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News Archive |
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Wednesday, 28 February 2007
Internetnews.com: ViVOTech is looking to bring RFID rapid payment to the cell phone. After years of development, it has begun to strike deals with credit card companies and retail outlets to support cardless and contactless purchases, just by waving a cell phone.
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Wednesday, 28 February 2007
Computerworld.com: Though Wal-Mart Stores Inc. expects the number of its stores using RFID to reach 1,000 in April, the retailer has come under fire from some analysts and users for failing to meet its plan for installing the technology in its distribution centers. A spokesman last week acknowledged that the company missed its goal of installing RFID technology in 12 of its 137 distribution centers by the end of 2006. The company is instead concentrating on RFID-enabling its retail stores, he said.
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Wednesday, 28 February 2007
MONTREAL · The customs-enrollment center at Montreal's Pierre Trudeau International Airport is open for travelers interested in applying for the NEXUS program.
According to a news release, the passage kiosks are expected to be operational in the coming weeks.
An enrollment center in Toronto opened earlier this month, and expansion to the Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Halifax airports is expected by the end of the year.
NEXUS is a joint initiative of the Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection that facilitates quick and secure entry into Canada and the United States for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. A NEXUS card can serve as an alternative to a passport when traveling between the United States and Canada by air at designated airports.
Wednesday, 28 February 2007
Rctimes.com: Imagine driving through a kiosk to rent movies, purchase snacks and beverages, grab health foods like fresh fruit, or to get cash from an ATM, all in one stop. The originator of the Get & Go Express 24-hour convenience center concept is Jeff Parsons. Parsons, 46, said he came up with the idea in 2001 while he and his family were on a trip to Florida, stopping in busy rest areas along the way.
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Wednesday, 28 February 2007
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. · Esprida Corp., provider of remote-device management, announced the release of Esprida Enterprise 6.2, a software version that introduces several new features that reportedly tighten security, simplify kiosk management and lower service costs.
"As part of our commitment to continually advance this technology, we've incorporated additional value-driven capabilities in this release," said Anila Jobanputra, president of Esprida.
According to a news release, Esprida Enterprise 6.2 includes advanced administrative tools for transferring large amounts of data. Enhanced usability functions speed navigation through kiosk inventory and provide a more comprehensive system of alerts and notifications. Added to that are expanded out-of-the-box intelligence capabilities to track operational performance.
Tuesday, 27 February 2007
NewsObserver.com: Something is disappearing from hotel lobbies in North Carolina: the imposing, impersonal front desk. Desks that resemble tables or podiums are replacing those long, marble barriers · for decades the cold centerpiece of the American hotel lobby · as more hotels experiment with new check-in procedures aimed at cutting down long lines and making guests feel more welcome.
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Tuesday, 27 February 2007
PADERBORN, Germany · Wincor Nixdorf International and Cisco Systems Inc. have announced joint solution called SecurePOS, which is designed to enhance the security of transaction data generated in cashless payment scenarios.
According to a news release, the two companies have bundled their solution expertise to protect security for data-traffic passing from POS terminals to central systems in retailing enterprises. TP.net, the store software from Wincor Nixdorf, encrypts transaction data at the store level. Cisco's portfolio offers protection of data in retailer networks, using a special client to help defend against the compromise of data from POS systems to store-server and central systems.
One crucial factor in generating trust in the security of cashless-payment systems is protecting credit card-data, Wincor says. Reports of credit-card theft and hacker abuse have shaken the confidence of cardholders and retailing companies. The Payment Card Industry's data security standard includes a set of requirements that establish standards for credit-card transactions. Retailing enterprises that transact business with credit cards must comply with those regulations.
Wincor and Cisco say their solution package will help retailers address some of PCI's requirements.
Tuesday, 27 February 2007
BEAVERTON, Ore. · Planar Systems Inc., provider of display solutions, has introduced the LB1500RTC, a bright, scratch-resistant open-frame display with touchscreen technology. Targeted to the retail, rail-information and hospitality industries, the touchscreen LCD is designed for use in high-traffic, high-visibility areas, and is build to withstand poor environmental conditions.
According to a news release, Planar's LB1500RTC enables kiosk integrators and original equipment manufacturers to install systems with attention-grabbing displays. The 15-inch durable 3M ClearTek display with USB interface provides touch accuracy, enhanced optical performance and improved surface wear. Additional features include an open-frame display for indoor environments; easy integration into a variety of enclosures; mounting options that use the 75 mm VESA standard; and RoHS compliance.
Tuesday, 27 February 2007
Kitsapsun.com: The popularity of self-checkout lines might make baggers like Brian Bay seem to be a dying breed. His speed and skill earned him the title of America's best bagger at Associated Foods' National Grocer's 21st annual Best Bagger Championship in Las Vegas earlier this month. In Associated Foods stores, self-checkout lines are not being used to cut cashier costs, as "self-checkouts diminish the level of customer service," according to Associated Foods.
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Tuesday, 27 February 2007
Netindia123.com: Within the next two years train passengers may purchase their journey tickets at vending machines, post offices and petrol pumps, to name a few. The Indian Railway says it soon plans to install 6000 automatic-ticket vending machines in major cities across the country.
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Tuesday, 27 February 2007
The Salt Lake Tribune: Just inside the entrance of Smith's Food & Drug Center in Salt Lake City stands a large vending machine filled with iPod music and video players, cell phones, digital and video cameras and accessories, such as chargers, speakers, headphones and protective covers for your electronic toys.
Monday, 26 February 2007
Detroit News: Northwest and other carriers say they plan by year's end to eliminate paper tickets in favor of computer-generated e-tickets. The move is expected to cut ticket-issuance costs from $10 to $1, potentially saving the industry about $3 billion a year. Already, Northwest charges $50 for a hard-copy ticket, to discourage those who cling to the old practice.
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Monday, 26 February 2007
WHEC.com: In partnership with Fuji, Xerox is introducing a new digital-photo printer that creates photo books, calendars and greeting cards. The Docucolor 250 will be used in commercial labs, while a smaller version of the machine will be housed in digital-photo kiosks placed in retail stores like Walgreen's and Wal-mart. Xerox and Fuji have a relationship that goes back to 1962 when the two companies joined forces in the Asian marketplace.
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Monday, 26 February 2007
Christianpost.com: Members of Stevens Creek Community Church in Augusta, Ga., have long been swiping their cards on SecureGive kiosks built by the church's founding pastor, Dr. Marty Baker. With a touchscreen monitor, a secure encrypted PIN pad, and an instant receipt printer, Stevens Creek saw an 18 percent increase in giving since the kiosk came out nearly two years ago.
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Friday, 23 February 2007
Cambridge, Mass. · Fusion Optix Inc. announced that its chief executive, Terry Yeo, has been called to be session chair for a meeting of top officials from leading companies in the display industry, such as Eastman Kodak and Merck.
On Wednesday, Febr. 28, 2007, Dr. Yeo will head the session discussion centering on "Analysis of FPD Materials Technology Trend" at the DisplayBank FPD Materials Conference at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York. Topics will include trends in optical film technology, liquid crystal development and LED advancements. The conference will revolve around the profitability of the players in the industry. Expansion of the market has fallen by the wayside while LCD manufacturers have been pushing to increase individual profits.
