Today Wincor Nixdorf AG founded a development center for coin processing in Linz, Austria. This new center will host the future development of system components for the automated acceptance and processing of coins. With this step, Wincor Nixdorf moves beyond the focus on banknote processing technology that has made the company one of the leading providers of ATMs and payment systems to banks and retail companies. “We see cost-savings potential of more than 20 percent through the automation of cash handling at retail stores and bank branches. And because the cost/benefit ratio in coin handling is even worse than for banknotes, we’d like to provide an optimal solution in the future with our own technology,” explains President and CEO Eckard Heidloff.

Cash processing represents a big challenge for retail banks and retail companies. According to estimates, cash handling in Europe in these two sectors costs around 50 billion euros every year. And that trend is expected to continue: despite the growth of electronic and card-based payment transactions, the volume of cash in circulation is increasing. This increase applies to coins as much as to banknotes. For example, according to the European Central Bank, the number of 1-euro coins in the Eurozone has nearly doubled since 2002 – to approximately 6 billion today. Coins with a lower value are multiplying at even greater rates.

Against the backdrop of its many years of extensive know-how in cash handling products and services for banks and retailers, Wincor Nixdorf has developed a concept for automated, closed cash cycles that enables costs savings of more than 20 percent. But while the technology needed for banknote processing comes from Wincor Nixdorf itself, systems and components for coin processing have traditionally been purchased from third parties and integrated by Wincor Nixdorf.

The company is now moving to close this gap by moving into the development of coin processing technology itself. In the future, Wincor Nixdorf will develop and produce its own high-quality, innovative components for coin processing and consequently be able to integrate them even more effectively into individual customer solutions. The goal is to develop a platform technology that can be used by the systems of both banks and retailers alike. Existing cooperations with strategic partners remain unaffected by this new venture. The newly-founded coin processing facility is the next step for Wincor Nixdorf in meeting its goal of becoming the world’s leading provider of solutions for automated cash processing at banks and retail businesses.

College Station, Texas − Texas Digital Systems Inc. (TDS), a leading provider of visual communication solutions, has added Outdoor LED displays to its line of signage solutions. Outdoor LED displays are very effective in attracting attention, delivering memorable messages and influencing viewer action. The addition of this product line allows TDS customers to expand their messaging from strictly indoor signage to outside the facility.

The Outdoor LED display can be used for standalone messaging or incorporated into larger static signs. Applications for outdoor LED displays include advertising and promotions at businesses as well as education campuses, stadiums, parking garages, entertainment venues, worship facilities, convention centers and more.

The energy-efficient LED display with enhanced brightness and contrast is offered in both full-color and monochrome options to fit multiple applications and budgets. Messaging can be changed “on-the-fly” and updated to the sign in real time with Texas Digital’s VitalCAST software solution. For installations where local zoning regulations limit the use and frequency of video and message changes, Texas Digital also offers a simple, point-and-click software.

The modular Outdoor LED display system allows for maximum size flexibility that can be customized to almost any specification. Displays can be as large as 45-foot high by 80-foot wide, and in 13.3, 16, 20 and 26.7mm pixel spacing sizes to suit various viewing distances.

Durability, low maintenance costs and servicing considerations were paramount in the design and selection of the display components, notes Romney Stewart, Vice President of Customer Services. Texas Digital has over 15 years experience in developing outdoor visual communication solutions, with more than 24,000 AccuVIEW drive-up order confirmation displays and OmniVIEW Outdoor LCD displays installed across the world. “Texas Digital is well known for supporting products with quick and effective resolutions, and our Outdoor LED display is serviced in the same professional manner. Our dedicated project management teams ensure that each installation is managed from concept to completion,” Stewart said.

Texas Digital’s Outdoor LED modules are front serviceable, meaning they are easier to access and the modular nature of the product allows the overall sign to remain functional even during on-site service and maintenance. Each approximately 1-foot by 1-foot LED module is independent and interchangeable, making maintenance a plug-and-play operation.

“We are excited to expand our digital signage offerings into another area of our outdoor signage expertise that is growing quickly and highly visible. Our customers have repeatedly expressed a need for this kind of signage and we look forward to now providing them with a complete turnkey solution that combines their outdoor and indoor signage together under one system that is supplied and supported by one provider,” said Dennis Davidson, president and COO of Texas Digital.

About Texas Digital

Established in 1972, Texas Digital is a leading provider of digital signage solutions, with over 24,000 installations worldwide. Texas Digital’s customers include leaders in the corporate communications, education, cinema, healthcare, sports & entertainment, financial and quick-serve restaurant industries. For more information on Texas Digital and its products, visit www.txdigital.com.

Wincomm Demonstrates Seamless Full Flat Touch Screen Medical All-In-One Computer at MEDICA 2010 To Significantly Reduce Chance of Superbug Infection (Patent Pending)

Hsinchu, Taiwan, - Recently there have been many reports in the media of superbug infections in hospitals around the world leading to panic among the general public. For example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported that the KPC (Klebsiella Pneumoniae Carbapenemases) bacteria previously prevalent in New York and New Jersey have now spread to more than half of all American states. In Brazil, the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo reported on October 9 that 18 people had died due to KPC in the country's capital Rio de Janeiro. KPC has now been confirmed to be resistant to multiple antibiotics, including Penicillin.

 

Multiple-resistant KPC has now spread to over half of all American states The pharmaceutical industry has not yet launched an effective program to develop new drugs to treat this superbug so the only response from the CDC so far has been to issue working guidelines to reduce the chance of intra-hospital infections. Doctors are advised to wear protective clothing and gloves when treating patient diagnosis with KPC infection to protect themselves and minimize the chance of spreading the bacteria to other people.
Other common multiple drug resistant bacteria in hospitals include MRSA, MDRAB, VRE, NDM-1 and more.



In all above cases, these bacteria spread through contact and most infections occur in hospitals. The only way to reduce the threat is to reduce the chance of infection through "contact" as much as possible. In response to the medical crisis caused by these superbugs, Wincomm has now developed an all new design for medical-grade computers. Seamless and Full Flat Touch Screen Design The seams in conventional computers may harbor dirt and bacteria. To reduce the amount of bacteria after sterilization with alcohol, Wincomm has developed a seamless full flat front screen design for the touch panel which the most frequent contacts occur.

 

The Full Flat Touch Screen on the WMP-191/192 Clean Me function allows the service person to disable the touch function for 3 minutes when cleaning service is required.



Clean me” function of WMP-191/192 (patent pending) The housing protection design of the WMP-191/192 is IP65-rated at the front and IPX1-rated overall. When used on a long-term basis in a medical environment where it must be regularly swabbed down and disinfected, the WMP-191/192 offers both high reliability and durability.



The front of the WMP-191/192 features an IP65-rated, seamless Full Flat Touch Screen design Anti-MRSA Design (Advanced design w/ optional flexibility) The above comparison table shows that the most common superbug in the hospitals is MRSA because it can survive in every corner of the hospital. Wincomm, therefore, produce the plastic housing of the WMP-191/192 out of persistent anti-bacterial plastic that suppresses the growth of MRSA by up to 99.999% (in a 24-hour test). The anti-bacterial formula is mixed into the PC+ABS plastic so the housing itself has anti-bacterial properties that are not reduced even when sterilized with alcohol swabs on a regular basis.



Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)



The back cover of the WMP-191/192 is made out of a special material impregnated with anti-MRSA properties. The anti-bacterial effect is not reduced even when sterilized with alcohol swabs on a regular basis

Key Design Features of the Wincomm WMP-191/192

Seamless Full Flat Touch Screen To prevent the harboring of bacteria in hard-to-clean computer seams, Wincomm WMP-191/192 adopts the Full Flat Touch Screen design for the area of most frequent contact to achieve a completely seamless result.   The plastic housing of the WMP-191-192 is made out of persistent anti-bacterial plastic that suppresses the growth of MRSA bacteria by up to 99.999% (in a 24-hour test). The anti-MRSA housing is an options for customer to choose.

