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News Archive |
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Friday, 29 December 2006
LOUISVILLE , Ky. - ATM Marketplace has launched a new special report that explores the convenience and advantages self-service bill-payment kiosks are providing consumers and retailers.
The report, "Beyond the ATM," takes an in-depth look at the revenue-generating opportunities bill-pay kiosks provide, especially when used as a complementary ATM service.
For independent sales organizations working to supplement their ATM income, additional self-service transactions provide lucrative opportunities, says Hamed Shahbazi, chairman and chief executive of TIO Networks Corp., which sponsored the report.
Off-premises ATM placements, such as those in retail locations like convenience and grocery stores, account for nearly half of all ATM placements in the United States. Those locations are prime for services that target unbanked and underbanked consumers, a segment that is estimated to exceed 44 million in the United States .
Download this special report, sponsored by TIO Networks Corp.
Thursday, 28 December 2006
HeraldTribune.com: The final phase of a state inquiry into whether the 18,000 undervotes in Florida's District 13 congressional election were the product of a touchscreen voting-machine malfunction has begun. State election officials pulled computer chips from a random sample of Sarasota County's iVotronic voting machines to take to Tallahassee for analysis.
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Thursday, 28 December 2006
Orange County Register: At StacoSwitch in Costa Mesa, Calif., tactile illusions are being used in devices with a serious business purpose. The flat video panels display images of buttons that, when touched, give users the feeling of pushing real-world buttons. "It's sensory perception deception," said Tim Reilly, the company's senior product manager.
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Wednesday, 27 December 2006
A small city's worth of retailers, software and equipment manufacturers are about to converge on New York for the National Retail Federation's 96th Convention and Expo, to be held Jan. 14-17 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. High-tech retail in general will take center stage at the NRF show, including a large dose of self-service.
The big attraction at The Big Show will be its mammoth show floor; more than 40 companies will offer kiosk software and hardware solutions. Exhibits include the latest offerings from perennial self-service innovators like Nanonation and IBM, as well as new offerings from recent market entrants like Verifone and Retaligent.
NRF spokesman Scott Krugman said self-service consistently becomes more important at the show because retailers want to adopt it.
"Retailers are open and welcome to this technology to make things more user-friendly to the customer," Krugman said. "We liken it to the ATM. It took them a while to adopt the ATM, but now you can't get them into the bank branch. We think self-service has that potential, and more stores will integrate that."
KioskCom, the self-service industry's primary tradeshow, will sponsor a pavilion of eight self-service exhibitors including KING Products, MovieMate and Slabb.
"NRF is a tremendous opportunity for kiosk and self-service providers to meet with top-tier retail executives and showcase the solutions they offer the retailers," said Lawrence Dvorchik, KioskCom general manager. "This year, I would expect nothing but great things from the NRF Big Show and, as we continue to improve and expand the pavilion, greater success for participants in the KioskCom self-service pavilion."
This year's NRF Store of the Future will be the X07 Ultimate Pop-Up store, showcasing high-tech methods for pop-ups, the temporary concept stores often used as marketing tools to re-energize customer interest. Many pop-ups use kiosks and digital signage.
Netkey founder Alex Richardson, now managing director of Selling Machine Partners, said he has attended every NRF show for 15 years.
"My sense is that you'll see a lot of the major players in retail enterprise technology vectoring towards the kiosk and digital merchandising space," Richardson said.
"Though e-commerce is a growing channel for retailers, the brick-and-mortar storefronts continue contributing nearly 94 percent of all the revenue for major retail channels. Retail CEOs want to connect their storefronts with their large investment in e-commerce and marketing, of which kiosks and digital signage are key vending and marketing points of presence," he said.
Other points of interest at the 2007 NRF Convention and Expo will include:
"Steven Ballmer, chief executive of Microsoft, will discuss business and technology trends that are expected to impact retailers in coming years. Kenneth Cole and Philip Schoonover, chief executive of Circuit City, are among other top-tier executives slated to speak at the show.
