News Briefs

Today, Planar, a global leader in visualization technology, announced plans to demonstrate the company’s most diverse portfolio of display technology for next-level visual experiences at InfoComm 2023. This includes a range of modern LED and LCD visualization solutions that are aimed at a wide range of applications including video collaboration and meeting rooms, lobbies and atriums, on-camera and in-camera production, and outdoor high resolution digital signage and entertainment.

Planar will introduce the Planar^® UltraRes^™ L Series display at InfoComm 2023, an all-in-one LED display combining Planar^® UltraRes™ Series best-in-class features with fine pixel pitch LED technology. The Planar UltraRes L Series introduces a seamless, easy-to-use display solution featuring integrated video and audio electronics, 20-point IR touch technology, on-board processing, an ultra slim bezel and 24x7 reliability. Measuring 136 inches and available in Full HD resolution, the new display offers flexibility with a wall mount for permanent installation or a rolling floor stand for mobility, making the Planar UltraRes L Series all-in-one LED display well-suited for environments spanning corporate, education and beyond.

The new solution also features multiple inputs to support simultaneous viewing of up to four content sources. With front service installation and simplified maintenance, Planar UltraRes L Series can be quickly assembled with only two people and powered using a single 110V cable. 

At InfoComm 2023, Planar will also showcase the company’s most versatile selection of LED and LCD display solutions that are designed for ease-of-use and to be tailored to different application needs. This includes LED video wall platforms with higher brightness and high bandwidth video transport, outdoor LED video wall displays featuring the finest pixel pitches, LED display solutions optimized for on-camera broadcast and in-camera virtual production (VP) and extended reality (XR).

“Our customers continue to push high resolution displays into more application areas with specific performance requirements,” said Steve Seminario, vice president of product marketing at Planar. “Our new product lineup at InfoComm 2023 meets these indoor and outdoor requirements while providing versatility to accommodate future customer innovation."

State-of-the-Art, Fine Pitch LED for Indoor and Outdoor Use

InfoComm 2023 attendees will see the following trailblazing LED video wall solutions from Planar:

• The recently-announced Planar^® DirectLight^® Pro Series LED platform raises the bar on versatility and lifetime value. Leveraging key advantages of Planar’s highest-selling LED platforms, the ground-up designed LED video wall uses a high bandwidth video transport and delivers high brightness, outstanding image performance and a range of popular pixel pitches down to sub-1milimeter. This includes models in 0.9, 1.2, 1.5 and 1.8 millimeter pixel pitches and 1,000-nit brightness in constant operation, providing vibrant colors and greater image detail even in higher ambient light environments. Also available in popular Planar^® Complete^™ display configurations, including 109-inch, 137-inch,164-inch, 198-inch and 219-inch, Planar DirectLight Pro Series is designed to be deployed efficiently in custom video wall dimensions and resolutions through the use of two cabinet sizes and a 5G video architecture. The Planar^® EverCare^™ Lifetime Limited Warranty is included, offering customers complete confidence in their LED video wall purchase while reducing lifetime cost-of-ownership.
• In May, Planar announced the addition of a 1.2 millimeter pixel pitch to the company’s award-winning Planar^® Luminate^™ Ultra Series line of outdoor LED video wall displays. The newest addition to the series delivers the finest outdoor pixel pitch by using MicroLED technology to enable a 1.2 millimeter pixel pitch while also achieving superior performance in an outdoor-rated LED video wall display. MicroLED technology enhances the image with increased black levels and delivers 150-degree visibility while a proprietary coating ensures outdoor ruggedness and enhanced visual performance in high ambient light outdoor environments.
• The Planar^® DirectLight^® Ultra™ Series is a line of premium fine pitch MicroLED video wall displays presenting several display technology advancements that, in combination, deliver big performance. Available in 0.6, 0.7, 0.9 and 1.2 millimeter pixel pitches, Planar DirectLight Ultra Series features models with MicroLEDs, off-board power supply, proprietary alignment technology and built-in processing to deliver always-on, high resolution display experiences for unmatched visual performance for close viewing distances and the most refined applications. The Planar EverCare Lifetime Limited Warranty is also included, offering customers complete confidence in their LED video wall purchase while reducing lifetime cost-of-ownership.

Must-See XR Stage Delivering Striking On-Camera and In-Camera Visual Properties

At InfoComm 2023 Planar also will present a stunning XR stage with sister company and industry leader OptiTrack. The stage will demonstrate how customers can use VP and XR to revolutionize content creation in corporate applications and beyond, highlighting OptiTrack motion capture technology and fine pitch LED display solutions designed for on-camera and in-camera environments:

• Award-winning Planar^® CarbonLight^™ CLI VX Series LED video wall displays feature unrivaled image quality and versatility to revolutionize the production of realistic on-camera and in-camera content. Featuring an improved scan ratio, the series provides greater flexibility in how video walls adapt to different cameras and effects. The lightweight LED display supports hanging, wall-mounted, free-standing and curved installations, is available in 1.9 and 2.6 millimeter pixel pitches and includes models with Brompton and Colorlight controllers.
• Cutting-edge Planar^® CarbonLight^™ CLF VX Series LED flooring features a 2.6 millimeter pixel pitch that can be used to create a high resolution, continuous canvas, virtually expanding physical environments. The square (500x500 millimeters), thin LED flooring displays feature carbon fiber frames with layered wear-proof masking to support up to 1,102 pounds per display, facilitating heavy loads.
• OptiTrack™ Motion Capture delivers precision, accuracy, ease of use, reliability and polished integration with on-set tools. With high speed and wide field-of-view motion tracking cameras, active tracking components, passive tracking markers and advanced motion capture software, OptiTrack remains the choice for the world’s premier volumes.

