The Financial Express: Reliance Money, the financial trading platform promoted by Reliance Capital, says the company will increase its number of Web-enabled trading kiosks to 10,000 by March 2008.

 

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ATLANTA · US Airways has signed agreements with NCR Corp. to deploy self-service check-in solutions from Kinetics, an NCR subsidiary, at all 107 US Airways locations in the United States and Caribbean.

 

According to a news release, the deal includes software, 600 replacement kiosks, installation services and a three-year maintenance agreement.

 

"This is all about continuously improving the travel experience for our customers by providing a self-service check-in that offers ease of use and that will now be on a common platform, system-wide," said US Airways' Joe Beery. 

 

America West, which merged with US Airways in 2005, had installed Kinetics self-check-in systems in 2002. The replacement of the 600 kiosks will begin in mid-June and continue through September.

 

"US Airways recognizes that self-service technology is an essential component of effective customer service and efficient airline check-in operations," said NCR's vice president for self-service solutions, Mike Webster.

The second-generation kiosks also offers personalized options, including the ability to add borders or text, the option to turn the picture into a greeting card or calendar, or changing photo prints from color to sepia or black-and-white.

Yahoo! News: Microsoft Corp. has taken the wraps off Surface, a coffee-table shaped computer that responds to touch and to special bar codes attached to everyday objects.

 

Surface is a Windows Vista PC tucked inside a shiny black table base, topped with a 30-inch touchscreen in a clear acrylic frame. Five cameras that can sense nearby objects are mounted beneath the screen. Users can interact with the machine by touching or dragging their fingertips and objects such as paintbrushes across the screen, or by setting real-world items tagged with special bar-code labels on top of it.

 

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(Jacksonville, Fla.) Daily Record: Ten charities, including Ronald McDonald House, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation and Kesler Mentoring Connection, are participating in Redbox's "Feelgood Movie Program." For the past month and a half, the 10 non-profit charities have been receiving monetary donations by the hour. The program, launched April 15, allows renters to donate the first night's rental fee of $1 to one of the charities.

 

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BOSTON · Mercator Advisory Group's new report, "Retail Self-Checkout: Providing Options for Merchants and Consumers," compares primary retail self-checkout methods, self-checkout lanes and in-aisle checkout, focusing on the ability of checkout and scanning to deliver promotional information and other value-added services.   

             

"In the United States, we continue to see interest in self-checkout, from both consumers and retailers," said Melanie Broad, an analyst at Mercator and principal analyst of the report. "For customers, the choice of self-checkout or attended checkout lanes returns some measure of control over either convenience or speed. For 'single basket' shoppers, avoiding long lines and shoppers with large baskets is a priority. For merchants, the ability to consistently deliver a quick checkout experience will continue to impact customer loyalty and customer satisfaction."     

                   

The report discusses some of the drawbacks and issues surrounding self-checkout solutions. It also explains some of the drivers toward self-service implementations.

 

Other report highlights include:

For more information click here.

A Jet Privilege member carrying a valid e-ticket can check in with an SMS to have seat numbers instantly assigned and delivered to his mobile phone.

SmallCap Investor.com: Trans World Entertainment Corp. execs say the company will focus on re-branding in an effort to turn around poor results. Part of the effort might entail its Mix and Burn mall kiosks, but officials say they don't have the "proper metrics" yet to make a decision. The company bought Mix and Burn, a kiosk merchant that offers CDs and downloads of customizable songs, during the first quarter of 2006.

 

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TheOtherPaper.com: The looming installation of parking kiosks may mean an end to angst over the city's electronic meters. Within three years, self-service parking kiosks will replace new-fangled meters that have proven less reliable than the mechanical ones they replaced.

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Medical Laboratory World: Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust has chosen MSoft's blood tracking solution, which incorporates IBM kiosk technology, to enhance patient safety and assist with the implementation of lean management.

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According to a news release, the conference will focus on the growing demand for self-service technology in the Middle East.

With repeat participation from the exhibitors, coupled with new companies interested in establishing presences in the Middle East, Self Service Expo expects the 2008 event to be 70 percent larger than the 2007 Middle East expo.

The trade show is supported by the Self-Service & Kiosk Association, the ATM Industry Association, the Worldwide Vending Association, the European Vending Association, the National Automatic Merchandising Association, and the Japan Vending Manufacturers Association.

