Although nurses and medical assistants may hold the opinion that pharmaceutical representatives lead a glamorous working life — breezing in and out of town, wielding lavish expense accounts and collecting substantial salaries — perhaps the best-kept secret is the true nature of the drug rep’s worklife: pressure.
The hardest part of the job isn’t waiting for hours to glimpse a few minutes of face-time with a physician, pouring over stacks of sales reports to find out which physicians are actually prescribing the drug, or persisting beyond reason to coordinate a department educational event.
The true challenge lies in being able to shine when those face-time opportunities finally present themselves, to knowing the technical answers when the tough questions arise, and to making the best possible case for their product.
That’s why every drug rep know that audiovisual support is essential in presenting any new pharmaceutical information to a physican and his or her staff.
But why pay inflated hotel fees for projector rentals, struggle with new equipment at every location (or worse yet — NO equipment), risk discovering faulty equipment, or lug your own projector from place to place?
There is a MUCH easier way.
Thanks to Projector123.com, you can streamline your administrative time and focus on your presentation when you pre-order your projector rentals online.
Our team of highly experienced personnel perform extensive quality control on every unit, and we stock and rent only the most professional, reliable LCD projectors on the market.
We’ll ship your rental projector via FedEx — directly to the location you specify, with plenty of time to spare, so you won’t have to worry about any unpleasant surprises. Plus, we offer easy billing and payment, prepaid return via FedEx drop off or pick up, and discounts for frequent renters.
Lastly, you won’t get gouged by outrageous hotel prices (at least not on your projector rental!) because our rates start as low as $99 per rental.
This week you’ll see a lot of new gadgets in the news — that’s because it’s time for the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Every year, technology companies gather around this conference to demo cutting-edge contraptions and speculate about what the year holds in new developments. Let’s take a look at what we can expect in new projectors:
Touch. As the brand new Light Blue Optics “Light Touch” demonstrates, the “touch” trend in electronics is now entering the projector realm. Their 10-inch projector was announced today, which turns any surface into a touch screen using laser technology. Their simulated examples are definitely breathtaking (see above) — but we won’t see how well it really works until the conference.
High-definition. “HD” is getting non-stop buzz everywhere as Blu-ray players and discs get cheaper and cheaper. Vivitek plans to release two 1080p projector models at CES and others will surely follow suit. In spite of the buzz, HD projection is still so new that it’s prohibitively expensive: thousands for a new unit.
Small and portable. Ever heard of a “pico projector”? It’s a new trend in pocket-sized projectors. A few versions were already released in 2009 but we’ll probably see these mini projectors crammed into everything from laptops to cell phones at CES. Texas Instruments is demoing a new model and Logic Bolt just released a buzzed-about new projector-phone. Unfortunately, even new models have abysmal battery life, and dim, tiny screens. We’ll see if this new trend gets off the ground.
3D. It’s taking over at the movie theaters and it might take over at home one day as well. Optoma announced yesterday that it would release a whole line of 3D projectors at CES. Last year, 3D flat screens made a major splash at CES, but none have caught on yet. Panasonic was a pioneer in the area and will likely keep it up. However, without a standard format, these technologies remain an experiment. In other words: Don’t expect your neighbor to have a 3D projector any time soon.
Energy-savers. Greener technology always attracts attention at CES and the projector niche will have its fair share of similar developments. The most energy-consuming aspect of a projector is the bright light projecting the image. NEC is solving that problem by releasing a projector line that throws less light — it’s a short throw projector. Instead, the user keeps it closer to the screen. But limited light and distance clearly has its disadvantages.
What do you think of these new technologies? Leave a comment.
If you’re like approximately 90% of the American population, you firmly resolve to accomplish specific results each January, yet your interest wanes within about 3-8 weeks. Perhaps you are so disappointed in past results that you lack the will to even set New Year’s Resolutions at all. Well, don’t despair. Here are some practical hints to help you maintain your resolve all year long.
The most common New Year’s Resolutions include fitness goals and smoking cessation. Many people also vow to “get organized” once and for all (as if it were a one-time event!) If “getting organized” were a one-time activity, a lot more people would achieve that goal. Unfortunately, it requires a constant choice to “get” and “remain” organized.
Step one in your nuts-and-bolts guide to “setting goals that stick” is to figure out exactly what you want. Here’s a hint: you don’t want to lose weight, get out of debt or get organized. Perhaps what you really want is to look sexy, feel healthy, be in control of your finances and live life without stress. You’ll get far better results when you focus on what you do want instead of what you don’t want.