Intel Core 2 Duo computing power

The WMP-191 series uses the latest Intel Core 2 Duo, giving the single-board computer high performance and lower power consumption. The smart fan solution reduces noise to below 35db as well.

Optional Fanless design

The WMP-192 uses a fanless design in addition to its Core 2 Duo processing power to meet the stringent noise requirements in a medical setting to make the computer as noiseless as possible during use.

Custom Main Board Design

Thermal flow simulation was carried out on all heat-producing active components, including the CPU, DRAM, NB and HDD to optimize board layout and component placement. Compared to the reference mini-ITX PCB designs on the market today, Wincomm's custom mainboard avoids the problem of poor thermal dissipation impacting reliability during long-term use.

Exacting thermal design

Wincomm has always adopted a very solid & complete approach to thermal design so our products not only perform dependably but are also far more reliable during long-term use. These qualities are very important for medical device vendors.

Long-term 5~7-Year product life cycle

Wincomm is capable of supporting long-term 5 ~ 7-year product life cycles.

Customization service

The design of the mainboard, housing, BIOS and drivers are all developed in-house by Wincomm from scratch so we can meet the requirements of any special applications. If you have any customization requirements, please do not hesitate to contact our sales representative.

TAIPEI, TAIWAN, - CAYIN will introduce more in-depth digital signage integrations for emerging vertical markets at Infocomm Asia 2010, held from November 17th to 19th in Hong Kong. CAYIN welcomes all system integrators who are eager to create their own unique digital signage solutions to join CAYIN that will stand out from the competition.

At Infocomm Asia 2010, CAYIN will unprecedentedly partner up with selected outstanding system integrators in Taiwan to showcase complete digital signage solutions in sport games, corporate communication, environmental monitoring, 3G and GPS applications.

From the live demonstration at CAYIN’s booth, visitors will experience how CAYIN’s flexible platform can be integrated with their own software, equipment, and domain knowledge in any specific vertical market, and furthermore, to be able to create an optimized, competitive digital signage solution.

CAYIN Digital Signage and Sports Game System

HeimaVista’s sports game system can automatically present the schedule, scoreboard, and rank diagram of each sport. The master website collects all data from each sport system, so that spectators can track contestants online during the live event. Well integrated with CAYIN SMP-WEB series players, the system flexibly presents up-to-date and Internet-accessible information on digital signage screens, allocated throughout the sports venues.
CAYIN Digital Signage and Corporate Announcement System

NewSoft Technology releases an announcement system for corporate use to create and manage announcements more easily. The system perfectly integrates with CAYIN SMP-WEB series players and furthermore provides more functions, especially designed for corporate communication, such as pre-designed templates, electronic authentication, digital bulletin board system, weather, etc.

CAYIN Digital Signage and Environmental Monitoring System

Idea Technology integrates CAYIN’s SMP digital signage players with its Multi-Functional Monitoring System to indicate environmental conditions in confined or semi-confined spaces on screens. With Idea’s system, screens not only can convey dynamic multimedia content, but also inform audiences of crucial environment indices, such as temperature, humidity, voltage, electric current, etc.

CAYIN Digital Signage and 3G, GPS, Google Maps

CAYIN’s SMP-WEB series digital signage players can integrate with 3G and GPS technology to provide mobile and place-based solutions. Players installed in moving vehicles can playback contents based on locations. Administrators can also locate each player on Google Maps and instantly have an idea of overall connection status of all players.

With the rapid development of digital signage industry, more and more similar digital signage players are available in the market. To perfectly fit diversified requirements from different applications and stand out from the competition, the flexible integration capability of CAYIN’s digital signage solution becomes the real advantage of optimizing digital signage system to win out in projects and tenders.

Welcome to visit CAYIN at booth 15D01.

PHOENIX, – Camelback Toyota, a dealership located in the heart of Phoenix, is receiving a lot of attention for its recent renovations. It just built a 62,000 square-foot showroom alongside a 65,000 square-foot service facility with loads of added conveniences.

“What continues to make the biggest impression on all of our guests, however, is the digital technology,” said Kim McKay, Customer Relations Manager at Camelback. A state-of–the-art digital signage network from Unified Brand and Scala is one of the major components of the 22-year-old facility’s complete makeover.

The goal of building this showroom was to create an environment that does not resemble a car dealership. The new facility is equipped with high-end amenities, including free Wi-Fi, a cafe, high-tech media room, kids’ play area, outdoor patio and massage area with in-chair TVs. Accordingly, Camelback did an in-depth search to find a sophisticated digital signage network that would be able to match all of its other 5-star improvements.

The quest for the right vendor led Camelback Toyota to Unified Brand, which developed a digital network that offers custom content and a high-end brand experience. As a full-service media agency, Unified Brand has the compatibility to create, distribute and manage all content. Using Scala 5 Content Manager and Player software, Camelback Toyota runs rotating images of famous people, motivational quotes and custom-written “thoughts of the day” to motivate and entertain customers and employees.

The new digital signage system includes:

•    Seven unique channels playing a mix of custom HD content and real-time news such as stock prices, sports scores and business news;
•    45 Samsung HD screens scattered throughout the showroom, lounge, four-bay service area, cafe, new car delivery area, and parts and accessories department;
•    Two jumbo HD TVs mounted on a column 25 feet in the air;
•    Custom-built PCs
•    Control 4 Systems to change channels and switch to live TV; and
•    Library of dealership-specific content.


In addition to the expansive fleet of flat-screen TVs that display Camelback’s custom content, a movie-theater sized high-definition projector screen dominates one wall of the dealership, giving the lobby the look and feel of a grand hotel. New financing deals, car accessory upgrades, service discounts, manufacturer’s specials and other promotions constantly rotate on Camelback’s network of screens to up-sell customers while still providing entertainment.

Camelback Toyota also uses the Scala system to run an ad in Unified Brand’s local community network of signs, helping to draw new customers to the dealership.

“We wholeheartedly recommend this system and the providers behind it to anyone. We have extremely high standards, but Scala and Unified Brand met them,” McKay said. They were great, and have continued to provide amazing service — even months later, as we continue to explore all of the possibilities of our new digital network.”

To read more about Camelback Toyota’s new digital signage network, visit http://www.scala.com/news/studies/CamelbackToyota.

About Camelback Toyota

Camelback Toyota is a flagship Toyota dealership located in the “Camelback Dealer Row” section of Phoenix, Ariz. A winner of the “President’s Award” for the past nine consecutive years, Camelback Toyota has been a national, regional and local leader in sales volume for decades. http://www.camelbacktoyota.com

About Unified Brand

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Unified Brand is a leader in custom digital signage solutions. Focused on auto, corporate and retail clients, Unified Brand also creates custom content, graphical elements with real-time scores, stock quotes and news tickers, video walls, projection/hologram design, and integrations with third-party applications. They also have an in-house audio-visual install team to provide turnkey services for nationwide projects. http://www.unifiedbrand.com

About Scala

Driving more than 500,000 screens worldwide, Scala is a leading global provider of digital signage and advertising management solutions. Scala is the world’s first connected signage company, offering the leading platform for content creation, management and distribution in digital signage networks and the first unified platform for advertising management of both traditional and digital signage networks. The company's digital signage customers include Rabobank, IKEA, Burger King, T-Mobile, Virgin MegaStore, Warner Brothers, The Life Channel, Rikstoto, Repsol, NorgesGruppen, Audi, ECE Flatmedia, Kaufhof (Metro Group) and thousands more. Advertising management customers include CBS Outdoor, Clear Channel Outdoor and Magic Media, among others. Scala is headquartered near Philadelphia, USA, and has subsidiaries in Canada, The Netherlands, France, Norway, Germany and Japan, as well as more than 450 partners in more than 60 countries. More information is available at www.scala.com.