Materials science is a core capability of Fusion Optix, with a technology department that includes materials experts, as well as strong ties to MIT's Materials Science Division. Yeo said, "This is a great opportunity to hear what is new in FPD materials, directly from big players in the industry. I am delighted that DisplayBank thought of Fusion Optix when looking for a session chair."
Dr. Yeo also has been invited to present at the USDC Displays and Emerging Electronics Investment Conference on the following day at the same venue.
Friday, 23 February 2007
Orlando, Fla. · Tranax Technologies, developer of ATMs and self-service kiosks, announced the launch of its new Mini-Bank 1700, its next-generation value for the retail ATM marketplace. This marks another step for Tranax in the entry-level segment of the retail market.
The Mini-Bank 1700 is the second ATM system to be designed and manufactured exclusively by Tranax and will be replacing Tranax's older machines that had great success in the retail market since 1998.
"The Mini-Bank 1700 offers all of the features of a higher-end machine and raises the bar on quality, engineering and design in a smaller footprint," said Dr. Hansup Kwon, president of Tranax.
The Mini-Bank 1700 offers:
- Triple DES and ADA compliance
- VISA lab-certified encrypting PIN Pad
- Voice guidance system and light action indicators
- A built-in illuminated ATM topper for high-visibility branding
- UL 291-listed business hour vault
- Sliding cash dispenser with an 800-note fixed cassette
- 56K dial-up modem compatible with a wireless solution
Friday, 23 February 2007
Biz.thestar.com: Cadbury Schweppes and MasterCard are testing vending machines and kiosks in Dallas, New York and Chicago to answer a key question: Will people spend more at the machines if they can use plastic?
Friday, 23 February 2007
COSTA MESA, Calif. · StacoSwitch announced that FormaLogix will be the first company to adopt the Tactile Feedback Touchscreen in a commercial application. StacoSwitch currently manufactures the touchscreen system, which provides users with tactile feedback, for noisy environments such as airplane cockpits, casino kiosks and airport self-service ticket machines. FormaLogix's Virtual Fit is their first venture into the burgeoning footwear industry. The VFit kiosk will be placed in high-traffic environments such as malls and shoe stores.
FormaLogix has developed a solution to one of the footwear industry's oldest problems · finding the right fit. The VFit kiosk uses digital imagers to capture a three-dimensional image of the user's feet and compares that to an exact 3D form of the inside of a specific shoe. FormaLogix VFit technology is able to determine exactly what size a person wears in a particular shoe style and brand without the person ever trying on the shoe. For retailers, the technology improves customer service, validates fit and size, and ultimately reduces the number of returns because of poor fit.
Friday, 23 February 2007
Alliacense is a TPL Group Enterprise executing best-in-class design and implementation of intellectual property licensing programs. As a cadre of IP licensing strategists, experienced business development and project management executives, and technology experts, Alliacense focuses on expanding the awareness and value of TPL's intellectual property portfolios.
Thursday, 22 February 2007
Dynasign is a leading digital signage content management software developer and service provider. Dynasign offers a simple, effective and powerful Digital Signage Online service platform that can be tailored to your business needs. Dynasign allows you to establish your own advertising or communicating media network to publish dynamic eye-catching rich-media ads and real-time messages to remote screens without purchasing and managing any server hardware and software.
Thursday, 22 February 2007
(Minneapolis) Star-Tribune: One of the biggest changes at the 2007 Twin Cities Food & Wine Experience in Minneapolis will be the appearance of four wine kiosks, where consumers may order bottles from among the 400 or so varieties being poured at the event. A new state law opened the door for these sales, during which customers choose not only their wines but the retail outlet where they can pick up the order (which still cannot happen on-site).
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Thursday, 22 February 2007
Canada.com: It may soon be possible to roll your item-laden grocery cart on a platform at the supermarket checkout and have all the items scanned and totaled instantly. To do this, each grocery item would carry an RFID tag -- no bigger than the present bar code -- containing information as to what it is and how much it costs.
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Thursday, 22 February 2007
Saipantribune.com: Continental Micronesia unveiled its enhanced, self-check-in kiosk in a presentation to travel partners at the Continental ticket counter in the Guam International Airport. The enhancements include three new language capabilities: Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese. The kiosks also allow customers to utilize five other languages: English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish.
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Thursday, 22 February 2007
HOUSTON, Texas -- Texas has emerged as one of the most significant geographic markets for DVD rental kiosks with the recent expansion by TNR Entertainment Corp., the nation's largest owner and operator of DVD rental kiosks in supermarkets and grocery stores operating under The New Release brand.
The company recently announced that it has completed the installation of an additional 51 automated DVD rental kiosks at high traffic grocery stores throughout Texas. The new agreement with a major food retailer, part of TNR's ongoing aggressive expansion program nationwide, increases TNR's installed base to nearly 400 kiosks in Texas and makes the state one of the Company's largest single geographic markets.
"This new agreement will enable TNR to introduce even more customers in Texas - our home base - to the convenience and value afforded by the DVD kiosk rental concept," stated Jeff Karbowiak, COO of TNR Entertainment.
The new kiosks are located throughout central and southern Texas in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Laredo, Waco and surrounding areas.
TNR has served nearly 1.3 million customers and rented more than 9 million DVDs since its inception in 2002. The privately-held company, based in Houston, dominates the self-service DVD rental category in the grocery channel. TNR currently has more than 1,300 locations across the country in such grocery chains as A&P, Dillon's, Food-4-Less, Food Lion, Fry's, H-E-B, Kroger, King Soopers, Publix, Quality Food Centers, Ralph's, Roundy's/Pick 'N Save, and Spartan/Family Fare.
Thursday, 22 February 2007
Siliconindia.com: Less than a month after India got its first batch of biometric ATMs in villages, Hyderabad-based Andhra Bank has proposed to set up a large number of biometric ATMs through the country. The bank intended to have as many as 150 biometric ATMs in place during the next year.
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Wednesday, 21 February 2007
Ecommercetimes.com: Traditionally, retailers have been reluctant to invest a portion of their budgets in ATMs, price check kiosks and self-checkout technology that can help organize and grow their businesses, claiming there was no guarantee that long-term benefits would outweigh the hefty initial costs. However, competition and more affordable and sophisticated offerings have spurred retailers to think twice before saying no.
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Wednesday, 21 February 2007
UTRECHT, The Netherlands -- The cash-in-transit company SecurCash has made an effort to futurize their cash logistics with the help an RFID tracking progam. The system from Transtrack International and Capturetech makes it possible to follow secure cash transports more closely.
All cash transport details are registered: personnel involved, route, transport value, etc. This creates considerable transparency within the process. All information is recorded by RFID chips and sensors, relaying the tracking information online in real time.
RFID technology makes the presence of personnel in the transfer of packages partially obsolete. In addition, pay-in safes can independently indicate using specific parameters when a cash transport is required. RFID technology enables SecurCash to use routes dynamically, which benefits security.
Wednesday, 21 February 2007
SEOUL, Korea -- Nautilus Hyosung has formed a strategic alliance with Infonox to offer value-added services on its ATMs and Kiosks. The company also announced that it would install the Infonox platform in its new line of ATM products.
Nautilus Hyosung ATMs adopting Infonox platform will allow financial institutions to provide their customers with many services for fee based revenue, such as deposit automation, real-time check cashing, bill payment, money transfer and the option to purchase money orders and pre paid cards, as well as basic ATM transactions.
