ISSUE 20 | SUMMER 2011
COMMUNICATES Yo u r i n d u s t r y, y o u r v o i c e … n e w s f r o m t h e C u s t o m E l e c t r o n i c D e s i g n & I n s t a l l a t i o n A s s o c i a t i o n
The concept of cloud storage is fundamentally changing the custom installation industry. In the past, it was simple. Music and video content would be accessed using standardised sources - a CD player or changer, an AM/FM tuner, a VCR or DVD player – with CDs and DVDs interchangeable and capable of playing on any devices. With virtual hard disk space available in the cloud, consumers can now upload and store music, movies, photos, and/or documents online. They can then access and playback the content over the Internet using a computer or mobile device. Here’s Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO talking at the US launch of the iCloud, a service, which is predicted to arrive in the UK next year:“Today it is a real hassle and very frustrating to keep all your information and content up-to-date across all your devices. iCloud keeps your important information and content up to date across all your devices. All of this happens automatically and wirelessly, and because it’s integrated into our apps you don’t even need to think about it—it all just works”. Predicted to arrive in the UK in 2012, iCloud is just one of a growing number of services being pushed out to consumers. Google, Amazon and others are introducing their own cloud-based options to join existing services already well-known to installers, like Spotify. So, where does all this choice leave the custom installer? What are the key distinctions between the various services? How can they be integrated into a CI scheme? And, how can you be sure that you recommend the right media storage, streaming and distribution solution for your customers? Cloud-based media is one of the headline topics at this year’s CEDIA Business and Technology Forum taking place at Belton Woods in Grantham, Lincolnshire on the 4 October 2011. Make sure you know where the cloud is heading by joining that session. More details on the event are overleaf.
“The ability to converge media over The Cloud can only be a good thing. With the ability to co-locate storage, media and devices as well as even having remote management for automation systems where back up and redundancy could become part of an on-going service plan, we feel confident that our clients will see the benefits in The Cloud infrastructure. Obviously, a benefit to ourselves is the ability to charge monthly service plans and schemes, offering a way of building reoccurring revenue streams.” Matthew Cupper, Adept-IS
To book visit www.cedia.co.uk
WHAT’S INSIDE p2 >>>>
p3 >>>>
p4 >>>>
p6 >>>>
BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY FORUM
NEW INITIATIVES
EDUCATION & TRAINING UPDATE
60 SECONDS WITH…
at Belton Woods, Lincolnshire
Student Membership & Industry Jobs
New Website, CCNA Course
David Hockaday