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It’s That Time Again: Gift Guide For Everyone From The Minimalist to The Techie in Your Life

CMMA Blog

The holidays are upon us and so are the sales. You’ll find tech, entertainment, gadgets and experiences for everyone from those who are averse to letting new items cross the threshold of their home to your tech savvy loved ones. Here’s our curated list for just about everyone in your life—from the tech junkies to the minimalists (and maybe even for yourself)!

For When Your Loved One is Ready to Toast to a New Year

Get a wine  / beer / liquor  subscription or a home-brewing hard cider , beer , or wine kit if they’re extra adventurous.

For Your Family

Have some fun  together.

For The Crunchy Folks

This Wellness Mama list  is for the granola-bar making mamas looking for an environmentally friendly/healthy option for everyone from their kids to the grandparents.

For The Tech Enthusiast

45 of the best tech gifts  for the gamers, gear junkies, and media fans in your life.

For The Minimalist

Minimalists don’t want things…at least not things they didn’t thoughtfully consider before allowing into their lives. So for people who want nothing, you’re better off either getting something very personal or sticking with experiences. Yep, it’s harder to think of ideas for that than just to grab a mug with the person’s initial on it at Target, but this list of ideas will help.

For The Travel Lover

This might be the perfect time to buy something for travelers itching to get back out to see the planet. This list sticks to gift cards because, while those living on the edge might be ready to book a nonrefundable option, most people will probably still feel a little safer with flexible options.

Bottom Line

It may seem early to start thinking about

The post It’s That Time Again: Gift Guide For Everyone From The Minimalist to The Techie in Your Life appeared first on PayReel .

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Enterprise Content Delivery Network Adoption is on the Rise

CMMA Blog

Enterprise Content Delivery Network Adoption is on the Rise

A recent white paper from research firm Metrigy, Enterprise Content Delivery Networks: For Video, and Beyond , found that enterprise content delivery network (ECDN) adoption has more than doubled since 2020 amongst the 900 organizations they surveyed. ECDNs are being used more than ever to deliver live video and are an essential tool for driving modern work. In this post we will highlight the key findings from the white paper, the reasons leading to the rise in ECDN adoption and factors enterprises need to consider when selecting an ECDN.

The Modern Workplace

Spurred by the pandemic, live video use has grown dramatically across organizations in all verticals. Nearly half of companies (45%) surveyed by Metrigy continued to increase video use through the end of Q3 of 2021, with no signs of slowing down. While at times challenging, the adoption of modern tools like live video has fueled a revolution in how and where we work. The office walls have been torn down and the modern workplace is now more digital than physical.

With the rise of hybrid and remote work, dispersed teams require a digital-first approach to effectively communicate and collaborate with one another. The simplest way to efficiently accomplish this is through live video. Metrigy’s study reinforces this reality, with 85% of respondents saying that video is either critical or important to their business’ operations.
video importance to business operations
From company-wide town halls to less formal announcements and daily meetings, video is the way information is shared. Ensuring messages are received is imperative for every business. With over 80% of Metrigy’s study participants using cloud-based meetings, webinars, and virtual event platforms, a network that is not optimized for delivering video is a liability.

New Network Architecture

The increase in demand for live video has caused the architecture of enterprise networks to be reimagined. In the past, poor network performance was often solved by “throwing bandwidth at the problem”– an inefficient, costly, and temporary solution. Video and other cloud-based applications require a more forward-thinking approach to solve performance issues economically and efficiently. By solving these issues on both fronts, it’s no surprise that ECDN adoption has consistently grown.

Metrigy found that successful businesses invest in expanded network services to support video with success being defined as those experiencing a higher return from their video investments.
network investment to support video
As with “throwing bandwidth at the problem”, blindly tossing money at network problems is not the answer. By investing in network technologies that work smarter, like ECDNs, companies not only improve network performance but also find significant cost savings. Metrigy’s research showed that participants using an ECDN to optimize video delivery saved an average of 22% annually on WAN costs.

