toll free (877) 266-7725

corporate (310) 417-3544

Windows 8 Breaking News

May 1st, 2012

Microsoft has gradually taken the wraps off Windows 8, the most recent version of its flagship operating system (OS). Windows 8 is the first “MS OS” to be developed from the ground up for multiple devices – your laptop, that PC desktop computer rental, various tablets, big-name smart phones and who knows what else down the line (your refrigerator?). You can get a preview version of the OS online and use it until the final product is released late this year.

Microsoft “spokesfolks” describe the current pre-release version of Windows 8 as “a work in progress [that] will change before the final release,” advising those who install the trial to expect “hiccups and bugs.” Companies that distribute “beta” and “consumer preview” releases count on getting a lot of feedback – via user forums, blog posts and telemetry – for refining the final product. There is a little feedback trickling in, and it is cautiously optimistic. Let’s check it out.

Microsoft Windows 8

OS mash-up?

Windows 8 strikes some as a “crazy quilt combo” of the iPad, classic desktop Windows, Windows Phone and Microsoft’s Metro interface. The tile layout is meant to appeal to folks that have adopted and adapted to the uncluttered interface of the latest smart phones and iPad rental. The Redmond firm clearly wants this new, growing generation of multi-device users to see Windows 8 as a common interface.

That common interface comes in three versions. The newest member of the family is Windows RT, optimized for use on a tablet or all-in-one multitouch display PC with such “touch-optimized” software as OneNote, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. With a lean, clean interface and excellent battery-power management, Windows RT is what you’ll run on your new ARM-powered tablet.

Not your Daddy’s Windows OS

The standard package, Windows 8, is headed for most people’s laptops and desktops as the successor to Windows 7, with Internet Explorer 10, built-in access to the new Windows Store and all the flexibility most users need. Windows 8 Pro, for serious business users and geeks, ups the ante with virtualization, encryption, network management and domain connectivity. Finally, Windows Media Center – with expanded capabilities for controlling external devices like A/V (audio visual) equipment rentals – is a simple “media pack” add-on to Windows 8 Pro.

This isn’t your Daddy’s (or Mommy’s) Windows OS. Windows 8 was developed to combine standard desktop components with new-fangled elements from the parallel world of pads, tablet PC rentals and phones. Tiles, finger swipes, icons and apps, the touch-driven interface – these are among the new threads that tie everything together in Windows 8. Microsoft execs have not announced a precise release date for Windows 8, but they’re smart, so expect it in the fall, right on time for holiday shopping.

CRE is always right on time, too, with everything from event production rentals to special, high-powered post-production technology like render farms and mass storage. One call or e-mail, or a trip to our Quick Rental Quote form, gets it all going! Call now!

PC Maintenance: You Can Do This!

April 3rd, 2012

Today’s computers are a far cry from those of just seven or eight years ago. The average desktop computer rental has more RAM, a bigger hard drive and better graphics performance than the high-end models of 2005. Improved case design and modular components also make it easier for non-nerds to add memory, install additional hard drives and otherwise personalize their computers.

PC Computer Maintenance It is also easier to maintain computers today, which extends their lifespans. In addition to utilities that come with every new computer, there are low- and no-cost ones for both Macs and PCs to aid with preventive maintenance, routine “cleanup” and the occasional repair. Whether it’s your office iMac or your home PC, doing your own maintenance, upgrades and repairs is a big money-saver.

The regular stuff for computers

Regular maintenance helps keep the OS (Operating System) and the hard drive in shape, reduces clutter (seen and unseen) and protects your PC from attack. The Windows OS wants you to “clean the registry,” Mac OS X requests that you “repair disk permissions” – but both want you to defragment your drive (and leave 10% free space). Whether you have an office full of workstations or rent laptops for a conference, you may need to do some or all of these tasks.

While some utilities scour your hard drive and list files that (they think) are expendable, you could lose something important. For example, controlling recording gear and certain audio visual equipment rentals with your PC requires special plug-ins that often have cryptic names. Review any such list to ensure you don’t toss something you need. Your spyware/malware protection is likely automated, but if not, run a scan regularly (at least weekly).

