According to The Week magazine, sales of virtual reality products to the retail public have been less than gratifying so far this year. A Wall Street Journal writer quoted, by them, hit the nail on the head when he recently wrote: “If VR is to ever level up in a big way, it needs to find something gamers simply can’t live without.” Old timers may remember that the Milton Berle show put the television industry into high gear way back in the ’50s when folks literally bought sets just to see this famous comedian do his weekly madness. Closer to…
Author: Casey Minter
While we’re on the subject, Private Label VR, a Salem, Utah-based VR firm, was at this year’s Bowl Expo in Nashville, showing attendees the untapped potential of adding VR to the traditional bowling experience. The Private Label VR team expected and received what they say was a “great response.” They say over 100 visitors stopped by their VR booth, adding that over 90% had never been in a computer-based simulation before. Private Label reps were happy to show them the ropes, and reported hearing similar responses from attendees: “That was awesome!” “Can I go again?” “I love it.” “It’s like…
The leadership of TrainerTainment held its quarterly meeting recently, discussing the direction of the company and taking a few fun photos to boot! Thanks to company CEO Beth Standlee’s daughter, the team was able to use a room at Southwest Airlines headquarters. After the meeting and a complimentary tour of the headquarters, the team decided that Southwest’s is a culture to emulate. Check out some of the pictures and learn more about TrainerTainment here.
Intercard has a new sales manager for North America: Brad Solomon. With over 25 years of experience in the telecommunications and software industries, Intercard says it hired him because he’s shown himself to be a “master salesman, proven leader and successful team-builder.” Solomon has worked in technical sales, operations, business development, technical support and customer service, and hopes to meld those skills into his new position at Intercard. Previously, he worked with tech and software providers worldwide, including Mavenir, Netformx, Amdocs and Sigma Systems. Sales isn’t all he does, either. Solomon spends his weekends helping his wife run Lanai Coffee,…
The annual AAMA Meeting and Gala brings the industry’s bests together for several days of seminars, direction-deciding meetings, networking and an early peek at some of the products game makers will exhibit at IAAPA the following month. This year’s Gala runs Oct. 2-6 at the Renaissance Chicago North Shore Hotel in Northbrook, Ill.; sponsorship and attendee registration is now open. AAMA is changing some things up this year, offering “a little extra spice” to the Gala’s welcome dinner with mentalist, speaker and trainer Bill Gladwell. Gladwell practices the art of reading and influencing people, and his show is said to…
Want to know where the future of entertainment and leisure is heading? The FOIL conference taking place in Las Vegas Sept. 13-14 at the Mandalay Bay resort will be a great way to get fully immersed in what’s to come and what’s possible. RePlay will be the industry’s media partner for the conference which is bringing together big names (from the likes of Dave & Buster’s, Walt Disney and others) to discuss technological advances in attractions for FECs, parks, movie theaters and other entertainment venues. If it’s high tech and out-of-home entertainment, they look to cover it with an agenda…
Thanks to AMOA’s ties to the Partnership to Protect Workplace Opportunity (PPWO), the association has received an update on the proposed Overtime Rule being debated in D.C. On June 16, PPWO sent a letter to congratulate United States Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta on his confirmation. The letter went on to reiterate the group’s concerns with the Obama administrations overtime rules. On Friday, June 30, the Department of Labor sent a Request for Information on the overtime rules to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). Experts believe the DOL will likely seek specific information on how it should…
Bob “Slim Bob” Mills, veteran of Merit Industries, Arachnid and Greyhound, recently celebrated his 60th birthday at the Valley Forge Casino in King of Prussia, Pa. On June 9, a crowd of 75 family and friends of the industry gathered to celebrate the sexagenarian’s special day. Wrote friend Chris Vecchione (sales veep of Universal Gaming Group PA, who send in the photos and info): “A top-shelf open bar, plenty of eats and an eight-piece band made for an exceptional fete.” The birthday boy even joined the band with his trademark harmonica! Mills has retired from the coin-op business, but now…
Free-roam VR arena maker Zero Latency has upped the ante with larger multiplayer games. Now, up to eight players can simultaneously experience ZL’s VR games in 2,000- to 4,000-sq.-ft. arenas. (Previously, the company offered experiences for up to six players.) Zero Latency has been growing in other ways as well, with new arenas and game modes. The company’s first arena opened in Melbourne, Australia, in 2015, and now it has venues in Tokyo, Madrid, Orlando, Wisconsin Dells, Pocono Mountains, the greater Tulsa area and Scottsdale, Az. For more information, click here.
CenterEdge Software is expanding its training department with the promotions of support technicians Dywon Terry and Lena Plaut. In his new position as trainer, Terry will guide clients through the onboarding process, set up their databases and manage new client engagement through one-on-one training sessions. Plaut will serve as a technical writer associate to provide additional resources and training documentation for clients. “Thanks to our growth, and continued focus on delivering unparalleled client support, we knew that one area in which we had an immediate need was our training department,” said Sandra Welch, CenterEdge’s training manager. “Given Dywon and Lena’s…