by KMB Communications | Jun 9, 2020 | D-Tools
SI v14 delivers critical new features including Gantt management and enhancements to project management capabilities, drawings, and more.
CONCORD, CA (June 9, 2020) — D-Tools, Inc., the worldwide leader in data-driven system integration software, will preview powerful new capabilities of its forthcoming major release – System Integrator version 14 – during InfoComm Connected, June 16-18, 2020. The latest iteration of D-Tools’ award-winning estimation, design, project, and service management System Integrator (SI) software solution will debut this summer.
D-Tools System Integrator (SI) helps streamline the entire project workflow for integrators from estimation and budgeting, through system design, installation, back-office management, and on-going servicing, all through a data-driven process that leverages an extensive and integrated product library.
The forthcoming D-Tools SI v14 release provides beneficial new performance and productivity features and enhancements designed to further improve operational efficiency and increase profitability.
New Features Include:
- Gantt Charts – New implementation of Gantt charts allows SI users to better manage resources, leading to more successful installations. Linked to SI’s existing installation tasks and the addition of automation enables the scheduling of multiple tasks at one time.
- Customizable Checklists – SI users can create customized checklists that can be attached to projects, tasks, and Service Orders. This feature allows more control over what is required to complete an item, and checklists can be saved for future use.
- New Business Intelligence Reporting – New and expanded capabilities enable SI users to build queries across projects, clients, purchase orders, tasks, service orders, and service plans for creating their own Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and to view data that is specific to their role within the organization.
- Bulk Purchase Order Creation – SI users now have the ability to create purchase orders for multiple vendors, for multiple projects, at one time, saving time and improving efficiency.
- Points – New concept for adding connection information to I/Os enables accounting for specifically needed actions. Labor hours and labor items can be associated with Points and will automatically add to the product as a labor accessory.
- Updated UI – D-Tools has an improved user experience throughout the application with the addition of new icons and redesigned ribbons throughout SI.
The newest version of D-Tools SI helps system integration firms improve operational efficiency for increased profitability, while reducing time, cost, and errors for a streamlined business process.
Attendees of InfoComm Connected can book a demonstration with a member of the D-Tools team at sales@d-tools.com.
To see how D-Tools System Integrator can deliver profound visibility and results, sign up now for a free, personal online tour by visiting http://d-tools.com/live-demo-webinar/. A free 30-day trial of D-Tools can also be downloaded anytime at http://d-tools.com/hosted-free-trial-signup/.
About D-Tools, Inc.
D-Tools is a worldwide leader in accessible, highly accurate business software that caters to the unique and diverse needs of systems design and installation firms. The company’s on-premises software, System Integrator™ (SI), and cloud-based platform, D-Tools Cloud, are robust solutions that help manage all aspects of an integrator’s business, including sales, comprehensive system design, project documentation, procurement, and project management. Today, nearly 7,000 companies in over 80 countries use D-Tools’ award-winning software to streamline business processes, leading to improved operational efficiencies and increased profitability.
Find product updates and related information by following D-Tools on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts
Tim Bigoness, D-Tools, (925) 270-4102, timb@d-tools.com
Katye (McGregor) Bennett, KMB Communications, (425) 328-8640, katye@kmbcomm.com
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners, all rights reserved.
by KMB Communications | Jun 7, 2020 | News
A call to action by Alex Capecelatro of Josh.ai
The residential tech industry has a race problem, and it’s time we talk about it.
The events that transpired over the past week have shaken our nation and ignited a much-needed conversation about race inequality. The senseless killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have spawned protests in every major U.S. city, but sadly these are just a few of many similar tragedies the Black community has faced.
Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush responded with a cry for peace and empathy. Obama remarked, “You have helped to make the entire country feel as if this is something that’s got to change. You’ve communicated a sense of urgency.” Meanwhile Bush asked the long overdue question: “How do we end systemic racism in our society?”
The difficult part is that many of us aren’t racists. At least, we don’t think we are. The issues are so deeply ingrained in our society that it can be hard to see if you’re not Black. As someone relatively new to this industry, I remember my first CEDIA Expo in 2015, and feeling like it was largely a group of older straight white men. While that might not seem like a problem, as a gay man in my 20s, I certainly struggled at first to fit in. Now imagine if I were female, or Black, or trans – or all three. Would I have felt welcome? Would I have thrived? Or would I have said, “Forget this, I’m going to look elsewhere for work?”
At Josh.ai, we try hard to create a culture of inclusion. We’ve made diversity a core company value and authored articles on this topic, such as this one on diversity in the tech industry. When hiring, we think it’s important to focus on antiracism and allyship efforts, such as avoiding implicit bias from the places we recruit (here’s a great resource that Airbnb put together if you’d like to learn more). Further, CI marketing is often very focused on using white models in advertisements and collateral, and we’ve made it a goal to show more diverse models and actors. That said, we’re far from perfect and constantly strive to be better.
