Power Up Connect - Blog #university

Universities: Keep Your Campus Powered Up

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 00:37:39 +0000

Adding Power Up charging and sanitizing solutions to your campus can be a great way to utilize life safety budgets while keeping keep students, faculty, and visitors safe from germs and viruses.

Power Up Your University

Power Up’s charging solutions fit seamlessly into the university setting. With plenty of capacity for devices and easy-to-use sanitization, they’re a great resource for students and faculty alike.

Our Charging Table offers a wireless charging area — all iPhones sold since 2017 are capable of wireless charging, as are most Android devices. Students will love the ability to wirelessly charge their devices using a non-touchpoint charging space. Our Charging Tables can be added to student lounges or dining halls to give students a safe, contactless space to recharge their devices between classes.

Our UVC Charging Locker delivers charging and sanitization with the added benefit of security, a good choice for common areas, like the library or even the stadium. Students can lock their devices inside the locker while its charging, so they don’t need to worry about their expensive devices getting stolen. Or, Charging Lockers can be added to a lecture hall or classroom so that students can securely store their devices during exams. This helps keep everyone’s devices sanitized, and decreases the likelihood of cheating––it’s a win-win!

Want to add a charging unit to a location with limited space? Check out the slim Charging Tower. These towers have plenty of charging opportunities within a small profile, a space-saving option for dorms, smaller classrooms, or faculty offices.

Upgrade Your Existing Equipment

Already a Power Up customer? You can use your life safety budget to upgrade your current equipment with safety enhancements. Trade-in your current units for an upgrade that helps reduce touchpoints and prevent the spread of germs at your university.

If you have an older Charging Table, we can easily add non-touch wireless charging locations by replacing the top decal. Or, we can add UV light in each locker bay of our UVC Charging Locker to give it sanitizing power.

To make the process as convenient as possible, we’re offering free delivery, installation, and removal of current Power Up equipment. You can also add or update branding on your equipment while we upgrade your unit to show your school pride with a logo, mascot, or school colors.

Let’s Connect

Want to learn more about how you can power up your university? Contact us today. Our team is here to help you find effective solutions that suit your budget and your needs.

UVC: Keeping Students Safe in the Era of COVID-19

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 14:39:00 +0000

As schools are reopening, the number of children infected with COVID-19 is rising. Data from state health departments shows that the percentage of children infected has increased from 2.2% of all cases nationwide in April to 10% of all cases in September, and is on the rise.

Proper hand-washing, use of masks and following social distancing protocols are all important precautions taken to prevent the spread of COVD-19 and other pathogens, like those that cause the flu, in schools. However, devices are some of the most frequently touched surfaces we encounter daily, and yet, they can become an afterthought in terms of COVID-19 prevention.

Not only do kids rely on their phones to communicate with parents, many schools are using Chromebooks, tablets and other devices for students to complete classwork and assignments. Teachers might have a set of laptops for the classroom that are used by multiple students throughout the day, or computer rooms might have a set of tablets that students can borrow. These devices are constantly in use, traveling back and forth from home and school, on buses and in public spaces.

Our kids need these devices to learn and stay connected. A student’s biggest priorities should be homework assignments and fostering relationships with their peers—not worrying about whether their devices are clean and safe to use. Keeping phones, tablets and laptops clean is an important part of COVID-19 and flu prevention and another important measure to help keep students safe.

Unfortunately, devices are notoriously difficult to clean. Did you know that COVID-19 bacteria can live on laptops for up to 72 hours? Disinfecting wipes and sprays are convenient, but it is easy for students to miss or neglect to wipe every surface, like the crevices of a keyboard or the back of a tablet, making them ineffective. Improper or excessive use of disinfectant wipes and sprays can also potentially damage devices, leading to expensive replacement costs.Additionally, wipes are costly, wasteful and need to be constantly reordered and replaced. Proper device cleaning needs to be a long-term consideration, and wipes aren’t a good long-term solution.

The Power of UVC Disinfection

PowerUp’s Pure Zone UVC Disinfection Charging Carts have medical-grade UVC sanitization. It can charge a variety of devices and keep them secure while cleaning them using UVC light, so they are fully ready and safe to use whenever a student needs it. They are perfect for use in classrooms, libraries, computer labs and other convenient locations within schools. Our carts are a big-picture solution that can be useful not only during the pandemic, but also in the future to combat the common flu, colds and everyday germs.

