When planning for an event that requires internet at a rented venue, it is very important to know exactly what you actually need and the rules and regulations of the venue you are entering into an agreement with. It is a step that many planners neglect and may cost thousands of dollars to correct at the last minute, if it is even possible to accomplish with the available bandwidth. The key questions needed to be asked are as follows:

1)  How much bandwidth do you require? If you are a single computer and displaying a simple web page or need access to email, any venue can get you the access you need. If you are having a video conference, using bandwidth intensive web based applications, or if you are having a training lab with 30 people, your needs are quite different.

2)  How many connections do you need? If you have 5 computers, you need to relay this information to the venue. Many offer networking solutions to assist, and also charge you for each computer using the internet. Do not assume you can order 1 connection, bring in your own router, and share it wired or wirelessly inside your booth. In some instances, you may find the venue will turn your connection off during the event until you pay for all the connections being used.

3)  How much bandwidth does the venue offer? Common types are:

1. ADSL: Many hotels offer a simple 6Mbit ADSL type connection, which offer up to 6Mbit download rate, and up to 800Kbit upload rate. This is fine for a single user, but a web training session of 30 people would make this connection act like very slow dial up!
2. ADSL2: Still rather new and offers the same speeds as ADSL, but the download rate is up to 21Mbit. This connection is good for a class of 10 – 20 who are only downloading and not publishing work to the internet.
3. T3: The common connection in large convention centers. This is by far the best connection as it offers extremely high rates of transfers, both for downloading and uploading. It can easily handle hundreds of connections.
4. 3G or EVDO: This is the internet stick offered by Telus, Rogers, Bell, etc. A fine solution for a single user but be sure your portable internet works at the location you wish to use it and that it does not violate any regulations the venue may have.

Obviously if you are renting internet at a venue, it is important to the success of the event you are planning. It is an expensive part of your event, but when you ask the right questions to both your users and the venue, you can at least be sure to pay for only what you need, and be confident that you ordered the correct connections.

Special Event Internet – Buyer Beware! is a post from: Event Technology Blog highlighting computer rentals.

As companies and families alike look to cut costs in every which way, saving energy is probably one of the easiest and most efficient ways to save money, not to mention the “green” benefits it offers.

Fact: Turning off machines when they are not being used can result in enormous energy savings.

Here are some other facts, common misconceptions and simple fixes you can do to cut down on your monthly energy bills.

Saving Energy – Did You Know:

• In the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off.
• Laptop computers consume 90% less energy than desktop computers.
• The transformer in the AC adapter of a laptop draws power continuously, even when the adapter is not plugged into the laptop.
• Ink-jet printers consume 90% less energy than laser printers.
• Printers with automatic “power down” features can reduce electricity use by over 65 percent.
• Turning a light back on does not use more electricity than leaving it on, but fluorescent fixture life is decreased if switching is too frequent.
• Lighting accounts for 5 percent to 10 percent of total energy use.
• Televisions and their accessories (DVRs, DVD players, cable boxes, etc.) account for nearly 15 percent of home energy use.
• OLED televisions are up to nearly 40% more energy effiecient than regular plasma and LCD displays.

Common Energy Saving Misconceptions:

• Computer equipment lasts longer if it is never turned off.

This was only true back in the day of the mainframe computer. Today’s computer equipment is built to handle regular shutdowns and power saving modes.

• Monitors use less energy when screen savers are used.

Screen savers do not cause monitors to use less energy. Using  your Power Options Properties to automatically turn off monitors  or manually turning off monitors always saves more energy.

What You Can Do To Save Energy:

• Always buy ENERGY STAR qualified products for your small business and consider models that power down after a period of inactivity. The ENERGY STAR mark indicates the most efficient appliances, computer and office equipment.
• Turn off all desktops, monitors, printers, and photocopiers every night and when not being used. If you can’t shut down the computer, turn off the monitor and printers.
• Unplug appliances or connect a power bar and use the switch on the power bar to cut all power to the appliances.
• Unplug battery chargers when the batteries are fully charged or when the chargers are not in use.
• Turn off lights or use dimmers in any room when lights are no longer needed.
• Buy printers with power management capabilities.