"The Networking Roundtable Lunch, Jan. 14 at noon, featuring the who's who of the retail industry.
" Retail's Biggest Party, Jan. 14 at 4:30 p.m. in Gotham Hall, which invites exhibitors and attendees to mingle with one another.
"Retail's Big Silent Auction, Jan. 16-17, featuring items donated by retailers, manufacturers and others. Proceeds go to NRF Foundation programs.
Wednesday, 27 December 2006
In its forecast for 2007, the National Restaurant Association named self-service technology its No. 2 trend to watch for full-service restaurants.
According to NRA's report, "2007 Restaurant Industry Forcast," full-service patrons appear ready to embrace added self-service options. The report says that 46 percent of Americans are likely to use customer-activated ordering and payment terminals.
But restaurant operators may not be ready to deliver. According to the NRA, just 3 percent of casual-dining operators and 4 percent of fine-dining owners offer self-service payment options.
In addition, the association found that younger patrons are more likely to use self-service. The report says 71 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds and 64 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds prefer self-service terminals.
Hudson Riehle, senior vice president for the NRA, said restaurant sales are expected to surpass $500 billion in 2007. In a new interview on PodCast Grill, Riehle talks about how self-service technology will impact the industry.
Fred Minnick edits FastCasual.com and QSRweb.com.
Thursday, 21 December 2006
PADERBORN, Germany · The Board of Directors of Wincor Nixdorf AG passed a resolution for the repurchase of up to 166,390 of the company's shares (constituting up to 1.01 percent of the current capital stock) via the stock exchange. The resolution is based on the corresponding authorization issued by the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders for the repurchase of own equity instruments in an amount of up to 10 percent of capital stock.
The purchase price per share (excluding ancillary costs of purchase) shall deviate by no more than 5 percent in either direction from the average share price at the closing auction of XETRA trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange for the final 10 trading days prior to the purchase of the shares.
The repurchased shares are to be used for the purpose of settling obligations arising from share options already issued or to be issued to members of the Board of Directors, other managers or staff members.
Thursday, 21 December 2006
Guardian Unlimited: The paper ballots and hanging chads that marred the 2000 presidential election have almost vanished from polling places, replaced by electronic-voting machines that are supposed to eliminate recount chaos. But now election directors have a new worry: printer jams.
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Thursday, 21 December 2006
ZDNet: IBM is betting on new software to make sense of the reams of data collected by radio frequency identification (RFID) devices. But some legal maneuvering could dampen enthusiasm for the technology.
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Wednesday, 20 December 2006
Indianapolis Star: An Indianapolis company today said it expects by year's end to have more than 100 of its CD-burning kiosks installed in record stores across the country, including at 17 Karma Record stores in Indiana.
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Tuesday, 19 December 2006
JERUSALEM - Screen Expo, in association with Minicom Advanced Systems, is presenting London's first-ever digital-signage showcase Jan. 31 and Feb.
The showcase will provide a glimpse into the workings of a complete digital-signage installation as well as a chance to meet key market leaders. Featured will be Minicom, manufacturers of player-to-screen distribution systems; 3M, suppliers of content management software; NEC, Europe's largest provider of large-format LCD displays; and DVI Partnerships, which specializes in digital-signage installation.
Tuesday, 19 December 2006
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. · Businesses and residents along Colorado's Front Range can now quickly, conveniently and inexpensively shred documents and other materials at UPS Stores.
The Self-Service Shredder, developed by Colorado Springs-based RealTime Shredding Inc., cross-cuts paper, cardboard, credit cards, paper clips, staples, CDs, DVDs and floppy disks. The industrial-strength shredder, featuring multiple control points for maximum safety, can shred up to 200 sheets of paper a minute. Individuals can bring in any material they want to shred and do so for $1 per 2-minute session.
The service is a natural extension of the document services, packing, shipping, and mailbox and postal services UPS Stores already offer, said Mike Fye, owner of The UPS Store in Monument.
