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News Archive |
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Friday, 31 October 2008
Sheffield Telegraph: A Sheffield developer of bespoke software is breaking boundaries in modern technology to revolutionize commercial activity. GWD Media has expanded into three key sectors and increased staff numbers to more than 20 after receiving investments totalling £500,000 (U.S. $810,700) from South Yorkshire Investment Fund. GWD Media, which won the Creative and Digital Industries Innovation accolade at the 2007 Sheffield Business Awards, is advancing from its origins in the development of Internet kiosks to the creation of management software for public-orientated technology.
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Friday, 31 October 2008
(Bismark, N.D.) KFYR-TV, Channel 5: The Library of Congress is shipping more than 600,000 documents about Theodore Roosevelt to Dickinson State University in North Dakota, and soon users of a self-service kiosk will be able to search through every one of them. With this new kiosk, users will be able to enter a search term and call up every document in which Roosevelt referred to or used the searched phrase.
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Friday, 31 October 2008
Phoenix Business Journal: The Chandler Chamber of Commerce is launching a new business center at its headquarters in Phoenix, where the business center, a resource for potential entrepreneurs, includes an informational kiosk. The interactive kiosk is designed to virtually walk a person through the process of starting a business.
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Friday, 31 October 2008
(Los Angeles) KABC-TV, Channel 7: Los Angeles International Airport has a new program to get U.S. travelers through customs quickly and efficiently. LAX and three other international airports are now participating in the Global Entry program. Global Entry gives frequent travelers the ability to speed up their arrival into the U.S. by using a kiosk to assist in their clearance. Program members first swipe their passports or resident cards at the kiosk. They will then be instructed to scan their fingerprints and answer some declaration questions to compare with data on file.
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Friday, 31 October 2008
The (Malaysia) Star Online: Information in Internet kiosks can be hacked in just 10 seconds, warns Paul Craig, principal security consultant of Security-assessment.com, a New Zealand-based company. Such kiosks are common in airports, train stations, libraries, hotels, corporate lobbies, and on street corners, but they’re not as hack-proof as one might assume. "Internet kiosks are designed to not trust users but they trust commands from a remote Web site, which a hacker can simply surf to and access the tools he needs (to access user data)," Craig said a recent security conference.
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Thursday, 30 October 2008
Network World: A Miami woman has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison and ordered to pay $18.2 million in restitution for a scheme to sell Internet kiosks that were promised to generate substantial income for buyers. Lillian Glaubman, who served as administrator for Pantheon Holdings, also known as Internet Machine Company, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Wednesday. She pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and one count of mail fraud in July.
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Thursday, 30 October 2008
Video Business: NCR Corp. says it is plans to roll out hybrid machines that both dispense pre-recorded DVDs and provide digital-movie downloads in retail locations. NCR has partnered with MOD Systems to deliver kiosks that will allow consumers to download content onto SD memory cards for playback on various compatible devices. The companies expect to start installing these kiosks at unspecified retailers during the first quarter of 2009. Neither NCR nor MOD has said what films and TV content will be available.
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Thursday, 30 October 2008
Irish Examiner: Ryanair is refusing to install self-service check-in kiosks at Dublin Airport in Ireland after Ryanair lost a High Court bid to stop the Dublin Airport Authority from requiring the airline to sign a licensing and fee agreement. The airline says it is now going to bring forward plans to have all of its Dublin passengers use Web check-in, but will push ahead with plans to install the kiosks in Shannon.
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Thursday, 30 October 2008
SYDNEY, Australia — Kodak and Myer have announced a new partnership that makes Kodak the official supplier of photo-lab service for Myer customers.
According to a news release, the service will be rolled out nationally to all Myer stores and will be called "Kodak at Myer."
The partnership, which was finalized on Oct. 16, will see an initial nine Myer stores fitted with Kodak digital picture labs and kiosks.
"Kodak is delighted to be announcing this new partnership with Myer," said Grant Smith, general manager of Kodak Australasia's Consumer Digital Group. "We were selected as the preferred partner for Myer after careful consideration and evaluation of all the available options. Both companies felt strongly about the synergies in our respective brands, including the onus that we both place on quality in terms of the products and services we offer and the values on which we run our businesses."
Kodak at Myer will offer Myer customers both in-store and online services with dedicated photo labs or at Kodak kiosks located throughout the store, or through a dedicated online portal on the Myer Web site.
Available services include: specific print styles including varying sizes, colors and the addition of borders; monthly and annual calendars; collages; greeting cards; picture CDs and Kodak's new Picture Movie DVD, which was launched earlier this year.
