Ben Thomas

🎧 Pro AV & Integrated Tech Partnerships Lead @MarketScale | 🎤 Host @AVIXA TV | 🎙️ Pro AV Today Podcast |

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

@SharathSAbraham 100%. Let's make it happen!

Boot heads and sneaker heads shall be united haha

[Lauryn Toczylowski @Lauryn_T3]

It’s so easy to enter to win sweet kicks #avtweeps post pic & mention @WindyCityWire

Where all the #AVsneakerheads at 🤗
Get to Booth C5731!
@chris_neto @AVPhenom @TimothyTroast @tdalbright @thesmoothfactor @tobitungl
@BenRayThomas @narinternet @HigherEdAV @DanFerrisiEdit

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

@chris_neto Am I allowed to say “none of the above”?

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

Nate with another iconic pose after losing to the @DallasStars in the playoffs again #texashockey

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

@thesmoothfactor Monday!

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

@TheAl3xFortin Sounds like a ProRes Codec!

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

@TheAl3xFortin Certainly!

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

@Vegas_AV_Ace @SharathSAbraham You’re right. I forgot to add Medieval Times.

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

@Vegas_AV_Ace Great point about awareness penetration. Though I do think the convergence with IT (overused phrase alert), forces us into similar conversations/categories with the larger tech world as a whole.

Especially when it comes to facilities or IT minded decision makers.

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

Does the term "Pro AV" still appropriately describe our industry?

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When I walk through trade show floors around the globe, it is wildly apparent that our community is stretching its tentacles further than ever. However, there's one thing that has become crystal clear as I hear the conversations inside these halls: the terminology and slang we're familiar with in the traditional AV world feels like a foreign language elsewhere.

Let's face it, the world of audio and visual tech has been let out of Pandora's box, and has outgrown the perceived confines of conference rooms and home theaters. It's busting the door down in areas like healthcare, security, transportation, emergency services, critical infrastructure, and more.

So is "Pro AV" still relevant? It's at least a starting point, but I think we might be moving beyond that moniker.

Thoughts?

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

Since #cyberattacks are back in the news today, I had a question for you all. What best practices do you recommend for companies or organizations looking to secure their network infrastructure? Both from a data and hardware standpoint.

#security #hack #hacking #cybersecurity

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

Prediction: in the first 6 months after this deal closes, you'll see @Walmart literally giving away @VIZIO TVs or HEAVILY discounting them as a loss leader to acquire data and eyeballs. But it will require a pretty extensive opt-in for the buyers to provide viewership data.

#walmart #vizio #avtweeps

https://t.co/wDCIOdwCEq

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

The Super Bowl was just one big reminder that Taylor Swift doesn't need to spend a dollar on marketing for the rest of her life. Her fans are the best marketing department in the world.

#superbowl #taylorswift #marketing #b2bmarketing

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

I'm a big fan of innovation and trying new things, but I'm just not particularly enthusiastic about the #VisionPro launch for some reason.

Feels like we go through the same song and dance with consumer level VR/AR every few years.

There isn't enough content yet and the consumer applications are still pretty limited.

And historically consumers have made it clear en masse that they don't want to have technology attached to to their face for extended periods of time.

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If they can make a real play into the B2B world then I'm happy to change my tune, but it doesn't seem like it's Apple's demographic with this.

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

@EvanKirstel I sure hope not haha

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

@tobitungl BIG truth

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

@Vegas_AV_Ace @AVReneeKC @chris_neto @resullins @bchatchett @NJDavidD @synigizesales @pharris202 Put me on a plane and get me there.

[Ben Thomas @BenRayThomas]

@Evan_P_Grant DQ is obviously gone. Time for a new scheme. I struggle to put a massive responsibility on Dak here.