Whether it's someone who is ready to clean out the basement and destroy 15 years of old phone bills, or a business that needs to shred old documents, "it's easy, inexpensive, and makes good sense,"� Fye said.
At the same time, the Self-Service Shredder helps local businesses and individuals prevent identity theft, said Amanda Verrie, president of RealTime Shredding. Identity theft is now the fastest-growing crime in the United States, according to the National Crime Prevention Council. More than 9.3 million Americans were the victims of identity theft last year, resulting in losses of $52.6 billion to individuals, businesses and government.
Businesses, Verrie said, appreciate the ease of the Self-Service Shredder to help them comply with HIPAA and FACTA document-destruction requirements. The ability to see the material shredded eliminates worries about personal information being lost or stolen.
Tuesday, 19 December 2006
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: The United States had 396,000 ATMs last year, up more than 22 percent from 324,000 five years earlier, according to ATM & Debit News. But, the trade publication said, the value of transactions handled by the machines in 2005 dropped 23 percent, to $877 million, from 2000.
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Tuesday, 19 December 2006
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Walgreens stole Christmas from ATM thieves who came up on the short end when they busted open a money machine at a local store early Dec. 18 only to find it empty of cash.
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Tuesday, 19 December 2006
Boston Globe: Sheila McMillan was struggling to pay her bills this holiday season, so she stopped at Best Buy in Dorchester to seek a seasonal part-time job. She went to a computer kiosk that allowed her to apply online. After filling out basic identifying information, job references, and a personality test, she reached two questions that stunned her.
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Monday, 18 December 2006
Orlando Sentinel: Customers who pay their Kissimmee Utility Authority bills at an area 7-Eleven store this month will be entered to win a free month of utility service. Each store contains a Vcom, "virtual commerce," kiosk that accepts cash, checking-account numbers or ATM/debit cards for payment.
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Monday, 18 December 2006
ABERDEEN, N.C. - Meridian Kiosks, a leading manufacturer of kiosks and self-service terminals, announced the appointment of Kevin Kent to the position of vice president of business development.
According to a news release, Kent will oversee the company's sales, marketing and channel relationships, and be responsible for continuing Meridian's growth.
"Kevin comes at a key time for us as we are expanding rapidly on many fronts. He is well-equipped to lead our sales and marketing teams, and his industry experience is a huge asset to us and our customers," said Chris Gilder, Meridian Kiosks' chief executive.
Kent was formerly the director of business development for Swecoin US, one of the top manufacturers of self-service printers. Prior to Swecoin, he spent five years in product marketing and sales for AdKnowlege, where he worked with Fortune 500 companies and the top advertising agencies to serve and optimize their online marketing campaigns.
"Meridian has quietly emerged as one of the leading kiosk companies and has a reputation for innovation and speed. Over the last couple years I've seen the quality of their work firsthand, and it is exciting to now join the team and help expand the MK brand," Kent said. "With the new facility now fully operational, we have a lot of new capabilities to offer our customers."
Kent holds a bachelor's degree in business/economics from Wheaton College.
Friday, 15 December 2006
InfoWorld: Commuters in Tokyo are getting a chance to experience some cutting-edge display technology. On three commuter trains some traditional paper advertisements have been replaced with color e-paper displays. The 13.1-inch displays are made by Hitachi Ltd. and are based on Bridgestone Corp.'s "electronic liquid powder" technology. Two such displays are mounted on the carriage walls at either end of each of the three trains. Each display is connected to a smaller unit that contains companion electronics and an 8MB memory module that can hold 37 advertisements. Each advertisement is shown for two minutes in a continuous cycle.
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Friday, 15 December 2006
Jupiterbay is a leading provider of interactive large screen kiosks and digital signage solutions. Our solutions focus on communicating and interacting directly with your clients as well as delivering highly targeted and customized messages to your potential clients at scheduled times in either your location or public venues.