In addition to the traditional photo printing services, a complete collection of memorable photo gift ideas such as coffee cups, key rings, beer coolers, t-shirts, fridge magnets, puzzles, photo books and even canvas prints are also available. Customers will be able to choose to have the products delivered to their home or to pick up in store.
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
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 It Just Works Software Corporation (IJWS) has specialized in the development of hospitality systems since 1996. It is a leader in the self service check-in/check-out kiosk market and has partnered with large resellers to build an international install base. IJWS' new products are being built and deployed using Java technologies and Sun software.
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Tuesday, 28 October 2008
EAST HAVEN, Conn. — Netkey, provider of solutions for self-service kiosks and digital signage, has received validation from IBM for its Netkey Software Platform for the Ready for IBM Retail Integration Framework program.
The IBM Retail Integration Framework leverages open standards, including Association for Retail Technology Standards, Open Application Group Integration standards and global GS1 System standards, to unlock communications between services, information sources and business processes, making the store and the enterprise one landscape.
The IBM Retail Integration Framework initiative brings together platform-independent software vendors that deliver proven solutions designed and built for the retail industry. Through this initiative, IBM works with select business partners to validate solutions that meet the requirements of next-generation, open-standards-based store environments.
The Netkey Software Platform is a scalable suite of applications and management software modules designed to help retailers quickly develop and operate media-rich kiosk and digital-signage systems. As a long-standing IBM business partner and independent software vendor, Netkey has several solutions that have been validated by IBM for use with the IBM Anyplace Kiosk.
"In today's challenging economy, retailers are increasingly turning to self-service kiosks and digital signage as valuable tools to enhance the customer experience, improve employee performance, and generate sustainable returns," said V. Miller Newton, chief executive of Netkey. "Achieving Ready for IBM Retail Integration Framework status reflects the power of the Netkey platform as the software foundation for highly scalable digital-media systems that create brand differentiation and deliver real business value."
To achieve validation, Netkey developed tight integration with IBM WebSphere and IBM Tivoli middleware. Retailers now have the option of using IBM WebSphere middleware as the application server for the Netkey-powered kiosk or digital signage network. The Netkey Platform will pass kiosk or digital-signage media-player alerts to the IBM Tivoli Enterprise Console for simplified monitoring and management of store devices.
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Houston Business Journal: DVD kiosk operator TNR Entertainment Corp. has hired a law firm to support its review of a recent policy change by Universal Studios that delays the distribution of Universal movies to kiosk operators. Universal’s policy change, which will take effect on Dec. 1, denies kiosk operators access to new releases until 45 days after the movies are available to the general public.
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Tuesday, 28 October 2008
(New Zealand) One News: Queues at airport check-in gates could be a thing of the past, now that Air New Zealand has announced a $30 million revamp of its domestic terminals. Beginning next week, Air New Zealand will do away with the old check-in counters and introduce do-it-yourself kiosks, where passengers can print off their own bag tags and take their luggage to the bag drop themselves. Travellers' boarding passes can be sent to them via mobile in order to get people through the airport faster.
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Tuesday, 28 October 2008
The (Fort Wayne, Ind.) News-Sentinel: Since 1952, the Memorial Coliseum has been the capital of Fort Wayne sports, and now it's become a showcase of sports history. A kiosk displaying the Fort Wayne Sports Corp.'s Sports Heritage Project was installed in the coliseum lobby last week. Co-sponsored by The News-Sentinel and funded by a donation from the Waterfield Foundation, the project is a DVD with 33 vignettes reflecting the city's sports history that can be played on the interactive kiosk. Viewers can choose which vignette to watch.
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Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Los Angeles Times: There's nothing more discouraging for the weary air traveler than to arrive at the airport only to remember that his iPod contains nothing but 1950s polka music. How will he survive that overseas flight? Previously, the only solution to this quandary was for him to download new songs using Wi-Fi on his computer and then transfer them to his iPod (unless he has a phone that lets him purchase songs from it). But now, travelers can go to InMotion kiosks at 20 airports across the country (including LAX) and buy digital music, then plug their iPods or other devices into the kiosk and download the tunes.
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Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Electric Frontier Foundation: Self-service proponents, beware. Fred von Lohmann, legal analyst for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, says Hollywood has launched a major offensive against DVD rental kiosks. Universal Studios recently announced a policy change that will severly limit the types of movies that can be offered at DVD kiosks and the revenue kiosk deployers can make from them. Earlier this month, Redbox brought a lawsuit against the studio giant, and TNR Entertainment Corp., another DVD kiosk operator, has hired a legal team in the wake of the announcement.
