Are all of your business associates, partners and clients always in the same room at the same time? Probably not. For this reason, it is not unheard of to use telephone meetings as a way of communicating. Ordinary handset speakerphones used to be the best way to do this, until now. Enter Polycom.

Polycom, a world’s leader in providing communication solutions, has introduced some of the best technology in audio video conferencing. As most speakerphones allow you to speak to others in different locations, Polycom offers a way to communicate verbally and visually.

While other products on the market seem to be able to deliver a similar convenience, Polycom offers a variety of telecommunications products to allow for “real” interaction. The Polycom SoundStation VTX 1000 is the first wideband conference phone with breakthrough technology.

Polycom’s patented Acoustic Clarity Technology makes the VTX 1000 the first conference phone that adapts to each meeting environment. All participants can feel free to speak from any area in the conference room and they can be heard as clear as when speaking right into the microphone.

When coupled with the Polycom VSX 7400, participants can actually see each other as they communicate verbally. Since the VSX 7400 is a visual component, all parties must have this capability to be able to interact visually.

Most businesses rely on meetings and conferences for day to day activity. With Polycom, you can be in many places at once without ever leaving your office. Although convenience makes the day easier, quality makes it worth while.

Technorati Tags: technology

This is basically a system to locate the handheld when making a call to 911. In the mid to late 1990’s, many people got cell phones just for the emergency use of being able to call for help almost anywhere. The problem came up when statistics showed that almost 92% of all serious 911 calls, (where the person was just barely able to make the call), they either didn’t know where they were or was unable to tell the 911 operator where they were, or they might not have been able to talk at all. This caused a big concern, 911 operators couldn’t do anything but listen to the person on their cell phone as they pass away. The Location Sensitivity system still doesn’t work if you are in an area that only has an analog signal. (Which is the older cellular system of the mid 1990’s and earlier). Most metropolitan areas and all interstate freeways are covered by the newer digital service. It’s just when you get out in the middle of no-where, you might end up with an analog signal. Most!

phones will display the letter “A” in the top right or left corner when using this system. Check your phone documentation, some phones don’t even have this capability. Which means if you get into one of these areas, you can’t make any type of call what-so-ever.

Soon, the Location Sensitivity feature will probably be offered by the cellular companies as part of their pricing plan. Some carriers like Nextel are already taking advantage of this new technology by giving customers a GPS location service along with their calling plan. If you don’t have this option with your carrier, and you have a Smartphone you can always purchase one of the SD slot GPS units that works with mapping software. The program I’ve really enjoyed is Mapopolis, which works great with most of the popular GPS hardware available. And most even have a voice activation that will tell you where to turn, which is directed through the speaker phone portion of the Smartphones. The ability to have GPS information and mapping on your handheld will be a great plus while traveling.

Back to the Location Sensitivity. I’m just wondering how much the cellular companies are going to charge for such a GPS type service!? I’m sure they’re all working hard right now on the new pricing plans that we’ll have to pay if you don’t have the GPS hardware to install on your Smartphone.

Find anything in your portfolio in seconds, anywhere - anytime, send an email with “ebook” in the subject to receive a free version of the ebook at: ebook@robertlett.com

When these services become available, they will only be location based. Another words, most GPS’s these days will actually give you your current altitude and most have a pretty fast refresh rate. The refresh rate is the time between position updates. An example; If you have a GPS in your hand that refreshed three times per second, this would be a very acturate reading. Even if you are driving at 70 miles per hour, the moving map on the GPS will be able to keep up with your actual location. That’s an issue the engineers are dealing with on the Location Sensitivity system. It wasn’t designed to have any type of refresh rate at all. Once a position has been found, it never was designed to refresh that position. (I guess if you are hurt, and you called 911, you aren’t supposed to be moving. Hmmm, So if you fell off a bridge, and landed in the back of a truck driving down the interestate, I’m not sure if they would be able to locate you. They would know where you were when you!

first dialed 911, but as your location changes, they might not be able to find you). Supposedly, the 911 operator can pull a refresh, this would at least tell them the direction the vehicle is moving. But to locate you while you’re moving, might be more difficult than anyone had expected.

Another problem with many of the handheld units, the actual speed of the processors within them. Most cell phones operate on around 1 to 2 MHz processor speed. Most Smartphones operate anywhere between 30 to 500 MHz. (Most new home computers are operating between 2 to 4 GHz processor speed, just to give you an idea). This is where the engineers are running into the biggest problem with creating a GPS refresh rate. The processors in all handhelds will just have to be faster than they are today. And like all of our other technolgies, I’m sure this won’t be a problem very much longer for the designers.