While the cost savings and high ROI make ECDNs an attractive choice, their ability to meet the needs of enterprise networks plays a strong role in their growing popularity. Metrigy outlined eight requirements network services must meet to support the modern workplace:

  1. Improve network performance no matter the location, network access ability, or available bandwidth
  2. Optimize networks in a simple and intelligent manner that does not put added strain on network operators
  3. Reduced upfront and ongoing costs
  4. Provide analytics with insights into viewer experience, network performance, and engagement
  5. Securely distribute content with end-to-end encryption and access management
  6. Deploy quickly and easily to support ongoing digital initiatives
  7. Integration with existing network management platforms
  8. Ability to scale to keep pace with emerging and future collaboration technologies

Unlike traditional solutions, ECDNs can meet all these requirements–another reason adoption is growing Therefore, it’s no surprise that the majority of companies (60%) surveyed by Metrigy are using or plan to use an ECDN. Out of the companies with ECDNs in place, nearly half (44%) are planning to increase their use.
ECDN adoption plans

Critical Considerations

While there are many ECDNs on the market, not all are created equal. Metrigy recommends looking for these features when selecting an ECDN:

  • Flexible deployment models
  • Deep performance and engagement analytics
  • Native integration with video streaming platforms

Kollective’s ECDN, Edge Accelerator meets all these features and more. It is the only ECDN platform that offers complete coverage, ensuring high quality live video in simple and complex environments. From Zero Trust to traversing the Great Firewall of China, as your business’ needs grow, Kollective’s ECDN delivers. Kollective’s easy-to-use integration portal allows businesses to use their favorite streaming platform and our powerful analytics and intelligence platform supplies real-time, actionable event insights.

Kollective seamlessly integrates with front-end video applications like Microsoft Teams and Stream, Notified, NTT Studio, Qumu, Vimeo and more, to reliably deliver flawless live and on-demand video without affecting other business critical applications.

Kollective IQ/Edge IQ is the most advanced ECDN intelligence platform. Intuitive and customizable dashboards give insights into employee engagement, congestion levels across locations, and real-time event and network performance allowing quicker decision-making to address issues.

Optimize with an ECDN

The unique ability of ECDNs to optimize video delivery in a cost-effective, scalable, and easy to implement manner paired with the increasing use of video across the enterprise will continue to drive their adoption and make them an essential part of the modern business’s technology stack.

Choosing the right ECDN to meet the unique needs of your network is vital to ensuring a quality employee experience across locations, devices, and connections. Kollective’s Edge Accelerator offers the flexibility to cover even the most complex enterprise networks. Begin a free 30-day trial of Kollective ECDN Browser-Based peering to start scaling live video today.

The post Enterprise Content Delivery Network Adoption is on the Rise appeared first on Kollective Technology .

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Fines, Jail Time, & Reputation Damage: The 👻, 👿, and 🧟‍♂️ of Misclassifying Workers

CMMA Blog

If you engage a contingent workforce and would rather avoid fines, jail time, and damage to your reputation, this post is for you. This month, the Biden Administration rolled out a proposal that would make it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors. From the beginning, the administration has had its sights set on misclassification and this proposal makes it clear that it remains a top priority. While worker classification is important at all times, this kind of news makes it that much more important for companies to pay attention because violators can expect to be subject to strict penalties.

Fine, Jail Time, & Negative Press

Big companies like Uber make headlines for their missteps and pay equally big fines. Still, it can be a costly mistake to think it’s only the big companies that face consequences. By rescinding the Trump Administration’s “Worker Classification Rule,” the Biden administration made it easier for workers to argue for minimum wage and overtime protections/compensation. In addition to having to pay back 100% of the matching FICA taxes they would have paid had they classified the worker correctly up front, employers can end up subject to additional penalties such as the following:

  • $50 fine for each W-2 form they failed to file
  • A penalty equal to 1.5% of the employee’s wages 
  • $5,000 penalty for the first misclassified employee and up to $25,000 for each subsequent violation

Suffice to say, misclassifying workers does not save money in the long run. Perhaps scarier than the possibility of monetary damages, misclassification has landed some business leaders under house arrest . 