DIGICHIEF has been chosen by IDENTITY GROUP as the source for automated news and weather feed content for their financial environments division.

IDENTITY GROUP (www.identitygroup.com) is a leader in the design and production of visual identity products including interior and exterior signage, fixtures, displays, promotional signage, business stationery, and name badges serving the hospitality, healthcare, and retail markets.

DIGICHIEF (www.digichief.com) provides Digital Out Of Home Networks a central solution for content, including a full line of RSS and XML feeds for news, weather, sports, financials, trivia, and more.

New Wayfinder Add-In for Xpresenter™

At CETW 2010, X2O Media will showcase a new Microsoft® PowerPoint® add-in that greatly simplifies the content creation process, allowing users to build their own wayfinder maps for corporate facilities, campuses, airports, public venues, and more. With the new wayfinder add-in, users of X2O's Xpresenter™ digital signage platform can easily import floor plans and create digital, interactive wayfinder maps — with start and end points and animated directional arrows that indicate the path — directly inside PowerPoint and publish them to the X2O network. The maps can include a video or an image for both start and end points, and on-the-go signage viewers can even e-mail directions to themselves directly from the interactive screen.

Xpresenter™ 3.0

With Xpresenter™ 3.0, X2O Media takes dynamic communications on digital displays to the next level, combining unprecedented ease of use with the broadcast-quality video graphics the company is known for. Xpresenter is a complete suite of applications that allows users to create dynamic content for their digital displays quickly and easily, distribute the content, and then monitor activity on the displays using powerful remote management tools. The Xpresenter Template Maker 3.0 authoring tool has been bolstered to integrate content management, making it more efficient than ever to create and schedule compelling content straight from the familiar PowerPoint® interface. In addition, it includes an extensive "smart" object library for the quick and simple creation of content featuring videos, images, PowerPoint slides, RSS feeds, live information sources, and much more. Version 3.0 also includes support for 3-D effects, enabling the creation of innovative elements such as rotating graphics. Other enhancements to the platform include a more powerful digital asset management system, ad campaign management tools, and advanced rule-based scheduling tools.
Xpresenter 3.0 also features Microsoft® Office add-in tools for PowerPoint, Word, and Excel®, making it easier than ever for users to update content. The Xpresenter Office add-ins appear as custom toolbars directly inside the Office Ribbon. This tight integration allows Xpresenter users to publish content directly from their favorite Office applications to display screens on the X2O network.

New Versions of Xpresenter™ Xe

When it comes to digital signage solutions, one size does not fit all. That's why X2O Media is introducing three new cost-effective versions of its Xpresenter™ Xe digital signage system. Designed for any budget, the new high-quality solutions allow users to select the features they need, without paying for those that they don't. All new Xe versions offer the same intuitive point-and-click content management tools, while providing varying levels of output complexity to meet the needs of any application. New Xpresenter Xe versions include the Xe Digital Poster for still images, Xe Video Poster for stills and video, and Xe Dynamic DS for stills, video, and data-driven graphics, enabling users to choose the application they need now and upgrade as future needs arise.
In addition, X2O offers a new Xe Desktop add-in for the Xpresenter™ Xe Series, which extends the reach of communications beyond digital signs by allowing users to receive information such as messages, video, and alerts via a user-friendly player right on their desktop computer screens.

About X2O Media:

X2O Media is a full-service provider of software, network management services, and content services for professional digital signage and corporate communication applications. The company offers a wide variety of software solutions for digital signage and interactive networks of all sizes. X2O's award-winning Xpresenter™ provides an end-to-end platform for the creation, management, and distribution of content at broadcast quality, and at a fraction of the time of other solutions. In addition to technology, X2O offers content design, acquisition, management, distribution, and monitoring services for digital signage networks. More information about X2O Media is available at www.x2omedia.com.

All trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.

CHICAGO - NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading provider of commercial LCD display and projector solutions, announced today that Dickinson Theatres has selected NEC DLP Cinema® projectors and GDC servers for 250 digital cinema systems. The full digital conversion will take place in 25 theatres in 5 midwest states, half of which are expected to be completed in the next 12 months. Ballantyne Strong, Inc. (NYSE Amex: BTN) is the project's reseller and will provide installation services; Cinedigm will provide the deployment support utilizing its integration program, while full financing is provided by NEC Financial Services and bankers Macquarie International.

"We are delighted to have secured this contract with Dickinson Theatres and to have NEC Financial Services provide the financing to make this deployment possible," said Pierre Richer, President and C.O.O. of NEC Display Solutions.  "NEC's Digital Cinema Projector Series provides the highest quality for moviegoers, and when coupled with NEC's financing solutions, represents a best-in-class solution for exhibitors looking to make the move to digital. Partnering with Ballantyne and Cinedigm on this particular deployment is not only an asset for NEC but a building block to leverage Dickinson's theatres."

The system installation will include, in addition to NEC's fully 4K-upgradeable projectors, GDC Servers and digital audio hardware. The Digital Cinema Projector Series is fully Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) Compliant and exceeds the high standards in the digital cinema industry with enhanced cooling capabilities and user interface. Dickinson has taken advantage of NEC's unique financing services, which has been an asset to many of NEC's negotiations for digital conversions in cinemas this year.

"Having the new screens will allow us to celebrate our 90th anniversary this November with 3D films, live sports programming and concert films," said John Hartley, President and CEO of Dickinson Theatres. "It's an exciting adventure for us to begin at such a pivotal point in our company's history. Working with NEC, Cinedigm and Ballantyne has been a perfect fit for this project from conception."

"As NEC's master reseller for digital cinema projectors in the Americas, we are very excited to team with NEC and Cinedigm to execute this turnkey digital cinema deployment for Dickinson Theatres, a long-time Ballantyne customer," said John Wilmers, President and CEO, Ballantyne Strong.

"GDC is delighted to be a part of Dickinson Theatre's digital cinema conversion plan,"   said Dr. Man-Nang Chong, founder and CEO of GDC Technology. "Having established a solid partnership with NEC, Cinedigm and Ballantyne Strong, we are confident that this collaboration will not only heighten the entertainment experience for customers, but also ensure Dickinson Theatres are serviced with top quality and future proof digital cinema technology."

"We value our partnership with Dickinson Theatres and are thrilled to be working with them on their digital cinema rollout in conjunction with NEC," said Chuck Goldwater, President of the Media Services Group at Cinedigm. "Multi-pronged relationships are the basis of Cinedigm's business, and being part of the digital solution for Dickinson together with our partners at NEC is right where we want to be."

For more information about NEC's digital cinema projectors, please visit http://www.necdisplay.com/Products/SubClass/?subclass=Projectors.
To learn more about financing options, please visit http://www.necdisplay.com/GoDigital or contact NECDigitalCinemaLease@neclease.com.

About NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc.

Headquartered in Itasca, Ill., NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc., is a leading designer and provider of innovative desktop LCD monitors, commercial- and professional-grade large-screen LCD displays, a diverse line of multimedia and digital cinema projectors, and integrated display solutions. NEC Display Solutions develops leading-edge visual technology and customer-focused solutions for a wide variety of markets, including enterprise, healthcare, education and digital signage. For additional information about NEC Display Solutions of America monitors, consumers can call (866) NEC-MORE, or visit the website at www.necdisplay.com. For digital images, please visit http://www.necdisplay.com/products/digitalmedialibrary/.