Hmmm, soon we’ll have Pentium 9 cellular and Smartphones running at 8 GHz processor speed! You know it’s going to come to this, and it’s not that far away.

To see how to use your handheld like a professional, send an email with “ebook” in the subject to receive a free version of the ebook at: ebook@robertlett.com

Find out more of what it’s all about: www.robertlett.com/whatisit5.htm

This document is under Copyright through Infinite Data. You have permission to copy this document in its’ entirety and make duplicates. You may not change, add, or edit anything within the document. Thank you for your help.

Technorati Tags: technology
Technorati Tags: computers
Technorati Tags: cell phones
Technorati Tags: software

With the rate that technology is evolving nowadays, it’s quite easy to be left behind in the current market of electronic products. I experienced this myself when I decided to buy a cell phone. My friend told me that I would be better off if I spend more money for a Bluetooth enabled cell phone instead of the generic model that I was planning to buy.

I couldn’t decide which model I would purchase because I had no idea how different Bluetooth enabled cell phones are from the generic models. A friendly salesclerk at the mall patiently explained to me why they were so special. I found out that the features on a blue tooth enable cell phones would allow me to do a variety of things that would be impossible with standard mobile phones.

Bluetooth enabled cell phones makes it possible to wirelessly transfer e-mails, contact information, and other basic content to someone who have a similar device. If you have special car kit you, can even make and receive hands-free, wireless calls while driving. Doing these this manually with a standard cell phone would be dangerous. Many recent car models already come with the necessary equipment to accommodate blue tooth enabled cell phones and more automobile companies are planning to follow the trend in the following years.

You might think that with these state of the art features, Bluetooth enabled cell phones would be considerably more expensive than the older generic models. If you’re not after very high-end models, you can find that they are actually quite affordable. With the number of cell-phone manufacturer competing for customers, you can be sure that prices of blue tooth enabled cell phones will remain reasonable. Since they are manufactured by world-class companies like Motorola, Sony, and Nokia you also can be sure of getting a high quality product.

Don’t be left behind. You don’t know what you’re missing if you don’t avail of the exciting features that affordable and user-friendly blue tooth enabled cell phones can offer.

Technorati Tags: technology
Technorati Tags: cell phones

Calculating the Correct Distance

In setting up the environment for your plasma TV, a primary consideration is to determine the screen size to match the floor plan or available space where the plasma will be displayed.

Plasma monitors are measured diagonally across the screen, just like any other television set. You can typically choose from the following sizes: 32″, 40″, 42″, 46″, 50″, 61″, or 63″. Bigger is not always better, and a certain distance must be maintained between the plasma TV and the viewing area for optimal viewing experience. Sitting too far away diminishes the overall impact. Sitting too close, however, could also present its own problems - as when you start seeing the screen’s “structure”; i.e., the dots or pixels that make up the plasma display.

In determining the appropriate TV size for you, you should also consider the space required to install the unit itself. When recessing a plasma display unit, allow at least 3 inches of open space at the top of the unit and adequate ventilation space of at least 2 inches behind it as well. Remember, too, that most plasma displays do not have built-in speakers, so you’ll need to allow space enough to attach speakers.

What You Can Watch on Your Plasma TV

You can choose between HDTV (High Definition TV) and EDTV (Enhanced Definition TV) for your choice of plasma display. Which type you prefer depends on the kind of material you intend to watch on the plasma.

EDTV is the perfect entry point into digital television, with a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio and an image resolution that is 200% better than today’s analog televisions. On the other hand, HDTV has up to four times the resolution and colors compared to EDTV, offering the ultimate visual and sound experience.

At present, only a limited number of programs are broadcast in true high-definition format (all major networks broadcast HD counterparts to their regular analog-signal broadcasts). In fact, if you plan to use a plasma HDTV for regular TV programming, you may be surprised to find that regular TV programming may even appear slightly worse, as the big screen exaggerates the flaws in standard TV programs. DVD images from most of the currently available DVD titles on the market today also do not fare as well on true HD plasmas. In fact, these DVD images appear better on EDTV plasma units, because the image resolution of a widescreen DVD (nominally 740 x 480) more closely matches the actual resolution (852 x 480) of the EDTV plasma display.