In addition, class-action lawsuits, failed audits, and negative headlines can damage a company’s reputation to the point where both workers and consumers are hesitant to engage with the company. It’s just not worth it!  

The Bottom Line

Someone on your team needs to to protect your business, stay compliant, and reduce the risk for fines and unpleasant attention from the IRS. If you don’t have the in-house team to do it yourself, it’s worth considering working with a partner.

In our world, accurate worker classification and top notch risk management are always the priority. We are the first to be aware when change is in the air. We track rules in every state as well as on a federal level and offer services to help clients stay compliant. Contact us if you have any questions about your own status. 

The post Fines, Jail Time, & Reputation Damage: The 👻, 👿, and 🧟‍♂️ of Misclassifying Workers appeared first on PayReel .

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How to Find a Film Crew

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Are you struggling with how to find a film crew for your next project? Finding a film crew can be challenging but hiring Maslow Media Group to build your crew makes it easy! There are many benefits to hiring a production crew, and with Maslow Media Group’s expertise, your vision will come to fruition.

A production crew is a group of people who work on a film, television show, commercial, or other production. The staff is responsible for various tasks, including set design , lighting, sound, and camera operation .

The size of a production crew depends on the scope of the project.

Film crew members typically have specific roles and responsibilities. The director is in charge of the overall vision for the project, while the producer manages the logistics and finances. The art department is responsible for the production look, and the grip department handles all equipment.

There are a lot of benefits to hiring a production company. First, they can save you time and money by handling all the production logistics. If the client doesn’t have a physical location or local resources for production, it saves them the money they would have to spend on shipping equipment or travel time for their staff. They can also provide expert advice on everything from set design to lighting to camera operation.

Most importantly, production companies can help turn your dream into a reality. They have the experience and expertise to make any project come to life. Whether it’s a commercial, a music video, a feature film, or a live stream, a good production company will help make it happen.

Without a production crew, a film or television show would not be able to get off the ground. They are an essential part of the filmmaking process, and their work is vital to the success of any project. They will make sure that everything runs smoothly so that you can focus on making your film or television show the best it can be. Hiring a production crew is an investment that will pay off in the end, and you will be glad you made it.

When you’re ready to find a film crew, contact Maslow Media Group, and we will curate the most experienced crew that will meet all your needs!

Maslow Media Group has been setting the standard for video production crewing and staffing for over thirty years as production technology is ever-changing. Maslow Media Group’s in-house product managers use an internal database of over 10,000 pre-qualified video industry professionals to bring your dream to life from pre-production to post-production.

When the client comes to Maslow Media Group with a vision, we execute the project with the highest quality and potential. We take the overwhelming worry off the client’s hands and research the most experienced field crews. Whether your project needs a script to screen, an insert studio in London, or a 4k camera crew in Shanghai, Maslow Media Group has the worldwide resources to build your crew for today or the future.

Before the production can begin, Maslow Media Group collaborates with the client by reviewing their requirements, providing estimates for those requests, and discussing with our directors, producers, animators, and editors. Once that’s squared away, and everything is agreed upon, we can go into production! In this phase, we use expert equipment to capture your footage, edit it, stream it, or transmit it live per your request. In post-production, we gather all the final elements to create your deliverable.

Hiring a production crew could be the answer to making your vision a reality. That’s why you need to hire Maslow Media Group for your next project! We will use our expertise and experience to take the stress off your plate and save you time. Call us today at 202-965-1100 or
visit our website and complete our contact form to get started with us!

The post How to Find a Film Crew appeared first on Maslow Media.

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