The concept of the Cleverdis Guide is evolving with the times. Having humble beginnings in 1997, our aim has always been to serve the needs of corporate and institutional buyers when it comes to forming Requests for Information or Requests for Quotation (calls for bids). To this end, the structure and contents of the guide are aimed at educating and informing you, the buyer; assisting you in your task of qualifying, assessing and deciding.

Growing from Feedback - You will note some marked changes in the 2005/2006 edition. Firstly, we have heeded feedback from readers, many of whom have asked to be informed of the newest, most innovative products hitting the market in an unbiased way. To answer this call, we begin the guide with a tour of those products that have been selected by the world’s top industry organisations (notably the iF design awards and CEA). Manufacturers did not pay to be in this section. It is totally impartial in tune with our philosophy of giving a true picture of the market.

Another comment we often have is that market data is increasingly important for planning and forecasting purchase projects. To this end we have greatly expanded content from the top analysts in the field in chapter 2 – dedicated to this topic.

Also this year, we have separated out the chapter on technologies – essential information when it comes to understanding the basics.

2005 – The Year of HD – We firmly believe that 2005 will mark the “kick-off” for the High Definition TV industry in Europe. This will vastly impact the entire display market, including corporate and other professional applications. In this year’s guide we give you an overview of what HDTV is all about and how it may affect you.

Applications – More Features – In our chapters on various applications – desktop monitors, plasma and large LCD as well as projection solutions –, we have worked harder this year on giving you “feature” reports explaining in more depth some of the key elements to be considered when buying.

Giving you Inspiration – The best way to be inspired for your projects is to take a glimpse at some of the most breath-taking and “clever” uses of display solutions. To this end, in chapter 8, we not only explain the sales process in the AV business, we give you some great insight into Europe’s top AV projects over the past year.

To cap it all off, we explain what legal obligations will be enforced with new recycling laws in Europe.

Enhanced Directory – Our directory has been greatly enhanced, giving you full company information of all the main players in the business, enabling you at a glance to see who does what.

I wish you happy reading, and look forward to your comments and feedback. Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at richard.barnes@cleverdis.com.