In CEDIA’s 2019 U.S. Market Size and Scope Study Report, the top challenge integrators said they faced was finding employees. As a community of mostly white men, we don’t always consider the extra steps needed to create a welcoming and inclusive environment to increase our industry’s diversity. For those who think this doesn’t matter, I’m here to tell you you’re wrong. If we want our industry to grow and thrive, we need to be inclusive. We need to ask the hard questions and make this a place everyone is welcome, particularly the Black community.
So why am I speaking out? I know this will be controversial, and not everyone will agree with me, but now is the time to wake up and address the problem. If you look at social media posts from top brands including Google, Nike, and Amazon, you’ll see nothing but #blacklivesmatter and empathy in response to the current situation. Yet, on our industry’s social media channels, publications, and Facebook groups, you wouldn’t know anything was even going on.
Earlier this week, I was asked to speak on a podcast and was surprised that not only was nobody talking about this, it was business as usual. You would have guessed nothing at all was going on. This is exactly the type of action that exemplifies the systemic problems we’re talking about. We need to be willing to discuss this, to listen, and to effect change in order to make a difference.
Now you might be thinking, as I was during part of this week, that rioting and looting are wrong and protesters are taking things too far. Keep in mind that most protests have been peaceful. That said, consider for a moment how you would respond if you were being persecuted based simply on the color of your skin. I was certainly angry at the destruction done to my city in Los Angeles. But, while buildings can be rebuilt, lives cannot be brought back.
The real issue here is the injustice that has prevailed for far too long. Many Black people are tired of having to look over their shoulder, being uncomfortable walking down the street, fearful that what starts out as a speeding ticket could end up being their last breath. According to MappingPoliceViolence.org, police killed more than 100 unarmed Black people in 2015. This needs to stop.
So, what can we do about it? It’s a hard problem, one that many of us are trying to figure out. For starters, I suggest participating in simple but meaningful acts on social media and choosing to be an ally. Even when you aren’t sure exactly what to say, consider putting out a public message showing empathy and heart. Something is better than nothing. Discuss with your employees why this matters. Donate if you can to causes that help (here’s a link to causes worth considering). Get out and vote in November. But most of all, make a concerted effort to put yourself in the shoes of a Black person and examine how you conduct business, how you hire, and how your environment can be made to feel more inclusive. Here’s a great link if you’re not sure where to begin.
This is going to take time, and there’s no magic formula. While hopeful, if we don’t address this head on and get serious about equality and inclusion, I do fear for the future of our industry.
Note: I serve on the Board of Directors for CEDIA, but these views are mine alone and do not represent those of CEDIA.
Read on https://restechtoday.com/home-tech-industry-race-problem/
by KMB Communications | Jun 4, 2020 | AtlasIED
New rubber covers designed for AtlasIED’s strategically hidden speakers prevent dust and other particles from passing into clean environments while maintaining exceptional coverage of paging, announcements, and notifications.
PHOENIX, AZ – (June 4, 2020) – AtlasIED, a global electronics manufacturer providing comprehensive audio, communications, and security solutions for commercial markets, introduces a new accessory designed to help hospitals, medical and pharmaceutical facilities, manufacturing, and other establishments minimize the spread of dust and other particles that can pass into the air through speaker grilles.
Available as a separate cover (SHS-CVR) or included with AtlasIED’s SHS strategically hidden speaker (SHS-6T2CVR), the durable rubber cover offers a simple, affordable solution for any environment where clean air quality is of paramount importance, such as dust-sensitive manufacturing and testing facilities with “cleanroom type” requirements. The covered SHS speaker can be calibrated so that announcements and paging maintain a high level of clarity and coverage.
The SHS-CVR clean room speaker cover installs easily over the opening of the SHS strategically hidden speaker to create a barrier between the building plenum, where particles exist, and the room environment. The SHS-CVR can be ordered as a separate accessory or included with the SHS-6T2 strategically hidden speaker as a kit (SHS-6T2CVR).
“We designed the cleanroom speaker cover to help hospitals, medical and pharmaceutical facilities, manufacturing, and other facilities provide intelligible notifications to spaces where ensuring clean indoor air quality is necessary,” says AtlasIED President, John Ivey. “The SHS-CVR and SHS-6T2CVR offer dealers the added benefit of being easy to install and visually unobtrusive.”
AtlasIED’s SHS-CVR clean room speaker cover and SHS-6T2CVR strategically hidden speaker with included clean room cover are currently available. To see how easily the SHS-CVR installs, watch this video.