For more information, visit the expo's Web site.

ZDNet: Korea's Incheon International Airport, voted world's best airport for the last two years, is adding common-use self-service kiosks for passenger check-in. Several airlines will participate as part of a three-year, multi-million dollar investment plan.

 

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Techon.com: A group of 20 companies including NICT (National Institute of Information and Communications Technology), Sony Corp. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. has jointly developed and proposed a high-speed radio transmission technology using 60 GHz millimeter-wave to the IEEE802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee (LMSC). Expected applications are video transmission between AV equipment at home and high-speed video downloads from kiosks at stations and other locations.

 

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PADERBORN, Germany·The Saturn store in Ingolstadt is the first consumer electronics retail store in Europe to install self-checkout systems from Wincor Nixdorf. Customers can scan and pay for purchases at one of four self-checkout stations.

Self-checkout systems are part of Wincor Nixdorf's total solution concept for automating the checkout process.

The Saturn installation runs the TPiSCAN software from Wincor Nixdorf, to which the POS application that Saturn developed in-house was adapted. Saturn has more than 120 stores in Germany and more than 175 in eight European countries, making it one of the leading consumer electronics retailers in Europe.

The introduction of the new self-checkout systems in the Ingolstadt store is an important step in strengthening the company's profile as a future-oriented specialty retailer.

"With these new self-checkout stations, we're offering our customers an attractive alternative to traditional staffed checkouts, although naturally we'll continue to offer those as well" said Wolfgang Hawlitschek, managing director at the Ingolstadt Saturn store. "We assume that our customers, many of whom are very interested in technological innovation, will be open to this new approach to checking out."

Saturn chose Wincor Nixdorf's Scan&Bag solution, which was developed especially for customers with smaller purchases. An integrated hand-scanner allows larger items to be scanned.

"Self-service solutions are a sensible addition to staffed checkouts in many types of stores, not just grocery retailing," said Joachim Pinhammer, director of retail marketing at Wincor Nixdorf. "We have developed automated checkout solutions for a variety of retail formats, including home improvement stores, mail-order companies, and now consumer electronics. Self-checkout can be adapted to the specific requirements of many different retail segments."

BURNABY, British Columbia·TIO Networks Corp. has extended its five-year strategic alliance with ExxonMobil through 2012.

The relationship began in 2004.

Under the terms of the agreement, TIO Networks will roll out the TIO services through the E-WIZ branded kiosks and hybrid ATMs in all corporate On the Run and Tigermarket stores. The deployment is expected to be substantially complete by the end of 2007.

TIO's self-service program also will be available to ExxonMobil's franchise dealers and distributors, who will now have the ability to purchase E-WIZ systems and derive recurring revenues from consumer-driven transaction fees.

E-WIZ is an ExxonMobil branded self-service automated bill payment and financial service kiosk program that empowers customers to securely and conveniently pay their wireless, cable, utility and other bills in cash; purchase prepaid products, gift cards, prepaid MasterCard, purchases and reloads; and benefit from additional value added financial services.

(Elmira/Corning, N.Y.) Star-Gazette: The Laurel Health System is offering a new, self-directed program to educate pregnant smokers about the benefits of refraining from smoking during pregnancy and quitting beyond the birth of their child. The kiosk-based program uses learning concepts developed by Penn State educators and researchers, the Clean Air for Healthy Children and St. Andrew Development Inc., according to a Laurel press release.

 

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PADERBORN, Germany · With Greek partner Unisystems, Wincor Nixdorf has signed a contract to deliver information-technology equipment for counter positions at 416 postal branches in Greece.  

 

According to a news release, all 1,280 systems · which include the Beetle iSprint PC and peripherals, including monitors, printers and keyboards · are expected to be installed by the end of the year.

 

The deal is an extension of Wincor Nixdorf's existing relationship with the post office. In 2003, Wincor Nixdorf provided front-end systems for 33 of Greece's postal branches. 

 

"The customer's wishes as regards the systems' energy consumption was a particular challenge that we met, in addition to other technical requirements and quality standards," said Vicky Bassela, head of Wincor Nixdorf Greece.