Updates and patches

Windows Update sends patches, updates and “service packs” to your computer’s OS and Internet Explorer, with automatic installation if you choose. On the Mac it’s called “Software Update” and accomplishes the same thing. Having a clean, well-oiled machine (figuratively speaking, of course, so put down that oil can!) means you will get the best plug-and-play performance from your computer, even when using such high-end peripherals as render farms or RAID arrays.

Open source boosters would tell you to install Linux on your computer and be done with drive fragmentation, start-up applications running in the background and viruses. But using Linux brings you back into nerd territory, and if you’re not up to it, stay put with your Mac or PC and get whatever help you need to whip it into shape. There are plenty of help sites out there. You are not alone. You can do this!

Use our Quick Rental Quote form if you know what you need, but if you want advice on equipment, conference strategies or post-production solutions, a single call or e-mail will connect you with an expert Account Executive. We don’t charge a cent for brainstorming solutions and strategies with you. Call now!

XP: Still the #1 Windows OS

March 8th, 2012

Microsoft debuted the Consumer Preview (beta) version of its Windows 8 Operating System (OS) recently, looking for the public’s input (read: free troubleshooting) for a critically important product designed to run on devices big and small. Now that laptops and tablets outsell desktops, we’re seeing the same thing from Apple – the convergence of its legacy desktop system, OS X (now at 10.7.3), with elements from the newfangled smartphone/tablet system, iOS (now at version 5).

OS…aging but not obsolete

This convergence is more of a challenge to Microsoft than to Apple. New Macintoshes like the iMac will only run the latest versions of OS X, and those will only run on post-2006, Intel-based Macs. On the other hand, both new and old PCs will run XP, Vista, Windows 7 and, soon enough, Windows 8. This is the “product line fragmentation” that Microsoft has been trying to resolve for years, despite its leading to such niche products as the special “pen-based” OS installed on our tablet PC rentals.

XP is now an 11-year-old platform. Although it still reigns as the most popular Windows OS, and is a popular choice for a PC desktop computer rental, it is gradually giving way to Windows 7. NetApplications, the research firm that tracks such things, reports that XP’s market share slipped from 47 percent in January 2012 to 45 in February. In this same period, Windows 7 added what XP lost, rising from 36 to 38 percent of all users. Vista is a distant third at roughly 8 percent.

The future’s spelled “8″

Since its debut in October 2009, Windows 7 has gained ground every month. It has picked up XP users slowly – but Vista users quickly. It was Vista, in fact, that introduced some of the design elements of the new Windows 8 look and feel. You can still rent laptops with Vista if you need it, but Microsoft wants users to move from XP and Vista to Windows 7, in accordance with the firm’s “Map for the Future.” Microsoft does not want XP and Vista users waiting for the commercial release of Windows 8.

Microsoft is reminding everyone, especially firms with large numbers of PCs, that official support for XP ends April 6, 2014. After that, no more updates, bug fixes, security tweaks or patches. Despite the fact that it would make for a more efficient transition, the firm will not require XP or Vista users to install Windows 7 before upgrading to Windows 8. (The Windows 8 Consumer Preview download has install-in-place options for XP, Vista and 7.) They may have their druthers, but Microsoft will take Windows 8 users any way it can get ‘em.

Need a desktop computer with Windows OS? Simply call or e-mail CRE Rentals to get an experienced Account Executive to assist you, or use the Quick Rental Quote form if you know what you need. We’re always ready with the right solution at the right price – right now!

Windows 8: The Home Stretch

February 28th, 2012

Windows 8 is coming. Really! Microsoft has mailed invitations to a media event they are holding at Mobile World Congress 2012. The company will announce some new products, new developments – and new vocabulary. “Beta software” packages, the full-featured versions that follow “Developer Previews” and engage millions of users in debugging the final commercial release, will now be called “Consumer Previews.”

More importantly, though, there’s a change in the Windows “design vocabulary.” Windows 8 is a dramatic “re-imagining” (in Microsoft’s marketing vocabulary) that follows the “design language” of Metro, the user interface (UI) initially developed for Windows Phone 7. Following the lackluster Vista OS, Windows 7 – installed on most every PC desktop computer rental from CRE – offered both cosmetic and operational improvements a-plenty. Elements of desktop and mobile UIs are combined in Metro.