Interested dealers can obtain more information about these products and more at www.atlasied.com.
About AtlasIED
AtlasIED is a global technologies manufacturer providing comprehensive audio and security solutions for commercial, corporate, educational, healthcare, retail, transportation, hospitality, and government environments. Offering industry-leading mass notification, life safety, VoIP, background music, paging, and sound-masking systems, AtlasIED delivers more than 2,000 audio solutions with a variety of resources to help security dealers sell, design and install audio communication technologies.
With nine locations and a network of manufacturer representatives and distributors around the world to provide superior support to dealers and customers, AtlasIED’s customer service is an industry benchmark that competitors strive to match. AtlasIED is family-owned, with manufacturing operations in the United States that hold an ISO9001:2008 Quality Standards Certification to ensure consistently high-quality products, service, and support.
For more information please visit www.atlasied.com, follow the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn or contact support@atlasied.com.
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners, all rights reserved.
AtlasIED Media Contacts
Gina M. Sansivero, AtlasIED, (516) 901-8542, gina.sansivero@atlasied.com
Katye (McGregor) Bennett, KMB Communications, (425) 328-8640, katye@kmbcomm.com
by KMB Communications | Jun 2, 2020 | AtlasIED
Webinars provide commercial audio and security professionals with continuing education opportunities on how to specify, design, install, and program AtlasIED’s GLOBALCOM™ family of product, and apply IP Endpoints to UC systems.
PHOENIX, AZ – (June 2, 2020) – AtlasIED, a global electronics manufacturer providing comprehensive audio, communications, and security solutions for commercial markets, introduces a series of new online training courses for commercial audio and security professionals interested in learning how to specify, design and install AtlasIED’s GLOBALCOM™ family of products, and understanding key applications for IP Endpoints as part of a unified communications system. Both the GLOBALCOM™ and IP Endpoints webinars join the company’s existing lineup of online education sessions, further demonstrating AtlasIED’s commitment to helping integrators expand their knowledge and create new business opportunities.
Each of the new GLOBALCOM™ and IP Endpoint courses is delivered live and offered on a regular schedule, offering the flexibility the integration community needs to work training into their schedules. Depending on the topic, sessions will last one hour, one-day, or three-days and some will offer continuing education credits for maintaining professional certification.
“We designed these new online training courses to help the integration community with their continuing education efforts, which is especially important now during a time when attending hands-on training is impossible,” says AtlasIED Vice President of Sales, Michael Peveler. “As with all of our other online training courses, we’ve developed an informative curriculum, ensuring that attendees come away with all the essential knowledge and skills they need to successfully implement GLOBALCOM™ and IP Endpoint solutions.”
GLOBALCOM™ Webinar Training
To help audio and security professionals master the design, configuration, and installation of advanced mass communications solutions, AtlasIED offers one-, two-, and three-day courses focusing on its GLOBALCOM™ mass communications system. Professionals can attend any or all courses to gain a solid understanding of the technology and practical instruction on how to configure, program, and install the system for effective general and emergency messaging in a variety of commercial environments.
The full-day webinar provides integrators with an overview of the technology and instruction on how to integrate the GLOBALCOM™ GCK software with IP Endpoints to create a full UC solution. The two-day webinar includes this overview plus explores the use of high-definition audio transport technologies Dante™ and CobraNet™ within the GLOBALCOM™ platform. During the three-day course, attendees receive all of the instruction of the one- and two-day webinars along with an understanding of how to integrate a modern GLOBALCOM™ communications system with legacy transportation announcement control systems.
Using AV Endpoints to Extend the UC Ecosystem Webinar
Communications endpoints have become an increasingly effective and important means of relaying both general messaging and critical security notifications on campuses. Intended to help commercial audio and security professionals integrate IP Endpoints within their UC designs and earn AVIXA CTS accreditation is a one-hour course held weekly through June 12. “Using Audio/Visual Endpoints to Extend the UC Ecosystem” will guide attendees on how to implement IP Endpoints for improved communications in indoor and outdoor facilities, satisfy ADA requirements, and enhance the effectiveness of security notifications. Participants will learn how to use audio/visual IP Endpoints to provide a secure, productive, and efficient campus environment by leveraging the client’s UC services over a single enterprise-class communications platform.
AtlasIED’s series of GLOBALCOM™ and IP Endpoint training webinars are available now. Course details, schedules, and registration information can be obtained at www.atlasied.com/training-and-education These classes will also be available with hands-on instruction if and when it is safe to do so.