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Tuesday, 28 October 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Self-Service & Kiosk Association announced that 19 new self-service deployers have elected to join the association during the recent KioskCom Self Service Expo in New York City. This brings the total to 71 new deployer members that have joined in the past two months.
The Association's Advisory Board has elected to offer free one-year memberships to qualified organizations, offers that are valued at $250 each. Organizations that qualify are those who have deployed, or are considering deploying, self-service technology. Deployers are organizations in vertical industries such as retail, travel, banking, hospitality, government and healthcare.
The 19 new members announced today include:
- Art Flowers
- Bank of Bermuda
- CoolNerd Media Inc.
- Delta Air Lines Inc.
- Fifth Third Bank
- George Weston Bakeries
- Heritage Revenue Systems
- K & G Enterprises LLC
- Kaufman Surplus
- Lackmann Culinary Services
- Lighthouse International
- Macon County Greyhound Park
- Metropolitan National Bank
- Museum of Science and Industry
- Prontodvd
- Qpay
- The Marlin Company
- Tiffany & Company
- U.S. Navy
"KioskCom Self Service Expo was a great opportunity for us to sit down face-to-face with deployers and really discover how they’re using self-service to enrich the customer experience," said David Drain, executive director of the association. "As the leading advocacy group for the self-service industry, we can help them take the next step into this exciting new technology."
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
At 3 a.m., the pharmacy may be deserted, but that won't stop customers from picking up the prescription drugs they so urgently need.
At least if the folks at Parata Systems have anything to say about it.
The Durham, N.C.-based pharmacy automation company's booth at KioskCom Self Service Expo in New York drew steady interest from attendees who came to see the company's flagship kiosk, the Parata APM.
Consisting primarily of a touchscreen, a card reader, a telephone and a series of sliding doors, the Parata APM can store up to 448 finished prescriptions that can be retrieved by customers at any time day or night - pending state or local laws - without the customer ever having to stand in line or talk to a pharmacist.
"Today the process is that you go and stand in line at the pharmacist, tell them your name and they go back and dig through an alphabetical bin to find your prescription," said Kris Stein, APM product manager for Parata Systems. "Now when they complete the prescription, they put it into this machine and it's accessible for you to pick up whenever you like."
Customers use the touchscreen to enter their birth date and a pre-determined PIN for identification purposes. The touchscreen is privacy-enabled, so the text is illegible except to the person standing directly in front of it. The telephone can be accessed if the customer needs to speak to a live pharmacist 24/7. The customer can then swipe their credit or debit card for payment and retrieve their prescription from a secured compartment that opens when the transaction is completed.
Stein said that, though the customer still has to drop off their prescription with a live pharmacist, the kiosk dramatically improves the pick-up process because it essentially splits customers up into two lines.
"Right now, everyone has to wait in one line," Stein said. "If you don't have a question and you're waiting in line, you're kind of upset that you had to wait. Likewise, if you're waiting in line and you've got a question, you really want to just get up there and ask a question. Now you can really split this in two, people who have questions and people who don't have questions.
©2010 NetWorld Alliance LLC. All rights reserved.
Monday, 27 October 2008
Air Force Times: About 400 military and other overseas voters who are registered in Okaloosa County, Fla., can now vote at electronic kiosks in Mildenhall, England, and Ramstein, Germany, in a pilot project. The kiosks opened Friday, said Carol Paquette, project manager for the Okaloosa Distance Balloting Pilot Project.
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Monday, 27 October 2008
(United Arab Emirates) Business 24/7: Zakat Fund, an entity created by the UAE government to collect charity and zakat funds, will set up a chain of kiosks with ATMs across the UAE to facilitate zakat payments. Ahmed Al Zaabi, a senior officer of Zakat Fund UAE, told Emirates Business the first machine is expected to be installed at the Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi.
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Monday, 27 October 2008
ComputerWorld: As the 2008 Presidential Election looms ever closer, voters are casting a wary eye toward the electronic voting machine kiosks that have caused so much division in the past. ComputerWorld has compiled a list of bloggers who have weighed in on the possibility of malfunction or voter fraud this election.
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Monday, 27 October 2008
(United Arab Emirates) Business 24/7: After paperless tickets, the future of air travel could involve bar-coded boarding passes on mobile phones as the airline industry continues its quest to tap cost-effective technological innovations. Dominique El Bez, portfolio marketing director of Sita, an IT business solutions provider to the air transport industry, says the introduction of the mobile phone barcoded boarding pass (m-BCBP) could not only help airlines save millions of dollars on flight delay costs, but could ensure passengers a hassle-free journey.