From desktop to mobile

Microsoft typically makes Consumer Previews available on the day they are announced. The company has always had special flavors of its OS tweaked for 1990s handhelds or today’s tablet PC rentals, so its decision to release the Windows 8 Consumer Preview at the Mobile World Congress is a strong signal that the firm will push Windows 8 very hard in the mobile market.

In mid-September 2011, Microsoft released the Windows 8 Developer Preview. In 90 days the unfinished OS was downloaded over 3 million times, more than the total downloads for the feature-filled Windows 7 beta in early 2009. Compared to the Developer Preview, the Consumer Preview targets a broader audience and could account for up to 10 million downloads, given the level of interest and how much is at stake.

Wanted: Bug reports

The Windows 8 Developer Preview was incomplete, but the Consumer Preview should have nearly full implementation of new features. People will install it on all kinds of PCs, as well as on the iMac and every other Macintosh from laptops to towers (since Macs run Windows). Millions of bug reports will help Microsoft refine and finish the product.

There are doubtless a few Microsoft executives, marketing directors and product managers mulling over the following points:

Feedback is mixed – Microsoft has already received tons of feedback about the Metro look and feel. The relatively recent builds demoed at CES 2012 incorporated user feedback in an attempt to blunt the criticism.

Windows “true believers” – A hard-core minority will always resist change, but will have to accept it this time around since the final release will most likely not have a “classic” option.

A new course – Apple left OS 9 and Motorola processors in the dust as OS X matured and the Mac Pro became the media professional’s go-to gear. As Microsoft charts a new course, we’ll keep you posted as we follow along!

CRE is a leader, not a follower, when it comes to providing post-production gear, trade show rentals, A/V equipment, plasma display rentals, touch screen PCs, workstations and computers. Call or e-mail an Account Executive, or use our Quick Rental Quote form, to get the right tool for the right job – right away, too!

Back to Basics: Running Windows on a Mac

February 21st, 2012

Through the years, Macintosh and Windows never played well together, although there were plenty of attempts to make them do so. But not only were there different pieces of software, they ran on completely different processors. Windows used Intel, AMD and other compatible chips, while Macs, like the top-of-the-line Quadra 950, ran on Motorola processors – and were slower by far than today’s iMac.

When Apple began using Intel processors in 2006, everything changed. Now it doesn’t matter if a particular Windows program doesn’t have a dedicated Mac OS X version, because there are two different ways to run it on a Mac – emulation or virtualization – with various approaches for each. If you have a favorite Windows program you want to use for a presentation on one of our plasma display rentals, you can do that with a Mac, no problem.

Emulation

Emulation software simulates enough basic parts of the Windows OS to run some programs on the Mac. One well known Windows-on-Mac emulator is WINE, which you build yourself from freely available code (difficult) or install with a third-party “pre-fab” package (not so difficult). Among the best of the latter is PlayOnMac, which features a simple interface for browsing and installing compatible Windows programs.

The more advanced Crossover application is quite straightforward. Try it for free to see if the programs you want to run are supported, and then buy it if they work. The shortcomings of emulation include a limited selection of programs, potential quirks in running them outside their native environment and a heavy CPU load for some. Of course, the MacBook Pro and other Macs now have Intel “Core i-” series CPUs, so that last problem is greatly diminished.

Virtualization

In the era of Motorola CPUs, the open source VirtualBox (since acquired by Oracle) was among several complicated ways to run Windows on the Mac. Virtualization now relies on an actual installation of Windows, which became possible after Apple started using Intel chips. You can boot into Windows, as well as run it “in parallel” with Mac OS X. In fact, one of the first programs to offer this functionality was named Parallels, which is in wide use.

Running two operating systems simultaneously gobbles up memory and CPU resources, and early virtual machines did not always work properly with peripherals. Now, Parallels and VMware run on every Mac from laptops to the mighty Mac Pro, and can interface with scanners, networks and all kinds of printer rentals. Just ensure that your Mac has at least 4GB of RAM and a Core 2 Duo processor and you should have smooth sailing. Remember, you need a Windows installation disc with a serial number for a legitimate installation.

From straightforward advice and high-tech gear – render farms, mass storage, A/V equipment – to the best trade show convention rentals, one call or e-mail (or a few clicks on our Quick Rental Quote form) puts an expert Account Executive on the job for you!

