DailyDOOH

Amongst fellow #AVtweeps we’ve been promoting the concept of turning your plain old Apple iPad into a fully fledged laptop or MacBook replacement, with the addition of a Brydge keyboard for several years now.

Back in 2012 we took part in the original kickstarter campaign for the product, gaining our first experience with one of these amazing keyboards on a very early generation iPad. We remember fondly, taking it to CES as soon as we received it and were simply astounded at the interest it received in the press lounge that year – everyone thought that we had had some form of new lightweight clamshell Mac device!!

Our current Brydge keyboard is used with a 2017 model iPad Pro with lightning connector but we are pleased to see that after the most successful pre-order campaign to date, Brydge’s highly anticipated Pro keyboards for the 2018 iPad Pros are now in-stock and shipping. For those of you not familiar with the new iPad Pros, the (old) lightning connector has now become a more standard and much more useful USB-C connector and the screen has less of a bezel (the latter change meaning that Brydge had the opportunity to redesign their product).

Let’s put this as simply as we can, the Brydge 12.9 Pro and 11.0 Pro are game-changers for any iPad user. Not only do they seamlessly combine with the new iPad Pro models to deliver a laptop experience, whilst also enhancing the iPad’s functionality, they now feature dual connectivity (Bluetooth 4.1 and wired via USB-C), multiple viewing modes, and protection for the back of the iPad.

These new products were announced back in November 2018 and we were lucky enough to meet the company founders and engineers at #CES2019 a few months later in January. At that time, the Pro keyboards were made available for pre-order and by May, 2019 well over 7,000 units were shipped to those lucky pre-order customers.

Mind you we’re not the only fans of this technology: –

• “If you ever want to type on your lap with an iPad Pro, the Brydge Pro is by far the best option.” – Sam Byford, The Verge
• “…we can say confidently that it’s the best keyboard for the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro.” – Mark Linsangan, Apple Insider
• “This Brydge keyboard is exactly what many were hoping it would be: the ultimate expression of a years-long effort to blend the iPad and laptop form factors” – Federico Viticci, MacStories

The Brydge 11.0 Pro retails for USD 149.99 and the Brydge 12.9 Pro for 169.99. Both models are available in Silver and Space Gray.

From Friday’s AVIXA Foundation Career Day, welcoming students to the show, to the more than 40 percent of registered attendees under the age of 40, #InfoComm19 held last week June 8-14 in Orlando, continued to draw the next generation of audiovisual professionals, as well as a broad cross-section of engaged AV customers from higher education, hospitality, retail, and other markets.

Whether they were attracted by insightful new content, including Tuesday’s TIDE Conference and rich session tracks exploring AV experiences in hospitality and retail or by the nearly 950 exhibitors, attendees seemed to infuse #InfoComm19 with their energy.

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Replying to an #InfoComm19 tweet that repeated a common misconception, that Orlando attendance was typically less than that of Las Vegas, we put together this list of attendance figures going back to 2010.

* InfoComm 2010 32,000 (Las Vegas)
* InfoComm 2011 33,001 (Orlando)
* InfoComm 2012 34,286 (Las Vegas)
* InfoComm 2013 35,126 (Orlando)
* InfoComm 2014 37,048 (Las Vegas)
* InfoComm 2015 39,105 (Orlando)
* InfoComm 2016 38,833 (Las Vegas)
* InfoComm 2017 44,077 (Orlando)
* InfoComm 2018 43,000 (Las Vegas)
* InfoComm 2019 44,129 (Orlando)

You will note that Orlando takes home the prize for the two highest attendance events ever (44,077 in 2017 and 44,129 in 2019) and that since 2015, Las Vegas has always had less attendance than Orlando the year before.

Snapp Digital has partnered with Signagelive to offer an advertisement software add-on that is billed as one of the easiest, simplest and most user-friendly solutions that will turn any digital screen into an advertisement opportunity.

There’s a simple dashboard and an open community marketplace, which allows networks and advertisers to put into one place creating a cohesive simple process for buying and selling digital advertisement assets.