Nautilus Hyosung will display the new kiosk model, installed with the Infonox platform, at the ATMIA Conference East set to be held in Orlando, Florida from Feb. 20-23, making a major push into the retail and banking kiosk market. The company has already conducted a successful certification test on the Infonox platform and will shortly start beta deployments.
Tuesday, 20 February 2007
Lvbusinesspress.com: As brick-and-mortar video stores fight it out for a share of the declining video-rental market, the kiosk industry is giving the Las Vegas Valley its attention.
Redbox, an Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based firm was among the first to enter the fray last year, Now the big, red box may have some competition for movie renters seeking maximum convenience.
TRN Entertainment is hoping to outfox Redbox. The Houston-based firm is in the process of installing 15 movie-rental kiosks in Food 4 Less grocery stores.
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Tuesday, 20 February 2007
Wric.com: Washington Metrorail riders are now getting more information about approaching trains even before they enter some stations.The transit agency is testing new electronic signs outside of five stations in the system.
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Tuesday, 20 February 2007
MORGANTOWN, Ky. — Pan-Oston has installed its Utopia self checkout solution at an IGA store located in Morgantown, Ky.
The Utopia allows retailers the option of using an attendant and fits into existing store configurations. The hardware, software, cabinet design and user interface are fully customizable for individual clients. Enhanced features such as biometric authentication for store attendant access and transaction management through attendant controlled mobile handheld devices are also available on each machine.
"Our team has responded to the challenge of creating a unique and customizable self checkout solution. We have launched a ground breaking technology which will benefit both the retailer and consumer," said Jim Vance, president for Pan-Oston.
Tuesday, 20 February 2007
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Source Technologies, manufacturers of transactional kiosks, will host a demonstration area at CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference showcasing self-service technologies for the financial services industry. Source Technologies' booth #1028 will feature Concourse Total self-service banking kiosks in use by credit unions and retailers across the country.
The conference will be held February 25-27, 2007 at the Hilton Washington & Towers in Washington, D.C.
Live demonstrations of Concourse kiosks demonstrating both "Total" and "Teller-Assisted" self-service banking will be available to provide attendees with hands-on experience using self-service technologies to deliver branch financial services.
Monday, 19 February 2007
SeeSaw Networks is a out-of-home digital media network. An advertiser or an agency can buy national out-of-home digital media from one source. Our network has thousands of digital signs and delivers over 80 million gross impressions. Our network covers venues such as retail, grocery, bars & restaurants, travel centers and college campuses. Plus, we have aggregated the available advertising inventory from digital signage networks so we can deliver national, regional and even metropolitan campaigns.
Monday, 19 February 2007
Located along the beautiful Wasatch Mountains in Lindon, Utah, Helius is dedicated to developing world-class IP broadcasting solutions for business. Our products provide an open application platform for the simple, secure, and reliable delivery of IP applications over satellite and local area networks. At Helius, we take pride in the unique challenges that exist in the markets we serve, enabling the creation of comprehensive digital signage, training, learning, and content distribution network solutions.
Our solutions provide our customers with a comprehensive enterprise-wide data broadcast infrastructure. This infrastructure delivers corporate broadcasts, business television, interactive distance learning and training programs, distributed digital signage initiatives that support advertising, brand enhancement, and customer satisfaction programs. In addition, our platform supports a host of applications such as content distribution, centralized management, security monitoring, video multicasting, and video conferencing.
Monday, 19 February 2007
Theregister.co.uk: Tiny radio frequency identification chips, 64 times smaller than current devices, have been developed by Hitatchi in Japan. The chips, barely bigger than a grain, come with 128-bit memory capable of storing an identification number of up to 38 digits.
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Monday, 19 February 2007
Cbs4Denver.com: Frontier Airlines has plans to make it possible for passengers to rebook tickets from canceled flights or make future reservations at kiosks in the Denver International Airport. The expectation is to cut down on the number of frustrated passengers who call the airline after canceled or delayed flights because of weather. Frontier plans to add more kiosks as well at the check-in counters.
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Monday, 19 February 2007
SUNNYVALE, Calif. · Hoteliers can now provide their patrons with a compact, stylish computer-access kiosk that can streamline guest service by freeing up employees to help guests who require more personal services.
Vertical Systems Inc. is offering Aspen, a sleek, high-style kiosk unit that can be placed in hotel lobbies, corridors, conference rooms or other public spaces. Aspen kiosks can house either VSi's BoardEZ airline boarding-pass printing systems, Internet-access PCs or a hotel's own proprietary computer equipment with high quality printer for guest use.
VSi's Aspen comes with a wired or wireless network connection and can be loaded with hotel-specific software.
The Hyatt Regency Indianapolis installed its Aspen kiosk near the reception desk as part of a station that includes two of the hotel's automated express check-in/-out units. The kiosk houses the Hyatt FastBoard boarding-pass unit.
"The guests love being able to check out of the hotel and go to the Aspen kiosk and print out their boarding pass," said Richard Walter, the hotel's Director of Rooms.
Monday, 19 February 2007
DUBAI · At a media preview at Kodak regional's headquarters in Dubai, Kodak unveiled its new range of kiosks, which allow customers to view, edit, personalize and print photographs.
According to a news release, the kiosks, which are designed to read images from CDs, computer memory sticks, camera memory cards or mobile phones via Bluetooth technology, are the latest development in Kodak's digital-services expansion program for the Middle East.
Kodak Picture Kiosks are expected to be installed at more locations in coming years, including Kodak Express stores, hypermarkets, shopping malls and mobile-phone retail stores, to name a few
"There is an underlying desire today to save and cherish the many images we click with our mobile phones and digital cameras, but have limited options to print them. The Kodak Picture Kiosks will change this," said Arif Khan, Kodak's area business manager.
Friday, 16 February 2007
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — RealTime Shredding Inc., developer of self-service shredding kiosks, has added its first dealer, Tallahassee, Fla.-based Identity Theft Solutions Corp.
According to a news release, Identity Theft Solutions will market RealTime's Self-Service Shredder as an integral part of its fraud protection and resolution services and products.
"The Self-Service Shredder fills a need for small and mid-sized businesses and organizations, for which neither home shredders nor mobile shredding are appropriate," said Keith Carr, Identity Theft Solutions' president.
Home shredders, "can be laborious, time-intensive and unsafe" for business use, he said.
Friday, 16 February 2007
Bankokpost.com: Content provider RS will re-launch its ready-to-download card this month as part of its plans to increase online content sales. The card will be changed to a reloadable stored-value card, and the company expects to offer incentives and rewards that allow it to track consumer behavior. RS also is testing a kiosk that offers movie downloads.
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Friday, 16 February 2007
Eweek.com: It turns out 2006 wasn't the banner year for radio-frequency identification adoption that some analysts predicted, particularly in the retail and consumer packaged-goods sectors. And it looks like 2007 won't be much different. This year is likely to be one that strives to find ways to leverage RFID data.
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Friday, 16 February 2007
CHESHIRE, England · Felix Group, developer of the Max Box multifunction retail ATM, has signed a deal with Bank Machine Ltd., the United Kingdom-based subsidiary of independent ATM deployer Cardtronics LP, to jointly deploy Max Box machines.
Bank Machine will commission, own, manage and maintain the ATMs through its membership with the Link Interchange Network Ltd. Felix will focus on delivering its own core competence, providing digital content.