Microsoft’s Map for the Future

December 20th, 2011

Microsoft has many customers, clients, fans and followers around the world to go along with its huge market share. And it seems like all of them are already excited about what 2012 holds for the Redmond firm. The Windows operating system (OS) passed a billion installed units, worldwide, back in 2007, and is the OS of choice for our all-in-one multitouch display PC and other leading-edge computers.

Microsoft Cloud Computing Microsoft has leading products in a number of other categories and 2012 promises new versions of many of them. The enterprise market (read “big business”) is huge for Microsoft, and in the coming year the company will release SQL Server 2012 and System Center 2012. IT executives and managers will need to stay on top of these changes, especially as they will be rolling out while the whole “cloud” thing is being settled.

Windows 8 at the gate!

It is the upcoming Windows 8, though, that will affect most people directly. Last Thursday’s blog addressed the fact that the look and feel of “tablet tech” is coming to the desktop OS, and this is nowhere more controversial than with Win8. Microsoft is quite conscious of the “consumerization of IT,” realizing that people want to use a tablet, smart phone, iPad rental or other web-connected device in the office. People also want safe, simple access to their business documents, apps and e-mail when they are not in the office.

Microsoft wants to be in the middle of all of this “cloud action.” The company is positioning itself as the go-to cloud provider, both public and private. Push-button simple, with built-in access and control – that’s the idea. With Windows, SQL Server and the rest, Microsoft provides an inter-operating set of technology services to connect private and public clouds, and enabling easy transitions between them. Users of the Mac Pro and other Apple CPUs can join all the fun by running Windows on their computers, too.

System Center – technology bridge to the future

System Center 2012 will be a core part of the “technology bridge,” with such new features as App Controller for cross-cloud monitoring. Microsoft is developing a major security feature for IT managers, namely, how to ensure access to business documents via cloud-ready devices, whether they’re tablet PC rentals signing in over WiFi or phones on 3G/4G networks.

Maintaining tight security during diverse connections has been problematic, but System Center 2012 holds this promise. In fact, top tech pundits are saying that System Center 2012 is “looking like the real deal.” It may be a few weeks until 2012 but it’s hard not to get excited if you use Windows or Microsoft enterprise software. Remember, when the New Year arrives, the game is afoot!

One call or e-mail puts an experienced Account Executive on the job for you – or use our Quick Rental Quote form to get things going right now. From event production rentals to the latest in high-end post-production gear, CRE is your one-stop shop!

Tablet Tech Is Changing Your Desktop, Too

December 15th, 2011

“The times they are a-changing,” Bob Dylan sang over 40 years ago. He was right then, and he’s still right. In the tech world, change moves at supersonic speed, and there is so much to keep up on that doing so can be a full-time job. Lets take a look at what’s happening to Windows and Mac OS X as a direct result of advances in “tablet tech.”

Windows & Mac OS X

Tablet tech…small is (now) beautiful

When the first practical tablet devices debuted in the early 1990s – Apple’s Newton, the Palm Pilot and other Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) – they weren’t ready for prime time. The CPUs were slow, handwriting recognition was spotty and wireless didn’t exist. Just making room for batteries required a larger form factor, the predecessors of tablet PC rentals. It wasn’t until the first decade of the 21st century that WiFi, faster processors and new battery technology got small and inexpensive enough to usher in the “mobile computing era.”

In the mobile universe, screen space is limited (compared to your desktop’s monitor) so icon-based operation, whether via touchscreens like on an iPad rental or smart phone buttons, is a sensible approach. Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android and Windows Phone (7.5 was just released) were all developed with ease of use in mind.

Icons, apps, constant connection

As devices began to proliferate and improve, special software programs (“apps”) were developed to do specific, focused tasks. While WiFi didn’t become a standard feature until just a couple of years ago, every device of every kind (and size) is now built to be “always on.” Expect your desktop OS – Mac, Windows and, to a lesser degree, Linux – to continue making communications and connectivity as easy, simple and fast as a phone. You will get a familiar “look and feel” whether you’re on a phone, a tablet/ipad or an iMac. At long last … convergence!