Why bother with a High Definition TV at all, you may ask? Because HDTV, paired with a true High-Definition or high-quality source, can produce truly stunning images. With a progressive-scan DVD player paired with, say, any of the recently released HD-DVD or forthcoming Blu-ray DVD titles (encoded in true HD format), your plasma HDTV can come to spectacular life and bring out unrivaled image quality. And as more TV programming becomes available in High-Definition format with the looming of the FCC deadline for switching to all-digital broadcasting, plasma HDTV sets will have more TV content to show. One thing’s for sure: Your HDTV won’t be obsolete anytime in the next few years.

Plasma TV

Specifications When comparing plasma TV sets, it’s important to know what to look for to make sense of the specifications you’re presented with. Below is a quick rundown on the necessary specs that you need to weigh before making that all-important purchase decision.

Resolution: Resolution is a determining factor in selecting a plasma TV. Do you want HDTV or EDTV? HDTV, with a resolution of at least 1024 x 720, is the ultimate visual and sound experience, but what is available for viewing on HD is currently restricted to a few HD channels on cable, as well as the newly emerging - and necessarily few - DVD titles from the HD-DVD and Blu-ray DVD formats. On the other hand, most of the currently available DVDs actually play better when viewed on EDTV, because the image resolution of a widescreen DVD (nominally 740 x 480) more closely matches the actual resolution (852 x 480) of the EDTV plasma display. Choosing the type of plasma TV that you want, therefore, is a question that should be considered along with the type of content you frequently watch or will be watching on your plasma.

Inputs: A plasma television should work with any existing video component with standard A/V, S-Video, or Component Video outputs. In addition, most plasma TVs have DVI or HDMI connections for use with high-definition sources. Some plasma TVs also have VGA input connections that allow them to be used as monitors for a PC. At the minimum, look for the following specifications on a plasma connection: DVI-I or DVI-D, Component, RCA or Composite, and S-Video. Take into consideration your current component set-up - such as your satellite system, cable box, DVD player, and external stereo components - and see what kind of inputs or connectors they use.

Tuner: Check your plasma to see if it is HD-ready or HD-integrated. An HD-ready plasma TV is essentially a monitor that needs an external tuner source before it can function as a TV. An HD-integrated panel has a tuner built into the set and is ready for use. If you receive your HDTV programming via cable or satellite instead of over-the-air, you may not need a tuner at all, as you will be using the set-top boxes provided by your cable/satellite service to receive HDTV programming. Check with your cable or satellite providers for more details. Some cable/satellite companies do away with set-top boxes and provide their subscribers with cable cards instead. Check with your cable/satellite provider if they provide cable cards and the cable-card type that they offer, and then check the specification on the plasma for cable card slots.

Contrast Ratio: Contrast ratio is the measurement that determines the variation between the whitest and darkest parts of the image. This is an important specification, since plasma TVs with a low contrast ratio will make dark images look muddy and gray while making light images look washed out. A good measure of contrast ratio is 1,000:1 or higher. Anything less than 1,000:1 - especially on a set that is 42″ or larger - may not provide optimal viewing experience.

Brightness: Without sufficient brightness, your image will look muddy and soft - even in a dark room. Viewing distance, screen size, and ambient room light will also affect the need for more brightness capability. A brightness rating listed at 550 cd/m2 or higher is good, but don’t get bogged down with the technical number listed. Instead, make sure that the screen is bright enough for your needs as you conduct your own visual inspection.

Panel Life: Look for a minimum of 60,000 hours of panel life in your plasma specifications. This is the rating on how long it would take before your panel has half the brightness compared to when it was new. A 60,000-hour spec translates to approximately 20 years of viewing at 8 hours per day. (This approximation may vary, depending on the source and type of content, settings, environment, and use of your plasma TV.)

Anti-burn-in/Pixel Shift: Burn-in refers to the remnants burned on to the screen after a static image has been left on the plasma for a long period of time. To minimize or prevent burn-in, determine if the plasma panel utilizes burn-in protection, such as power management settings, full-time picture or pixel shift (both vertical and horizontal) technologies, or automatic screensaver functions.

Speakers: If you plan to use an external surround sound system, you won’t need audio speakers, but most plasma TV sets include speakers that rated anywhere from 7-12 Watts Pre-amp - which is much better than that of conventional TVs and sufficient for most viewing. Check your plasma’s specifications to see if it comes with speakers and if the speakers are removable.

Universal Remote: A universal remote can take the place of having one remote, so that it controls all the various components of your TV system, such as the DVD player, audio, cable/satellite etc. If you plan on buying a universal remote, check to see if it’s supported by the plasma set of your choice to make sure the plasma accepts universal remote devices.