About VUKUNET

VUKUNET, from NEC Display Solutions of America, is the engine that powers the digital out-of-home advertising business.  VUKUNET is the only universal ad serving platform that drives ads to any digital out-of-home network, regardless of content management system. VUKUNET makes the buying, flighting and reporting of digital out-of-home ad campaigns easy.  For additional information about VUKUNET, visit www.vukunet.com or call (877) 805-VUKU. 

About Ballantyne Strong, Inc. (www.ballantyne-strong.com)

Ballantyne Strong, Inc., is a provider of digital cinema projection equipment and services as well as cinema screens, motion picture projectors and specialty lighting equipment and services.  The Company supplies major and independent theater chains, top arenas, theme parks and architectural sites around the world.
 
About NEC Financial Services, LLC

NEC Financial Services, LLC, delivers tailored leasing structures of extraordinary flexibility to customers nationwide and has expanded to include a complete range of technologies and services. NEC Financial Services offers financing services to Solution Providers, System Integrators, Resellers and Dealers, and their customers by supporting the sale of products and solutions to businesses in the United States. For more information, visit www.neclease.com.

About Cinedigm

Cinedigm is a leader in providing the services, experience, technology and content critical to transforming movie theaters into digital and networked entertainment centers. The Company partners with Hollywood movie studios, independent movie distributors, and exhibitors to bring movies in digital cinema format to audiences across the country. Cinedigm's digital cinema deployment organization, software, satellite and hard drive digital movie delivery network; pre-show in-theater advertising services; and marketing and distribution platform for alternative content such as CineLive® 3-D and 2-D sports and concerts, thematic programming and independent movies is a cornerstone of the digital cinema transformation. CinedigmTM and Cinedigm Digital Cinema CorpTM are trademarks of Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. www.cinedigm.com [CIDM-G]

West Coast Vending had a problem: dollar coins were cutting into profits. Each week, the operator was buying thousands of dollar coins to stock its machines so customers could use large bills to purchase items without receiving quarters as change. West Coast had expected to receive a percentage of these coins back when customers used them for other purchases. But that wasn’t happening.

“Given that our machines are in locations where we typically get repeat customers, we expected they would use those dollar coins for their next purchase,” said an exasperated Matt Bauer, vice president of West Coast Vending, a full-line operator with machines throughout the San Francisco Bay area. Instead, only 14 percent of them were being re-used each week.

This was a huge productivity drain on the company, as it required frequent trips to the bank and took time for drivers to regularly re-fill the coin tubes. It also had real effects on the company’s finances, because the money was sitting in machines rather than gaining interest in the bank.

West Coast had been searching for a way to combat this costly problem when its preferred payment system vendor presented a potential solution: cash recyling technology. Today’s cash recyclers let consumers pay with higher bill denominations and receive change in bills rather than dollar coins. A recent field study conducted by MEI found that higher bill acceptance leads to a 15-20 percent increase in overall vending machine sales.

West Coast Vending trialed cash recycling by equipping five of their machines with an MEI CASHFLOW® VNR bill recycler as a modular add-on to their existing bill validators. They tracked the machines closely for two months to determine the effects. “We saw savings benefits almost immediately,” said Bauer. “Cash recycling reduced the time required by drivers to restock the dollar coin tubes by 66 percent, and allowed us to eliminate half of our dollar coin tubes in each machine…a huge savings for us.” West Coast also discovered that their customers’ purchase behaviors kept the recyclers full of $1 bills, freeing up valuable capital.

As an added bonus, West Coast Vending experienced, on average, a 10 percent sales lift per machine, with some as high as 15 percent. “This wasn’t our main goal, but it was a pleasant surprise,” said Bauer. Letting consumers pay with higher denomination bills and receive change in bills was the biggest driver for the sales increase.

Bauer says that the investment paid for itself in less than six months – a full six months ahead of initial expectations. Since the initial trial, West Coast Vending has outfitted 10 machines with recyclers and plans to add 10 more in the coming months. Ultimately, the company expects to add at least two MEI cash recyclers to each bank of machines throughout all of its routes.

“All vending operators should consider embracing this new technology,” said Bauer. “For us, cash recycling has significantly increased productivity, boosted profits and positioned us for continued savings and growth.”

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. – Redbox announced today it will expand its video game rental test this month to include additional markets in the West, Midwest and Atlantic coast. The addition of video games to the popular redbox kiosks is part of an ongoing test designed to gauge consumer interest in video game rentals. Redbox began testing the concept of renting video games in August 2009.

Redbox consumers in each test market will have access to a variety of video games from the top platforms, including: Wii™, PLAYSTATION® 3, and Xbox 360®, for $2 a night plus tax. The number of video game titles and copies will vary by kiosk and location with new games being added each week.

As part of the test, consumers can visit www.redbox.com/games to see the current list of games offered by redbox. Then, once at the kiosk, users access the touch screen display to determine which titles and platforms are available at that particular location. Halo Reach (Xbox 360), NBA 2K11 (Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3), New Carnival Games (Wii) and Dead Rising 2 (Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3) are among the video game titles that will be available at redbox.

About Redbox

Redbox Automated Retail, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coinstar, Inc., offers new release DVD and Blu-ray Disc rentals through its network of conveniently located, self-service kiosks. Redbox has rented more than one billion movies and is available at more than 24,000 locations nationwide, including select McDonald's restaurants, leading grocery, drug and convenience stores, select Walmart locations and Walgreens locations in select markets. For more information, visit www.redbox.com.

CHICAGO - NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading provider of commercial LCD display and projector solutions, announced today the new MultiSync® EX Series ideal for corporate users looking for increased productivity and sleek aesthetics.

The introduction of the series begins with the 23" MultiSync EX231W, an LED-backlit LCD monitor equipped with DisplayPort and DVI-I for full high-definition resolution. The monitor offers users an ultra slim bezel (14.6mm width ), ultra light weight (9.3 lbs with stand) and USB pass-through on the top of the monitor, which allows quick connecting of a webcam or simple flash drive access. Additionally, its excellent ergonomic features include a fully adjustable stand with 110mm height adjust, pivot, swivel and tilt, as well as a built-in carrying handle and quick release stand, which is ideal in financial applications where multiple monitors are tiled.

First-class quality comes in the form of brand new technologies like the human sensor, which detects user activity in front of the monitor and reduces its power up to 95% with inactivity. Users have the ability to adjust the inactivity length and sensor settings. The monitor's ambient light sensor detects external light sources and adjusts the display's brightness accordingly, while its carbon savings meter calculates the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

"Building on the strong heritage of the MultiSync brand, the EX Series was developed to give users a unique blend of an ultra-slim, light-weight display that is extremely environmentally friendly and packed with features," said Kevin Christopherson, Director of Product Marketing for desktop monitors at NEC. "The stunning design of the MultiSync EX231W makes it a perfect candidate for corporate and financial users looking for a benchmark product throughout its offices. The innovations built into this product make it our greenest desktop series to date with the least amount of materials, waste and harmful substances."

The widescreen MultiSync EX231W offers the following features:

•      1920 x 1080 full high-definition resolution
•      250 cd/m² brightness
•      25,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
•      31W typical power consumption, 16W in ECO ModeTM
•      DisplayPort and DVI-I connectivity
•      USB pass-through
•      4-way ergonomic stand with 110mm height adjust, pivot, swivel and tilt
•      Quick-release stand
•      Touch-sensitive On Screen Display (OSD) controls
•      Human sensor
•      Ambient light sensor
•      ECO Mode, Carbon footprint meter and cost meter
•      Intelligent Power Management (IPM) system and off timer
•      Dynamic Video Mode (standard, text, movie, game photo)
•      External power supply via mini AC adaptor
•      ENERGY STAR 5.0 compliance
•      Windows 7 and Windows VistaTM certified

The MultiSync EX231W will be available in November 2010 at an estimated street price of $339 and ships with a 3-year parts and labor limited warranty.

About NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc.

Headquartered in Itasca, Ill., NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc., is a leading designer and provider of innovative desktop LCD monitors, commercial- and professional-grade large-screen LCD displays, a diverse line of multimedia and digital cinema projectors, and integrated display solutions. NEC Display Solutions develops leading-edge visual technology and customer-focused solutions for a wide variety of markets, including enterprise, healthcare, education and digital signage. For additional information about NEC Display Solutions of America monitors, consumers can call (866) NEC-MORE, or visit the website at www.necdisplay.com.

About VUKUNET

VUKUNET, from NEC Display Solutions of America, is the engine that powers the digital out-of-home advertising business.  VUKUNET is the only universal ad serving platform that drives ads to any digital out-of-home network, regardless of content management system. VUKUNET makes the buying, flighting and reporting of digital out-of-home ad campaigns easy.  For additional information about VUKUNET, visit www.vukunet.com or call (877) 805-VUKU. 

MEI Banknote Reader dominates the casino floor Gran Casino Costa Brava

Reading, UK, - Gran Casino Costa Brava in Spain opened in July with MEI CASHFLOW SC note validators on its slot floor. The casino is located on the coast of Lloret de Mar, a popular tourist destination northeast of Barcelona and has seen over 1,000 visitors per day since its opening.

Francisco Fiol, slot director at Gran Casino Costa Brava, was involved in the selection of MEI: “The note validator is of vital importance to slot play and our property’s success requires the best note validator in the marketplace. Our strategy is to welcome the players with the best technology in the best atmosphere possible; choosing the MEI CASHFLOW SC fits in with this strategy. Its acceptance rates are excellent and we have not needed to service them. We have specified MEI on all of our Unidesa, Novomatic, Williams, Atronic and GoldClub machines.”

MEI introduced the MEI CASHFLOW SC note validator to the casino executive board during the planning stage. “MEI introduced the best note validator in the market to Gran Casino Costa Brava,” said Mark Greenawalt, VP of Gaming EMEA. “The excellent feedback from casinos specifying MEI around the world motivated the property to specify CASHFLOW SC on its slot machines. We appreciate Gran Casino Costa Brava’s support and thank them for specifying MEI.”

About MEI

MEI systems are relied upon for more than two billion transactions per week in over 100 countries. The company developed the first electronic coin mechanism in the 1960s followed by the first electronic non-contact bill acceptor, and more recently the EASITRAX Soft Count system. Recently, MEI reached a milestone of selling more than five million bill acceptors and six million coin mechanisms worldwide. Its products are in widespread use in the gaming, vending, soft drink, amusement, transportation, retail and kiosk markets. For more information on MEI and its products, visit www.meigroup.com

Helios has chosen Acquire as the software platform for their first installation of interactive digital signage systems in Turkey. A combination of digital signs and kiosks has been installed in three major shopping malls. The largest shopping mall in Europe, the Forum Istanbul, has thirty five systems www.forumistanbul.com.tr/Default.aspx . There are five in the Forum Mersin www.forummersin.com/eng/ and four in Forum Cappodocia.

As a specialist in interactive digital signage solutions, Helios has developed their own ‘wayfinder’ application that sits on top of the Acquire software platform. This combination enables the kiosk to not only display the ‘wayfinder’ but to also show an ‘attractor’ screen (images or video designed to entice visitors to interact with the kiosk) and display adverts on different parts of the screen.

Due to security limitations, content is not permitted to be sent to the devices via the internet so new content is sent to the kiosks and LCD screens over the local area network (LAN) using Acquire’s Point2Point technology. However, the service level agreement (SLA) does permit Helios to perform remote monitoring of the screens, which they carry out using Acquire’s built-in ‘Site Manager’ tool. ‘Site Manager’ works in tandem with a software watchdog (called ‘Sentinel’) installed on the kiosk and digital signage PCs. This software combination has many remote monitoring capabilities, but in simple terms it locks down the PC preventing external access, and monitors activity such as application resource issues and device failures. In the event of any failure, the support engineer is alerted by email (SMS is also available). The engineer can then connect directly to the PC to perform remote diagnostics.

Dealers Can Get the Unprecedented Capabilities of the Digital Switcher Widely Deployed in Military and Medical Installations for Smaller-Scale Installations
 
RICHARDSON, TX - AMX®, the leading provider of solutions that simplify the implementation, maintenance, and use of technology to create effective environments, today announced the immediate availability of the Epica® DGX 16 Fiber Matrix Switcher. The compact Epica DGX 16 Fiber Matrix Switcher opens the door to more installers who want the unmatched clarity, distance and security capabilities found in many mission-critical installations for smaller-scale projects.

The Epica DGX product line, the next generation of the Epica DG line widely used by the U.S. Military and medical facilities, offers innovative technology including automatic signal conversion from analog to digital, SmartScale™ receivers, embedded audio on fiber runs and fully redundant, hot swappable power supplies. With the DGX 16 users can deliver any combination of true, uncompressed DVI, RGBHV, audio and one-way RS-232 control signals 3000 feet and beyond over fiber. Users also get the added flexibility of local DVI inputs and outputs. For corporate campuses, hospitals, large venues and other settings where audio and video need to be sent to multiple displays across great distances, the Epica DGX 16 uncompromisingly transmits high-resolution 1920x1200 video at a data rate of 4.95 Gbps to up to 16 destinations.

"The Epica DGX Fiber line simplifies the implementation of complex AV deployments through innovations such as SmartScale, a revolutionary technology in the DGX Receivers that automatically communicates with display devices, determines native resolutions and then delivers the optimal resolution to each display," said AMX Chief Technology Officer Robert Noble. "In addition to the pre-configured DVI solutions - 8x16, 16x8 and 16x16 - the Epica DGX 16 enclosure is fully customizable for any configurations using the local DVI or DGX multimode fiber input and output boards, allowing the system to grow in 4 input/4 output increments up to 16x16."

The innovative SmartScale technology in the Epica DGX line works by automatically responding to a display's declared EDID information then optimizing the video resolution and video parameters for each display throughout a deployment. This produces a marked improvement in performance and installation time. Without SmartScale, in installations consisting of multiple displays of various types, the programmer is forced to settle for distributing common resolution imagery to all displays, as the lower resolution displays cannot handle the higher resolutions. The consequence is grainy images in higher resolution displays.

"Simply put, using a DGX fiber distribution system - with AMX's revolutionary SmartScale powered fiber receivers - is now more cost-effective than ever before for smaller to mid-sized distribution systems where video quality and 24/7 operation is a top priority," said Paul Hand, AMX Product Manager. "The Epica DGX product family has really hit a sweet spot with installers because of its smart features that simplify installations and extraordinary flexibility."

In addition to the inherent security of signal distribution over fiber, the Epica DGX 16 is also compatible with the AMX NXB-APW-1000 TCP/IP interface which has passed rigorous Department of Defense testing and has been awarded the U.S. Government's JITC Information Assurance certification ensuring network security.

About AMX

AMX hardware and software solutions simplify the implementation, maintenance, and use of technology to create effective environments. With the increasing number of technologies and operating platforms at work and home, AMX solves the complexity of managing this technology with reliable, consistent and scalable systems. Our award-winning products span control and automation, system-wide switching and audio/video signal distribution and technology management. They are implemented worldwide in conference rooms, homes, classrooms, network operation / command centers, hotels, entertainment venues, broadcast facilities, among others.

AMX was founded in 1982 and is a member of The Duchossois Group. For more information, visit www.amx.com.