Many more small-device developments will find their way into both Windows and Mac OS X, but some are already visible in current releases. The latest Mac OS X release is Lion, 10.7, but it’s not the first to use elements of Apple’s iOS (now at version 5). The App Store is now, well, an app, permanently situated in the Dock, and like others in Lion it opens into “full screen” mode. With the newly inaugurated iCloud, which we wrote about recently, you can synchronize everything from work documents to iCal entries among all your devices, from the Mac Pro at your office to the iPhone in your pocket.

Mobile advances really are changing your desktop, and fast. Whether you need high-tech advice, high-tech gear – render farms, mass storage, A/V equipment – or the best trade show convention rentals, one call or e-mail (or a few clicks on our Quick Rental Quote form) will put you on the fast track to a solution!

iOS vs. Android – Feature by Feature

October 20th, 2011

Although Apple has monopolized the headlines lately – Steve Jobs’ death, the new iPhone 4S and iOS 5 – Google hasn’t let Android gather any dust. In fact, Honeycomb advanced to 3.1 before iOS 5 debuted, but runs only on “large display devices” (tablets). Android phones have to settle for version 2.3. On the other hand, Apple’s iOS 5 runs on the iPhone, the iPod touch and the iPad. Let’s take a quick look at both.

iOS vs. Android

What’s New: The best additions to iOS 5 are iMessage, iCloud support, native Twitter, enhanced Camera features and “multitasking gestures” for iPad 2. Android 3.1 rolled out the new “refined” UI (User Interface), a Recent Apps list, customizable Home screen and improved browsing.

Battery Life: This depends on your hardware, and there are many different Android tablets. You can rent laptops with battery time up to five or six hours, but tablet batteries last longer (up to 10 hours). In limited tests, iOS devices seemed to have slightly shorter battery life than Android models.

Browser support: Web surfing on a iMac rental is no different (except for screen size) than on an iOS device. Safari Reader now displays web articles without ads for offline reading. Android 3.1 also improved browsing, but has been weaker in this area.

User Interface (UI): Apple’s UIs changed the world. OS X Lion (10.7) is fabulous on a Mac Pro rental, while iOS 5 is also efficient and elegant. Google’s primary goal with Android 3.1 was refining the look, but it’s still a work in progress.

Third-Party Support: Android is open source software, based on Linux, which means more opportunities for more developers to improve it over time. Apple’s iOS 5 platform is not open source, and developers need to register with Apple and jump through the many hoops keeping Apple’s “ecosystem” in order. Of course, many of these hoops are actually quality control steps, which is why iOS apps meet a higher standard.

Apps & Games Availability: Apple’s App Store has over 300,000 apps – utilities, games, networking, social media, productivity, etc. – while there are some 100,000 in the Android Market.

Flash Support: Flash support used to be a big advantage for Android. The new iOS 5 provides full Flash support (for you tech-heads, it is done by “on-the-fly transcoding”). Flash apps are still not usable, but Flash video is now viewable, a welcome addition for iPad rental users, but an original feature of Android.

Conclusion: It’s silly to condescend to either Apple iOS 5 or Android 3.1. Both have new features making them even more efficient, reliable and robust. There is tough competition ahead between Android 3.1 and Apple iOS 5, as new products are introduced to make maximum use of their advanced features. We will keep you posted.

CRE’s high-tech rentals solve production bottlenecks, while our expert event production services empower you at trade shows and conferences. One call or e-mail (or a few clicks on our Quick Rental Quote page) puts an experienced Account Executive on the job for you right now!

Android Grows Up

October 11th, 2011

The old cliché about comparing apples to oranges has a high-tech version that cautions against comparing Apple products to, well, anything. Apple’s build quality, style and innovation set the firm’s products apart, but software is key, too. On its Mac Pro and other computers, the hardware works seamlessly with OS X Lion (10.7). For the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, Apple’s iOS – version 5 of which debuts October 12th – offers the same quality user experience.

Android Grows Up

Google presents the biggest challenge to Apple in the smart phone and tablet sectors, courtesy of its Android OS. Despite the obvious similarity of many Android and iOS apps, features and capabilities, people choose one over the other for a variety of reasons. There is no objective way to determine which OS is “the best,” but this intro to Android may spur you to investigate more fully which is best for you.