Power Consumption: Power consumption for plasmas range from 240 watts to over 500 watts, If you’re concerned with how much energy a plasma set may use, check its specifications to determine power consumption. Units tend to have higher wattage requirements as the screen increases. A good rule of thumb is to compare similar-sized units together; units with higher wattages tend to use inferior components as a rule.

Technorati Tags: monitor

Ever get so lost in thought, while driving a familiar route, that you don’t remember the last few miles? If you live near a busy street or freeway, you probably don’t ever hear the cars anymore. But you do hear when the occasional police siren pulls a motorist over.

Maybe you’ve learned to live with the pain of a bad knee, or you’ve been around a particular smell so long you don’t notice it while others do.

Our brains have this amazing ability to block out the mundane and commonplace events in our lives.

Here’s the thing, our vision is just as susceptible to this phenomenon! Think about it, when is the last time you stopped and read a poster in a store window? A friend told me he remembered reading a poster at the movie theater. He wanted to see what the coming attractions were (he noted he would’ve preferred video trailers).

The technology is available today to get rid of this “white noise” effect. You will be stopping people in their tracks!

But first let’s see what the current messaging environment is like.

Two years ago Plasma Displays got everyone’s attention. Now they are beginning to become quite commonplace. As more and more people purchase the 42” flat panel displays to use in their homes, they are becoming less noticeable and effective as a messaging system.

After all, what is so different about watching a commercial on your flat panel TV and reading a message or advertisement on a Plasma Display in a store or public venue?

The good news for us is Plasma Displays are coming down in price, but this is bad news for people needing to communicate visually. The increasing affordability and popularity is causing our brains to “TIVO” out the commercials and information.

How many people do you think notice a 42” Plasma Display if they watch the nightly news on a 50” Plasma?

Here’s the thing, communicating with people effectively has been changing rapidly over the past few years, and it has become extremely more difficult. People are installing Digital Video Recorders to block out commercials.

Print media is losing readers and revenue to the internet. Just look at the earnings of companies like Google and Yahoo these days. Even calling a person has turned into a never ending saga of voice mails and answering machines.

Email is a great tool, but it has taken the emotion out of our interrelationships. Emails don’t allow for the communication of your happiness or sadness in the message. “Just the facts please.”

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to reach people in such a way that your message could not be ignored? In fact, what if people wanted to read your message and were emotionally motivated by it. What if it was presented in such an exciting way that people stopped to notice and crowds gathered?

As I said before, the technology is available. You can do this today!

Let me explain, to get people’s attention in today’s world you need 3 things – Big, Bright, and Location. Only projection display systems can meet these requirements at a reasonable cost.

Can you think of a time when you ignored a big, bright display you could see even from a distance? It’s almost impossible not to look. Now, when you add great “content” an irresistible visual experience is created.

Experts will tell you how important it is to have good contrast, and we agree.

Our company spent 3 years promoting great contrast, but we can say from our personal experience people respond to brightness much more than contrast. As long as there is adequate contrast – brightness is king. Besides, how many content creators work with blacks and grays?

Great content is based on exhilarating colors and motion. How many advertisers or communicators want their products to be seen in black and white? No doubt you’ve heard real estate people talk about “location, location, location.” To maximize your value they suggest you buy the least expensive home in the best neighborhood.

The same concept is true in visual communications. When you think about it this is probably the most important aspect of visual messaging. Regardless of the technology you’re using, if the vast majority of people don’t see your message you won’t be maximizing its effectiveness.

Take billboards for example. They can’t even be classified as high technology, and yet they continue to be used effectively. Why? They are a large display right in the path of many people and are nearly impossible to ignore.

Small LCD displays positioned at a check-out counter in a grocery store will surely be viewed by those people standing in line. The problem is that you’re only reaching those people in that particular line. Consequently you will need to install displays at each counter. This can get expensive. A large display positioned overhead will be seen by all the check-out lines and cost considerably less.

So how do you minimize your costs, avoid the “white noise” affect, and maximize your viewers?

While all technologies have their ideal usage application, there is only one that consistently delivers big, bright and location in an affordable package – a video projection system utilizing specialty projection displays.

If you haven’t considered such a system, you’re probably missing a fantastic opportunity to lower your investment cost while increasing your impact and customer awareness.

Imagine what could be when you move from a 24” x 32” display to a 60” x 80” display and place it right in front of your targeted audience.

Technorati Tags: technology