A virtual board meeting will soon be able to fit in the palm of your hand. Apple’s new Group FaceTime will enable up to 32 callers to participate in a conversation all at once, and this fall, iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch users will be able to access the new service after downloading iOS 12.

Conference calling is nothing new, but it requires dialing in to a line and typing in a long series of numbers to connect. Some users have found this to be a challenge and miss the call or cause the call to be delayed until they’re able to successfully connect, thus making other people on the line grow impatient and maybe even choose to skip the meeting. Services such as Skype enabled video conferencing, but Group FaceTime is significantly advancing this technology.

As of January, Apple said there are 1.3 billion users of its products, making Group FaceTime accessible to most planners. “That’s an increase of 30 percent in just two years, which is a testament to the popularity of our products and the loyalty and satisfaction of our customers,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Meeting professionals will find this handy for multiple purposes. In the planning stages, you’ll be able to speak to all of your vendors—venue, florist, decorator, linen company, deejay, caterer, PSAV—simultaneously and make sure everyone is on the same page. If attendees can’t be in the same place at the same time, intimate gatherings, such as executive board or committee meetings, can occur over FaceTime instead of around a conference table in a boardroom.

If you’re stuck at the office late or out of town and want to check in with loved ones for a family meeting or bedtime story, you can utilize this group feature. You can speak to your spouse and children on all their devices so that one phone doesn’t have to get passed throughout the house, with everyone taking individual turns.

The faces of active speakers are highlighted as tiles. When a participant begins speaking, their tile automatically enlarges. To bring a select person front and center, double tap on their face. All other participants’ faces appear minimized in a carousel roster at the bottom of the screen.

To add some humor and lightheartedness into your group conversation, replace your face with a cartoon version of yourself or an animal head using the Memoji or Animoji features. The emojis track facial expressions, eyes and tongue. Filters and stickers are also available to customize the experience.

iOS 12 will become available as a free update this fall for iPhone 5s and later, all iPad Air and iPad Pro models, iPad 5th and 6th generation, iPad mini 2 and later, and iPod touch 6th generation.

self-driving

Northern California has Silicon Valley and SoCal has Silicon Beach. But, don’t discount Columbus. The Ohio city is also at the forefront of emerging technology and home to makers, thinkers and doers behind cutting edge start-ups.

Last month, self-driving shuttles debuted in Columbus. They’re currently in trial mode, while the route along Scioto Mile is tested. Passengers will be welcome beginning in December.

Although Columbus prides itself on being a very walkable city, take a load off your feet and get out of the humidity next August when in town for ASAE. Go for a ride along the downtown loop. The path includes Center of Science and Industry (COSI), Smart Columbus Experience Center, Bicentennial Park and National Veterans Memorial and Museum, opening soon. Additional routes will be added later.

These self-driving vehicles—a joint effort between Smart Columbus and DriveOhio—are operated by Ann Arbor, Michigan-based start-up May Mobility. “This is an important project for Columbus, but this pilot is a big step in our statewide plan. We want to enable other local governments throughout the state to safely test, operate and evaluate these self-driving shuttles so they can help their constituents move more easily from place to place,” says Jim Barna, executive director of DriveOhio.

Human Back Up

Each shuttle seats four passengers and has a glass roof for enjoying a panoramic view of the skyline. A digital screen inside the vehicle provides information about the operating system and tourist attractions. At least for now, an operator will supervise the vehicles in case manual control is needed.

In June 2016, Columbus beat 77 rival cities to win the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge. Since then, the $40 million prize has been used to develop Smart Columbus projects, such as these self-driving shuttles. With funds from additional grants and investments, Columbus seeks to become a pioneer in applying the latest technologies to improving transportation systems. They hope to be a role model for cities statewide and nationally.

“Cities are seeking cost-effective transportation services that will improve congestion in urban cores, and self-driving shuttles can offer a huge relief,” said Edwin Olson, founder and CEO of May Mobility. “As we work toward a future where people can drive less and live more, we’re thrilled to be working with partners from Columbus to provide a new transportation experience that will make traveling through Columbus safe, reliable and personal.”