Both parties are expected to identify new deployment sites, which Bank Machine will review. Some existing ATM sites also may be replaced with Max Box terminals.
Thursday, 15 February 2007
BismarckTribune.com: Concluding its $1 million price tag was too rich, the North Dakota Senate dumped a proposal to set up computer kiosks in police stations for sex offenders. The kiosks were proposed for sex-offender use, allowing offenders to enter their information at self-service terminals that would notify authorities of their whereabouts.
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Thursday, 15 February 2007
UTC Echo: A University of Tennessee-Chattanooga food-court now includes a kiosk that provides nutritional information and updated menus. The kiosk is built from an interactive, multifunctional Web site. Nutritional information can be found on any menu item served in the dining hall.
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Thursday, 15 February 2007
The Toronto Star: NEXUS, which may be launched as early as next month, should be a real time-saver for travelers who cross the border regularly. NEXUS is designed to speed up border clearance for low-risk, pre-approved travelers who travel between Canada and the United States. A dedicated NEXUS line with automated self-service kiosks is expected to be installed in the U.S. Customs areas at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
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Thursday, 15 February 2007
MELVILLE, N.Y. · Arrow Electronics Inc. has named John P. McMahon its senior vice president of Corporate Human Resources.
According to a news release, McMahon assumes the post March 12.
McMahon will oversee Arrow's global human-resources function, including compensation, benefits, talent management, professional development and human-resources policy for the company's nearly 12,000 employees.
Before Arrow, McMahon served as senior vice president and chief human-resource officer at UMass Memorial Health Care System, one of the largest healthcare system in Central and Western Massachusetts.
Wednesday, 14 February 2007
Foodproductiondaily.com: RFID has long been touted as the future of logistics, because it allows retailers and suppliers to track goods throughout the supply chain. Regulations on traceability, and mandates from such giant retailers as Wal-Mart and Metro, are forcing processors to invest in the technology. Embedding tags into labels protects users against damage and tampering.
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Wednesday, 14 February 2007
The Calgary Sun: With an eye to speeding up travel between Canada and the United States, iris-recognition technology will soon take off at Calgary International Airport. The technology will allow travelers to bypass long waits in customs inspection lines by using automated self-serve kiosks that scan their eyes for security clearance.
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Wednesday, 14 February 2007
MONTREAL · More than 60 OfficeMax locations are using digital signage from ADFLOW Networks and Matrox Graphics, and more of the company's locations are expected to incorporate the technology through 2008.
According to a news release, OfficeMax's digital signs include a combination of ADFLOW's dynamic messaging system with the Matrox Millennium P650 multidisplay graphics card.
The signs have reportedly helped Office Max enhance customer service, promote merchandise and provide entertainment to customers as they wait in line.
"This vision required content to span two screens and switch to two individual content feeds. ADFLOW Networks and Matrox Graphics will continue to provide this innovative solution to the OfficeMax Network going forward," said David Roscoe, ADFLOW's president.
OfficeMax Advantage and mid-size stores will continue to incorporate in-store media into their environments, OfficeMax said. Each store will feature two 40-inch state-of-the-art LCD panels, designed and mounted to fit within a newly designed menu board that is located in the printing-service area.
Wednesday, 14 February 2007
Singapore-based electronics manufacturer Flextronics International Ltd. has acquired WebRaiser Technologies, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.
Flextronics, which manufactures electronics for companies like Dell, Ericsson, Hewlett-Packard and Siemens, reported sales of $15 billion in 2006. The company operates factories on four continents and has approximately 99,000 employees. During the third quarter of fiscal year 2005/2006, the company announced profit that nearly tripled from the previous year.
WebRaiser Technologies, located in Sacramento, Calif., was established in 1997 to create "software for the self-service economy." The company's Vendi platforms power applications such as bill payment, photography, public Internet access and e-commerce.
WebRaiser's clients have included Burger King, Kaiser Permanente, Skechers and Paramount Pictures.
Tuesday, 13 February 2007
The Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald: ANZ Banking Group is ramping up its rollout of ATMs, with the bank finding it a handy way to gain new customers. Australia's third-biggest bank reached the 2,000 ATM milestone earlier this month. The bank says it plans to install new ATMs at the rate of one per day in 2007.
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Tuesday, 13 February 2007
Northjersey.com: A new kiosk deployed in New Jersey's Paramus Park mall allows customers to scan paint chips and matches the colors to a Benjamin Moore paint. It then directs customers to a local Benjamin Moore dealers and gives them coupons.
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Tuesday, 13 February 2007
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Business executives attending the Esprida workshop at IQPC's "Optimizing and Securing the Remote Service Infrastructure" conference in Orlando, Fla., confirmed the importance of several key issues facing successful remote-management deployments.
"Data Architecture for Remote Service" was co-presented by Yousif Hassan, Esprida Corp.'s director of product management, and Asad Jobanputra, Esprida's director of applications. The session covered a range of issues, including how to define requirements, understanding the impact on business, and developing data-management strategies.
Attendees from Fortune 500 companies representing a variety of sectors agreed that designing robust data architectures is crucial.
"Many organizations, some that have invested years in building their own remote-management solutions, are still unable to extract data for performing meaningful analysis. That means they're not able to realize the full potential of this technology," Hassan said.
Tuesday, 13 February 2007
DAYTON, Ohio — Mel Walter has been named to the newly created position of vice president of self-service business development for NCR Corp. A 27-year veteran of NCR, Walter will be responsible for strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, and industry-analyst relations that relate to NCR's self-service businesses.
Walter will work with the company's business units on implementing self-service strategies in targeted industries, including banking, retail, travel, healthcare, the public sector and gaming.
"Mel is a visionary with practical, long-term experience. He will serve NCR well as we strengthen our current self-service offerings and expand NCR's solution portfolio into new industry segments and application areas," said NCR president and chief executive Bill Nuti.
Walter most recently served as vice president of major accounts for NCR's Financial Solutions Division, where he led the company's self-service business with financial institutions and ATM deployers in the United States.
Monday, 12 February 2007
The St. Petersburg Times: Pinellas County, Fla., has introduced payment kiosks for fines in misdemeanor and felony cases, municipal and county ordinances, and boating and traffic citations.
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Monday, 12 February 2007
Epaynews: Superquinn, an Irish supermarket chain, has signed a contract to deploy NCR Corp.'s FastLane self-checkout terminals in 19 of its stores by March 2007. Superquinn is expected to install the terminals predominantly in Dublin and its suburbs.
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Monday, 12 February 2007
MAITLAND, Fla. — Galvanon, an NCR Corp. company, announced that Philadelphia's Jefferson Health System will license Galvanon's patient self-service technology.
According to a news release, Main Line Health will be the first JHS member to implement Galvanon's MediKiosk throughout its facilities.
Galvanon's MediKiosk is part of a comprehensive suite of products that allows hospitals and clinics to provide patient self-service capabilities. When a patient arrives for an appointment, he enters identifying information at the kiosk to begin the check-in process. The kiosk allows the patient to view and confirm appointment details, electronically sign consent forms, enter medical information, and make co-payments.
Monday, 12 February 2007
WEST CHESTER, Pa. — MEI announced that its Cashflow SC bill acceptor has been integrated into the Smart Kiosk Cashless POS System, a product of Precision Dynamics Corp. Smart Kiosks are used at parks and resorts along with Smart Band RFID wristbands, also developed by Precision Dynamics, to enable guests to pay for resort items and access their rooms, as well as other facilities, without carrying cash, credit cards or keys.