CHICAGO · A poet might look out the glass expanse of the Navy Pier Exhibition Center, the site of the 2007 Digital Signage Expo, and find metaphor in the view of unending roiling water, rather than one of land and buildings. In its own fashion, digital signage is an industry resolutely sailing away from a cluster of related industries, driven by the winds of demand.

 

Chris Gibbs, the expo's show director, was wide-eyed and talking fast about the industry following the opening-night awards reception. He worked a crowd of about 400 at the reception, which was sponsored by NEC and Peerless. He declined to give specific attendance figures, saying finals would not be tallied until next week. But Gibbs predicted the show's attendee totals would exceed the 1,200 or so who attended the expo in 2006.

 

DSE's show floor is an anomaly in the trade-event space. Gibbs won't sell booth space smaller than 10-feet by 20-feet, namely, he says, because the technology is big and shows well in big-floor spaces. Take LG Electronics' booth as an example. LG showed for the first time a 3-D monitor that effectively renders images so crisp and multidimensional that they look palpable at a distance of about 15 feet.

 

And the winner is

 

Moving on to the awards, 60 nominations were given for six categories, which are listed below. Judges Kristin Godsey, Steve Kaufman and Matthew Hall of VMSD magazine's editorial staff called the picks.

 

The winners:

Next year, the Digital Signage Expo moves West, to Las Vegas, on Feb. 27-28.

 

"It's somewhat like going to an ATM, but instead of withdrawing cash money, you transfer money from your bank account to your SVC card and then use it like a prepaid gift card to make purchases," said Master Sgt. Angela Smith, the deputy disbursing officer for U.S. Central Command Air Forces.

 

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CINCINNATI · Kroger-owned Ralph's supermarkets, Food 4 Less and FoodsCo stores, all located in California, have completed the installation of 50 DVD-rental kiosks, bringing the stores' total number of kiosks to 161.

The kiosks, designed by The New Release (d.b.a. TNR), launched in Fresno, Sacramento, Salinas, Santa Maria, Cathedral City Chula Vista, Downey, Escondido, Fontana, Indio, Lancaster, North Hollywood, Ontario, Oxnard, Palmdale, Pasadena, Torrance, and Victorville.

 

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. · CEO America Inc, the U.S. licensee of CREDITZ Digital Currency, announced that Provision Interactive Technologies Inc. has selected CREDITZ for integration into its 3DEO Reward Kiosks in the United States.

 

According to a news release, the deployment launch will include 100 Provision kiosks in Southern California grocery stores. The deployment of 3DEO Rewards Centers is slated to begin in September in California and Nevada.

 

"CREDITZ has a unique system that combines business intelligence, a cost-effective transaction engine and marketing capabilities," said Curt Thorton, Provision's chief executive. "It was obvious to us that, when combined with our 3-D holographic displays, we could demonstrate one of the most compelling merchandising propositions available today."

 

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Avocent Corporation, announced customer partnership with Gas Station TV providing programming through video monitors and speakers integrated into gas station pumps at leading gas retailers. Avocent's wireless HD distribution technology delivers news and advertising content to each gas pump display while GSTV supplies rich media content geared towards motorists.

"Consumers spend, on average, four and a half minutes at the gas pump with nothing to do. Using Avocent's wireless HD technology for enhanced video and audio at the gas pump allows GSTV to offer superior digital signage to consumers when refueling,"� said David Leider, CEO of GSTV.

Avocent's Emerge MPX1000 media distribution system delivers a synchronized stream of high-definition computer graphics or video and associated audio from one source to as many as eight display devices.  Manageability is provided through an onboard web interface and device control is accommodated through extension of serial, IR and HDMI control data. The Emerge MPX1000 extender solution supports VGA and HDMI/DVI digital video and audio signals.

The Emerge MPX1000 extender solution provides connectivity for professional audio and video applications that require moving high-definition quality content from one source to multiple destinations. High resolution VGA or HDMI/DVI computer graphics up to 1280 x 768 resolution, and HD video including 720p are supported. Demonstrations of the Avocent wireless VGA and HDMI/DVI distribution system will take place at the Digital Signage Expo booth (#815) in Chicago, IL May 16 - 17.

 

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The Royal Gazette: Kiosks now make it easier for Bermudans to pay duty on items bought overseas. Developed in conjunction with KIOSK Information Systems, the self-service devices have been installed at LF Wade International airport.