Columbus also hopes to be in the victory lane in the fierce competition to be awarded Amazon HQ2. Nineteen other cities are vying for that prize.

aventri acquires itn

Event management software company Aventri has acquired ITN International, an innovator in mobile and cloud-based technology and near-field technology (NFC) that allows two electronic devices to communicate with one another. This latest takeover for the company formerly known as Etouches expands the firm’s reach at conferences and trade shows.

The acquisition of ITN will bring the total number of Aventri employees to more than 375, and add five new global locations in North America, the United Kingdom and Asia Pacific. ITN services over 125 events, 10,000 exhibitors and 1.5 million attendees annually, and provides solutions for online services, onsite services, analytics and reporting, and RFID badging. Aventri made its reputation as an open-source event management platform and cloud-based analytics provider.

More: 6 Ways to Drive Success with ROI Technology

“The acquisition of ITN as a global provider of cloud-based event management solutions is a major growth opportunity,” said Oni Chukwu, CEO of Aventri, when the deal was announced. “With this acquisition, Aventri will significantly extend the mission-critical technology solutions it offers enterprise customers, which they need to execute exceptional, profitable events worldwide.”

The company has been making moves left and right, as this is their fourth acquisition in the past three years, following their recent rebrand in July and a major investment from HGGC, a private equity firm based in Palo Alto, in May. Ivan Lazarov, CEO of ITN, will join the Aventri executive team as group head of onsite services.

“Adding ITN’s solutions to Aventri will allow us to revolutionize how data can be gathered, reported and analyzed and provide our clients with a more complete package of event services,” says Lazarev, “We believe that the industry will see a quantum leap in analytics with ITN in the Aventri portfolio of comprehensive solutions.”

New Management Systems Lead the Charge for Industry Tech  

An increasing emphasis is being placed on the back-end software and management tools that allow planners to make the most of their time and money. As a result, such software dominates this year’s IBTM Technology Watch Awards shortlist of nominees.

In 2015, the top entrants in the awards included mostly apps, allowing for easier networking, real-time communication or streamlined translation. There was even an interactive, digital DJ instrument. But recent years have seen an increasing number of event management applications, culminating in six of 2018’s nine finalists specializing in behind the scenes management or booking.

More: 6 Free Apps to Keep Meeting Planners Organized

As part of the run up to IBTM World 2018 in Barcelona Nov. 27-29, IBTM announced the full list of 2018’s finalists.

  • Kubify–an interactive system to create and implement e-posters
  • CadmiumCD–a meeting room scheduling, resource management system and event logistic management platform
  • Radario–an AI event marketing and analytics platform
  • Event Tech Tribe–group marketing of cloud-based event tech products, including an appointment management system and a venue sourcing site
  • Zenus Inc and Fielddrive–two companies entered together and working with facial recognition registration
  • Spacebase–a direct booking site for unique venues
  • IVvy–a direct meeting space booking system for hotels
  • SpiceFactory–a speaker management system
  • Eventfolio–a multi-event management system

New technology is always on display at the annual IBTM World conference, but this year the show is putting extra emphasis on the latest in tech, from virtual reality to 3D-printed food. The continued Tech Watch Awards are just a small part of shining a spotlight on the new possibilities for planners.

More: The Future of 3-D Food Printing Is Now

IBTM’s tech awards nominees have advice for planners looking to take that next step. “Start a conversation,” CadmiumCD Marketing Manager Mike Doane says. “The easiest way to learn about technology is to reach out to a company like CadmiumCD and sit in on a demo. You’ll learn what’s available and have the opportunity to ask questions about your specific needs.”

Zenus CEO Panos Moutafis emphasizes that point even further, saying, “Event planners should ask pointed questions which will help them choose the right vendor. That can often make the difference between a huge success and questionable return on investment.” And even before that, he says, “Work with providers who have a deep experience and focus in the industry and technology at hand. The importance of domain expertise cannot be overstated.”

But in the end, remember it is about planning the best events possible. “Don’t be distracted by fads or feel like you need to chase shiny new things,” Marie-Claire Andrews, COO of Event Tech Tribe, says. “Use your knowledge of your stakeholder’s requirements to focus on technology that truly solves their problems or augments their happiness.”