Figure out exactly what you want to be, do or have, and get specific about it. Do some research if you have to. If you dream of taking a luxurious vacation to an exotic locale, stop dreaming and start taking action that will get you there.
Start with a little research on the internet, at your local bookstore or library and by talking to people who’ve been there. For example, which countries do you want to visit? Which cities in each country? What national or historical landmarks do you have a burning desire to experience? What time of year is best for the geographic area? What documents or immunizations will you need? What languages are spoken and do you need to learn these or can you get by in English? Start getting really clear on what you want to get out of this once-in-a-lifetime vacation you’ve been wanting.
That should keep you busy until our next installment which covers how to get what you want.
It’s getting down to the wire now…do you still have an unfinished gift list? Here are some last-minute gift ideas that just might save the day (and your sanity) while keeping you out of the harried pace of the malls and the bumper-to-bumper holiday traffic.
Gift Cards
While it’s true that a gift card is only slightly less impersonal than cash, it’s still likely to be greatly appreciated by the recipient. Just be sure to choose a gift card that fits the person, and select a thoughtful card to go with it. And think outside the store — perhaps the person on your list would love to receive a gift pack of movie tickets, or gift cards for greens fees, restaurants or other services.
Food Deliveries
Though you’ve likely missed the cut-off date for paying anything less than an arm and a leg for the shipping of perishable items, there’s still hope. Many companies (such as http://HarryAndDavid.com) feature email notification of the shipment of gifts — in other words, you can still order a gift basket or food items today, and though the company won’t deliver until after the holiday, the recipient will get an email card explaining that a gift is on its way. In these cases, it’s best not to send holiday-specific items (in other words, nobody wants to receive Christmas decorations or Christmas cookies on December 27th). Stick with fruit, sweets or the classic wine-and-cheese selections.
Music
The gift of music is always appreciated, and the iTunes store allows you to send electronic notification (i.e., email) about gift cards or MP3s purchased for someone on your list.
Looking for a truly unique gift for a family or couple? Why not consider a projector rental from Projector123.com. Starting at just $99 for a weekend rental, you can give the gift of togetherness — imagine how much fun they’ll have creating their own film fest weekend, family movie night, nostalgic digital slide show or big-screen gaming weekend. Click here to order now.
You might just know of a VGA connector as your “monitor” connector. It’s probably what you used on your first computer to connect to the screen — you probably still use VGA now. Even HDTV sets have VGA inputs. And it’s a great way to hook up your computer to a projector, too.
A VGA connector (or DE-15) usually looks like a long trapezoid with 15 tiny pins and a screw on either side. It’s usually blue. Some people call it and an “RGB connector,” a “D-sub 15” or a “mini D15 connector” — but you don’t have to memorize those names — “VGA” or “DE-15” is fine.
Mini-VGA Connector
You might also have heard of a “mini-VGA” connector. These are common to new laptops, especially Apple computers. A mini-VGA connector is simply a smaller version of its older brother — with some added conversion flexibility (to composite and S-video). Either way, you’ll need an adapter to connect mini-VGA to most projectors.
Mini-VGA is about the size of a USB port and has 14 pins.
Basic VGA connector image used through Creative Commons 3.0 license, courtesy of Bela Nemeth.
A screen-door is great for keeping the bugs out but it wouldn’t have the same positive effect when placed between a client and your slideshow.
All digital projectors are susceptible to a pixelated image. It’s also known as “the screen-door effect” or “fixed-pattern noise.” This visual artifact makes the whole screen look like there’s a small rectangular or hexagonal grid of black lines running throughout the image.
Whether it’s an LCD or DLP machine, pixelation is simply a matter of how the unit shoots each dot of information at the screen. The tiny electronics that surround each pixel deep inside the projector are what block the light from shining perfectly evenly.
The first digital projectors (in the 80s) had quite a problem with fixed-pattern noise, but technology has improved, making it much less noticeable. Still, the screen-door effect can be as distracting as letting a fly in. Here are four remedies:
Go DLP: DLP projectors are much less susceptible to the tiny black grid compared to LCD models. While there will be some minor pixelation, it’s not as perceptible as with the LCD counterparts. Luckily, Projector123 only offers DLP projectors.
Choose a higher-resolution projector: Resolution is a matter of how many pixels your projector unleashes on the screen. (You can read more about resolution here.) Higher-resolution projectors (like our 3000 Lumen model), display more pixels at once. More pixels may mean more lines — but it also means that those lines are much smaller.