Start implementing these tips in your workplace and home and start enjoying the benefits of a smaller energy bill each month.

Energy Savings Tips is a post from: Event Technology Blog highlighting computer rentals.

Best Trade Show Promotion Tip: Stick with Useful Items

The best way to maximize return on your trade show promotional items is to stick with something that people will find useful. Lanyards don’t come in that handy and a bottle of spring water with your company’s logo will end up in the recycling before the recipient leaves the trade show (and no, the logo will not be recycled and viewed again).

Best Selling & Highest Retaining Promotional Items: T-Shirts

The numbers are in. The statistics for the best selling trade show promo items back this up. Wearables make up 30%; promotional pens make up 10%; calendars make up 7%; drinkware accounts for 6%; desk items account for 6% and trade show plastic bags make up 5%.

Visual Consistency is Key

While it may seem like anything free is a no-brainer when it comes to promotional items, there’s a strategy to what you should choose to hand out at a trade show. The key is to give the recipient something they will use over and again for months or years. Your product or name ends up in their face on a consistent basis and that’s precisely how you get your return.

It’s estimated that 70% of people remember the company that gave them a specific product. Naturally, this success rate would multiply if you give away re-useable items.

Think desk items. Think t-shirts (even if you end up wearing them to bed, at least they aren’t in the trash). Think pens or items for the kitchen. These are things people will see and use on a frequent, if not daily, basis.

So while novelty may be exciting, utility is what lasts.

Maximizing Your Trade Show Promotions is a post from: Event Technology Blog highlighting computer rentals.

Unless you’re one of those people that make Friday night karaoke a must-do every week, using a microphone isn’t part of a regular routine.

It’s easy to think of it as a tool to amplify your normal voice – and to an extent, it is. But there are certain techniques that make for effective microphone use and should be considered next time you get up in front of a live audience.

Vary your pitch, intonation, volume and rhythm in order to engage your audience and to give a sense of meaning to your message.

Do a sound check to make sure the mic levels fit the sound of the room and the anticipated size of your audience. Ask someone to stand at various points of the room so they can tell you when something sounds off.

Be familiar with how the mic works. Figure out where the on and off keys are. If you have a tendency to give yourself a pep talk before going on stage, this can be especially crucial.

Stand with good posture when you’re talking and keep a good distance from the mic to prevent your voice from getting muffled. Don’t grab onto the mic and start moving it around all the time unless you’re a well-established stand up comedian.

If you’re using lavaliere wireless microphones or wired – make sure it’s clipped on a good 8-10 inches from your mouth. Try to wear something that’s easy to clip onto and can hide any wires or cords.

Your vocal presence – tone, rhythm, emphasis – and the technical side go hand in hand. You can’t give a successful talk with one and not the other and hard prep work will pay off.

Tips on Using a Microphone is a post from: Event Technology Blog highlighting computer rentals.

Computer Equipment

Buying isn’t always an option when it comes to computer equipment needs. So then the question arises, to rent or to lease?

Renting computer equipment is the ideal route to take if you’re working with a short-term timeframe. Maybe you’re running a three day convention, or you have an upcoming meeting that will wrap up by mid-afternoon. That’s when you want to rent. Leasing is a long-term commitment, and often comes with an extra hefty price tag if you decide to kill the contract early.

Rental computer equipment covers any range of needs: colour and black and white copiers, laser and colour printers, paper shredders. If you’re looking for scanners – high speed or barcode scanners – those are available too.

Renting in the short term can be anything from 24 hours to a few months. That makes renting equipment the best solution for most events, from trade shows to classrooms to temporary offices.

Computer Equipment: Renting vs. Leasing is a post from: Event Technology Blog highlighting computer rentals.