Chair of the judging panel at IBTM World 2018, Corbin Ball said of the nominees “Innovation is alive and well in the events industry.” While not only being innovative, according to Ball, each company is “providing important contributions in advancing the MICE industry.”

As one of the largest meetings, incentives and events conferences each year, IBTM World 2018 is expecting more than 3,000 destinations and companies, and more than 15,000 professionals, from 141 different countries.

ibtm tech watch awards 2018

Tech companies Zenus, Fielddrive and Kubify each recently won a 2018 IBTM World Tech Watch Award, the longest-running industry prize of its kind.

Taking home this year’s awards were Zenus and Fielddrive. Though originally separate applicants, the two companies were judged together due to their interlinked nature. The joint-effort won them first place out of a list of nine finalists, earned by receiving the largest number of online votes from members of the MICE industry.

“This year’s award certainly points out significant event technology trends for our industry,” said Corbin Ball, chair of the IBTM World Tech Award. “Zenus and Fielddrive are among the first companies to bring this technology to events.”

Zenus integrates security facial recognition for easy and efficient event registration, while Fielddrive employs on-site tech assistance at events.

“We’re thrilled that they are joint winners of the IBTM World Tech Watch Award,” said Danny Stevens, founder and CEO of Fielddrive. “Our efforts with Zenus on full integration of facial recognition technology—together with Fielddrive’s kiosks, full-color badge-printing and global deployment—has set a new standard in the meetings industry. At Fielddrive we’re convinced that the latest great experience is the next expectation. We’re proud to be leading the way.”

This year also featured the first Tech Watch People’s Choice award. Kubify snagged the award with its interactive e-poster service, in which attendees can scour through posters based on subject and keywords, post comments and questions, vote for the best poster and more.

“We’re absolutely delighted to have won the Tech Watch People’s Choice award,” said Tamsin Treasure-Jones, co-founder of Kubify. “We’d like to thank the users of our platform and IBTM attendees for voting for us, and IBTM for giving us the opportunity to exhibit.”

The event is hosted by IBTM, part of Reed Travel Exhibitions, and recognized as an integral showcase in the meetings and events industry. This year’s high-profile panel of judges included Michelle Bruno, president of Bruno Group Signature Events; Ruud Hanseen, founder of TNOC.org; and Julius Solaris, founder and editor or Event MB. Due to its esteemed judges, as well as its heavy exposure during and after the event, the award is held in high regard by the MICE community.

net neutrality event store

A new report from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) found that the number of providers offering high-speed broadband required for streaming keynotes and virtual meetings could be limited. Industry watchers warned that consolidation combined with changes in net neutrality laws in the FCC’s Restoring Internet Freedom Order that deregulated the internet service provider (ISP) industry could increase costs and reduce options for event professionals in the coming years.

Why Does Net Neutrality Matter to Planners?

Event technology expert Corbin Ball explained that the worst-case scenario is that planners will have to pay to be discoverable or be limited in how they can use the internet. “Anyone who uses a lot of bandwidth could be negatively affected,” he said.

In 2017, the FCC classified ISPs as an “information service” rather than a “common carrier” telecom service, removing them from FCC oversight and essentially repealing the Open Internet rules against blocking or slowing down certain content while prioritizing paid traffic. ISPs still must disclose to customers when they slow down or speed up traffic using “fast lanes” under transparency rules still in place. And the Federal Trade Commission will still monitor ISPs for fraudulent activity.

Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for user privacy, free expression and innovation, responded, “We want the Internet to live up to its promise, fostering innovation, creativity and freedom. We don’t want ISPs acting as gatekeepers, making special deals with a few companies and inhibiting new competition, innovation and expression.”

When Will Meetings Be Affected?

Some 22 states, including California and Washington, along with consumer groups and technology companies, have sued to reinstate Open Internet rules, which officially ended in June. Meanwhile, the FCC is suing states that passed local net neutrality regulations, saying they violate the Commerce Clause. In November, the Supreme Court declined a petition from telecommunication industry groups to take up the issue of the legality the FCC’s ability to regulate the issue. Also in court is a challenge to a proposed merger of AT&T and Time Warner that would consolidate the market further, limiting supplier choice for planners.