What if you already have the projector? Try these solutions:
Move viewers away from the screen: The farther your audience is from the screen, the less they’ll be able to see the individual pixels and the lines between them. Afterall, every digital image looks pixelated at a very close distance.
Adjust the focus: A sure-fire way to reduce the screen door artifact is by playing with the focus a bit. This will cause the lenses inside the projector to optically blend pixels together. Start with the projector perfectly focused – so that the screen effect is crisp and visible – then move the focus ring ever so slightly. You want the pixels to blend together without intersecting, which will blur out the black lines in between. Be careful, though, because this ever-so-slight blur can cause eyestrain for viewers over a long period of time.
Linus Åkesson, a Swedish designer, wanted to have a chandelier in the same room as his projector — without casting a permanent lighting fixture silhouette on his favorite movies.
Most of us would’ve moved that projector to a different (and maybe less-desirable) movie-watching room or axed the medieval chandelier in exchange for a flat-to-ceiling option at Home Depot. Instead, Åkesson knew that there’s no need to sacrifice tasteful interior design just because you have a projector installed.
His DIY solution is a sliding track that mobilizes the lighting fixture. On movie night, he can easily move the chandelier to the side of the room so that it casts no shadow over Lawrence of Arabia.
Granted — putting your lighting on a moving track is more for a bachelor’s home than Martha Stewart’s, but that doesn’t mean the final product is a jury-rigged mess. The track is made from a narrow white wooden door jam, keeping it clean and easy-on-the-eyes. The anchor for the lighting fixture is made from small parts from a special building kit and tiny 4mm steel rods, keeping it discreet and tight to the ceiling. The power line is coiled like an old telephone cord to keep the cabling organized.
When it comes to projecting the perfect movie, Åkesson chose function over form. Sacrifice neither by renting a projector from Projector123 — instead of struggling with permanent installation.
Here is an excellent article (condensed) from natural weight loss expert Marna Goldstein Thall. If you’ve ever struggled with holiday eating before, you’ll love her practical advice for surviving the holidays without packing on the pounds.
Everyone loves Thanksgiving, don’t they? Yet there have been plenty of holiday meals where many have felt like large rolly pollies complete with hands on our aching, protruding bellies. Pants are stretched out to maximum capacity by the time the end of the holidays roll around, from all the stuffing, turkey, cranberries, and pumpkin pie — just some of the fabulous delicacies that make holiday meals absolutely scrumptious.
What if this holiday season you could enjoy all these delicious foods, but not overdo it? Yes, eat and enjoy, but know that by January 1st you won’t be looking for a weight loss plan to take all that holiday weight off. This holiday will be different for you. We know it can be! Here are five (5) tips to keep you feeling in tip-top shape both mind and body:
1. Differentiate between loving food and NEEDING food. It’s critical to get a handle on holiday foods by making sure you do up-front mental and emotional clearings before walking into a whole house full of “trigger-foods”.
2. Have you ever noticed that you overdo your eating out of habit, even when there is no logical reason for it? This automatic way of overeating during the holiday season is due to your cellular memory around this time of year. Your cells have become accustomed to overeating out of habit – it’s what we call you “cellular memory”. This memory is entirely unconscious and both your mind and your body will continue to repeat these old holiday patterns because your cellular memory is literally in the groove of having it this way. As you change your cells and their vibration, then you change this memory and your holiday eating outcome.
3. Begin clearing your holiday food triggers on ALL levels: the physical body is where you hold childhood and adolescent food triggers. The physical body cares primarily about keeping you protected and safe. The emotional body holds on to foods for comfort and soothing; mainly anything that is missing from the emotional body. The mental body holds on to food for either frustrated or boredom.
4. Find a program that will help you achieve permanent results. YOU are an individual, and YOU need an individualized method for tapping into why you lose focus and ultimately, end up eating too much. This holiday season make sure you find a program or strategy that sticks.
5 . Recent research has established that overweight people overeat because their food cravings are controlled by the same part of the brain that control drug cravings in addicts. This brain circuitry located in the hippocampus is the part of the brain that is also involved with emotion. It’s no wonder that during the holiday season your brain circuitry is driven wild by all the foods that are constantly being placed in front of you. Energy work along with cognitive and behavioral coaching to conquer food cravings will help you eliminate and clear blocked food cravings.
The true challenge lies in being able to shine when those face-time opportunities finally present themselves, to knowing the technical answers when the tough questions arise, and to making the best possible case for their product.
1. Differentiate between loving food and NEEDING food. It’s critical to get a handle on holiday foods by making sure you do up-front mental and emotional clearings before walking into a whole house full of “trigger-foods”.