We are told that, recognizing that many screen network owners already have existing signage solutions, Snapp was created as an add-on solution with a cost structure that is both simple and reduces risk associated with other expensive signage solutions. Adding your network to the Marketplace platform is 100% performance-based – meaning that you are only charged for what you sell. No sales, No cost.

The goal was to create an accessible tool for networks to create their own online ad account management/sales team. Snapp acts as your ad management extension. Bring your advertisers through the platform and they can view your available inventory, build their campaigns, make direct upfront payments, and upload ad content without ever needing to pick up the phone or send an email. Once the content is approved to run, the Signagelive MRSS feed sets those ads to automatically play during their scheduled run times.

Prohaska Consulting, the most experienced and largest global programmatic consulting firm, is re-launching its Programmatic Creative practice.

Matt Prohaska, CEO & Principal of Prohaska Consulting told us “We say re-launch because we originally soft-launched the practice four years ago when we first saw the opportunity of bringing media and creative together to leverage Tech, Targets, and Talent. But we quickly realized most in the industry were not ready yet, not fully understanding the potential, so we put those offerings on the shelf to bring back later. We are excited to see many more now are ready to start improving their own and/or their clients’ work.”

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I am a big fan of Kickstarter but I am rarely allowed to cross post anything here on DailyDOOH. However this Window Solar Charger, described as “a designer solar panel for people who want to be more sustainable, but don’t know where to start” got through our editor in chief’s strict review process.

The Window Solar Charger is a designer solar panel that charges your devices. Unlike most solar panels, it’s designed to hang in any window so now you can bring solar energy into your home, without sacrificing design.

Retail price wil be USD 149 and the product will ship April 2020.

Grouphug is a cuddly tech company based in NYC.

Their mission is to inspire a sustainable lifestyle that is effortless, without sacrificing design. The company was founded by industrial designer, Krystal Persaud.

NEC Display Solutions Europe today announced its global channel programme, part of its NEC One initiative, designed to provide global support and services to AV/IT reseller partners. The announcement was made yesterday at the NEC Display booth at #InfoComm19.

Recently promoted Simon Jackson, Senior Vice President of Sales EMEA at NEC Display Solutions Europe told us “The NEC One Global Channel Programme underscores NEC’s global leadership in the AV industry,” said NEC Display Solutions is solely focused on the business market and its needs, and this new initiative will ensure that we’re managing global opportunities with our partners with the level of support and resources that makes NEC the easiest display solutions manufacturer to do business with.”

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Tunity has announced that it has expanded its advisory board to include TV industry maven and former head of research for ESPN, Artie Bulgrin. Arte joins respected media executives Pat McDonough, Keith Reinhard, Tom Rogers, and Alan Wurtzel, as well as Bruce Paisner who serves on the Company’s board of directors.

The Tunity advisory board provides the Company’s leadership team, led by Co-Founder/CEO Yaniv Davidson, with key insights and direction on industry best practices, measurement advancements, consumer behaviors, and client feedback.

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Former FormetCo sales exec Jim Bradford has joined Watchfire Signs as Business Development – Sports & Indoor Video Walls.

Carmen Tsang has joined Lightbox (formerly Adspace Networks) as VP, Research.

She joins from Universal McCann/J3 where she led analytics and research for the Johnson & Johnson and Coach accounts as the VP Research Director. In addition to several years spent at other media agencies including MediaCom and Zenithmedia, the NYU graduate served as the ad sales research lead at Turner Broadcasting on the CNN and HLN brands.

Lightbox SVP, Marketing Won Yoo told us “Carmen’s depth of experience at top agencies gives us an ideal perspective into how brands are approaching media. Her work on campaign measurement will be incredibly valuable to help elevate the attribution capabilities we’re already offering advertisers. And the fact that she understands sales teams’ needs from her time at CNN only makes her an even more ideal addition to the organization.”

Carmen stars on June 11 and will report to Won Yoo.