To learn more about AtlasIED go to www.atlasied.com, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About AtlasIED
AtlasIED is a global technologies manufacturer providing comprehensive audio and security solutions for commercial, corporate, educational, healthcare, retail, transportation, hospitality, and government environments. Offering industry-leading mass notification, life safety, VoIP, background music, paging, and sound-masking systems, AtlasIED delivers more than 2,000 audio solutions with a variety of resources to help security dealers sell, design and install audio communication technologies.
With nine locations and a network of manufacturer representatives and distributors around the world to provide superior support to dealers and customers, AtlasIED’s customer service is an industry benchmark that competitors strive to match. AtlasIED is family-owned, with manufacturing operations in the United States that hold an ISO9001:2008 Quality Standards Certification to ensure consistently high-quality products, service, and support.
For more information please visit www.atlasied.com or contact us at support@atlasied.com.
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners, all rights reserved.
AtlasIED Media Contacts
Gina M. Sansivero, AtlasIED, (516) 901-8542, gina.sansivero@atlasied.com
Katye (McGregor) Bennett, KMB Communications, (425) 328-8640, katye@kmbcomm.com
by KMB Communications | May 27, 2020 | AtlasIED
The addition of distributors including Polar, Alphatec, and Intermark broadens AtlasIED’s global reach for commercial audio and communications systems integration professionals in the United Kingdom, India, and Italy.
PHOENIX, AZ – (May 27, 2020) – AtlasIED, a global electronics manufacturer providing comprehensive audio and security solutions for commercial markets, announces the addition of three new distributors of its broad range of commercial audio and mass communication products. Effective immediately, Polar, Alphatec Audio Video Pvt. Ltd., and Intermark SISTEMI will handle sales and distribution exclusively of AltasIED solutions to dealers serving markets in the United Kingdom, India, and Italy, respectively. As well-established, reputable trade suppliers of audio products and communications solutions, these three new distributors will help AtlasIED reach new customers and territories, further broadening its position as a leading global provider of audio, mass communication, and security systems to a wide range of industries, including healthcare, corporate, education, and retail.
“The vast experience of these three distributors in providing AV integrators with high-quality audio solutions will help strengthen AtlasIED position as an integral player in the global marketplace,” says Dean Standing, International Sales Manager at AtlasIED. “We will be able to continue to broaden our reach to dealers throughout the world thanks to the backing and support of distributors like Polar, Alphatec, and Intermark that have outstanding expertise and knowledge of audio technology.”
“We’re delighted to welcome AtlasIED to our portfolio,” remarks Stuart Leader, Director, Integrated Solutions at Polar. “AtlasIED has such a strong heritage and we are enthused by its range, breadth, and depth of products, especially EN54, PAVA, and sound masking applications. We’re eager to get started and have already held product training for dealers.”
Adds Anusha Divecha, “Alphatec Audio Video is very excited to be a part of the AtlasIED team to exclusively offer their world-class solutions in India. As a leading manufacturer of PA/VA, sound masking, and AV over IP systems, AtlasIED will add immense value to our offerings in India and help scale our business to the next level. Alphatec will be heard loud and clear with robust AtlasIED product lines along with our other audio-visual offerings.”
“The addition of AtlasIED’s products strengthens our portfolio and offers dealers throughout Italy new, proven audio and communications solutions to provide their customers,” continues Fabio Concezzi, Managing Director, Intermark SISTEMI. “With AtlasIED’s backing and support, we are able to help our dealers deliver exceptional systems to a wide variety of markets.”
To learn more about AtlasIED go to www.atlasied.com, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. For more information about Polar, Alphatec, and Intermark, visit www.polar.uk.com, www.alphatec.co.in, and www.intermark.it.
About AtlasIED
A global electronics manufacturer providing comprehensive audio solutions for commercial, corporate, educational, healthcare, retail, transportation, and government environments, AtlasIED brings together the legacy, engineering skills, and legendary service of Atlas Sound and Innovative Electronics Design. Offering industry-leading mass notification, life safety, VoIP, background music, paging, and sound-masking systems, AtlasIED delivers product lines that span wide and deep, with more than 2,000 innovative audio solutions for businesses of every size. Combined, Atlas Sound and IED products have been installed in more than one million businesses over the past 80+ years.
With nine locations and a network of manufacturer representatives and distributors around the world to provide superior support to dealers and customers, AtlasIED’s customer service is an industry benchmark that competitors strive to match. AtlasIED is family-owned, with manufacturing operations in the United States that hold an ISO9001:2008 Quality Standards Certification to ensure consistently high-quality products, service, and support.
For more information please visit www.atlasied.com or contact us at support@atlasied.com.
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners, all rights reserved.
AtlasIED Media Contacts
Gina M. Sansivero, AtlasIED, (516) 901-8542, gina.sansivero@atlasied.com
Katye (McGregor) Bennett, KMB Communications, (425) 328-8640, katye@kmbcomm.com
