Event industry service providers TRC and Swoogo have come together to launch ShowSimple – a do-it-yourself badge printing solution in a box.

Perfect for small events, the ShowSimple rental kit comes complete with everything an event organizer would need to print DIY badges, including two bar code scanning stations; a full-color printer; choice of badges and lanyards, and a self-contained router with internet access.

According to the Global Business Travel Association, 80 percent of all meeting savings is realized during the venue sourcing process. To address this issue, cloud event management software provider etouches has developed etouches Venue Sourcing, which integrates sourcing and booking with meeting registration and approval, and an enterprise calendar.

PCMA’s Digital Experience Institute annual online Summit now is open for registration. Supported and sponsored by Meetings + Conventions Calgary, the all-day event is set to take place Nov. 15, between 8 a.m.–5 p.m. CT.

Participating event professionals will have a chance to join veteran strategists and newcomers to the digital space where they can learn all about digital event solutions and how to implement success into each event.

The Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) has launched the Discover Atlanta: Official Guide mobile application. While mobile applications are not new technology, this is the first destination marketing app powered by the artificial intelligence of a gaming platform.

As a global provider of brand experiences that has been advancing in the event technology space, Freeman understands the industry-wide challenges of digital tool integration.

In an effort solve this often frustrating issue and create a more seamless experience for event organizers and attendees in the process, the company has introduced Fuzion by Freeman, an open product ecosystem designed to simplify integration by acting as a foundation between digital solutions, establishing a common language that allows multiple tools to talk to each other.

IMEX is replacing its original event organizing platform with EventReference, a cloud-based event management system developed by U.K.-based RefTech.

EventReference will be used to manage all of IMEX’s online interaction with show attendees, including all registrations, hosted buyer travel, buyer and exhibitor appointment schedules and the exhibitor booth directory.

Going forward, every person attending IMEX in any capacity will be using EventReference to register, manage and plan their visit.

For event planners and marketers, analytical reports can be gold mines for driving registrations, adoption of tools and calculating ROI. However, the true potential of analytics remains underutilized in testing the effectiveness of marketing efforts, testing new audience segments and creating impactful cross-promotional efforts. This is mostly because there are a plethora of options and features available, as well as disconnected channels that add significant complexity to the analytical process and make accurate attribution extremely difficult.

Smart City Networks, a provider of technology and telecommunications services for the convention industry, has embarked upon a process to convert phone lines at 39 convention centers and venues to SIP trunking in the next year.

The upgrade is expected to improve reliability, performance and cost at these facilities, according to Smart City officials.

Core-apps has updated and enhanced its Access 365 product, an event app feature that allows show organizers to extend the life of their apps beyond their events.

The new updates not only provide associations and event planners with a flexible payment structure but also technical enhancements designed to help turn an event app into a year-round engagement tool.

Move over photo booths and gamification – virtual reality could soon be taking the event entertainment world by storm. From exploring underwater worlds and creating large 3D drawings to battling alien spaceships or brain-eating zombies, virtual reality games and experiences at events provide attendees with immersive and engaging experiences that not only help make events more fun, but also more memorable.