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Monday, 27 October 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Digital Signage Today, the leading daily news and information portal covering the digital signage industry, announced the availability of its Digital Signage Software Comparison Wizard, a publication and interactive software tool that helps businesses select the right software for their digital signage product.
"Some business software decisions are very simple — like which word processor or Web browser to use," said James Bickers, senior editor of Digital Signage Today. "Usually, you don't have to decide — you just use the one that's already on your computer. But choosing software for digital signage is a very complicated affair, one that hasn't had a comprehensive tool until now."
With several hundred digital signage software products on the market, deployers have to wade through an unwieldy amount of information to make informed decisions about which software product is right for their deployment. To make it easier for companies to find the perfect software solution for them, the editors of Digital Signage Today have identified more than 65 attributes — operating system, deployment platform, media types supported, integration with advertising plans, etc. — and created a comprehensive grid that spells out the exact capabilities of more than 130 digital signage software products.
In addition, the guide includes an interactive desktop application that allows users to place checkmarks next to the attributes they need. After all the necessary attributes have been selected, users can click the "Generate Report" button to view a complete list of all software products that meet their needs.
"This tool makes a very complex purchasing decision considerably easier," said Bickers. "It's a tool that needs to be on the desktop of every digital signage installer, every pro A/V professional, and anyone who consults with companies on digital signage technology."
Friday, 24 October 2008
(Camarillo, Calif.) Ventura County Star: A kiosk connecting jobseekers to employment listings in Ventura County, Calif., is expected to open next week at Pacific View mall in Ventura. Users will be able to tap on a computer screen and get up-to-date online job listings from the kiosk in front of the Sears store on the mall's lower level, officials at the Workforce Investment Board of Ventura County said.
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Friday, 24 October 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The exhibitor slideshow for KioskCom Self Service Expo 2008 in New York is now available on SelfService.org.
Click here to view the slideshow.
Thursday, 23 October 2008
VANCOUVER, Canada — The current global economic crisis may actually be good news for some businesses. According to a news release issued by DVDNowKiosks Inc., deployers of DVD rental kiosks may find themselves on good footing as the economy sours.
The state of the economy has society realizing that the times are changing, and DVD rental kiosks are offering a way for people to adapt to these changes.
In order to overcome financial strains, the general public will have to cut down on unnecessary forms of entertainment that can be costly for the average family. DVD-rental kiosks allow consumers to movies at home for a low fee. With soaring gas prices, DVD-rental kiosks are extremely accessible, as most of them are located within grocery and convenience stores, allowing for a one-stop shopping trip.
Robert MacIntosh is a regular customer at one of the DVDNow Kiosks in Las Vegas and has been able to rent movies more frequently because of the low rental cost.
"The kiosk I use is located in a corner store, so while I'm there picking up dinner, I can grab a movie on the way out," MacIntosh said. "It saves me a lot of time."
The rental of movies appears to be at one of its strongest periods in history because of the country's economic downturn. Even consumers who used to be inclined to purchase films are now renting instead, and as the winter approaches, this increase in rentals will be even more evident as people will want to stay indoors with their families.
As the rental industry continues to prosper, many savvy investors are making a relatively small investment in DVD rental kiosks in anticipation of large returns.
"We can't control the economy, but we can control the way we react to it, and, whether we prosper or lose," said Scott McInnes, chief executive of DVDNow Kiosks. "No one hopes for a recession, but I am pleased that our DVDNow kiosk owners are in a position to do very well regardless of the state of the economy."
Thursday, 23 October 2008
DAYTON, Ohio — NCR Corp. has reported financial results for the third quarter of the year, with revenue of $1.38 billion, up eight percent from 3Q 2007, and net income of $80 million, up 51 percent from the same period last year.
But year-to-date, the numbers aren't so positive. Revenue for the year is up approximately 13 percent, hittting $3.89 billion from $3.45 billion last year, but net income was down seven percent, falling from $185 million to $172 million.
"NCR delivered strong third quarter results, showing solid revenue growth across our core solutions and geographies," said Bill Nuti, chairman and chief executive of NCR. "We demonstrated resiliency in a weakened economic environment because we are executing well against our strategic priorities, managing for profitable revenue growth, building a sustainable and leading cost structure, and improving our working capital position."