Android overview

You’re not going to rent laptops from CRE and find Android on them, but you will find it on the majority of smart phones that are not Apples or Blackberries. After some early bumps in the road, things settled down with version 2.0, nicknamed Gingerbread. Google has polished this version three times (it’s presently at 2.3), improving the soft keyboard, adding copy/paste, beefing up gaming performance and including support for VoIP and Near Field Communication.

You won’t find Android running any PC desktop computer rental, either, although low-end, small-screen “netbooks” and tablets use versions as old as 1.6. The newest Android version for phones is 2.3, but Google was smart enough to see the future of multiple mobile devices. Version 3.0, Honeycomb, the first tablet-enabled release, supports larger screens, multicore processors and graphics acceleration. In February 2011, Motorola debuted its Xoom with Honeycomb 3.0 tablet, a failed competitor to the iPad rental.

Future of Android

Honeycomb versions 3.1 and 3.2 followed quickly in May and June – adding USB transfer, solving a problem with 7-inch-screens and allowing media files to load directly from SD cards – but the development path is a bit cloudy at present. Some Google partners are hinting that Honeycomb 3.3 is in the works, while Google keeps talking up its “hybrid” OS, Ice Cream Sandwich. This is the long-awaited “Android for all” that will power all sizes and types of devices, from tablet PC rentals to in-car entertainment systems.

Finally, the Android Market claims “200,000″ items, but Apple’s App Store has more (and better) products – for now, anyway. Google recently introduced its Google+ service, but has inexplicably let its “other OS,” Chrome, languish for over a year. It may be that some kind of consolidation of all these products is in order. We’ll keep tabs on that for you.

Call or e-mail an experienced Account Executive for everything from high-end post-production gear to trade show convention rentals. Already know what you need? Use the Quick Rental Quote form right now!

10 New Technologies You’ll See in 2012 (Part 2)

August 25th, 2011

In Part 1 of “10 New Technologies You’ll See in 2012″, we gave you the first 5 new technologies to expect in the future. Today, lets get the last five blockbuster developments which includes even more hardware, software, smart appliances and multipurpose devices.

6. Android 4. Technoids are looking forward to the Samsung Nexus, and not because of the phone – it will be the first smart phone to run Ice Cream Sandwich or Android 4. (Android 3 was called Honeycomb. Go figure.) Although Apple holds the lead in smart phones and tablets with its iOS-powered devices, Android is a solid alternative in both product categories, and new ones like embedded systems.

7. Branded tablets. Following the successful Kindle 3, Amazon is revising its approach to branding and product development. There has been talk of a touchscreen version, and the rumor mill now suggest that Amazon will release two different Android tablets in 2012. Aggressive pricing is a given, as is the entry into the tablet market of innumerable other companies.

8. Hybrid hard drives. Solid State Drives (SSDs) are fast, but expensive. Rotating-platter hard drives are inexpensive and offer huge storage capacities, but can’t keep up with CPU and system bus speeds. Until SSD prices come down with time, hybrid drives will combine fast-booting SSDs with big conventional drives to speed things up a bit. For swift, large- scale storage today you can rely on Ethernet disk RAID rentals, but tomorrow’s technology will encompass a variety of drive types and configurations.

9. Multi-touch commands. The futuristic trackpads on the new MacBook Pro rentals and Apple’s Magic Trackpad, introduced multi-touch commands to modern computing. Other manufacturers’ laptops, tablets and digitizing pads are moving the same direction, as the touch interface is natural for humans. As the screen costs continuing dropping, you will find touch commands on everything from vending machines to refrigerators.

10. Wireless everything. We had a blog with that title last November, which is ages ago in “tech time.” Suffice it to say that we really mean everything this time. You’ve seen the WiFi all-in-one office devices, right? HP was a trailblazer, but WiFi printing and scanning is old hat now, especially compared to the astonishing new “EyeFi” SecureDigital cards. They’re so astonishing, in fact, that they made our “Gadget Fun for August” blog last week. Pay attention, in particular, to advances in wireless power and charging stations.

CRE pays close attention to tech trends, as well as what its customers need. With great service to complement the expertise of our Account Executives, your call or e-mail will get you the right answers, right now. If you know what you need, of course, our Quick Rental Quote form will get you in, out and on your way.

« Previous Entries