UVC light technology has been used for decades in hospitals, labs and other medical settings. It is proven to eradicate viruses and bacteria by 99.9999%, and is especially effective at attacking airborne pathogens like COVID-19. The FDA cites that “UVC radiation has been shown to destroy the outer protein coating of the SARS-Coronvirus”. However, it isn’t commonly implemented in schools, yet.

“We have struggled in the past to see this highly effective, very safe technology fully implemented for airborne infections,” said Dr. Edward A. Nardell, a professor of global health and social medicine at Harvard Medical School. “We’ve done the studies. We know it works.”

PowerUp’s UVC Disinfection Charging Carts use this same technology to clean devices, emitting a 254nm UV light. The cart can disinfect a device in just 5 minutes, destroying the virus at the molecular level. It doesn’t leave any residue on devices and the carts are maintenance-free. Simply set the carts up wherever they are needed, and students can begin to clean their devices, while keeping them charged.

“Ultraviolet light mangles the genetic material in pathogens—DNA in bacteria and fungi, RNA in viruses—preventing them from reproducing. ‘You’ve killed it essentially,’ said William P. Bahnfleth, a professor of architectural engineering at Pennsylvania State University.”

We believe in taking every possible action that will help keep students safe and healthy. Our carts are a cost-effective, long-term solution that can help keep devices clean, charged and ready to use for our students.

Learn more about our UVC Disinfection Charging Carts, or contact us with questions

Edinboro University Stays Connected with Charging Solutions

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 19:13:05 +0000

POWER UP helps Edinboro University offer accessible charging solutions to students on campus.

Background

Edinboro University is committed to excellence in both academics and campus life. With the goal of developing students to become contributing citizens, the university continuously strives to improve the college experience with state-of-the-art facilities, high-quality professors, a vibrant campus community, and accessibility to all necessary resources.

Challenges

Located in Northern Pennsylvania, Edinboro University is a campus with over 500 acres of land. Due to the large size of the school, students began to make requests for technology charging areas around campus. Students expressed a shared sentiment of stress to stay connected throughout the day on campus without having to walk back home to charge a device. In a generation that is always connected — especially on a college campus where students rely on these devices in classroom settings — Edinboro University needed to adapt to the current technology landscape and offer a charging solution for students and staff. In order to better serve their diverse community, the university needed a solution that was accessible, efficient, unobtrusive, and maximized the amount of users at a single moment. To add to their challenge, Edinboro University was looking for a charging solution that could be utilized in a newly created outdoor environment on campus for the community.

Solution

Edinboro University contacted POWER UP, the industry’s premium cell phone charging technology company, to assist in their planning and implementation of a campus-wide connectivity solution.

“We researched different options and spoke with three different companies regarding charging stations. I called POWER UP because I liked the edgy and modern feel — I immediately envisioned our students using the stations,”- Jessica Gray

The POWER UP team worked closely with the university to identify the best solutions for their community and locations on campus. Through discussion, the team was able to recommend a charging solution catered to the university’s request for outdoor capability, despite the often cold and snowy climate. Understanding the weather trends in the area, a versatile solution was implemented to fit the need for an outdoor charging station. The location of the new outdoor environment is next to the school’s student union, so POWER UP deployed a charging table inside the student union that can easily be moved outside during events. In addition, the charging table is adaptable to the outdoor environment as it can operate either through battery or power cord. While the charging table was an appropriate solution for the outdoor environment and student union, POWER UP deployed charging towers to other identified high-traffic areas on campus. The slim and compact design of the charging towers minimizes obtrusion and congestion. In addition, by placing charging towers in high-traffic areas, the stations will be more accessible and reach more users. POWER UP’s solution caters to every type of device user. The stations deployed at Edinboro University have the capacity to charge a diverse set of devices through standard electric outlets, USB ports, and integrated charging cables. With efficiency in mind, POWER UP’s charging stations offer faster-charging technology than most standard charging options and allows for multiple users to charge devices at once — without affecting the overall speed of charge. Each charging tower allows up to 16 devices to be connected at once, and the charging table can support 21 devices. In addition, the charging table creates further ease with Qi wireless technology for wireless charging. Edinboro University and POWER UP also worked closely in branding the charging stations to adhere to the school’s overall marketing strategy.