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According to a news release, the new kiosk, with a look and feel designed for women, will deliver points and money-saving vouchers to Boots Advantage Card customers. The kiosk is designed for retail stores.

 

Working with IBM and Retec Interface, Boots piloted the new kiosk, designed by design agencies Odd and Jupiter, for two months in Barnsley, England. The pilot saw a 30-percent increase in customer use and an approval rating of more than 85 percent.

Gizmag.com: Retail-tracking-solutions provider Paxar has developed a consumer-facing RFID solution called the magicmirror. When a customer or sales associate brings an RFID-tagged piece of clothing in front of a mirror, a brand message, garment description, item size and color availability are immediately displayed. A mix-and-match guide also offers suggestions for accessorizing.

 

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LAS VEGAS — During its annual membership meeting the Self-Service & Kiosk Association announced the formation of a digital signage council.

 

The Council's stated purpose is to:

The SSKA Digital Signage Council will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, May 15, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The Council meeting was timed to be held immediately prior to the Digital Signage Expo.

 

Initial Council members include:

"Like the self-service and kiosk industry, the digital signage industry is experiencing tremendous growth," said David Drain, executive director of the SSKA "Many deployers of self-service technology are also responsible for, or considering, the implementation of digital signage. As the Association's role is to stay at the forefront of customer-facing technology, it's important that we have a leadership team dedicated to this market."

With unwavering clarity of vision, Chyron continues to define and dominate the world of broadcast graphics. Winner of numerous awards, including two Emmys, Chyron has proven itself as the undisputed leader in the industry. From the entry-level MicroX to the HD/SD-switchable HyperX with Lyric PRO, Chyron's exceptional product line brings unmatched, 2D and 3D graphics creation and performance to the most demanding studio and mobile operations. Rounding out Chyron's graphics offerings are still and clip servers, channel branding and telestration systems, MOS newsroom integration solutions and the award-winning WAPSTR mobile phone newsgathering application. The ChyTV product line leverages Chyron's broadcast expertise with video graphics devices for microcasting and digital displays. Chyron holds a patent on technology that enables the integration of live television graphics data with a broad range of interactive media platforms and consumer electronics devices. Chyron has a unique, 40-year history of service and support for its products that far exceeds that of most manufacturers

Forbes: Davis Food Co-op, located in Davis, Calif., is offering its patrons ready access to its wine inventory through the self-service ReadyTouch kiosk. The point-of-decision kiosk is installed to benefit members with wine selection by providing wine notes, descriptions and pricing. A touchscreen interface and barcode scanner allow members to navigate and retrieve information on wines.

 

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"MK's success to date has largely been due to our commitment to quality and a focus on the long-term success of our clients.  Offering a full warranty is a tangible way to demonstrate that we stand behind our designs," said Chris Gilder, chief executive officer.

 

Meridian Kiosks is one of a handful of major kiosk manufacturers to do all design, fabrication and integration in house

 

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PORTLAND, Ore. · Healthnotes has launched Healthy Living kiosks for pharmacy and nutrition departments located in its redesigned Fresh Ideas Centers, the company announced in a news release.

 

Shoppers can used the kiosks to find healthy recipes and tips for preparing fresh foods.

 

The update to Healthnotes Connect includes a recipe partner program that gives shoppers access to fast, easy and healthy family recipes from food magazines and cookbooks. The touchscreen kiosks allow users to browse using personal tastes and/or special dietary requirements. The new fresh-foods focus also incorporates shopping tips for organic selections.

 

Department-specific homescreens feature new recipes every week and a new look every month.

WEST CHESTER, Pa. · MEI Conlux, manufacturer of unattended-payments systems, has acquired VTI, a Las Vegas-based currency-validation products company.

Anila Jobanputra, president of Esprida, with SSKA president Alex Richardson.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. · Esprida president Anila Jobanputra was welcomed as a newly elected member of the Self-Service and Kiosk Association's Advisory Board by Alex Richardson, president of the Advisory Board, at the SSKA's recent semi-annual meeting in Las Vegas.  

 

"This is an impressive group of business leaders that is committed to working together to advance the industry's knowledge and reputation," Jobanputra said. "I'm happy to bring my experience and expertise to the table at an exciting time when there is so much growth and potential".