Thursday, 23 October 2008
T3 Online: U.K. entertainment retailer HMV has announced plans for one of its "next-generation" stores to be opened in London. HMV's next-generation stores will be focusing on digital music, providing customers with interactive digital kiosks that allow them to preview, purchase and download MP3s that can then be stored on any USB stick or memory card. These kiosks, although not likely to make CDs redundant, could affect CD sales, as lack of packaging should in theory means lower prices for customers. If HMV wants its music-download kiosks to compete with the likes of iTunes, however, a pricing war with the download giants might be necessary.
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Thursday, 23 October 2008
Furniture World: Showroom Technology announced that Jerome's Furniture, one of its Top 100 home furnishings retail customers, saw a 20 percent increase in average sales tickets using the SHOW/PRO kiosk system. Having installed SHOW/PRO kiosks in each of its five San Diego stores, Jerome's Furniture incorporated the consumer self-service kiosk system into its sales process, pre-approving consumers for in-store credit and registering customers for incentives. The result was a significant increase in average tickets for customers who first used the kiosk system to gain credit approval. When consumers know their own purchasing power, and the retailer's sales associates do as well, sales tickets tend to be larger.
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Wednesday, 22 October 2008
(United Arab Emirates) itp.net: Total IT Solutions, based in the United Arab Emirates, is actively marketing its suite of touchscreen-equipped, custom-built kiosks for both indoor and outdoor use and other interactive software products for various industry segments at GITEX Technology Week this year. The company developed a new type of kiosk for extreme weather conditions about three months ago, and although tight delivery schedules have meant that no model is available for viewing at GITEX, Saleem Fancy, chief executive of Total IT Solutions, is looking forward to demonstrating one in the UAE in the near future.
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Wednesday, 22 October 2008
(Johnstown, Pa.) WJAC-TV, Channel 6: After coming home from war many members of our armed forces experience post-traumatic stress. A local research team is reaching out to the community and health care professionals to make sure they know how to treat the illness. Memorial Medical Center announced they are installing kiosks in the Johnstown area. They give advice to family and community members with loved ones who are having a rough time dealing with stress.
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Wednesday, 22 October 2008
Data Collection Online: TransAct Technologies Inc., a provider of market-specific printers for transaction-based industries, will demonstrate a number of its highly robust printers at the upcoming Scan Scource, IMPACT NOW Conference and Trade Show taking place November 10 – 11, 2008 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Fla. TransAct's Epic 430 kiosk printer is designed specifically for self-service, kiosk applications and features a small modular design that can be easily configured to fit any space.
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Wednesday, 22 October 2008
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Electronic component distributor Fujitsu Components America has added a high-speed printer unit to its thermal printer line. The small-footprint, all-in-one unit combines a 2-inch thermal printer mechanism, an ultra-low profile integrated cutter, a mini interface board with embedded barcodes for receipt output in mini-kiosks, POS terminals and ATMs, as well as scientific and medical equipment.
According to a news release, the 24-volt, FTP-627USL631/635-R unit measures a compact 145mm (H) x 105mm (W) x 120mm (D) and weighs 600g. The thermal print mechanism quietly outputs 58mm-wide paper receipts at speeds up to 150mm per second using Fujitsu's unique head-drive control.
The fully programmable printer prints a variety of characters and graphics as well as standard, extended and 2-D barcode symbols at a crisp, 8dots/mm resolution. It has a head life of 100 million pulses or 100km of paper.
For long-term cutting reliability, Fujitsu uses a dedicated stepper motor for the cutter rated at 1,000,000 cuts. The unit handles paper rolls up to 83mm in diameter. For easy paper loading, the paper roll can be inserted by drop-in method using the platen release lever.
The unit is encased in a rugged metal frame, which provides easy installation, stability and static electricity discharge absorption. It has an operating temperature range of 0 to 50 degrees C.
It is supported by Windows 2K/XP/Vista/CE5.0 and Linux drivers.
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
BROOKFIELD, Wis. — Fiserv Inc., a provider of information technology services to the financial industry, announced that it has partnered with PayScan America Inc., obtaining exclusive rights to license PayScan's patented barcode bill payment process. By utilizing the PayScan barcode bill payment process and the Fiserv CheckFreePay Link platform, CheckFreePay will be able to offer an enhanced retail payment solution that will enable walk-in consumers to pay their household bills quickly and easily at retail checkout lanes and self-service kiosks.
This enhanced retail payment solution will use a "smart barcode" on the bill to record processing rules, including relevant payment data from a customer bill such as the account number. By scanning the bill at an existing retail point-of-sale terminal, a cashier or consumer can easily submit a payment without manual data entry.