The PDC kiosks use MEI bill acceptors, which allow resort guests to replenish their accounts as needed. Guests add funds to their wristbands by going to one of the Smart Kiosks located throughout the resort. All information on the wristbands is encrypted.
Monday, 12 February 2007
ARMONK, N.Y. — Slovenia's Mercator has successfully implemented IBM Corp. Self-Checkout solutions in its Celje, Slovenia, store to improve in-store traffic flows, speed checkout and increase customer service and loyalty.
According to a news release, the deployment is the first self-service implementation of this kind in Southeast Europe.
Mercator services 1,134 stores and restaurants in Slovenia. To optimize checkout flows and adapt to fluctuating customer numbers, the company decided to install four self-checkout systems that are combined with existing POS systems. With its open-ended Self Checkout solution, IBM has developed a configuration that accepts all baskets and carts, regardless of size.
"It was absolutely essential to make customer traffic smoother within the store by cutting down checkout waiting times and bottlenecks," said Aleksandra Kocmut from Mercator.
Mercator installed IBM systems as part of a pilot project that started last summer. It combines a standard cashier system, payment unit for payments in cash, control scales, and a touchscreen that offers complete support in the Slovenian language throughout the shopping process. The software was tuned by IBM and business partner Mikropis.
Friday, 09 February 2007
M2M Magazine: Texas Instruments newest line of RFID transponders are designed to perform in, and endure, high temperatures, extreme heat and contact with chemicals. The transponders are an alternative to less-durable tags and bar codes that break or wear when subjected to extreme conditions.
Read more
Friday, 09 February 2007
BURABY, British Columbia · TIO Networks Corp. has named Randy Overturf its new chief operating officer. Overturf succeeds James Sanders, the company's former COO.
According to a news release, Overturf has more than 25 years of experience in operations, field service and support, project-management leadership, network operations and customer-service experience. Most recently Overturf spearheaded the design, development and implementation of software and kiosk installations at Mediaport Entertainment Inc., while managing the recruiting, hiring and training of team members in all departments of the organization.
Overturf also worked for Coinstar Inc., where he built the field-service department to over 300 employees and more than 10,000 locations.
He is a member of the Association Field Service Management International and serves on the AFSMI's Educational Committee.
"We wish to acknowledge the valuable contributions of Mr. Sanders and wish him well in his future endeavors," said Hamed Shahbazi, TIO's chairman and chief executive. "We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Overturf to TIO Networks, as we feel he is arguably one of the most accomplished operational executives in the kiosk industry."
Friday, 09 February 2007
Baltimoresun.com: When a new Martin's Food Market opened in Maryland, it became one of the first grocery stores in the state to use hand-held scanners, allowing customers to total their items and bag them while they shop.
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Thursday, 08 February 2007
SUWANNEE, Ga. — Pro-Tech Solutions is offering an in-wall kiosk for applications in universities, parks, retail stores and real estate companies. Pro-Tech is known for their innovations in the outdoor kiosk industry.
The in-wall kiosk is just 7 inches deep and protrudes less than three-quarters of an inch from the wall surface. Outdoors, the kiosk can be hosed down and operated in direct sunlight. The in-wall kiosk carries on Pro-Tech's philosophy of building "goof-proof" machines that won't to have to be replaced after 3 or 4 years of public use.
"The demand growth for outdoor kiosks is driving much of the innovation being seen in the kiosk marketplace today. Outdoor kiosks are the fastest growing segment of the kiosk marketplace and as part of this growth we have seen a significant demand for in-wall kiosks," said Don Turner, President and CEO.
Experts expects that the overall kiosks market will see a 39% compounded annual growth from $324 billion in 2005 to over $1.2 trillion in 2009.
The new kiosk unit is a response to a growing demand for in-wall units from diverse market segments. The new in-wall unit can operate indoors and out. Additionally the unit offers customers a choice of a secure keyboard and patent pending touch screen technology.
Thursday, 08 February 2007
NEW YORK · Big Apple Wallcovering announced Feb. 3-6 the introduction of its No More Books kiosks to worldwide manufacturers and distributors at the 2007 Wallcovering's Association Annual Convention in Marco Island, Fla.
According to a news release, the kiosks feature video instruction and facilitate electronic order placement with Big Apple Wallcovering, which processes the orders and drop-ships samples with the customer. The kiosks also provide a search engine that allows easy selection for the customer.
"We have invited the industry to move forward with us and recondition outlets to eliminate sample books and replace them with our No More Books kiosks," said Neal Jablon, president of Big Apple Worldwide. "We will commence the roll out of kiosks into retail paint and wallcovering stores this spring."
Thursday, 08 February 2007
TRUMBULL, Conn. · JD Events, a North American tradeshow and event production company, has announced plans to take its KioskCom annual tradeshow to global markets.
According to a news release, the company expects to introduce shows in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
KioskCom has three times been named one of the 50 fastest-growing trade shows in North America by "Tradeshow Week."
"Companies are interested in offering customer service that is efficient and of the highest quality to the customer," said Joel Davis, JD Events' president and chief executive.
The schedule for the international KioskCom shows is a follows:
- KioskCom Europe - Nov. 7-8, 2007 in London
- KioskCom Middle East - Feb. 12-13, 2007 in Dubai, UAE
- KioskCom Asia - June 10-12, 2008, in Beijing
- KioskCom Self-Service Expo 2007 - April 25-27, 2007, in Las Vegas
Thursday, 08 February 2007
Theindychannel.com: About 2,000 frequent travelers in central Indiana have signed up to use check-in kiosks and RFID cards to shorten their wait times at airport security points. The hardware is part of Indy's Fly Clear plan, the latest in a number of registered traveling programs that allow travelers to pay annual fees for shorter wait times in airports.
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Thursday, 08 February 2007
Silicon.com: Birmingham, England's airport has launched a security system based on biometric technology. The system is part of a nationwide rollout project, Project Iris, at airports across the United Kingdom. Project Iris is an iris-recognition immigration system that allows registered travelers to use retinal scan kiosks to speed up immigration checks.
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Wednesday, 07 February 2007
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The publication of the Fifth Edition of Summit Research Associates' popular Kiosk Industry Sector Report — Retail was released today. It contains 17 charts including: the worldwide installed base, projections for retail kiosk growth through 2009, the most popular types of peripherals used on retail kiosks, the average cost of a retail kiosk by world region, the average length of time a customer uses these types of kiosks and the average number of users per day.
The report contains nine in-depth case studies, with special emphases on digital photography, DVD rental, quick-serve restaurant ordering, product information and instant in-store credit. Although the US is far and away the largest region both for retail kiosk installed base and projected rollouts, we have included a European kiosk; Ikea's product information kiosks located in Barcelona.
Every case study is first evaluated using Summit's Kiosk Evaluation Checklist, which presents a quick overview of each kiosk project. It includes descriptions of the locations within the store, the enclosure, signage, attract loop, user interface, peripherals, and any special features that make this kiosk stand out. This is followed by a detailed evaluation of the retail kiosk. Each case study includes a photograph of the enclosure and numerous screenshots of the software interface.