 

The Advisory Board works in conjunction with the Executive Committee of the SSKA and the staff of NetWorld Alliance and SelfService.org.  It monitors the operations of the Association and reviews the allocation of financial resources.

The New York Times: Florida legislators voted on Thursday to replace touchscreen voting machines that were installed in 15 counties after the troubled 2000 presidential election. Florida will be reverting back to an optical scan voting system. The new system is scheduled to be running in time for the 2008 presidential election.

 

The move is the nation's biggest repudiation of touchscreen voting, which was embraced after the 2000 recount as a way to restore confidence that every vote would count. But the reliability of touchscreen machines has increasingly come under scrutiny, as has the difficulty of doing recounts without a paper trail.

 

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SUWANEE, Ga. · ProTech Solutions Inc. announced that its ProductSelect won the Best Overall Software Solution award in the "2007 Self-Service Excellence Awards" at KioskCom in Las Vegas April 25-27. ProductSelect is an integrated kiosk and digital signage retail solution.

 

"Kiosks and digital signage have been around for years, but they have operated as separate entities," said Stephen Gregorie, VP Customer Experience and Marketing and architect of ProductSelect. "With ProductSelect we have integrated the two for the first time and now a brand or retailer can deliver advertising messages to a targeted demographic based on specific user preferences."

 

"ProTech is no longer just a hardware provider," said Don Turner, president and CEO of Pro-Tech. Knowing how to build kiosks or code software is not enough in the current self-service environment. Successful kiosk/digital signage deployments require a 360 degree view of the end-user and the kiosk environment."

Self Service Expo 2007, formerly known as KioskCom, held in Las Vegas April 25-27 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, featured an impressive array of exhibits and products. The show's 2,500 plus attendees and exhibitors said they were impressed by Self Service Expo's growth since its launch 11 years ago.

 

"It seems everyone was busy with quality people with real projects, which is the goal of every visitor and exhibitor," said Lawrence Dvorchik, general manager of Self Service Expo.

 

Dvorchik said 75 percent of the exhibitors had already signed up for next year's Self Service Expo's, also being held in Las Vegas .

 

Dvorchik said Self Service Expo's fall show, which runs Oct. 23-24 in New York City, is already 50 percent full. The New York show will feature a special area focused on digital signage.

 

Digital signage featured prominently at this season's show as well, with companies like KeyWest Technology touting their latest and greatest innovations. KeyWest and other featured exhibitors had some downright cool stuff to show. Here's a glimpse at what those featured players had to offer. Click here for the full show wrap-up which includes snipits about other companies and exhibits at Self Service Expo.

  

Brazil's BEMATECH, a thermal-printer manufacturer, has roots on the ATM side of the house but has been reaching out into other branches of self-service for the last eight or nine years. Bematech's "8-in-1" mechanism and control board can be configured to fit custom-shaped kiosks eight different ways.

 

"We've designed the printer to be modular and more flexible than what other printer companies offer," Bematech's Chris Bergmann said. "Kiosks don't just come in box shapes anymore, so we've adjusted to meet the needs of the market."

 

COIN ACCEPTORS INC., which also operates under the names Coin Co. and Money Controls (in the United Kingdom), is all about the nickels and dimes. The company manufactures coin acceptors and dispensers as well as cash acceptors.

 

During Self Service Expo, Coin Acceptors introduced a six-tube coin acceptor, the Guardian 6000. Richard Murphy, the company’s specialty-markets account manager, touted the 6000 for being the industry's first six-tube acceptor. The Guardian also doubles as a coin recycler. The company also showed off its ArdacElite, a hopper dispenser, simply meaning it can hold a reserve of coins.

COMARK CORP., based in Medfield, Mass., custom builds kiosks. During the show, the Multi·Touch outdoor kiosk and ThinSign digital media system and Wide·Touch digital-signage system were the highlights. All of the systems can run on a Windows or Linux operating system.

 

From left: Patrick Wallace, Tom Giuliano and Steve Schott of Comark.

The Multi·Touch unit, introduced last year, can be built to include multiple options, including cash and card acceptance. ThinSign, which was introduced during the show, is an all-in-one solution that provides all the advantages of an interactive kiosk in a compact touchscreen display that can be mounted on the wall. And the Wide·Touch system, which made its debut at the fall Self-Service & Kiosk Show in San Antonio, is a complete digital-media system, with the company's standard 19-inch screen and the option to integrate a printer and/or scanner, depending on the desired deployment. Comark's Patrick Wallace said the 30-year-old information-systems company is targeting a range of markets, including retail, food-service and tourism.