"We believe in-lane bill payment services will transform the walk-in bill payment landscape," said Paul Harrison, senior vice president and general manager of Fiserv's CheckFreePay business. "For retailers, it will provide a more efficient walk-in bill payment process that leverages point-of-sale barcoding to reduce the chance for error. Billers could realize reduced processing costs, while their customers will enjoy a more convenient payment experience."
"Retail locations provide a convenient and cost-effective option for the 40 million consumer households that prefer to pay their bills in cash and in person," said Jennifer Roth, research director, global payments, TowerGroup. "Offering in-person, in-lane bill payments at retail point-of-sale registers will serve traditional walk-in bill payment customers, but will also appeal to consumers who typically pay by mail. This represents the next step in delivering automated efficiency and convenience in the walk-in bill payment market."
Today, retailers that offer walk-in bill payment services generally do so at customer service counters or other, separate locations within the store, because they cannot effectively handle bill payment in-lane. CheckFreePay Link with the in-lane bill payment option will offer retailers a solution that will allow consumers to pay their household bills while purchasing groceries and other household items in the checkout lane, creating a better customer service experience for consumers.
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
ADDISON, Texas — MEDHOST, provider of the Emergency Department Information System (EDIS), announced that it has extended its product offering to include a patient self-check-in kiosk called Emergency Department Patient Access Self Service (ED PASS).
Upon arrival, patients can check in with the easy-to-use touchscreen kiosk. After patients check in, their information instantly becomes visible in the MEDHOST EDIS which gives clinicians a real-time view of the waiting room and immediately alerts them to any high-risk patients.
Northridge Hospital Medical Center, MEDHOST's first ED PASS customer and Catholic Healthcare West's flagship hospital located in Northridge, Calif., is implementing three ED PASS kiosks to speed patient check in, assist nurses in managing triage and streamline patient registration.
"The MEDHOST EDIS has greatly benefited our ED, and we're excited that those benefits will now impact our waiting room," said Dr. Stephen Jones, medical director of emergency services at Northridge Hospital Medical Center. "ED PASS fits into our workflow perfectly. Data can be entered by the patient as they arrive, which speeds processes, keeps nurses focused on caring for patients and gives us rich information about which patients might have ailments that require immediate attention."
Like MEDHOST EDIS, ED PASS features a touchscreen interface for simple data entry. With the swipe of a driver's license, patient demographics are immediately captured, and details such as reason for visit, location and intensity of pain or injury, and complaint-specific risk factors empower clinicians with rich information about patient background and acuity. Intuitive desktop alerts notify clinicians when a high-risk patient checks in so care can begin without delay.
MEDHOST currently serves more than 160 facilities, including the Baylor Healthcare System in Texas, Catholic Healthcare West in California, Catholic Health System in New York and Tenet Healthcare Corporation.
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Dee Newnan peers at the screen of a kiosk in the middle of a hallway at Discover Mills Mall near Lawrenceville, Ga. She covers one eye, then the other while reading progressively smaller blocks of text. In a few minutes, Newnan has tested her vision for the first time in years. Such is the business model behind former Ciba Vision executive Bart Foster's new company, SoloHealth, which Forbes.com readers have chosen as one of five to participate in the final round of the online magazine’s Boost Your Business competition for $100,000 in funding.
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Tuesday, 21 October 2008
ST. DENIS, France — Pitney Bowes announced that it has signed a contract to provide 50 stand-alone postal kiosks to La Poste, France's national postal operator, so that La Poste can enhance its retail network in large urban areas.
According to a news release, the contract is one of the largest Pitney Bowes has ever signed for postal kiosks, and includes the design, installation and servicing of postal kiosks that will be located in post offices in some of France's largest cities, beginning in 2009.
"We are extremely pleased with the vote of confidence that La Poste has made with this contract," said Yves Coué, vice president of Southern Europe, and managing director of Pitney Bowes in France. "We believe that this technology will help La Poste achieve its goals of superior service for a wide variety of customers and locations."
The value of the transaction was not disclosed, but Coué said he hopes that the number of kiosks will expand over time.
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
(Springfield, Mo.) News-Leader: AT&T Inc. has announced the opening of the recently remodeled retail store in Springfield, Mo. The store, which is more than 4,800 square feet, represents the company's new design concept. The company invested more than $400,000 in updating the store. One of the new store features is the Guided Selling Kiosk. The kiosk includes a rate plan recommendation tool that customers can use independently or with the assistance of an AT&T representative.
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Monday, 20 October 2008
NEW YORK — Dakota Audio, a provider of full range directional audio devices, has announced its newest product designed specifically for digital signage and kiosk applications. The new focused speaker designated the MA-5, was released at KioskCom Self Service Expo in New York.
