Archive for December, 2009

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Projection screens on sale at Sam’s Club

December 31st, 2009

I was working on my campaign this morning and went off on a twitter rant about the size of battle maps in some adventures. It seems that some cartographers and adventure designers are forgetting the fact that we need to somehow transfer some of these maps from their pages to our tables. Yeah, I know I have a tutorial here with a technique for scaling up and printing maps, but that’s not feasible for all. A lot of people depend on a battle mat and dry erase markers to get maps up and running.

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy looking at pretty maps, but I also need practicality at the table. There has to be a middle ground somewhere. I feel some cartographers tend to get carried away in their photo-shopping glory and forget that these maps are meant for transfer to the table and not the computer screen.

So am I wrong here? How do you deal with battle maps at your table? How do you transfer larger maps while maintaining the artists intent?

I can think a solution that I would try if I was placed in a similar position. I use two long tables that are parallel to each other (like an = sign). I found mine cheap at a local church that was replacing their older, heavier ones with the vinyl type I see on sale at Sam’s Club. If I can invest in two of the lighter weight kind (and you have the floor space) it gives me almost 30 square feet of playing space (6? x 5?). Should be plenty of room to display a map.

Sam’s Club has very kind of options for projection screens, such as: wall projection screens, tripod projection screens, electric projection screens, and ceiling projection screens. That’s make me so obviously to use they products. Try to visit Samsclub.com to find out more.

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Posted in Project Management

Avoid Digital Signage Without Purpose

December 29th, 2009

It happens all too often: someone in your organization, browsing a trade magazine or industry portal sees an article on the growing trend of digital signage, or a case study on a competitor’s installation of a digital signage network. The piece goes on and on about how digital signage enhances the effect of marketing messages, assists in guiding desired behavior from clients, and has the ability to target different demographics based on time and location. In fact, the piece makes it sound like a digital signage network is the only thing keeping your company away from the success it truly deserves.

All of the above is completely true, and digital signage provides organizations like universities, hotels and retail centers with direct marketing benefits. However, when considering investment in digital signage it is important to take a step back from all of the potential benefits and make sure you can answer one simple question: what exactly is your organization trying to accomplish by making use of digital signage? If you cannot clearly identify the purpose of a digital signage network, if you don’t already have an idea of what content you would want to give to customers (or potential customers) if given the opportunity, then it will be impossible to achieve any level of success with the signage project.

Signage (whether digital or analog) has many uses outside of just delivering marketing messages: it can be used help consumers find their way, to give information on products and services offered, and even for video games and point of sale systems. If there is a primary need for this type of system in your organization then chances are you can safely begin to consider a digital signage system. However, if you are purely attracted to the added benefits of digital signage and are inventing primary needs that are not currently part of existing challenges, then chances are your digital signage project will not be a rewarding experience.

It is vitally important to the success of your signage project that you take the time at the outset to determine attainable goals which you want your signage system to fulfill. Getting input and signoff from key management in your organization will also help to create buy in, and to provide absolute direction on the project. Although digital signage companies are capable of great efficiency in the design, development and implementation processes, attempting to fulfill an unclear set of objectives which are constantly shifting will only create unnecessary expense and disappointment.

Although digital signage can fulfill very many marketing purposes in an efficient, attractive manner, it is very dangerous to get caught up in all of the benefits without being able to see the over-arching purposing of introducing this new marketing method to your company or organization. It always helpful to step back and reconsider the motives and goals behind your consideration of a digital signage implementation. Not only will this help to streamline the entire development and implementation process, it will also lead to more measurable results.

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On Peter Greenberg – Great Gadgets And Gizmos For Tech-Savvy Students

December 27th, 2009

It’s that time of year again when college students pile into cars loaded with suitcases, backpacks and, of course, the requisite mini-fridge and gooseneck desk lamp.

Gadget guy Phil Baker rounds up 14 useful tech products that provide the good value and design needed to spruce up every dorm room.