Results

With POWER UP’s guidance and diligence, Edinboro University successfully enhanced its student experience with new charging stations around campus. The charging stations offer greater flexibility than an outlet installation solution. The compact stations allow the university to move the devices based on the changing needs on campus. This solution has improved the day-to-day experience for students and faculty by providing resources to remain connected throughout the day. Rather than traveling back home or simply not being able to use a device for the remainder of a day, the new stations allow the community to more effectively use their time on campus and focus on their activities. Throughout the life of the charging stations, POWER UP will serve as a guide/advisor to the school’s maintenance team in monitoring the units. The partnership supports Edinboro’s continuous effort to provide the latest services for students and will provide new parts, and advice, at a discounted rate.

“We now have other departments on our campus that would like to purchase more charging stations because of the positive feedback. With stations in high traffic areas, students can conveniently charge their phone throughout their busy schedule. Our students have shared pictures of the charging stations on their social media and said Thank you Edinboro.” - Jessica Gray

About Barcoding, Inc. Barcoding is a supply chain automation and innovation company that helps organizations be more efficient, accurate, and connected. With extensive subject matter expertise in data capture, labeling and printing, and mobile computing, we are trusted to build and manage solutions for some of the best IT and operations teams in the world. Founded in 1998, Barcoding is headquartered in Baltimore, Md., with offices across North America (Chicago, Houston, Seattle, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver). For more information, visit www.barcoding.com.About POWER UP™ (a Barcoding, Inc. Company) POWER UP™ is the industry's premium charging technology company. Our mission is to connect moments that matter for companies, events, and facilities whose guests and customers depend on a fully charged device. Proudly manufactured in Baltimore, Maryland, POWER UP™ innovation transforms device charging into lasting relationships and exceptional experiences for our clients' brands and users. To learn more, visit us at www.powerupconnect.com.www.powerupconnect.com.

Power UP™ Charging Trailer Keeps Fans Connected on Game Day and Beyond

Tue, 31 Oct 2017 14:57:30 +0000

Did you know that the overall attendance for NCAA football games across all divisions drew 49,315,857 fans at home games, neutral-site games and postseason games in 2016? This is an increase of 257,891 total fans more than the 2015 season.

Create a Positive Experience for Fans

With such a large and ever-increasing fan-base in a relatively small area, marketers everywhere are trying to get a piece of the college football pie. However, it can be difficult to stand out in a sea of ads. That’s where experiential marketing comes in. Rather than simply creating a display ad, or slapping your logo on a cup, wouldn’t it be great if you could truly make a difference in fans’ game day experiences? Now you can, with the Power Up™ Charging Trailer.

Why a Charging Trailer?

The Power Up Charging trailer can be completely custom branded and is capable of charging 60 devices at once, ideal for large crowds and tough environments. The charging trailer goes beyond simply providing the ability to charge devices to being a comprehensive experience with two screens that can display PSAs, advertisements, or anything you want to share with fans. When fans go to a college football game, they attend it not just for the game itself, but for the entire daylong experience. From the tailgate to the after-party, it’s going to be a long day. Providing fans with the opportunity to keep their phones powered throughout the day allows them to continue to stay connected and capture the moments that matter. Because of the Charging Trailer’s mobility, it can even be taken on the road, spreading university pride and your brand’s message throughout its entire journey.

Charging Beyond the Big Game

Aside from game day activities and other events, college campuses are active communities where students, faculty, and staff co-exist. Most of these people are on the go all day. Providing a way to charge devices—whether a cell phone, laptop, or tablet—keeps everyone connected and able to focus on what matters most. For students, the Power Up Charging Trailer is not only the perfect place to charge in between classes, but also a place to catch up with classmates. Campus life is about building an experience, and a branded Charging Trailer can serve as an integral part of this immersive lifestyle. Should an emergency situation arise and dorms and/or offices lose power, the Charging Trailer is there to serve as a power source to keep students, faculty, and staff connected.

