, every time. Even more, we can provide the office equipment rentals to tie everything together – whether it’s an HP 4000N B&W laser printer or an all-in-one printer/fax/scanner. CRE has got you covered. Need some help configuring a system or figuring out a solution for your pilot season workload? Our Account Executives know what you need and have been helping entertainment industry professionals of all kinds for a long, long time. We know what you’re up against, and we know how to help. Contact us today, or fill out a Quick Rental Quote form if you already know what you need, and we will get on the job for you, right now. We do our best to help you do your best, which is the kind of win-win formula we like. 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. 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. Five Technologies to Watch in 2010 – CRE RentalsJanuary 15th, 2010
Anything that affects your firm’s long-term plans and ongoing operations is called “a strategic consideration,” like the 2009 buzz phrase “going mobile.” New technologies always fit that description. No matter what industry you are in, you must start factoring new technologies into your strategic planning now. You must determine how to approach each of the top five new business technologies for 2010 that are presented here (in no particular order). We start with a “big buzz holdover” from 2009. 1. Cloud computing Here it is again, waiting to be crowned As Important As The Wheel, which proponents insist will occur any day now. It does look promising, as cloud computing promises to deliver a huge menu of IT options to cost-conscious companies (and everyone else, eventually). Fact is, with an XServe rental from CRE you could create a cloud or two of your own, as well as educate your employees on the change that’s “right around the corner.” 2. Client computing “Virtualization” means using computing applications in such a way that hardware and operating system (OS) considerations are not deal-killers. Companies need to look at everything from device specifications, ownership/support of hardware and software selection to management structure and security. Getting a powerful desktop rental can help you discover the difference between running your current, aging hardware and the new generations of Macintosh and PC computers, especially in terms of the new Internet standards heading your way. 3. Flash memory Flash memory is increasingly important for storage solutions. The kind of semiconductor memory device found in USB “thumb drives” and digital camera cards, flash memory is smaller, sturdier and faster than hard drives. Flash memory will come to dominate embedded systems, personal electronics and mass storage, and laptop rentals will include units with solid-state flash memory soon after they hit the market. Flash memory provides advantages in space, heat resistance, power consumption, ruggedness and speed. 4. Advanced analytics A variety of analytical tools help companies investigate alternative scenarios and manufacturing/marketing outcomes. Fixed rules and inflexible policies are being replaced by informed decision-making based on “the right information at the right time.” Since advanced analytics provide overlapping, real-time alternatives and predictions, not just dry data, it may take a widescreen LCD monitor rental to keep everything in front of you at once while you make some very important decisions. 5. Mobile applications Some 1.2 billion people around the world will be using devices capable of truly interactive, mobile commerce by the end of 2010. In an environment where mobility is converging with wireless and the Web, a huge number of new applications will pop up. There are already almost 100,000 programs for the Apple iPhone and Google-ized Droid, even with the high prices and unique coding for each device. Newer software programs will operate on both mobile computers, like tablet PC rentals, as well as a range of mobile systems – netbooks, phones, PDAs and even portable media players. Did we miss any technologies that should be watched? We’d love to hear from you. CRE Looks at “The Year of the Netbook”January 12th, 2010
The move to “pocket computers” follows the trend to smartphones, of which the iPhone and the new Google-powered Droid are prime examples. The phones are truly pocket-sized, can run tons of “apps” that are easily downloaded for low or no cost, and are great for quick messages as well as long talks. The netbooks, most with keyboards between 60-80% the size of a normal PC laptop, offer real e-mail interaction, a normal Web experience with a real browser, memory card slots, USB ports, Ethernet — wow, just like a real computer! Critical mass for netbooks Interestingly, it was the niche players — companies like Acer and Asus that were more business- than consumer-oriented, and also sold motherboards and other components — that drove the development of netbooks. Soon