FCC’s Communications Marketplace Report issued in November found that while 92 percent of the U.S. population lives in areas with LTE coverage by at least four service providers, actual percentage of U.S. square miles where people can get service could be as low as 30.3 percent. The percentage of the population with access to more than two providers of high-speed internet service (25 Mbps) was estimated at 28 percent of the population.

Ball predicted that the issue may not be decided in 2019 and could depend on who controls the branches of government in 2020. “It will have an effect on planners and is something to watch,” he said.

Aventri AI tech company technology

In a move that will provide a major boost to meeting planners, a new event-management tool has been created that combines Sciensio’s artificial intelligence chatbot technology with Aventri’s software technology.

In a world now accustomed to receiving answers at the snap of a finger, this management solution, which leverages EventBots to provide quick answers to thousands of common event questions, will fall in line with that expectation. Around-the-clock, planners can now access answers to commonly asked questions. Boasting an average response time of less than three seconds, Scienso’s conversation engine delivers millions of answers to everyday event questions.

This enables attendees to receive answers with the immediacy in which they receive it in other aspects of their lives, said Brad Langley, senior vice president of channel and partner management at Aventri. Not only do attendees benefit from this by receiving answers at a faster rate, but so do event professionals, as time that is normally spent responding to repetitive questions is freed up and they will have more to devote to creating an incredible experience for attendees.

“One of the beauties of an EventBot is you can have hundreds, even thousands, of participants receiving answers to different questions at the same time,” says Brad Langley, senior vice president of channel and partner management at Aventri. “You can’t do that with other communication channels.”

The partnership is yet another sign that artificial intelligence is playing a more significant role in our personal and professional lives. It is the latest example of how artificial intelligence can effectively drive attendee engagement and allow event planners to allocate more time to creating a successful event.

More: Automation—the Next Big Step for Meetings Management?

The news comes just a few months after Aventri acquired ITN International, a near-field communication, mobile and cloud-based technology company.

psav freeman company data solutions

The Freeman Company sold its Encore Event Technologies unit to national event production company PSAV while its Freeman brand experience division is focusing on a problem many planners and companies have struggled with—event data analysis.

ROI Analysis Made Easier

In early January, Freeman launched Data Solutions, which includes five software and service offerings that allow planners to create and execute successful events by better tracking key analytics.

“Our Brand Marketer/Event Marketer research study released in November coupled with Freeman Show Organizer Data Pulse Survey released at PCMA Convening Leaders 2019 confirm the enormity of the demand for these offerings,“ said Ken Holsinger, vice president of data solutions for Freeman. “As meeting planners and sponsors invest more into the overall experience for attendees, the demand for ROI is critical.”

More: 6 Ways to Drive Success with ROI Technology

Freeman found that 49 percent of nonprofit show organizers expressed frustration with an inability to receive meaningful insights from event data. Freeman’s new Data Solutions platform provides companies with the ability to learn and employ effective strategies in real time.

The five technologies Data Solutions offers include:

  1. Fuzion, which connects data from every point along the event life cycle.
  2. Quant, which provides “decision-based metrics” through data visualization on a real-time dashboard.
  3. Data Analysis (formerly ESI, which became part of Freeman in 2016), which gives insight into data while “expanding data research and measurement” gleaned from more than 50 years of industry benchmarks.
  4. Data Design, a team that grants event planners insight on how to drive growth.
  5. Data Science, a partnership between Freeman and the University of South California on “a return on experience (ROX) environment study” and the University of Missouri of a growth drivers study.

“[U]ntil now, the industry didn’t have an all-encompassing solution to compile metrics and data that ultimately could help increase audience acquisition, retention and engagement,” said Chief Digital Officer Richard Maranville. “The new Freeman Data Solutions enable event organizers to capture data to both define and redefine strategy and establish key performance indicators.”