Friday, 15 December 2006
Techworld: IBM has built a prototype storage device that it claims is 500 times faster than Flash. It uses less than half the power of Flash memory and can be built in ultra-thin form factors that are usually unavailable to Flash.
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Friday, 15 December 2006
SEATTLE - 3M Digital Signage, worldwide provider of digital-signage-network solutions, has released 3M Digital Signage Software · Network Operations Manager. According to a news release, the software allows users to remotely monitor, manage and proactively maintain their entire digital signage networks and computing infrastructures. Network Operations Manager displays information via a configurable dashboard, enabling at-a-glance visibility of network status.
The software also allows diagnosis and repair of many hardware and software problems through a secure Web-based interface, reducing the need to deploy technicians for on-site repairs.
"Because a failure anywhere within a digital-signage network can be highly visible, it's especially important for digital-signage operators to have a network analysis and maintenance solution that is comprehensive and enables a quick response," said Fred Arsenault, senior systems engineer at 3M Digital Signage.
Thursday, 14 December 2006
SAN FRANCISCO -- Holiday shoppers make personalized gift cards at Macy's Union Square in San Francisco. The Macy's Custom Gift Card Kiosk by Cardways is being tested in select locations in San Francisco and San Jose this holiday to give customers a more personal gift card experience. For those shoppers not in the test cities, www.cardways.com provides personalized gift cards and greeting cards online where customers can choose from a variety of retailers.
Thursday, 14 December 2006
SourceNews.com: The U.S. government approved new technology that will automatically scan shoes and boots for bombs, and promises that travelers will soon be spared the trouble of scurrying through security in their socks. The devices will be available to passengers enrolled in the Registered Traveler program, which uses biometric ID kiosks to speed airport security checks.
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Wednesday, 13 December 2006
24dash.com: Non-charging cash machines will be installed in low-income areas around the United Kingdom, following a "ground-breaking" deal struck by banks, operators and the Treasury. In addition, fee-charging operators will be forced to place signs prominently on their machines to ensure that it is "crystal clear" to customers that they will be charged.
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Wednesday, 13 December 2006
The Star-Ledger: Robert Dela Gente loves the big, shiny kiosk in his office hallway. Several times a day, the family physician enters a code on the kiosk's small screen, opens a drawer containing samples of nearly two-dozen generic drugs and hands a bottle to a patient.
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Tuesday, 12 December 2006
Madison.com: Sears has opened 100 kiosk-enabled Land's End shops inside Sears' stores. The stores include a variety of merchandise not typical of Land's End, meant to extend that brand.
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Tuesday, 12 December 2006
Miami Herald: A state test of voting machines in Sarasota failed to resolve the mystery of the missing 18,000 votes in the tightly contested congressional race between Democrat Christine Jennings and Republican Vern Buchanan.
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Tuesday, 12 December 2006
Palm Beach Post: A circuit judge will hold a hearing Dec. 19 to determine whether the voting machine maker in a disputed congressional election will have to let others examine the machine's software source code for possible glitches.
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Tuesday, 12 December 2006
ATLANTA · Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, a division of AFC Enterprises Inc., announced the opening of a new fast-casual hybrid concept, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. The restaurant expands upon Popeyes' rich history and entices guests with a variety of authentic Cajun and Creole flavors, while offering the convenience of a quick-serve restaurant.
"With Popeyes' heritage and culinary experience, we wanted to create a restaurant that would allow our guests to further immerse themselves in the rich culture of New Orleans and provide them with the variety they crave · in the menu, in the atmosphere and even in the ordering process," said Ken Keymer, president and chief executive of Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits. "From the expanded menu to the atmosphere to the aromas, flavors and images, we hope our new restaurant provides our guests with that 'little something extra' the Cajuns call Lagniappe."