Wednesday, 07 February 2007
WEST CHESTER, Pa. -- MEI announces that its Cashflow SC bill acceptor has been integrated into the Smart Kiosk Cashless POS System, a product of Precision Dynamics Corporation. Smart Kiosks are used at parks and resorts along with Smart Band RFID wristbands to enable guests to pay for resort items and access their rooms and other facilities without carrying around cash, credit cards, or keys.
A number of resorts on the east coast are now providing their guests with this system, which is based on RFID technology. Resort guests wear Smart Band wristbands that can be used as room keys and "electronic wallets" throughout the resort.
PDC Smart Kiosks utilize MEI bill acceptors, which enable resort guests to replenish their accounts as needed. Guests simply add funds to their wristbands by going to one of the Smart Kiosks located throughout the resort. All information on the wristband is encrypted, ensuring security.
Wednesday, 07 February 2007
BROOKLYN, N.Y.: LAMbCast LTD recently announced the release of their patent pending new product named Kid's Start. Through a kiosk style interface, children between the ages of 2 and 9 can easily browse popular children websites, play music, play movies and use the printing feature to print their favorite web pages.
The design of Kid's Start is engineered to help children reach educational and developmental milestones while offering an easy introduction to computer technology. Kid's Start is a turn-key application built to install and run on a Windows computer. In addition, Kid's Start is compatible with the new Windows Vista operating system, so parents are free to purchase a low cost PC for dedicated use by their children.
Kid's Start has a unique and simple interface with powerful features such as pre-installed popular websites, a CD and DVD player, easy background color changing, friendly mouse-over voice prompts and a print feature. The Windows Media Player powered DVD player can work with parental control and restriction.
Wednesday, 07 February 2007
DAYTON, Ohio · India's largest commercial bank, State Bank of India, has selected NCR Corporation to provide and manage the single largest order of ATMs by a bank in India. The order includes 3,000 NCR Personas ATMs and APTRA software, installation and deployment services including construction and maintenance of ATM sites, and comprehensive management of SBI's ATM channel, including 24x7 monitoring to ensure highest ATM availability.
The 3,000 units includes a mix of full-function ATMs that can address routine transactions including cash withdrawal, as well as advanced functions such as airline and railway ticketing, deposits and customer relationship management-driven services. The installation is in line with SBI's expansion plans and fulfillment of its recent project to deploy ATMs across key railway stations in India.
Wednesday, 07 February 2007
TROY, Mich. — Nextep Systems has announced the useof the Nextreme Outdoor Kiosk, a kiosk the company says represents the "next step" in outdoor-kiosk design. The kiosk is reportedly the first consumer-use outdoor kiosk to use an industrial PC with a solid-state disk, technology typically only found in harsh, military settings.
The Nextreme kiosk offers a NEMA/4 enclosure with powder-coated finish, a 15-inch LCD touchscreen with safety glass, and requires no fans or other moving parts except and optional printer. Optional periphreals include a meagnetic-stripe reader, barcode reader, keyboard, 17-inch display, wireless network card and thermal printer — all rated for outdoor use.
Wednesday, 07 February 2007
Hotelmotel.com: Building and strengthening a property's technology backbone is expected to have widespread benefits in 2007. Consultants advise hoteliers keep their technology systems up-to-date to improve efficiency.
Customized service delivery will be an effective product of building the backbone of information. By strengthening these back-end systems now, consultants said hoteliers will be well positioned to offer high-tech options to visitors. However, technologies like check-in kiosks, restaurant ordering kiosks and multifunctional in-room systems are not one-size-fits-all.
Wednesday, 07 February 2007
Las Vegas Business Press: Americans have taken to interactive kiosks in a big way. ATMs have been supplanting bank tellers and withdrawal slips for a long time. But in recent years, it's become possible to do everything from making your pre-flight check-in to renting DVDs without talking to an actual person. This phenomenon has shown up on the casino floor, where the trend toward machines and away from humans is rapidly gathering speed. A new kiosk might point the way to a future casino that is almost entirely automated.
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Tuesday, 06 February 2007
DAYTON, Ohio · NCR Corp. announced a software solution to help organizations improve the bottom line through better tracking and management of their assets using RFID or other automatic identification and data collection (AIDC) technologies.
NCR Asset Visibility offers retail, logistics/distribution and manufacturing organizations a single program that enables them to track the location and utilization of all assets. It can be used as a standalone application or it can be integrated with other solutions including enterprise resource planning software and systems that track corporate fixed assets, as well as maintenance and tool crib, warehouse management or manufacturing and quality control systems.
The latest offering in NCR's suite of packaged AIDC solutions, NCR Asset Visibility is built with the proven NCR TransitionWorks development platform.
"NCR Asset Visibility simplifies the infrastructure needed to enter, capture and cleanse data at the point of business activity. And it updates all relevant systems in real time," said Ken Hamlin, general manager of NCR's AIDC Solutions Group. "Further, it gives organizations the flexibility to use the combination of technologies that best meets their requirements at a competitive cost, whether active or passive RFID, biometrics, bar codes, wireless LAN or cellular."
NCR Asset Visibility is the foundation for an extensive list of potential applications in many business environments. Examples include:
- Retailers can use NCR Asset Visibility to track and manage store assets such as end-cap displays, racks or bins, fixed or mobile point-of-sale hardware and shopping carts. Tracking shopping carts as they move through a store can help retailers better understand consumer behavior and potentially increase revenue per customer.
- In logistics or distribution organizations, managers are under pressure to optimize every facet of their operations. By enabling the real-time visibility of assets such as trailers, reusable containers and equipment, NCR Asset Visibility helps these organizations improve utilization and reduce operational expenses.
- In manufacturing environments, the NCR solution can be used to assure that tools are in the right location, at the right time and in the right condition. Where reusable totes or containers are used in automated production operations, NCR Asset Visibility can aid in the automatic identification and capturing of production rates.
Tuesday, 06 February 2007
Brandweek.com: Catherine Muriel thinks she can replace coupon clipping with coupons that actually get used. Muriel is the new CMO at Pay By Touch, a provider of biometric authentication, personalized marketing and payment solutions.
While the company is best known for systems that let consumers pay for purchases with a finger scan, it is getting set to roll out a new program that will give consumers coupon discounts without having to carry actual coupons.
Read more
Tuesday, 06 February 2007
Epson America, Inc. supplies a full range of transaction printers using thermal, inkjet, and impact technologies. The Epson EU-T400 Series is the kiosk printer which combines resolution, speed and all the value driven unique Epson features helping keep your costs down in your large volume projects. The EU-T400 series uses the same software drivers as used in the industry leading Epson packaged receipt printers; Epson currently has more than 50% of the receipt printer market. There is a good chance your end user is already using Epson so why not keep costs low by leveraging existing drivers used at the point of sale in your kiosk? call us today and we will get printing fast!
Tuesday, 06 February 2007
MINNEAPOLIS · SUPERVALU expects to roll out Redbox automated DVD rental kiosks at its Acme, Albertsons, Bigg's, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher's, Jewel-Osco, Scott's Food & Pharmacy, Shaw's, Shop n Save, and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy locations, as well as other retail outlets. The Redbox DVD rental kiosks allow customers to use a touchscreen to select movies and pay with a credit or debit.
"Offering our customers in-store DVD rentals is just another way we are striving to make our customers' busy lives easier," said Duncan Mac Naughton, SUPERVALU's executive vice president of merchandising and marketing. "This service will enable our customers to combine two trips and save time."