More: The 1 Big Idea Worth Stealing from Day 4 of PCMA Convening Leaders

Encore Moves to PSAV

In a separate announcement, The Freeman Company explained the sale of its Encore Event Technologies unit as expanding the breadth of PSAV’s capabilities throughout North America and Asia Pacific.

PSAV, which is headquartered in Schiller Park, Illinois, is in 1,500 on-site venues and has 49 branch offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Caribbean and the Middle East. The sales could be final later in 2019. Details of the price were not announced. The Freeman Company retains ownership of event technology specialist Alford Media.

Professionals going over analytics

PCMA’s new data analytics tool introduced last month at IMEX in Frankfurt, Germany, will help event managers customize events based on real world behavior. Business Events Analytics/Metrics (BEAM), which was developed as part of a partnership with Dallas-based Infogroup, it will provide market intelligence that could lead to better decision making.

“We wanted to unleash the extraordinary power of data to advance research, identify industry trends and create predictive analytics that will guide business event professionals to make informed and strategic business decisions,” said Sherrif Karamat, CAE, president and CEO of PCMA.

More: The 1 Big Idea Worth Stealing from Day 4 of PCMA Convening Leaders

Washington, D.C.-based, Destinations International will be PCMA’s marketing partner for BEAM. “This new tool will allow destination organizations to be smarter and have the ability to drive their own success,” said Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International.

How it works:

BEAM will use data collected through the registration and feedback processes to predict the behaviors of business events participants. The analytical insights delivered through customized reports could help professionals provide a more strategic, captivating and relevant experience.

A data-hygiene process will also be provided and will allow participants to ensure that their CRM data is not redundant, incorrect or outdated.

More: 3 Steps to Monetizing Data through Customer Intelligence

Multidimensional purposes and levels of interest include:

  • Managing big data: Large amounts of unstructured data will be organized and reveal patterns and trends relating to human interactions and behaviors.
  • Events insights: Industries such as: technology, hospitality, destinations and venues that participate in business events will provide BEAM with events insights.
  • Customization: Industry insights can be modified to each participant’s needs.

Privacy and security:

Development partner Infogroup is a leader in big data intelligence and marketing technology and will independently manage the data and analytics process to ensure data security and privacy standards are met. Participants of BEAM and PCMA will not have access to any other data portfolio but their own.

BEAM intelligence access is granted on a 12-month rolling license and is currently in pre-sales mode. The product will officially launch later this year.

Ever heard of combustible apples? Neither have we, but we have heard of combustible Apple products. Apple’s 2015 MacBook—a popular model for event professionals to hold onto as this model retains many of the ports used in presentations—has been the latest product in a series of recalls over the past few years due to batteries over-heating and catching fire. Remember hoverboards and Samsung’s Note 7?

The recall was posted on Apple’s website yesterday, June 20. The statement reads, “Apple has determined that, in a limited number of older generation 15-inch MacBook Pro units, the battery may overheat and pose a fire safety risk.” The company, in professing it’s concern for customer safety, has committed to replacing any affected batteries free of charge.

More: Apple Products Could Make Juggling Planning and Personal Life Easier

Check if your laptop is eligible for replacement by:

  • Confirming that your computer is a “MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015).”  This information can be found in the ‘About your Mac’ section of the apple menu in the top left-hand corner of your screen.
  • If you do own the above model, enter your computer’s serial number into the box on Apple’s website here.
  • You can find your serial number either on the surface of your laptop or in the aforementioned ‘About your Mac’ section.
  • If your computer is eligible for a new battery (you will know after you insert your serial number on the Apple website) you can make an appointment to take your computer into an apple store, contact Apple Support to arrange a mail-in service or find an Apple Authorized Service Provider.
  • If you do get a new battery make sure to back up your data first!

While the company will not say exactly what is causing the over-heating in these specific computers, it has stated that no other MacBooks should be affected. With proliferating complaints of a shorter battery life in iPhones and disappointment in the 2016 Macbook Pro, this recall could cause more uncertainty for buyers. Alternatively, Samsung’s recall of its’ much-awaited and promoted Note 7 seems to have been forgotten, so maybe Apple will come out of this unscathed.

More: U.S. Department of Transportation Bans Samsung Galaxy Note7 From Airplanes