Last week I was at CEDIA expo in San Diego and I got a firsthand look at the 2017 product of the year, The Frame. Does it live up the hype? You bet it does. Don’t worry if you missed it. You can check it out for yourself at the www.e4avtour.com. What impressed me w read more
Refined Southern Fare with a Story Only Digital Signage Can Tell
As a nod to The Kentucky Derby, a few classic cocktails were in order to celebrate New York’s Always Dreaming, the colt who was “ready to run” at Churchill Downs on Saturday and bolted over the finish line in first place despite the mucky track and acclaimed list of con read more
Digital Signage + Almo Pro A/V = Success in 2017!
READY TO GROW YOUR DIGITAL SIGNAGE BUSINESS IN 2017? HERE’S HOW! Life wouldn’t be fun without change. And 2016 was certainly full of exciting changes and new developments in the Pro AV Industry. Technology has “Moved Beyond Limits” with exciting products like Dual vie read more
5 Things You Didn’t Know ViewSonic Carries
When most people in the Pro AV industry hear ViewSonic, they typically think small cost effective projectors or flat panels. What many people don’t realize is that besides the large flat panels, touch screens, laser projectors, etc., ViewSonic also offers products that provide a full solution for your Pro AV project. For that reason, I’d like to introduce you to…
The top 5 things you didn’t know ViewSonic carries:
1. ePoster
Ok, technically this might fall under the “display” heading, but it’s definitely different than the average display. This free-standing digital ePoster is perfect for retail applications, movie theaters, and trade shows. With a built-in media player, optional touch interface, slim design and various inputs, it’s as versatile as it is attractive.
2. Media Players
A few display companies carry media players that work with their displays, but ViewSonic goes above and beyond with their choices. They range from the easy to use, SMIL based NMP642-W with HDMI input, to the Intel i7 based NMP712-N, so no matter what digital signage application you have, ViewSonic has the media player to fit your needs.
3. Thin Clients / Zero clients
With both thin and zero client options available, ViewSonic offers solutions that both the CIO and CFO will love. With both options, dealers are able to deliver more to their clients than just what’s in the boardroom.
4. Wireless solutions
The Solstice POD (NMP250-WL and NMP250-WU) offers a turnkey solution that easily connects a display or projector and enables multiple users to simultaneously share content from a rang of devices (laptops, tablets, or smartphones).
The ViewSync 3 Wireless Presentation Gateway enable instant streaming of 1080p content from multiple devices to a single projector or display.
5. Peripherals and Accessories
Projects aren’t complete without some essentials, including mounts, cables, HDBaseT transmitters and receivers, and even cable management. Dealers spend time looking to various manufacturers to provide those solutions, when ViewSonic offers them all. So next time you’re looking for a manufacturer that you can lean on to provide the full solution, look no further than ViewSonic.
Building Customer Connections Through Technology Show and Tell
As a product manager in Pro AV Sales, or any type of sales, really, it’s critical to be able to connect with your customers. While establishing a relationship using only the telephone is not impossible, I’ve discovered that connections and rapport can be made more quickly and become much stronger in-person. A great way to personally connect with partners and resellers in the Pro AV world is through technology training and product roadshows. It’s a great way to say, “check this new gadget out” and “thank you for your business!”
At Almo PRO AV we bring the future of AV to you via our E4 AV Tour. These one-day events, held in different cities across the country offer product exhibit halls, educational classes for CTS renewal units, demonstrations, and one-on-one engagement with our Almo Pro AV Business Development Managers and their respective manufacturers.
For me… it’s all about LG!
At our most recent E4 AV Tour stop in Boson, Commercial Integrator Magazine named LG a leading manufacturer with “Standout Products” for its OLED technology, suggested to be “one of the most eye-catching displays on the exhibit floor.”
LG’s 4K dual-sided OLED straight displays are available now. The curved models are coming late this month.
At the end of September, Almo sponsored an invitation-only reseller event at the LG Business Innovation Center in Lincolnshire, IL. Approximately 25 resellers attended this event and enjoyed in-person training on LG’s exclusive OLED, IPS technology and a private tour of the facility. Product demonstrations showcased a full assortment of LG products, including LG Stretch, 4k, OLED dual side and curved models, video walls and the soon to be released 98” display. Steve Stacy, Almo’s VP of Sales for the Midwest and Northwest Regions delivered a summary presentation on Almo’s Value Add services such as Content Management, Installation and Connectivity.
Our events provide hand-on technical training as a component of social learning and partner collaboration. I look forward to building new partnerships and strengthening the existing ones in a comfortable, friendly setting that opens lines of communication.
