CPL Launches Smartphone App for Catalog

Live video and production specialist Central Presentations Limited (CPL) launches a new tablet and smartphone App version of their famous "Black Book" product catalog.

It's been developed specifically for the fast moving world of live events and as a more convenient and environmentally friendly alternative to the 150 page printed rental catalog and industry "Bible," which the company says is known for its wealth of useful information, including technical specifications and data for over 500 products, together with all the latest CPL hire rates.

The CPL App is designed to allow technicians, account handlers, and production managers quick access to all the information they need wherever they happen to be -- whether it's in the middle of a greenfield festival site, up a mountain, or even in a regular venue -- or in their offices.

Anyone dealing with CPL will be able to produce quotes and cost calculations on the spot, immediately giving a proper "ball park" idea of what a project might entail, and check on availability of the most appropriate equipment to achieve the desired end results. The app can also be utilized offline.

Says CPL's Matthew Boyce: "The book has been a huge hit and is well loved but the app version is more flexible, more transportable, and more relevant for the industry today. It will constantly be kept updated and is an ideal tool to aid the workflow of any busy production industry professional."

It will also allow registered users to establish their own profiles which can then be customized to their exact needs.

Just as The Black Book has been, the app will also be an invaluable reference guide for a whole range of dynamic technology for all types of solutions, and items can be favorited or bookmarked.

The app will work on any iOS or Android device, and the straightforward, logical easy-to-read display is optimized for tablets and smartphones. Everyone is pushed for time these days, so special attention has been given to ensuring the navigation is logical and the searches are fast and accurate the company says.

The plans are to develop the CPL App further as more users come on-board, and in the meantime ... the Black Book will also continue for the next 12 months.