"The MA-5 is the successor to the MA-4, which has been widely deployed with flat screen technology around the world," said Dakota Audio's founder and chief executive Lynn Mader. "Prior to the release of the MA-5 we had been integrating some of these features in MA-4s only on a special order basis, but due to the popularity of that configuration, we have decided to roll out an all-new directional speaker aimed squarely at Digital Signage and Kiosk Applications."
The new MA-5 is slightly larger than the MA-4 at 2.5 inches high, 2 inches deep and will be stocked from 22 to 38 inches wide (custom sizes also available by special order) and features a richer, fuller range sound, ambient noise level compensation and proximity detection. The amplifier included with the MA-5, like the MA-4, is remote to the speaker and includes additional configuration options to assist installers in controlling the directionality and sound quality of the MA-5.
Prior to digital signage's retail advertising application for flat panel displays, the most common need for controlling high quality sound electronically was in the museum market. Museums were very quick to appreciate that greater control of audio between exhibits would increase the museum's overall exhibit density capabilities. Over the past 10 years, Dakota Audio has been able to realize over three quarters of the museum industry as their clients.
"Our decision to formally enter the digital signage and kiosk markets was brought about by the requests from our customers," said Mader. "Their vocalizing a need for a high quality directional audio solution that, according to them, didn't exist in the digital signage or kiosk markets was a big factor in our decision. So far the response has been overwhelming and manufacturing is struggling to keep up with demand."
Monday, 20 October 2008
itp.net: The Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department has unveiled a series of automated services for its customers. DNRD will now be able to receive inquiries and requests through new media platforms, including chatting online through the amer.ae website and video calling through 3G-enabled mobile phones. Customers can also follow up on their transactions through self-service kiosks that will be set in various locations to simplify procedures. The kiosks allow customers to perform different operations such as applying for and inquiring about visa status, and printing residence visas without having to visit DNRD offices.
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Monday, 20 October 2008
nst online: Passengers of Hong Kong International Airport can now complete their airline check-in process in as little as one minute by using one of the 42 self check-in kiosks available at Terminal 1, the Airport Authority Hong Kong announced. The self check-in system is part of the authority's ongoing efforts to enhance passenger flow and to accommodate the worldwide trend of increasing passenger demand for self-help service, China's XINHUA news agency quoted the authority as saying in a statement.
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Friday, 17 October 2008
TMCnet.com: Qwest Communications, a telecommunications carrier providing wireless and wireline services, has launched 11 interactive retail kiosks to provide customers a virtual playground to test-drive different communications services, including wireless, video and fiber optic Internet services, under one umbrella. The kiosks are available in various shopping centers in Colorado, Iowa, North Dakota, Washington and Arizona. Qwest says it has plans to place the kiosks in 31 additional locations across the 14 states where it offers communications services.
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Friday, 17 October 2008
TMCnet.com: The Philippines' Government Service Insurance System has included pension loans among the services that can be applied for via the eCard Plus on the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System kiosks installed in all GSIS offices and select government offices nationwide. The loan offer at the kiosks is among other programs the Arroyo administration is putting forth to aid the needs of government pensioners.
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Friday, 17 October 2008
Brand Republic: Retailer Debenhams has announced plans to trial a new touchscreen service in stores that is expected to grow sales of electrical goods by converting shoppers from browsers to buyers. Debenhams' flagship new Westfield London store, which opens Oct. 30, will trial the touchscreen kiosks that provide customers with advice and recommendations on electrical products. The shopper selects the category of electrical products and specifies price, feature/functionality and brand preferences. A selection is then presented to the customer so she can print out the products recommended.
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Thursday, 16 October 2008
NEW YORK — When the Self-Service & Kiosk Association's advisory board met at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on the eve of KioskCom Self Service Expo, our cameras were there. Check out a slideshow of the meeting.
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Thursday, 16 October 2008
NEW YORK CITY — Fifteen years and some 5,000 custom solutions later, Louisville, Colo.-based KIOSK Information Systems has unveiled its first standard-model outdoor kiosk.
Dubbed the KIOSK Element, the NEMA-rated self-service device made its first public outing yesterday at the New York City edition of the KioskCom Self Service Expo, co-located again with The Digital Signage Show.
The turnkey kiosk can work as a stand-alone or a through-the-wall, and can accommodate any feature mix with peripheral options, including an outdoor credit-card reader, keyboard, receipt printer and barcode scanner. Two high-brite LCDs (one 17-inch and one 19-inch) allow for second-screen advertising and attract-loops for branding, quick consumer adoption and faster ROI. An overhead customer shelter also is available.