Ultra-Wide Format LCD Displays for Unified Communications

• The new Planar^® UltraRes^™ W Series is a line of 105-inch ultra-wide format 5K LCD displays optimized for next-generation collaboration for today’s modern hybrid workforce. For more than 10 years, Planar^® UltraRes™ Series commercial-grade displays have been successfully installed in secure conference rooms around the world. The Planar UltraRes W Series provides customers with an ultra-wide format 21:9 display ideally sized to suit the most popular unified communications and video collaboration platforms including Microsoft Teams^®. Planar UltraRes W Series features 24x7 reliability, remote monitoring, multi-source viewing and is available with interactive touch technology.

InfoComm 2023 attendees can view Planar’s portfolio of new display technologies powering next-level visual experiences for an even wider range of applications at Booth #2243. For more information, visit www.planar.com.

For electric vehicle owners in British Columbia, Tim Hortons is now fueling road trips in more ways than one.  The company has announced the expansion of its electric vehicle charging station pilot launched earlier this year in Oakville, Ontario, by unveiling six new charging stations at restaurants throughout  British Columbia.

Tim Hortons announced the pilot in February in an effort to study the technology, its usage and opportunities.

"We have been thrilled with the results of the pilot so far.  Usage of the charging station in Oakville has surpassed our expectations and we received many calls with requests to expand the pilot," said Paulo Ferreira, Senior Director, International Strategic Restaurant Design and Building Standards, Tim Hortons. "With more than 3,300 eligible restaurants across the country, we continue to look for opportunities to expand the pilot and contribute to the EV infrastructure."

The BC expansion, supported by the Province of BC's Community Charging Infrastructure Fund and Koben Systems Inc. (KSI), placed charging stations strategically in Nanaimo, Langford, North Vancouver, Burnaby, Abbotsford and Coquitlam to create paths within the province, allowing guests to travel from restaurant to restaurant strictly on electric power.

Tim Hortons offers charging stations as a courtesy to guests at six locations.  As of March 31st, 2013, Tim Hortons had 4,288 system-wide restaurants, including 3,453 in Canada, 808 in the United States and 27 in the Gulf Cooperation Council. 

The City of New York has set a minimum pay rate for app-based restaurant delivery workers.

Starting July 12, app-based restaurant delivery workers in New York City will be paid $17.96 per hour, approximately 30 cents per minute before tips.  The hourly rate will increase to $19.96 when it is fully phased-in on April 1, 2025, and will be adjusted annually for inflation.

Restaurant delivery apps will also have flexibility in how they pay the gig workers the new minimum rate. According to the statement, apps have the option to pay delivery workers per trip, per hour worked, or develop their own formulas, as long as their workers make the minimum pay rate of $19.96, on average. Apps that pay workers for all the time a worker is connected to the app. Apps that only pay for trip time (the time from accepting a delivery offer to dropping off the delivery) must pay at least approximately 50 cents per minute of trip time in 2023, not including tips.

According to a statement by the NY Mayor's Office, the city's estimated 60,000 delivery drivers make an average of $7.09 per hour.  Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)  considered all comments submitted during the public comment period. For more information visit DCWP's website.

Breezeway, the property operations platform, has launched 24/7 guest support, allowing hosts and property managers to deliver memorable hospitality experiences in person, knowing that comprehensive guest assistance is readily available around the clock. 

The team at Breezeway Assist recognizes the importance of the human touch in hospitality, answering phone calls and text messages 24/7, 365 days a year. Breezeway leverages AI technology to gather accurate information and promptly deliver personalized responses to guests within a few minutes. 

Breezeway Assist uses data from guest reservations, messaging, property guide, and operational tasks to respond to guests. Property managers and hosts can choose to use Assist whenever they want — as an after-hours service, handling all guest interactions, or as a way of taking the pressure off in peak season. 

When guests reach out, the Breezeway Assist staff will address guest questions and create tasks in property managers’ workflow so they can see what interactions have taken place, even escalating urgent issues when necessary. 

The idea for Assist was borne out of the knowledge that guests who feel taken care of are far more likely to leave positive reviews, make referrals, and even book a return visit. The vast majority (95%) also prefer text rather than voice communication, opening up an incredible opportunity to leverage data stored on Breezeway’s platform to provide premium customer support at scale.