So check out these gadget recommendations for students …

Logitech’s Rechargeable Speaker S315i – This is one of the most attractive stereo speakers with great sound quality for the price. Plug it in or use its built-in rechargeable batteries for 12 hours of playing away from an outlet. $130; Logitech(dot)com

Pandigital Photo Frame – Not that your kids will ever forget you, but why risk it? Give them a photo frame with family photos already loaded onto it—including one with mom and dad gazing down with a watchful eye. Prices have been plummeting and a decent 7-inch model from Pandigital costs about $50. www.Pandigital.net

FreeAgent Go backup hard drive –This is an inexpensive but durable drive from Seagate (about $80 for 250 GB at discount) that every student should use to back up their files, music and photos. The Free Agent comes with a snap-in dock that lets you easily remove the hard drive and lock it up when not being used. A new back-up drive, the Aegis Padlock, just announced from San Diego’s Apricorn, has a built-in keypad that locks entry to its contents. $120 for a 250GB version; Apricorn(dot)com

Dr. Dre Isolation Headphone – How do you study effectively with distractions all around? Wear over the ear headphones to isolate you from the distractions. One very popular new model is the Studio Isolation Headphone from Dr Dre. It has a stunning industrial design and great sound. $300; beatsbydre(dot)com

Check out Travel Gadgets For Music-Lovers.

Notebook computer – For those who need a powerful notebook, it’s hard to do better than the MacBook Pro 15-inch at $1,700 or the 12-inch model at $1,200. Apple is offering a free iPod Touch for students with the purchase of a new notebook. For PC users, there’s a wide range of very similar models from Dell, HP and Lenovo and Sony. In general, avoid very thin and light models that tend to be less durable under rough handling.

Backpack computer cases – These two models are each designed to hold a 15-inch notebook plus accessories, books and papers. The Brenthaven Expandable Trek BP Laptop Backpack has a huge capacity that’s expandable by 20 percent [brenthaven(dot)com]. For a more discreet backpack with a more mature styling, the InCase Backpack is rectangular-shaped, smaller, but much easier on the back. [goincase(dot)com]. Each is $100.

Kensington ComboSaver notebook lock – This compact locking cable protects a notebook from theft, ideal for working in public spaces like the library or campus center. One end fits into the security slot found on most laptops and the other around a piece of furniture like a table or heavy chair $25.

HP Photosmart C4780 All-in-One Printer – The HP Photosmart C4780 All-in-One is a wireless printer at an affordable price. With a color control panel, memory card slots, and laser-quality text output, several students can print to it without each needing to be connected by a cable. $130; hp(dot)com

Belkin Conserve Power Strip Review – The Conserve power strip with surge protector is an eco-friendly product that saves energy. It has six outlets that can be turned off with a remote switch and two outlets that always remain on. $35; Belkin(dot)com.

Levenger Lap Desk – This beautifully made, kidney-shaped portable lap desk rests across the arms of a chair or sits on the lap while in bed. It supports a computer as well as providing a surface for a mouse, or for reading and writing. $48; Levenger(dot)com.

H2 Handy Recorder from Zoom – This is a serious pocket-sized stereo recorder that’s perfect for recording lectures and music. It has superb fidelity and sensitivity to record clearly from large distances. $150; Samsontech(dot)com

Tekkeon’s TekCharge MP1800 Battery Pack – This pack’s designed for recharging phones, music players, Bluetooth headsets and other devices while away from an outlet. It has a whopping 2600 mAH capacity, about twice the capacity of most phones. It even has a built-in flashlight. $50; Tekkeon(dot)com

iTenna HD Antenna – The iTenna makes it possible to receive HD programming over the air using on a digital TV, making it perfect for a dorm room or apartment. It replaces an outdoor antenna and rabbit ears, and is designed specifically for digital reception. It’s as small and nearly as thin as a sheet of paper and can be taped to a window or onto the back of the TV. $20; Itenna(dot)com

Z-Bar High Power LED Desk lamp – Last but not least, leave behind the old-school goose-necked lamp. LEDs, the newest lighting technology, offer the most efficiency of any lamp and emit much less heat. The Z–Bar is a modern design that offers easy adjustment to put the light where you need it. It uses six ultra-bright LEDs that consume just 9 watts. $130

For more information, visit PeterGreenberg.

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