 

CORPORATE SAFE SPECIALISTS focused attendee attention on its closed-loop cash-management system, which CSS developed over the last two years through a partnership with Brinks. Kevin McKnight, CSS's national account manager, said the system was designed to limit the number of people that touch a retailer's cash. It's used on the company's line of safes and kiosks.

"We call it a safe-kiosk," McKnight said.

 

DIEBOLD PREMIER SERVICES, the servicing arm of Diebold Inc., is supporting ATM and kiosk companies by overseeing their installation and servicing needs.

 

"We're here at the show to let the kiosk industry know what we have to offer," said Julie Manson, Diebold's senior services marketing manager. "We're deepening our relationships in the kiosk space. We recently announced a deal with DVD Play · we're a deployment partner. We work with them, providing information that tracks how well the deployment is doing."

 

Manson said the deal with DVD Play is an example of how Diebold is working to branch out and offer project-management services. "We help the deployer expand its footprint, because our service reach spans a wide geographic area," she said.

 

Kiosk printers are the focus at EPSON AMERICA INC. Bruce Wilhelm, Epson's business manager, said attendees are interested in servicing their kiosks less, so rugged, reliable printers are playing a more prominent role in the industry.

 

During the show, Epson displayed some prototypes that allow deployers to print color receipts. Wilhelm said the company is just feeling the market out, to get an idea of the interest level.

 

"This is something we will likely offer in the future, since the market seems to be demanding it," he said.

 

FRANK MAYER & ASSOCIATES is a full-service kiosk company, but its primary focus is custom-built kiosk enclosures. The company has taken its 75 years of retail experience and applied it to the development of kiosks that meet niche retail needs, said Allen Buchholz, Frank Mayer's executive vice president.

"Everything we do is custom," he said. "We don't have anything in stock."

 

During KioskCom, Frank Mayer showed examples of customized enclosures and solutions it's developed for some of its customers, including Nintendo, Microsoft and Giant Foods.

 

The Nintendo Wii kiosk was a crowd pleaser. Frank Mayer manufactured 100 of the kiosks for Nintendo tour the Wii around the country when it first hit the market last year.

 

"We want to show, ultimately, our design capabilities," Buchholz said.

 

FREEDOM SHOPPING LLC had one of the show's most-interesting displays. The company's Valet solution uses RFID technology to market goods, facilitate self-checkout and reduce theft within all types of retail locations.

 

Mike Daily, Freedom's senior managing partner, said the Windows-based solution, which was introduced to the public in January 2007, is marketed as an "all-in-one minimarket."

 

"We started out by solving the problem at the checkout by eliminating the barcode and placing an RFID strip in its place," Daily said. "At the end of the checkout, the strip is detected and automatically checked."

 

Now in its fourth generation, the Valet incorporates a variety of payment features, including a biometrics reader for identification. The Valet also comes equipped with built-in digital signage for product promotion. When products are placed on the scanner, the RFID tag is read and promotions for that product or similar products are displayed on the screen. And should any customer try to walk off with unscanned goods, the security gate, also RFID-enabled, will set of an alarm. The system can be remotely managed as well.

 

"We simplified it by making it one unit, one security piece, with one online management system," Daily said.

 

FUJITSU COMPONENTS AMERICA INC. displayed resistive 17-inch touchpanels and thermal printers. The 627 minikiosk printer was a highlight during this season's show as it's the newest addition to Fujitsu's 600 printer series.

 

HEMISPHERE WEST INTERNATIONAL spent the show marketing its line of cash dispensers and acceptors.

 

"We're promoting the kind of dispensers that offer super-ATM-like functions, said John Petkus, Hemisphere's president. But it's more than just dispense and accept · Hemisphere is offering all types of currency solutions, he said.

 

The company's LG line of cash dispensers, which hit the street about a year ago, is designed to accept and dispense damaged/street-grade notes without jamming. The dispensers/acceptors range from one to six-cassettes.

 

A lot was going on the IBM booth, which actually spanned the area of two booths on the showroom floor. With companies like LiveWire Kiosk Solutions, Apunix and MOD Systems, IBM is using its Anyplace Kiosk platform for a variety of market and deployment functions.