Breezeway Assist is the embodiment of People Powered AI, helping small businesses operate more efficiently and freeing up valuable time so teams can do more. Early results are incredibly promising. In fact, one Breezeway customer enjoyed a 78% improvement in guest sentiment after implementing Breezeway Assist. "We are getting 10X the value compared to a generic after-hours answering service,” stated Jacqueline Wilson, President of Biloxi Biloxi Beach Resort Rentals. “I trust Breezeway. They understand the industry, and onboarding with Breezeway Assist was seamless."

Jeremy Gall, CEO and Founder of Breezeway, explains: "Assist represents the continued expansion of Breezeway’s operations platform; another example of how hosts and managers can leverage operational data and workflows to drive more consistent hospitality experiences.” 

To learn more about Breezeway, visit https://www.breezeway.io/assist-demo. 

PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips professional displays and complementary solutions, is proud to have made a winning start at InfoComm 2023, with the Philips Tableaux digital signage series being named winner of the inaugural sustainability category at the annual SCN Installation Product Awards.

Held on the eve of the show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, leading manufacturers from around the world gathered for the coveted and hotly contested annual award ceremony, which recognises the most innovative commercial AV products launched in the past 12 months, with winners determined by a public vote.

PPDS has taken a leadership stance in developing technology to significantly reduce power consumption of both new and existing products, without compromising quality of performance. The Philips Tableaux is a prime example of these efforts, providing incredible benefits for hospitality environments, including hotels, kiosks, bars, restaurants, cafes and other food and beverage establishments.

A new generation of digital signage

On display for the first time at InfoComm 2023 on Philips booth 929, Philips Tableaux marks the introduction of a brand new digital signage category for PPDS, becoming the first global display manufacturer to introduce a full size, Advanced Colour ePaper (ACeP) solution.

Already a multi award winner, Philips Tableaux is a pioneer for the full colour (including blue), energy efficient and eco-friendly digital displays, available at launch as a 25” 16:9 display, and with more sizes quickly due to follow. The groundbreaking displays deliver vivid content while running unplugged, using zero power to show an image 24/7/365. A super low power source is only required when content is being updated (just 0.0025kWh for one image change) – via USB, LAN or Wi-Fi connection – and power consumption immediately reverts to zero when the new image has been uploaded. Content updates can be managed manually or entirely remotely, using PPDS’ in-house or third party display management platforms.

Global appeal

Philips Tableaux are ideal for businesses seeking to effortlessly digitise paper-based signage, or to swap out existing digital displays showing static content more energy efficiently, with no refresh rates and no back light needed.

Martijn van der Woude, VP Global Marketing and Business Development at PPDS, commented: “We are absolutely delighted to have received this fantastic award here in the US, adding to the accolades for Philips Tableaux in Europe and showing it is a winning product across the continents. Having been voted a winner by the public also gives us an additional sense of pride. Sustainability is a key focus for PPDS, and something we, as a team globally, are incredibly passionate about. We couldn’t have asked for a better start to InfoComm 2023 here in Orlando.”

Franck Racapé, VP Global Commercial, added: “On behalf of PPDS, I would like to thank everyone who voted for Philips Tableaux for this prestigious award. The interest and excitement around this product have been overwhelming, and this, in tandem with this new award, is further validation that our strategy to deliver highly impactful and sustainable solutions is the right one. We can’t wait to show the Philips Tableaux, along with our other digital signage, dvLED (including the new Philips In-Room LED 6300 series) and interactive solutions to the North American market.”

Cvent Holding Corp. (“Cvent”), an industry-leading meetings, events and hospitality technology provider, announced the completion of its acquisition by an affiliate of private equity funds managed by Blackstone ("Blackstone") for $8.50 per share in cash, representing a total enterprise value of approximately $4.6 billion.

The transaction, which was previously announced on March 14, 2023, includes a significant minority investment from a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and participation from existing stockholder Vista Equity Partners (“Vista”). As a result of the transaction, Cvent's common stock has ceased trading and will be delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Market.

Reggie Aggarwal, founder and CEO of Cvent, commented: “Events are more important and more complex than ever before. We believe this partnership with Blackstone positions Cvent to continue leading the market for best-in-class technology to maximize event ROI and impact. We will continue to aggressively invest in the innovative solutions organizations need to more deeply engage with their customers, prospects, and employees that are so critical to their success.”

David Schwartz, a Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, said: “Cvent has long been a go-to event management partner for organizations of all kinds, enabling them to embrace technology solutions in an increasingly digital world. We’re thrilled to support its continued growth and product advancements, bringing Blackstone’s global resources to bear and leveraging the firm’s deep expertise and thematic focus on hospitality, events and real estate.”

“Vista is proud of the partnership we’ve built with Reggie; the transformative change that Cvent has driven in the meetings and events ecosystem is a testament to how we help founders realize their company vision,” said Monti Saroya, Co-Head of Vista’s Flagship Fund and Senior Managing Director. “Both he and his leadership team are torchbearers of innovation, ingenuity and culture, and we look forward to seeing what they accomplish next.”

 

Advisors

Qatalyst Partners acted as financial advisor to Cvent, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal counsel to Cvent.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as financial advisor to the Special Committee, and Goodwin Procter LLP acted as legal counsel to the Special Committee.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acted as legal counsel to Blackstone, and Evercore, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and UBS acted as financial advisors to Blackstone.