AMX and Epica are trademarks of AMX, LLC registered in the U.S. and other countries. SmartScale is a trademark of AMX, LLC. All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.

Sam Ruggles, an industry veteran with extensive consultative sales experience, assumes the position of Keywest Technology Solutions Sales Manager immediately.

LENEXA, Kan. – Keywest Technology, a premiere developer of digital signage software solutions, today announced the appointment of Sam Ruggles as Solutions Sales Manager for its entire line of digital signage technology.

Ruggles, who will be based out of the company’s Lenexa, KS, headquarters, is responsible for consulting with customers to determine their digital signage requirements and crafting solutions that best meet their needs. He will work with customers nationwide and develop custom proposals and individual sales quotes.

“We are pleased to welcome Sam to Keywest Technology,” said company president Nick Nichols. “He has a proven track record in our industry and thorough knowledge of what customers need to communicate effectively with digital signage.”

Ruggles joins Keywest Technology with an extensive career background in digital signage and professional audio-visual communications. He previously was the founder and president of Audio Visual Networks, where he was deeply involved with developing custom video and audio over IP solutions. Ruggles also has worked in various sales, engineering and management positions with Communication Integrity Group, Compuware Corp., MCSI, an Audio Visual Integration Company, Epson America and Okidata America.

“I am excited by the prospect of helping professional communicators tap into the power of digital signage with Keywest Technology’s superior hardware and software solutions,” said Ruggles. “I look forward to assisting customers in defining their needs for professional digital signage and offering them solutions to achieve their goals.”

Ruggles begins his new position at Keywest Technology immediately.

About Keywest Technology

Keywest Technology develops and markets a wide variety of digital signage products including software, hardware, installation and content development services designed to produce exceptional results. The company is also a pioneer in interactive digital signage, which couples the appeal of dynamic signage with the interactivity associated with interactive kiosks. www.KeywestTechnology.com.

X2O's Digital Signage Platform Delivers a Smarter, More Efficient and Sustainable Communications Tool and Emergency Alert System

MONTREAL — For any university, keeping a large body of students informed of campus news, events, and classroom schedules can be a challenge. With more than 13,000 students, Saint Louis University (SLU) met this challenge head-on with X2O Media's Xpresenter™ digital signage platform. The University is utilizing the solution to not only keep students up to speed on campus happenings and awareness campaigns, but also as an emergency alert system in the event of an incident on campus.

SLU is a Catholic, Jesuit university ranked among the top research institutions in the nation. While the University's research facilities are state of the art, until recently its tools for distributing information to students had been out of date, consisting of bulletin boards in hallways and paper signs.

Installed by integrator TSI Systems, SLU's digital signage network consists of multiple screens located in different buildings across campus, including the Information Technology Services (ITS) offices, the Busch Student Center, the John Cook School of Business, the School of Medicine, and residence halls. The system provides a smarter way to communicate to students, streamlining the University's operations and eliminating paper signs. In addition, it provides a way to send out emergency messages to the student body.

"Our digital signage network is the first system of its kind on our campus, and has more than met our expectations," said Craig Williams, SLU's Manager of Multimedia Services. "As a communications vehicle, it has cleared up the clutter in the hallways and allowed us to take down all the paper signs for a significant cost savings over time. With Xpresenter, all notices now go into the system, greatly streamlining our operations. And our staff has found that updating and managing content is easy via a simple-to-navigate Web control screen."

X2O's Xpresenter is being used to drive the content on all of the network's screens in 720p HD quality. Each center plays its own unique, relevant content, such as the U.S. News & World Report RSS feed in the Busch Student Center and the NASDAQ feed in the John Cook School of Business. In addition, feeds from online sources for campus news and events are displayed across the network, as well as video coverage from SLU-TV, the university's student-run television station.

As an awareness vehicle for student development, the digital signage system serves as a medium to air relevant student programs for managing campus life. The "We are ALL Billikens" campaign is an example, shedding light on the importance of hazing prevention. To meet SLU's need for a mass communications device, one alert message can be sent to all screens simultaneously in the event of an emergency. Each department uses Xpresenter to easily manage and update content on its screens.

"In the future, we are planning to add more screens in the Communications Department, in the Simon Recreation Center, and in additional common areas of the residence halls. We are also considering taking further advantage of Xpresenter's capabilities by incorporating interactive technologies and wayfinding maps," added Williams.

X2O's Xpresenter is an end-to-end platform designed to make creating, managing, and distributing broadcast-quality digital signage content on networks of all sizes available to all. Xpresenter's patented authoring module allows Microsoft® PowerPoint® users to produce compelling content that incorporates animations, video clips, and real-time data sources — all without ever leaving the PowerPoint interface.

About Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuit university ranked among the top research institutions in the nation. The University fosters the intellectual and character development of more than 13,000 students. Founded in 1818, it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi and the second oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Through teaching, research, health care, and community service, Saint Louis University has provided one-of-a-kind education, leadership, and service for nearly two centuries. More information about SLU is available at www.slu.edu. 

About X2O Media

X2O Media is a full-service provider of software, network management services, and content services for professional digital signage and corporate communication applications. The company offers a wide variety of software solutions for digital signage and interactive networks of all sizes. X2O's award-winning Xpresenter™ provides an end-to-end platform for the creation, management, and distribution of content at broadcast quality, and at a fraction of the time of other solutions. In addition to technology, X2O offers content design, acquisition, management, distribution, and monitoring services for digital signage networks. More information about X2O Media is available at www.x2omedia.com. 

All trademarks and registered trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

Eden Prairie, Minnesota - A Minnesota-based QSR franchisee now has over 30 of their 59 sites running indoor and outdoor Digital Menu Boards. This makes the odds over 50-50 of visiting one of their restaurants and experiencing Digital Menu Boards. This widespread adoption of Digital Menu Boards amounts to what is believed to be the largest use of indoor and outdoor Digital Menu Board technology by any single QSR franchisee. In addition to their seven existing sites, 25 more sites were recently deployed by WAND.

QSR operations are always searching for ways to improve restaurant operations and encourage return trips to the counter through the use of restaurant technology. WAND was recently recognized for their development of innovative Digital Menu Board technology by both Nation’s Restaurant News, at the annual Foodservice Technology Conference, and by QSR Magazine. “When Digital Menu Board technology came into the market several years ago, many QSR operators were eager to test the technology.  We now see major QSR brands planning for system wide deployments.” said Greg Perrill, COO WAND Corporation. 

WAND Digital Menu Boards allow QSR operators complete control over the high-definition content displayed to their customers. They can schedule content to rotate on a playlists, controlling which items are promoted during specific times of the day. Changes to pricing and content can be made remotely, in real-time and pushed down to all store locations. Also, the use of WAND Digital Menu Boards has proven to increase customer satisfaction, decrease perceived wait times and create sales lift.

About WAND Corporation

WAND Corporation is the global technology leader for the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry working with some of the most prominent brands today. Delivering in its mission to be the greatest restaurant management and technology partner in the world, WAND has experienced double digit growth in each of the past 10 years. To further its growth and its QSR partners’ success, WAND Corporation’s vision is to revolutionize worldwide restaurant operations through technology, services, and data. For more information on WAND Corporation, please visit www.wandcorp.com.

Markham, ON. Canada – CBC, Canada’s national public broadcaster has expanded its CBC News Express broadcast service into Fredericton International Airport using the Audience platform supplied by Capital Networks Limited.

Six multi-zone HD displays installed throughout the airport provide travelers with up to the minute news including local, national and international stories as well as sports, business, entertainment and weather updates with the Audience platform displaying the content through a combination of video, graphics and live data feeds.