The agreement with Redbox follows a successful pilot in several SUPERVALU locations.
"We are thrilled with the continued success of Redbox and the opportunity to build our reach and service for SUPERVALU customers," said Gregg Kaplan, chief executive of Redbox. "This is a great opportunity to introduce more consumers to the Redbox experience."
Each kiosk holds more than 500 DVDs.
Tuesday, 06 February 2007
CYPRESS, Calif. · The new SMARTPIN from ID TECH is designed to be built into self-service kiosks, ATMs, vending machines, gasoline pumps and similar applications.
"As the manufacturer of the SecurePIN hand-held PIN entry products, the next logical step was the development of this robust panel-mounted PIN-pad product," said Terry Conant, ID TECH's executive vice president and chief technology officer.
The PIN pad is being released with options for a back-lit LCD and plastic or metal keys. The companion products will include a selection of Payment Card Industry-certified hybrid card readers for chip and PIN operations. The keys have both audio and tactile feedback. Additional features include selectable language options and a choice of USB-CDC or RS232 communication interface.
SmartPIN also is designed for outdoor and unattended applications.
For new installations or upgrading existing equipment, SmartPIN has the features and operations to support secure PIN-entry applications. It also provides DES and Triple DES encryption algorithms and DUKPT for key management.
Tuesday, 06 February 2007
While the majority of Americans have the financial structures in place to make e-commerce and pay-at-the-pump transactions, unbanked and underbanked consumers historically have had to rely on alternative and often costly payment methods.
With the launch of prepaid cards in the early 1990s, the unbanked and underbanked consumer gained access to financial services otherwise out of reach. Prepaid cards helped meet this demographic's financial-payments need, but as useful as prepaid cards are, they have a reputation for being difficult to acquire and expensive to reload, with hard-to-monitor account balances.
Minneapolis-based Ready Credit Corp., founded on the principle of aiding the underserved financial segment, knew the problems had to be addressed to give unbanked and underbanked consumers full financial freedom.
With this in mind, the company began developing a prepaid-card kiosk designed to dispense, load and track prepaid-card account balances.
Armed with an idea and an implementation plan, Ready Credit representatives began to call solution providers across the United States looking for a technology partner. That is when their relationship began with Dayton, Ohio-based NCR Corporation.
A solution for all seasons
NCR had experience creating and delivering the software and hardware needed for a full-scale, prepaid-card self-service solution. For more than seven years the company had been deploying similar technology in its EasyPoint Xpress bill-payment kiosk, and more recently with its line of EasyPoint Xpress check-in and check-out kiosks for the hotel industry.
"We were able to repurpose our current bill-payment solution to meet Ready Credit's needs for
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The ReadySTATION dispenses and loads prepaid cards and tracks account balances, creating a financial-services access point for the unbanked and underbanked.
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accepting payments, posting and dispensing cards," said Mike Webster, vice president and general manager for self-service at NCR. "This approach, in which we draw on our knowledge base and create something new · combining experience with innovation · is appealing to partners like Ready Credit. From a development standpoint, both parties have fewer variables and fewer risks."
One benefit for Ready Credit was NCR's ability to create a solution from a holistic approach, an important factor in terms of service, maintenance and hardware uniformity. Another benefit was that NCR could provide a road-tested hardware and software platform designed for consumer ease of use.
NCR representatives worked directly with Tim Walsh, Ready Credit's chief executive officer, on the solution and how it should work.
"NCR really brought a wealth of knowledge to the relationship in terms of their understanding how consumers interact with payment and/or self-service devices," Walsh said. "We worked very closely with them and developed all of the functionality jointly, as well as the customer interface."
Ready Credit's kiosk, the ReadySTATION, is touted as a way for retailers to give unbanked and underbanked consumers financial services in a user-friendly format. The ReadySTATION is deployed in convenience and grocery stores, conducts transactions in English or Spanish, and features a cash acceptor and touchscreen prompts. Consumers also are able to acquire a ReadyCARD Prepaid MasterCard in less than a minute.
"That's really what we were striving for: a positive, user-friendly experience, which meant reliable and fast technology," Walsh said.
On the back-end, NCR provided Ready Credit with the ability to change ReadySTATION network functions from one centralized location, as new federal mandates and consumer demand dictate. Each ReadySTATION also is equipped with wireless modem network communications and firewall capabilities, making ReadySTATIONs placement easy for retailers and payment transactions more secure for consumers.
A goal of the technology behind the ReadySTATION is to provide scalable, intelligent services that use hardware and software that include the flexibility of international deployment. More importantly, the ReadySTATION has become a financial-services access point for underbanked and unbanked consumers, giving them the instant credit they need to conduct self-service transactions in their daily lives.
This article originally published in Self-Service World magazine's special section, FOCUS: Retail Self-Service, January 2007.
Tuesday, 06 February 2007
HOUSTON · DVD rental kiosks from The New Release, a.k.a TNR,can now be found in three new markets on the West Coast.
According to a news release, the owner and operator of DVD rental kiosks in grocery stores is continuing its nationwide expansion with the installation of 174 kiosks in California, Nevada and Arizona.
The new kiosks, owned and operated under The New Release brand, are located in 75 Ralph's supermarkets and Food 4 Less stores in Southern California. Another 90 sites are planned in other parts of the state later this year.
In addition, TNR has installed 26 rental kiosks in Arizona at Fry's stores throughout Phoenix and Tucson , and 15 more at Food 4 Less locations in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nev. An additional 91 kiosks are planned for Arizona this year.
"The Western United States is a huge market for us, and this phase is only the beginning of a major presence for TNR," said Jeff Karbowiak, chief operating officer of TNR. "Our relationship with Kroger has enabled us to enter these markets quickly with a substantial deployment of kiosks."
Additional West Coast expansion plans in 2007 include installing more than 50 kiosks for the first time in Washington and Oregon. TNR says it expects to triple its network of 1,300 kiosks across 30 states by the end of 2007.
Monday, 05 February 2007
Experticity, launched in 2001, is the leading developer of next-generation customer information systems. Experticity`s proprietary technologies enables companies to allocate live, on-screen employees and service providers from remote locations directly to customers. Our system employs real time, two-way video, audio, and data feeds to provide users personalized, one-on-one service.
For enterprises, Experticity significantly reduces staffing costs while substantially improving customer satisfaction. For consumers, Experticity delivers in-store services faster, better, and at lower cost.
Monday, 05 February 2007
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. · New Frontier Bank, based in Greeley, Colo., has become the first bank in the nation to acquire and install self-service shredding kiosks for customer and public use.
New Frontier Bank has installed The Self-Service Shredder, the first self-service shredding kiosk designed specifically for business and consumer use, at its locations in Greeley, Longmont and Windsor, Colo. The kiosks, developed by Colorado Springs-based RealTime Shredding Inc., cross-cut shred 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.
Customers and the general public can use RealTime Shredding's kiosks at no charge. The kiosks are located in the banks' lobbies and are available for use during normal lobby hours of operation.
The service is a natural outgrowth of New Frontier Bank's commitment to help prevent identity theft, says Shelly Froggatte, senior vice president of marketing. Realizing the popularity of twice-yearly free "shredding days" that the bank has offered, she wanted to provide the service on a regular basis.
"RealTime Shredding's kiosks are perfect fits for our customers and the public," she said, and have already seen consistently high use.