 

Norma Wolcott, IBM's business line executive, said IBM views self-service as a way to better help IBM clients better serve its endusers. It's not necessarily all about consumer-facing applications, she said. It's about developing solutions that meet consumer needs.

 

"We're trying to get better service to our clients for their customers," she said. "And that could mean the deployment of full-service or self-service, depending on what the customer requires."

 

IBM is working with a cross section of the industry, from airline self check-in to assisted self-service in retail.

 

One example of how IBM has taken its self-service knowledge and applied it in a way that benefits the client and the client's customer is the application Apunix and Nordstrom deployed for fragrances in Nordstrom. The application is built on IBM's Anyplace platform.

 

Jan Moran, of Crescent House Publishing LLC, provided Apunix all of the fragrance catalog information. "We had a huge database," she said, "and Nordstrom wanted to use it to help its associates and customers locate products."

 

The catalog is dynamic, allowing sales associates and customers · if deployed as a customer-facing solution · to search fragrances by date, country, the type of scent, color, etc.

 

Nordstrom has exclusive rights on the solution until the end of 2007.

 

INFONOX focused its attention on multifunctional kiosks and ATMs during the show. Through a partnership with Nautilus Hyosung and Elan Financial Services, Infonox is providing software solutions for bill payment and check cashing. The Pass+ ATM/kiosk line, uses Infonox's Active Payment Platform in conjunction with transaction processing from Elan. The line comes preloaded with Infonox's software.

Infonox's Ashim Banerjee said he expects deployment of the line to begin within the next 60 days.

 

"We plan to deploy the kiosks (that don't offer cash dispensing) in conjunction with existing ATMs in retail locations," he said.

 

KEYWEST TECHNOLOGY, a digital signage company, specializes in content management. The company's software allows clients to schedule and manipulate content in real-time via the Web.

David Little, the company's director of marketing and business development, said KeyWest's broadcasting background gives it a unique perspective.

 

"We approached digital signage from a video-editing frame of mind," he said. "We are layering the media, and competitors in the space have learned from our example. Early digital signs were narrow-screen deployments that allowed no customer interaction. With a layered approach, interactivity is easy."

MediaXtreme is the company's base product. It's tacked interactivity on to the offering with its I-3 line, which it showcased at KioskCom.

 

A custom-built drive-up kiosk called QuickServe and the thin Stealth kiosk were only two of the highlights at the KIOSK INFORMATION SYSTEMS booth. The company showed off a myriad of solutions it’s customized for a range of industries, including the military.

 

Cheryl Madeson, KIOSK's marketing manager, said the company is working with a variety of provider to enhance kiosk deployments. A case in point is the work KIOSK is doing with Sprint to perfect wireless kiosk connectivity. During KioskCom, Sprint and KIOSK showed some kiosk solutions that run via wireless connectivity provided by Sprint.

 

"This offers an opportunity for the client to have a deployment that is truly mobile," said Kevin Pettis, a Sprint account manager. "It gives them more customer options, and allows them to install kiosks in places that would otherwise be difficult or expensive (where installing phone lines is concerned). We're trying to come up with a standards-based solution for the industry."

 

KODAK SERVICE & SUPPORT isn't just a camera shop; it's a global service company that's working to change its image. From repair, training and diagnostic services to system integration and logistics, Kodak is working with a range of companies, including those in the kiosk space, to improve operational efficiencies.

 

NANONATION showed a variety of solutions, from an interactive video wall developed for Umpqua Bank to a 65-inch touchscreen developed for Royal Caribbean. Nanonation is a software company that drives interactive marketing, said Brian Ardinger, the company's senior vice president and chief marketing officer.

 

The Royal Caribbean virtual-marketing campaign on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas cruise ship, launched in January. Nanonation developed the content, which is promoted outside the ship's spa and fitness center. Ardinger said the solution took between 60 and 90 days to develop.

 

"We customize our offerings, but we have one core platform to deliver a variety of experiences," he said.

 

PARABIT SYSTEMS, a known player in the ATM-security space, doubles as a turnkey kiosk manufacturer. The company does customized work for a variety of industries, including banking. Kiosk enclosures, security-access panels, and on-site and remote technical support are big parts of Parabit's business, said company president Rob Leiponis.