How to Get the Charging Trailers

For Marketers Interested in having your brand displayed to thousands of people in a targeted, college environment? Contact us to learn more. For Universities If you’re interested in having a Charging Trailer at your University, we have several Value Added Resellers that specialize in sponsorships. This keeps your funding focused directly on education, while still being able to provide the benefit of a Charging Trailer to your students, faculty, and staff. Contact us to discuss a sponsored Charging Trailer with one of our trusted partners.

5 Reasons Your College or University Must Have Cell Phone Charging Stations

Wed, 30 Aug 2017 17:01:15 +0000

Ubiquitous in usage, smartphones on college campuses are also essential to the health, well-being, education, safety, and growth of a student population. Implementing a strategy to help keep those students (and their devices) powered on is critical to the expansion plans of a college or university. Centrally located charging kiosks, tables, and stations don’t just provide an essential service to students, but they also enable colleges and universities to analyze usage and crowd behavior, communicate in real-time, and foster long-term relationships between the students and the school. Let’s look at 5 ways that a smart charging strategy on your college or university campus would have an impact:

Keep Students Safe

A fully charged cell phone is the difference between life or death during an emergency on campus. By deploying charging stations strategically, Universities and Colleges can help keep students safe and connected during emergency situations. Using digital signage and a central administrator, the charging stations can also act as emergency information hubs, capable of delivery key information. At Power Up™, the remote management tool can be used to push out this type of messaging in real-time during emergencies and closings. The system can also display weather forecasts, RSS feeds, and a variety of other media.

Provide a Quality Education

With students frequently relying on technology (phones, laptops) during and after class for note-taking, research, and class information, running out of battery is the equivalent to missing class or running out of paper. Charging stations and kiosks in central lobbies, libraries, and study halls help students stay connected during class and with their study groups/partners. At The University of Alabama, Power Up™ charging kiosks were deployed to keep students focused on their education. “The kiosk gives students the opportunity to charge their devices for free while managing their busy schedules,” Nugent said. “I think we can all relate to when we’ve run out of battery power or forgotten our power cords at the worst possible time.”

Drive Recruits and Satisfaction Scores

It’s no surprise that students today are more closely connected to their phone for social and personal use than ever before. For colleges and universities, keeping students connected online to social networks is imperative to drive recruitment and satisfaction. Ralph Valle, Towson University’s director of marketing and communications, lauded the school’s initial placement of the Power Up™ Charging Kiosks on campus. “Since installing the Power Up™ cell-phone charging kiosk in our student union, a very high traffic area right in front of the entrance to our university book store, students have inundated us with positive feedback. It’s no secret that today’s college student spends a significant amount of their time – both personal and for their studies – on their smartphone, tablet or other mobile internet computing device, and Power Up′s kiosk provides them with a very convenient, secure, accessible resource for them to charge their device.”

Enable Real-time Communication

Smartphones provide instant access to all things happening at the college or university. Without a smart charging strategy in place, administrators are missing an opportunity to keep students connected. The University of Alabama has branded their Power Up™ kiosk with the school’s logo, social media links, and a QR (Quick Response) code to direct students to specific a landing page. Currently the kiosks display messages to the students that are controlled by a central administrator on campus. The Power Up™ digital signage solution allows for the staff to remotely change the content on all of the kiosks across campus from a central location.

Build School Spirit

By strategically planning the deployment of charging kiosks and tables, a college or university can directly impact school spirit and student satisfaction. By keeping cell phones charged, smart colleges and universities are driving more positive conversations online for all types of school-led events like sports, arts, and music. The more students are able to share their positive experiences, the better the brand of the college or university. At Towson University, officials installed a freestanding charging machine that also features a screen on which the university can display marketing messages. Towson’s model from Power Up™ provides devices with a rapid boost, delivering a quick charge in 10 minutes. “Inside Jordan-Hare stadium where the 2010 BCS National Championship Auburn Tigers play, students and fans are constantly using their mobile devices to update friends on the game, post messages via twitter and Facebook, or track scores from games around the country and with that having low batteries on their devices. With the thousands of visitors to the 87,000 seat Jordan-Hare stadium for every home game, this helps provide an excellent customer service amenity to fans and provides an additional revenue opportunity to the vendor and school,” said Ralph Valle. “Every time I walk around the corner, I see a couple of students sitting on the sofa getting their cell phone charged, so I say this is well worth it.”