The video news content is created by CBC’s editors in the corporation’s Toronto Broadcasting Centre and delivered into the Audience system with the click of a mouse, creating a seamless flow so that news items are entered into the system immediately.
“Capital Networks bridges the gap between digital signage and broadcasting,” commented Robert Bishop, executive producer at CBC. “Most companies fall into one category – digital signage vendor or broadcasting production – but Capital Networks has a solid history in both. Its Audience broadcast solution ensures that our programming is really sophisticated in terms of layout and design and meets our need for flexibility and rapid delivery in a rapidly changing news environment.”

Hosting more than 260,000 travelers each year and providing service to major Canadian cities and the Caribbean, Fredericton International Airport is the sixth Canadian airport to roll out the CBC News Express service with coverage already available in Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.

For further information, please contact Jim Vair, Vice President Business Development.
T: 905 946-1122 ext 231. www.capitalnetworks.com

About CBC/Radio-Canada

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, Internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages.

About Capital Networks Limited

Capital Networks Limited is a privately held company based in Markham, Ontario, Canada. Established in 1991, Capital Networks is a respected marketing, integration and sales organization for all DiGiMATiON incorporated software products and a leader in the supply and support of advanced multimedia systems to communications companies engaged in cable television operation, broadcasting, direct-to-home and place-based media. Capital Networks has sold Audience™ software through authorized resellers into a variety of market segments including Digital Signage, Cable TV, Education, Corporate and Municipal applications in 36 countries. Clients include: OLGC - Ontario, York Region Police - Ontario, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, N.A.I.T. - Alberta, Pan Pacific Hotels - Singapore, Cablevision - New York, Rogers Cable TV - Toronto, Cox Communications, and many others.


About DiGiMATiON incorporated

Founded in 1982, DiGiMATiON incorporated designs and develops leading-edge Broadcast Multimedia software systems. Staffed by a team of highly experienced programmers the firm has undertaken many high profile coding assignments for some of the best known communications companies in the world. The Audience™ suite reflects a remarkably flexible product line widely accepted by leaders in a wide range of industrial, educational, broadcast, cable, digital signage, hospitality, military and medical applications.

BBH to Service ArcaTech’s Industry-Leading Cash Dispensers and Cash Recycling Systems

Durham, N.C., – BÖWE BELL + HOWELL (BBH), today announced that it has entered into a new strategic agreement to provide service and support for ArcaTech Systems, a world leader in cash handling systems based in Mebane, N.C. Under the terms of the agreement, BBH will service the company’s cash dispensers and recyclers throughout North America. The agreement builds on BBH’s expanding service offerings across multiple markets, including those that use systems such as currency sorters, printers and third-party equipment.

“The agreement leverages BBH’s nationwide service organization and our experience with high-value, complex currency systems,” said John Tarascio, BBH chief operating officer. “ArcaTech Systems shares the same high standards for quality and customer service, both of which were critical in our decision to partner together.”

“Our products and services are mission-critical to our customers, and BBH’s field service organization has the capacity and infrastructure to provide rapid problem resolution and maximum uptime,” said Mort O’Sullivan, president and founder of ArcaTech Systems. “With our rapid expansion worldwide, it is very important for our clients to have their service needs handled quickly and effectively.”

ArcaTech’s cash recyclers, dispensers and transaction technology components are used in financial institutions, retail stores, gaming and parking facilities, car washes and companies that develop kiosks for self-service checkout and bill payment. Many of the largest companies in these fields have come to rely on ArcaTech for their cash handling technology and systems.

About BÖWE BELL + HOWELL

Headquartered in Wheeling, Ill., BÖWE BELL + HOWELL is a leading provider of high-performance document management solutions and services. The company pioneered gripper arm mail-inserting systems in 1938, and has one of the world’s largest installed bases of such inserters as a result of the technology’s flexibility, performance and reliability. The company’s complete portfolio of inserting, sorting, plastic card, integrity, cutting, packaging, print-on-demand and software solutions is the most comprehensive product offering for paper-based and digital mail communications. These solutions are supported by one of the largest dedicated service organizations in the industry. For further information on BÖWE BELL + HOWELL, please visit www.bowebellhowell.com.

About ArcaTech Systems

ArcaTech Systems is a leading supplier of transaction automation solutions for the financial, retail and self-service industries. Since the company began in 1998, ArcaTech has experienced strong, consistent growth and now has operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, India and China. As more companies seek new and better ways to serve their customers with transaction automation solutions, and with the continued growth of the self-service industry, ArcaTech's vision and commitment to customer service and technological innovation have helped the company become an industry leader. To find out more about ArcaTech Systems, visit www.arcatechsystems.com,   or call 919-442-5200.

KITCHENER, ON – Christie®, a global visual technologies company, is pleased to announce its participation in The Communitech Hub (The Hub) in Kitchener, Ontario.  A digital media innovation center, The Hub will foster collaboration and creativity among established companies and start-ups to enhance Canada’s position in the digital age. A proud member of the local economy, Christie is a founding partner and visionary for The Hub, providing advanced visualization tools and integration expertise to help companies explore new concepts and advance their initiatives.  
 
Featured prominently in the partner space is a four-sided, 3D “immersive environment,” designed and integrated by Christie, which will be known as the Hub Interactive Visualization Environment or HIVE. The HIVE, powered by 12 Christie high definition Mirage 3D stereoscopic projectors, enables the display of vast amounts of data in a totally immersive setting – providing advanced research capabilities. Christie’s Mirage 3D stereoscopic projectors and Christie Spyder X20 video processors are also installed in the Theatre/Event Space and Executive Briefing Room, allowing wider content sharing and collaboration across disciplines.

Deemed the new digital canvas, Christie’s award-winning modular display tiles, Christie® MicroTiles™, add a dynamic and creative backdrop to the lobby, lighting up the main reception desk and seating area.  The digital display technology recently earned the Janus de l’Industrie Award from the French Institute of Design (Institut Francais du Design) –   France’s coveted design label for outstanding creative products in the field of industrial design.
 
“The Communitech Hub is where ideas will incubate. Canada’s future is with start-up companies that drive innovation forward and we are proud to provide our support,” said Gerry Remers, president and COO, Christie Digital Systems Canada Inc.  “We want these start-ups to embrace our technologies to explore new concepts and advance their ideas. There is no doubt collaboration and mentoring will germinate new initiatives in digital media, ensuring the long-term economic success of Waterloo Region.”
 
“Waterloo Region is home to more than 700 high-tech companies and is world-renowned for its technological innovations and collaborative efforts,” said Bob Rushby, chief technology officer at Christie and co-inventor of Christie MicroTiles. “The Hub is a place for the meeting of the minds. When great minds converge, great things happen and we look forward to seeing new innovations emerge.”
 
The Hub is located in The Tannery – a 150-year-old building where stone and steel girders from the city’s industrial past greet Christie’s integration and advanced digital design expertise.   More than 500 people are expected to work in The Tannery, generating an enormous economic spin-off for the city’s downtown core and creating technology jobs for Ontario.

The Hub celebrates its grand opening October 7 with local, provincial and federal dignitaries attending the event. For live streaming of the event, click on http://www.communitech.ca/communitech-hub-grand-opening-live-stream/ or search Twitter hashtag #hubbub.
 
About Christie®

Christie Digital Systems Canada Inc. is a global visual technologies company and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ushio, Inc., Japan, (JP:6925). Consistently setting the standards by being the first to market some of the world’s most advanced projectors and complete system displays, Christie is recognized as one of the most innovative visual technology companies in the world.  From retail displays to Hollywood, mission critical command centers to classrooms and training simulators, Christie display solutions and projectors capture the attention of audiences around the world with dynamic and stunning images.  Visit www.christiedigital.com. 

BBS Denmark’s international business will be conducted under a new name: Cryptera. The new brand name will strengthen the company’s position, providing a strong platform for continued growth and business development on the international market for secure electronic payment solutions.