The first Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen location opens on December 12, 2006, at 7050 Jimmy Carter Blvd. in Norcross, Ga. A second restaurant, in Fayetteville, Ga., is planned for early 2007.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen will offer innovative ordering methods, enabling guests to place orders at new, in-restaurant self-service ordering kiosks and call ahead for car-side "To Geaux," along with traditional in-restaurant front-counter service and drive-thru ordering. In addition to these ordering options, the restaurant will feature the Cajun Connection, free wireless Internet connectivity, for guests dining at the restaurant.
Monday, 11 December 2006
SAN FERNANDO, Calif. - Precision Dynamics Corp., provider of automatic wristband identification, announced the implementation of its patented Smart Band radio frequency identification wristbands and PDC Smart Kiosk RFID Cashless Point-of-Sale System at the new Great Wolf Lodge at Paramount's Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, that is scheduled to open Dec. 14.
The 401-suite family resort and indoor waterpark implemented PDC's RFID Wristband System to provide guests with enhanced services, including hotel room keyless entry, cashless payment options, automated arcade token dispensers and more.
"The wristband system has been embraced by guests and employees at both the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania, and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, locations, and we expect the same here at Mason," said Jim Metzger, general manager of the Great Wolf Lodge. "The system is a great way to provide the utmost in safety and convenience for our guests."
At registration, guests are given a Smart Band, which is embedded with a 13.56MHz RFID inlay. MICROS POS workstations allow guests to make cashless payments with the RFID wristbands throughout the resort. Also, the RFID wristbands eliminate the chance of money getting wet or lost while at the waterpark.
Monday, 11 December 2006
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - Palm Inc. launched a $25 million worldwide marketing campaign to generate mainstream awareness of its Treo smartphone line. The six-month campaign highlights Palm's new Treo 680 smartphone and encompasses a fully integrated media mix consisting of print, out-of-home, online, mobile and viral-marketing components. AKQA, a leading interactive marketing agency, developed the campaign, which combines non-traditional marketing approaches with tried-and-true media.
The campaign includes Palm's first-ever SMS-activated kiosks, which enable people to select and view category-specific content on larger-than-life Treo smartphones. The kiosks contain a live monitor in place of the Treo screen; it also displays canned and dynamic content. The interactive kiosks are located at bus stops and window fronts in major metropolitan cities, including Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.
"By aligning with passion brands such as Amazon, Orbitz and Yahoo!, we're demonstrating that Treo smartphones do much more than the average cell phone," said Scott Hancock, director of marketing communications for Palm. "We're showing people how easy it is to interact with these sites while mobile. For instance, one ad might simply say 'Buy tickets on Fandango' or 'Orbitz and go,' with the corresponding logo appearing on the home screen of the Treo smartphone."
Monday, 11 December 2006
TUCSON, Ariz. - The first SAM kiosks, a first-of-its-kind, drive-up diagnostic tool for cars and light trucks, will begin rolling off the assembly line in one week.
SAM, an innovation in automotive diagnostics, will debut in five key U.S. markets in February 2007. SAM kiosks were invented by Smart Automotive Management LLC and are being manufactured by Flextronics International at its Plano, Texas, facility. The first SAM kiosks should be available for a media preview Dec. 18.
Legendary race-car driver Mario Andretti is the spokesman for SAM, and the voice and image that appears on the kiosk, which gives vehicle owners instructions on when and how to use SAM.
"I have been looking forward to introducing SAM to the public," Andretti said. "I think every vehicle owner who has access to a SAM kiosk needs to try it when something on their dash board lights up, or in advance of taking their vehicle on a trip. It's an amazingly smart tool for vehicle owners."
In about 10 minutes, for $15, drivers with a 1996 or newer vehicle can connect to SAM's diagnostic scanner to identify problems with their vehicles. SAM allows drivers to see beyond the vague check-engine light to pinpoint existing and pending problems with their vehicles' engines, transmissions, safety systems, bodies, chassis and more. SAM provides consumers with the same information previously accessible only by car mechanics and dealerships.