Monday, 05 February 2007
SiliconIndia.com: Reliance, Wipro and ITC have evinced interest in opening IT kiosks for educated unemployed in the rural areas of Jaipur.
"Over 6,000 common service centres have been proposed under National E-governance project of the union government in the state. About 68 companies have submitted their presentation with the IT department of which 37 companies have been given approval to work in this project," Rajasthan IT department Principal Secretary C.K. Mathew said.
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Friday, 02 February 2007
LONDON · The second-annual Screen Expo Europe opened in London Wednesday, with 75 exhibitors and an expected 4,000 attendees.
According to Mark Pigou, director of organizer Retail Events Ltd., 40 percent of those attendees are from outside the U.K., roughly twice as many as last year.
Highlights of day one included an overview of the industry by Martin Kingdom, president of POPAI UK; presentations of successful signage networks from The Netherlands, Germany and France; and a discussion on global out-of-home media trends from Thomson's Julien Marcel.
James Bickers edits DigitalSignageToday.com
Friday, 02 February 2007
Sewickley Herald: You can order a sandwich at Sheetz, scan groceries at Giant Eagle and withdraw money from a savings account with the press of a fingertip. Now that same finger can reduce wait times at some Heritage Valley Health System affiliates.
Using touchscreen kiosks, patients may bypass traditional methods of a person behind a desk typing in their information and check in themselves for blood work, X-rays and other procedures.
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Friday, 02 February 2007
TORONTO · Porter Airlines, Canada's newest passenger airline, is offering its customers the convenience of self-service check-in via kiosks from Kinetics, a subsidiary of NCR Corporation.
Porter Airlines has deployed Kinetics TouchPort IIC self-check-in kiosks, featuring a passport reader and barcode imager, in its ticketing area at Toronto City Centre Airport and at the airline's shuttle service departure site. The Kinetics self-service software application allows passengers to access their itinerary, check baggage, swipe their credit card for personal or group check-in and print their boarding pass.
"By deploying a superior self-check-in solution from Kinetics, we are providing our customers with a check-in experience that exemplifies our mission to deliver speed, convenience and exceptional service throughout all aspects of our airline's operations," said Robert Deluce, president and chief executive officer of Porter Airlines.
Kinetics is a provider of self-service technologies for the travel industry, offering hardware, industrial design, engineering, software solutions and maintenance support. The company has deployed thousands of TouchPort units in over 285 airports worldwide.
Friday, 02 February 2007
DAYTON, OHIO · NCR Corporation once again has extended its relationship with United Bank for Africa, the largest financial services institution in West Africa, to supply more than 350 ATMs and subsequent professional services.
The latest order is comprised of NCR's Personas ATMs, including the unique "deploy anywhere" Personas 71; Personas M Series ATMs; Gasper tools for remote ATM management; APTRA Promote software, which enables advertising and promotional campaigns on the ATM channel; and NCR Secure's remote key management offering for enhanced channel security.
In addition, this order will enable UBA to pioneer and introduce Intelligent Deposit to the area. This new capability uses NCR's image-based deposit technology to enable display of deposited check images on the ATM screen for verification and on the customer's receipt. This speeds the deposit process, while providing important proof-of-deposit to the customer.
Tony Elumelu, managing director and chief executive officer of UBA, said, "It is important to UBA to continue to lead our industry in the provision of customer services and convenience. We have had very good experience working with NCR and believe NCR's own innovation in ATMs and subsequent value-added services bodes well for our philosophy to best serve our customers."
Friday, 02 February 2007
Keywest Technology is a B2B communication company offering cost-effective dynamic digital signage and video solutions that can increase sales, customer satisfaction and wide-ranging information retention up to 51 percent on average, and that is just for starters. Digital signage converges the power of IT networks, video and multimedia into a more efficient and effective way to communicate by presenting the right information at the best time to a target audience.
Thursday, 01 February 2007
Chicago · Digital Retailing Expo has changed its name to Digital Signage Expo and spun off Interactive Technology Expo, which will be presented as co-located shows. The 2007 Conference will be held at the Navy Pier Exhibition Center in Downtown Chicago, using the Hyatt Regency Chicago as the group's headquarters hotel.
"We've changed the name and given ITE its own identity to better reflect the extraordinary growth and acceptance across industry categories," said DSE's Chris Gibbs, executive vice president of ExpoNation, which produces the show. "Attendees now get two shows for the price of one · and the upside for both shows, irrespective of the other, is enormous."
It is just that potential that has attracted nationally recognized names, such as Bank of America, British Petroleum, Forrester Research, Google, Nike, Ritz-Carlton, Sealy and USPS, all of which have representatives participating as speakers or presenters at the conference.
The conference will include 20 informative sessions on DSN results assessment, technology, strategy and content issues. Program presenters will provide case study application examples, participate in Q&A panels and provide a guide for successful planning and implementation and illustrate how easy it is to connect at the conference.
Thursday, 01 February 2007
psxextreme.com: Sony has begun offering PlayStation 3 demos from kiosks formerly dedicated to the PSP handheld game. The move means players can demo and download content for both systems from the same terminal.
Currently, Sony has 70 PlayStation TV locations set up for PlayStation Spot functionality. The company plans on eventually expanding to the full 1,035 network of PS3 kiosks.
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Thursday, 01 February 2007
Reuters: Florida Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday said he would propose abandoning touchscreen-voting machines adopted after the disputed 2000 presidential race and replacing them with devices that provide a paper record.
In response to intense criticism over the 2000 race · when a recount dispute focusing Florida's "hanging chads" and inscrutable ballots was resolved by the Supreme Court · election supervisors in 15 counties spent millions on touchscreen technology, which itself has come under fire.
Thursday, 01 February 2007
LONDON · At the second-annual Screen Expo Europe in London, Thomson Out-of-Home Media Services vice president Julien Marcel discussed his company's holistic view of digital signage, before delving into a few specific plans for 2007.
Thomson, which operates in 30 countries and holds more than 50,000 patents, is a world leader in broadcast technology and out-of-home media.
Its clients include Disney, Universal, DreamWorks, ABC, NBC, CNN, Fox, Sky and Microsoft.
While he stopped short of giving specific figures, Marcel said out-of-home ad sales represent "hundreds of millions of dollars" for his company.
He then went into specifics on the revamped, next-generation Wal-Mart TV network. He noted that the current iteration of the network is fifth-ranked in the U.S. in terms of reach · the largest television network after ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox.
The next generation will be entirely IP-based, he said, allowing for a much greater level of planning at the ad buying and scheduling level. He said it will roll out on 100,000 screens in the next few months, built around "multiple highly targeted channels."
Thomson made news earlier this month with the announcement of a partnership with CGEN, a leading out-of-home network in China. Marcel said OOH ad spending in China has zoomed from $5 million in 2003 to $360 million in 2006, now representing three percent of overall ad spend.
The company's first efforts in China revolve around the Big Cafe chain of premium Internet cafes, whose screens serve ads to more than 1 million visitors per day · primarily, he said, in the coveted 15-to-34 demographic.
Marcel also said the coming year would see a push by Thomson into the OOH market in Poland, which he dubbed one of the 10 fastest-growing ad markets in the world.
"In Poland, we find two critical success factors," he said. "Number one, there is a very strong presence of leading international retailers. Number two, it is a very strong ad market."
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