Cryptera will build on the previous 25 years’ experience of delivering technologically advanced solutions under the brand names Sagem Denmark and BBS Denmark.

New name fits the strategy

“Our new company and brand name is a perfect fit with the strategy to strengthen our leading position in the large global market for secure PIN based payment solutions. We have identified that the Cryptera name will contribute to synergies across all our product activities and will highlight our expertise in the fields of encryption, certification and integrated payment solutions,” Kaj Christiansen, CEO of Cryptera A/S, says.

“The new brand will enable us to benefit even further from our already strong market reputation for high quality products and services,” CEO Kaj Christiansen, adds.

A consequence of the Nets merger

The decision to introduce the brand name Cryptera for the international activities is a logical consequence of the recent and successful merger between BBS, PBS and Teller under the common brand Nets. The independent and legal company Cryptera A/S will be a subsidiary of the Nets Group.

Cryptera will focus its operation in the international markets; the primary business will continue to be on delivering encrypting PIN pads to banking, ATMs and self service payment.

Strong market position

“We already hold a strong position in the international market for banking, ATMs and self service payment solutions; and we will continue to provide high quality services to our customers in the global market,” CEO Kaj Christiansen comments.
“Looking to the future, as one of the world’s leading suppliers of encrypting PIN pads, the strategy of operating under the independent Cryptera brand will enable us to grow the business as we continue to deliver competitive, innovative and unique payment solutions and services to our international customers,” CEO Kaj Christiansen concludes.

About Cryptera A/S

Cryptera is a world-leading provider of secure payment solutions, and supplies some of the largest global manufacturers of ATMs and petrol pumps.
 
The main products are encrypting PIN pads for ATMs and unattended payment terminals for self service payment solutions.

Cryptera employs approximately 100 people. The company has its own hardware and software development departments as well as production, sales and servicing of its proprietary products and solutions.

The R&D department is staffed by highly educated engineers and computer scientists with expertise in the fields of encryption, certification and integrated payment solutions.

With more than 1 million payment solutions in use today worldwide, Cryptera has proven international experience within the global payment industry.

Headquartered in Copenhagen, Cryptera is a subsidiary of Nets.  Read more on www.cryptera.com

About Nets

Nets is the result of a merger between Norwegian BBS and Teller and Danish PBS – the three leading Nordic companies in the field of payment cards, payment solutions and the exchange of payment information.

Today the Group is one of the largest Northern European organizations in the market for payment cards, payment solutions and the exchange of payment information. The business objective is to become the leading provider within these prime market sectors.

For more information on Nets please visit: www.nets.eu

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Digital Signage Today, the Internet's leading news and information portal for the digital signage industry, today announced the publication of "Digital Signage Software Comparison Guide: Second Edition," a guide to 130 leading digital signage software products.

Exhaustively researched and completely updated for 2011, the guide provides detailed information about each of the software packages covered, from content types supported to operational details. More than 70 attributes and capabilities are provided for each of the software packages.

In addition, the guide comes with an interactive Windows application that allows users to place checkmarks next to desired attributes. The application then dynamically generates a printable list of software products that meet those specific needs.

The second edition of the Digital Signage Software Comparison Guide is available at http://www.networldalliance.com/digital-signage-software-comparison-guide.

Alliance Further Demonstrates Commitment to Educating Buyers

LOUISVILLE, KY (October 4, 2010) - The Digital Screenmedia Association (DSA), a leading association focused on integrated digital screenmedia strategies for cross-channel solutions that address digital signage, interactive kiosks and mobile devices, has named Customer Engagement Technology World (CETW) as its official trade show of record. 

“We are extremely excited to align ourselves with and designate CETW as the official tradeshow of the Digital Screenmedia Association,” said Stuart Armstrong, President of EnQii North America and President of the DSA.  “Since we began the effort to select an official trade show at the beginning of this year, we studied the industry environment closely before naming CETW the preferred event for our association.  At every turn we found CETW’s focus aligned most closely with the goals and objectives of our association.” 

Armstrong added that the event’s 15 years of consistency in providing the highest quality educational programs for all buyers of digital screenmedia technologies, makes it a strategic launch pad for organizations looking to understand and utilize these technologies in their customer engagement programs.

With the agreement, the DSA will be actively involved in the process of developing conference programming for CETW events in San Francisco and New York in 2011.  This alliance will support the DSA charter around education, advocacy, and networking, with a portion of its members’ exhibition investments at CETW being allocated to assist the DSA in creating more global educational offerings.

“We are thrilled that the Digital Screenmedia Association has chosen Customer Engagement Technology World as their Official Trade Show.  CETW welcomes the opportunity to align itself with organizations that truly understand how digital screenmedia and customer engagement technologies converge to affect the organizations deploying them.  There is no question in our mind that DSA understands these intricacies and promotes these ideals,” said Lawrence Dvorchik, General Manager of CETW.  “We look forward to working with the DSA and welcoming their members to our events.”

“CETW possesses an incredibly passionate devotion to ensuring each event is buyer-focused and covers the entire buying ecosystem which is critical for end-users, such as venue and network owners, brands and agencies to understand,” said Armstrong.  “CETW’s focus on ROI, and the lengths they go to, to make sure the shows are filled with a genuine, pre-qualified buying audience, is astounding.  The scope of the education and expo floor covers all points of digital screenmedia applications: digital signage, kiosks, mobile marketing and social/loyalty networks.  CETW goes above and beyond what all other shows seem to do to ensure that exhibitors have opportunities to meet face-to-face with customers who not only have a need for their products, but the authority and budget to make the purchases.”

“In addition to being the official show of the DSA, this agreement allows CETW to further our mission of educating buyers of all customer engagement technologies throughout the year and around the world,” Dvorchik said.  “The DSA’s focus on education will help provide buyers with information to further their deployments, allowing them to make smarter technology purchases from CETW exhibitors and ultimately gain ROI from their customer engagement technology programs.” 

For more information on Customer Engagement Technology World (CETW), visit www.cetworld.com or email Lawrence Dvorchik, General Manager by . 

For more information on The Digital Screenmedia Association, visit www.digitalscreenmedia.org or contact David Drain, Executive Director by .

About Customer Engagement Technology World

Customer Engagement Technology World events cater to the purchasing & educational needs of venues, brands, advertising agencies, network operators, integrators, resellers and distributors, to enable them to gain better strategies and technology to engage their customers.
 
For 14+ years, Customer Engagement Technology World (featuring KioskCom & The Digital Signage Show) has delivered strategic, marketing and technical business solutions for organizations focused on enhancing their customer engagement programs through digital media such as kiosks & self-service, digital signage, digital out-of-home/place based media, mobile and other customer-facing technologies.  The strength of CETW Events continues to be the delivery of high-quality education by top presenters and an attendee audience that has been pre-screened and pre-qualified, across all vertical industries.  They come to CETW because they know they will receive high-value opportunities from education to networking and product demonstrations.  For more information on Customer Engagement Technology World, visit www.cetworld.com.

About Digital Screenmedia Association

The Digital Screenmedia Association was formed through the April 2010 merger of the Digital Signage Association and the Self-Service & Kiosk Association. With over 650 members, the purpose of the DSA is to advance the growth and excellence of the global digital signage, interactive kiosk and mobile community through advocacy, education and networking. See www.digitalscreenmedia.org. 


About JD Events

JD Events is dedicated to the creation of targeted and innovative industry-leading events that deliver unmatched results. The company brings together highly qualified buying audiences, education-rich content and high-level networking opportunities -- all geared toward increasing business transactions in the markets it serves. For more information on JD Events, visit http://www.jdevents.com/ or contact Joel Davis by .