SAM checks more 2,000 vehicle fault codes to reveal actual and pending problems, such as if a vehicle is in need of warranty work or if the manufacturer has issued technical service bulletins.
Friday, 08 December 2006
News.com: Automated garages, with racks of cars placed and picked by robots, are replacing their concrete forebears. And the kiosk has become the new parking attendant.
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Thursday, 07 December 2006
24dash.com: A new system that lets air passengers sign up to voluntary biometric scanning is being unveiled at London's Heathrow Airport. Passengers on some Cathay Pacific and Emirates flights will be invited to join the trial, which allows them to check in by scanning their passports and right index fingers.
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Thursday, 07 December 2006
LINCOLN, Neb. - Digital signage and kiosk software developer Nanonation Inc. has joined the Retail Broadband Alliance.
The Retail Broadband Alliance brings together companies that represent products and services used in the retail-sales supply chain for data networks. The Retail Broadband Alliance now includes more than 225 companies. Retail merchants pick and choose the providers they want.
According to a news release, Nanonation's software gives retailers a way to monitor, measure, and manage in-store interactions to drive sales and fuel profits. Whether a network of digital signs or interactive kiosks, retailers can distribute and control their digital marketing messages to create powerful customer experiences.
"Nanonation is proud to be a member of the Retail Broadband Alliance because it enables us to bring together the people, tools and experience needed to create powerful in-store experiences," said Brian Ardinger, vice president of business development for Nanonation. "Having the right set of partners that can provide solutions for networked in-store technologies is vital to the future of retailing and its ability to connect with customers."
Thursday, 07 December 2006
Time: It's one of the perennial problems of marketing in India: How do you reach the 700 million people living in rural areas who, though poor, would still add up to a big chunk of change if they only knew about your products?
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Tuesday, 05 December 2006
YORK, Pa. - Livewire International Inc. and Rapid Access Systems LLC announced that they have entered into an agreement to deliver enhanced solutions to Rapid Access Systems' customer base, as well as jointly market new products and services within the self-service marketplace.
The agreement allows Livewire's TicketEngine self-service and Web-based ticketing system to be utilized by Rapid Access System's current customer base and also establishes a co-marketing relationship between the two companies to allow Rapid Access Systems to represent Livewire solutions throughout the Western United States.
The migration of Rapid Access Systems' customer base, including more than 60 Albertsons stores, the Air Force Academy and numerous military installations throughout Colorado, to Livewire's TicketEngine system has been completed. The companies are in the process of extending the products and services offered throughout the Colorado market.
Tuesday, 05 December 2006
Asia Pacific News: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is implementing ticket-kiosk and Web-check-in applications. The airline has introduced e-ticketing for all bookings made directly with the airline and through travel agencies, eliminating paper ticketing long before the IATA-mandated Dec. 31, 2007, deadline.
Monday, 04 December 2006
Chain Store Age: DVD rental-kiosk company TNR Entertainment Corp. has just completed the installation of 170 new kiosks in Kroger stores operating throughout the Atlanta region. Operating under The New Release brand, TNR's newly established Atlanta presence is a part of its nationwide expansion efforts. TNR is adding more than 1,300 kiosks across 25 markets nationwide by early next year.
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Monday, 04 December 2006
San Diego Business Journal: A San Diego Jack in the Box has deployed self-ordering kiosks by EMN8. Experts believe the ordering kiosks will become standard fixtures at quick service restaurants within four years.
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Monday, 04 December 2006
Hard News Media: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh plans to deploy 1 million Internet kiosks in 2007, to be known as Common Services Centres. The kiosks will provide automated e-governance access to rural villages throughout India.
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Friday, 01 December 2006
Times of India: Electronic Arts, one of the world's top gaming companies, has opened EA Experience, an entertainment center designed to provide a complete gaming experience. With dedicated gaming spaces and 75 gaming stations for some of EA's most popular franchises, the EA facility provides an opportunity to experience the world of interactive entertainment. The store holds EA game kiosks for every platform.
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