Looking ahead, the Almo E4 AV Tour makes its final stop in 2016 on Tuesday Dallas in the Lone Star State. As we wind down the year we’re continuing to plan new and exciting ways to bring our partners and resellers emerging technologies.
Is Tiny the Next Big Thing in Techorating?
I wrote several months ago about one of the most impressive large displays of techorating I’ve ever encountered at the Comcast headquarters in Philadelphia. These massive installations and others with image mapping on buildings have been covered in all the major AV outlets and yes, they are impressive. But for the average dealer, techorating may seem like an area that’s out of reach. Well I have a little case study that just might get you thinking about how you can use flat panels or projection to change the atmosphere of a space, even in just a small way.
I just finished a vacation in Puerto Rico on a more remote part of the island, which was very relaxing and beautiful. But after five days on the beach, I was ready to explore. And my husband heard those three little words that every man wants to hear “Let’s go shopping” (of course, I’m being totally sarcastic).
Into Old San Juan we go because he’s just a good sport like that and after brunch we start hitting the shops. It was blazing hot so for a little respite and a clean restroom, I suggested we visit the Museo Del Mar – Museum of the Sea.
It has an impressive collection of memorabilia of some of the most momentous highlights of nautical history, from both the modern and contemporary eras. It also holds the Guinness Book of World Records title as home to the largest display of original life preservers – from different ships – in the entire world. Real estate in Old San Juan is a premium, so it was not a big space. They were using several 32” Samsung displays to show videos of nautical history.
Off to the side was a lovely door with a port hole. I’m sure it was a door to administrative offices but instead of leaving it plain with a boring sign saying “employees only”, they used a tiny bit of techorating to mimic the sea – check out this video:
Pretty cool, huh? There was audio as well with simply sounds of the ocean to give it a little ambiance. Nothing spectacular, nothing difficult but nonetheless, it lent a little more of the nautical atmosphere to a small space.
Take the Samsung SmartSignage platform that comes in the small 10” form factor with power over ethernet. Where could this tiny digital signage fit in your next installation? Or a 22” perhaps on an end cap? The possibilities for Tiny Digital Signage are really endless. All you have to do is use your imagination and show the customer how digital signage or techorating can make a big difference even in small spaces. Adios for now!
My Visit to LG’s Business Innovation Center
Recently, I was fortunate enough to visit the LG Business Innovation Center (BIC) outside of Chicago at LG’s corporate headquarters. It was quite an experience where all of LG’s newest innovations and product verticals are on display to see and feel. You really get a chance to experience everything that LG has on their commercial display product roadmap, and it’s there specifically for customers and end users to absorb and engage in the future of their technologies.
For every vertical market there was an LG display suited perfectly for it. Whatever the application, the LG BIC has the full array of products for Hospitality, Healthcare, QSR (Quick Serve Restaurants), Transportation scheduling, Museums/Art Galleries, Indoor/Outdoor Digital Signage, Video Walls, Open-frame OLED technology, LED lighting…it’s all here for the taking. They’ve even created a new market for “digital décor” which stems from their uniquely designed 86-inch Ultra-Stretch 4K model that is ideal for art galleries, museums and the high-end digital signage projects.
Most notable was the new OLED display technology that LG recently unveiled. They showcase a cutting-edge 55-inch OLED 4K UHD Wallpaper display that is absolutely unreal! (see Front View) Everyone at the meeting was completely blown away. No one could believe their eyes when they saw how thin this unit actually is. This amazing display is literally thinner than a credit card (see side view). And, not only was it a gorgeous image, but at less than 4 pounds, this stunning display was installed using Velcro (you can also use magnets)!
LG’s 55-inch OLED 4K UHD Wallpaper Display (Front View):
Yes, I said Velcro! That was not a typo.
You also may notice a black plastic frame behind the actual display (see side view image), but this is not part of the actual OLED display portion and is required for structural stability due to the extremely thin, flexible OLED layer in front of it. This model is truly going to be a game-changer for the industry. Get ready for a groundbreaking 2016 with LG’s sights set on the future of OLED technology, and the technical developments and advancements that result from those efforts.
LG’s 55-inch OLED 4K UHD Display (side view):
So next time you are in the Chicago (or Atlanta) area and looking to see the latest and greatest that LG Electronics offers, make the trip to their Business Innovation Center. It will be well worth it, I promise!
For more information on LG’s latest products, please do not hesitate to contact me, Eric Olson, via phone at (888) 420-2566 ext. 4082 or via email at eolson@almo.com.