 

"We work with our customers on prototyping and mass production," he said.

 

PRACTICAL AUTOMATION provides thermal printers for a variety of uses, including bridal registry and hotel check in. Its wide-format printer, the ITK38 series, is one of the company's flagship printers. The wide format is ideal for retail, hospitality and human-resource deployment, said Fred Proscino, the company's sales engineer.

SEEPOINT KIOSK TECHNOLOGY specializes in touchscreen deployments. During KioskCom, SeePoint showed off its new VantagePoint kiosk, which comes equipped with an LCD that ranges from 15 inches to 19 inches in width.

 

DisplayPoint, another new SeePoint product, is a 40-inch LCD used primarily for digital signage. SeePoint designed DisplayPoint for Bank of America, but it's now promoting the product to other customers.

ST. CLAIR INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS INC., a 25-year-old innovator in the kiosk realm, introduced the next generation of its real-time 3-D kiosk application – the world's first of its kind, said St. Clair's project manager, Chris Peter.

 

"We introduced the 3-D application at the last kiosk show (in San Antonio), but we're introducing a new version of it here," he said.

 

With maps laid beneath object textures on the screen, St. Clair's system tracks user selections and can change paths through the application, based on user choices. The application also can be displayed as video on live surfaces. The company's self-service templates package common functions, providing a framework for easy deployment of touchscreen programs, Peter said. And St. Clair's Command & Control network-management program monitors the operating status of deployed units, updates content and tracks user stats.

 

Also highlighted during the show was the company's customizable DVD application, which allows users to burn DVDs with a variety of programs, from movies to workout videos, in six to eight minutes. "It's customization on the fly," Peter said.

 

Kevin Judd demonstrated StacoSwitch's waterproof keyboard.

STACOSWITCH INC. is incorporating tactile feedback into its hardware, enhancing the consumer experience, said Tim Reilly, the company's senior product manager. The company introduced the hardware foundation last year.

 

"We don't have any off-the-shelf solutions," Reilly said. "We go out and talk to the customer and see what they want and then we design it."

 

StacoSwitch is working to become more of a project management company than simply a manufacturer.

 

STAR MICRONICS AMERICA INC. displayed its TCM 300 thermal printer · a rewriteable unit that allows deployers to rewrite cards. When tied to loyalty programs, the printer can actually read customer data saved on the magnetic-stripe and then print loyalty rewards on the card. Each time the loyalty customer puts the card into the reader the old message is erased and a new message or discount offer is printed on the card. Each card can be rewritten between 300 and 500 times.

 

TELSOURCE CORP. showed off its LVS interactive display, a small form-factor unit that is powered via Ethernet or VoIP.

 

"Our focus is on enhancing the network," said Telsource's Kent Pifher. "We're not really focused on the applications themselves. We work with our customers to make sure everything communicates."

Dreyer Medical Clinic is located in Aurora, Ill., Scarsdale Medical Group is in Scarsdale, N.Y., and Medial Clinic of North Texas is based in Dallas.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. · Shazamm has announced the launch of its new application, Z-one.

 

Z-one combines Shazamm's proprietary asset-management platform ZMedia with its interactive application Voice-it. This lets users remotely manage and monitor content on self-service kiosks and digital signs. The application includes asset management/control, application management, remote monitoring, and remote usage and analytics.

 

By combining Shazamm's ZMedia and Voice-it applications, Z-one enables users to control all aspects of content integrated in interactive customer-service systems. It includes the ability to change text-based content and resize photographs and video, including broadcast-quality footage, in real-time.

 

Z-one is customized to suit the needs of each client, and encrypted to provide a secure transfer of information, including credit-card transactions.

 

"We developed Z-one in response to the need for keeping these tools current, dynamic and exciting for the enduser," said Dana Paul, Shazamm's chief executive.

"The KioskCom's Self-Service Excellence Awards are now in their 5th year, and have become the focus of the industry," said General Manager of KioskCom's Self-Service Expo, Lawrence Dvorchik. "Honoring the most successful and innovative self-service and interactive digital media solutions, the Self Service Excellence Awards are unique in that this Awards Contest has always had a core focus on the success of the self-service and interactive digital media solution based on the measurements set forth by the deploying organization, and not just the technology suppliers."