enough, major players like Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba and Hewlett-Packard which makes everything from netbooks to high-power desktops (available as a rental), were in the game. You won’t be doing Vegas Video editing on a netbook, and forget Final Cut Pro as Apple, despite persistent rumors, has steadfastly refused to enter the fray with a “Mac netbook.” The processors, although Intel, aren’t quad-core, dual-core or even hard-core (like some tried-and-true Pentiums). More powerful CPUs will not be possible until better battery technology is available, and dissipating heat is always a problem in small spaces where fans don’t fit. “Phone-replacement” computers? Businesses may find a use for netbooks as smartphone replacements, but they are simply not fast enough, and the screens are too small, to be true laptop replacements. If you need a powerful HP or Mac laptop in your line of work, an Atom-powered HP Mini is just not going to cut it. In fact, if you need a few laptops for your department to stay in touch at a conference, take notes, send e-mails and browse prospects’ (or competitors’) sites, you’d be pushing a poor little netbook into a nervous breakdown. As always, get the right tool for the job. If you need help figuring out just what that is, call one of our expert Account Executives today. If you like, explain your situation in an e-mail or, if you know what you need, just send us a Quick Rental Quote form. We will make sure you have exactly what you need to do the job right. 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. Reviews of Computer & Technology News of 2009December 29th, 2009
This past year, for computer lovers, was as good as it gets. While every year sees new inventions and further refinements of existing products, 2009 was a landmark year in many ways. From the new MacBook models that CRE now rents to new display technology and “wireless everything,” 2009 was a big year. Laptops have gotten more powerful while getting lighter. Leaving aside the new netbooks, subject of a future blog, the laptop sector has made big strides in power, heat dissipation, battery life, displays, and connectivity. The year started off with dual-core processors limited to the MacBook Pro laptop rental and PCs, and ended with quad-core processors available at the high end of some lines. Desktops have changed in terms of power and ports. Apple dropped the original FireWire 400 connector for FireWire 800 (backward compatible with an adapter). USB is king of the hill for connections, with USB 3.0 right around the corner promising another serious speed bump. Ethernet? Faster. Phone modems? Disappearing. Hard drive capacities are into the terabyte (TB) range and no one gets a PC with just “a gig of RAM” anymore. Even low-end PCs now come with 2-4GB of RAM. Powerhouses like CRE’s quad- and eight-core HP computer rental can have up to 32GB. LCD Displays – Seeing is believing Computer users can thank display manufacturers for their less-strained eyes. The LCD and LED-backlit monitors look better, use less power and emit less radiation. Plasma monitor (rentals) are still tops in the largest sizes, while the Apple Cinema Display 24-inch LED monitor is what every post-production pro wants under the tree this year. Look, Mom, no wires on technology rentals Yes, it was a “wireless” year, for sure, and not just in terms of Web browsing at the coffee shop. The mouse, your phone, the printer, your TV – everything is hooking up with everything else by radio, Bluetooth, WiFi and (it seems) smoke signals, too. It’s not just tablet PC rentals that provide portability with connectivity. Your phone, its headset and your office all-in-one have all lost their electronic umbilical cords. This coming year, watch for wireless recharging of these devices. If you want to know what else to watch for in 2010, keep checking our blog. We will feature tech trends in 2010, laptop and desktop guides, a netbook report, gadget updates and other problem-solving, trend-spotting news. In the meantime, when you’ve got work backed up and no time to waste, remember that CRE is here to solve your problems with just the right tools. Contact us or fill out the Quick Rental Quote, and an expert Account Executive will take good care of you. That’s what we do! |
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The easiest way to explain 
SURFACES 2010
MD&M West 2010 — the annual 
The only thing constant is change, right? This past year proved that the computer industry still had product niches left to develop and exploit. The rise of the “netbook” – a low- to medium-power, small-format computer with a bright screen, built-in WiFi, and basic productivity software that will never be confused for a rootin’ tootin’ laptop, like the new 
The 
The Association for Laboratory Automation’s annual conference — 
SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering, presents 