“The benefit the KIOSK Element introduces is a new economy of standardized design in outdoor self-service, eliminating the key barrier of entry for many viable deployments,” said Tom Weaver, chief marketing officer for KIOSK, in a release.
“While the major ticketing and entertainment companies have paved the way for outdoor self-service, there are also a number of hospitality, rental, check-in and parking applications that are nicely positioned to reap the benefits of a much improved price point.”
Thursday, 16 October 2008
NEW YORK — One of the newest kiosks on hand at the KioskCom Self-Service Expo Wednesday was Curiosk Marketing Solutions’ wine kiosk. The kiosk is being piloted in in Florida, New Jersey, Toronto, and Ontario, Canada.
The wine kiosk allows a retail customer to scan a bottle of wine to get additional information about the wine, ensuring a wise purchase. Using a touchscreen, in less than a minute, users can select wines, get tasting notes and food pairing information, and create a preset or typed personal greeting to attach to the bottle of wine if given as a gift.
“The initial response from consumers using it is the wow factor,” said David Weinberg, president of Curiosk. “When they see the information and how easy it is to get, they’re excited. Then when they realize they can print a card, they’re ecstatic because it’s one-stop shopping. If they’re going to a dinner party, they can buy the wine, get the card.”
Thursday, 16 October 2008
NEW YORK — The KioskCom Self Service Expo opened in the heart of Midtown, Manhattan, with two significant announcements from NCR Corp.
NCR pulled the sheet off its new point-of-decision kiosk — the NCR SelfServ 60, which is designed to provide an interactive experience for the consumer in order to buoy them along through the purchasing process.
According to a news release distributed at the show, the NCR SelfServ 60 is customizable to help enhance a business’s brand. Deployers can choose from a number of configuration and design options, such as brand color and logos. Multiple mounting options also are available.
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Photograph by Travis Kircher
The NCR SelfServe 60 integrates Intel vPro technology, has a slim, sleek form-factor, and represents a leap forward from its predecessor, the EasyPoint 42.
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The NCR SelfServ 60 integrates Intel vPro technology, including the next-generation Intel Core 2 Duo processor and Mobile Intel GM45 Express chipset. With these technologies, the kiosk can run more advanced, engaging self-service applications, NCR says, creating an enhanced experience for consumers and the opportunity for companies to offer increasingly complex transactions.
Intel vPro technology maximizes system availability for businesses with “out-of-band” manageability and serviceability — meaning diagnostics can be accomplished remotely.
Donna Stevens, product manager for kiosk infrastructure at NCR, says the new SelfServ 60 is a substantial improvement over its predecessor, the EasyPoint 42.
“Nowadays, people want kiosks to have a slim, sleek form-factor to really show off that modern iPod look, and really capture the aesthetics and the marketing and the branding that (our) customers want to portray to their self-service customers – to the consumers,” Stevens said.
“The EasyPoint 42, while an all-in-one integrated footprint, didn’t have the feature functionality and the slim form-factor that this new unit has, because of the new technology and our ability to integrate that.”
During the show, Peter R. Charpentier used a SelfServ 60 kiosk to demo a retail application that lets users speak live, one-on-one, with customer-service representatives in remote locations. The customer-service representative, who just so happened to be on the West Coast, appeared on the screen during a demo at the show to greet show goers in New York.
That application is the result of a reseller agreement between NCR and Experticity. The agreement, also announced during the expo, allows NCR to resell the Experticity multichannel technology platform worldwide.
Attendance numbers for KioskCom are not yet available, though Lawrence Dvorchik, general manager of the show, says he expects a 32 percent increase in pre-qualified, pre-registered attendants from last year. KioskCom runs Oct. 15-16 in the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York.
Thursday, 16 October 2008
NEW YORK — Sagem Denmark has announced the rollout of the INT1215-5210 OEM encrypting PIN pad for ATMs and kiosks. Featuring a keyboard made with polymer, the product boasts a lifetime of 2 million cycles and customization options that include embossing and customer-specific software development.
“These PIN pads are in high demand in the industry, because the materials are more affordable than the traditional metallic PIN-pad surface,” said Brian Schleisner, marketing manager for Sagem Denmark.
ROHS-compliant and PCI-approved, the PIN pad is an option for unattended-payment solutions, such as ticket-vending machines and parking venues.
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
NEW YORK — Several of the Self-Service & Kiosk Association's advisory board members met yesterday to discuss the challenging economic climate that is affecting businesses throughout the world.
SLIDESHOW: SSKA Advisory Board meeting
The meeting took place on the eve of the biannual KioskCom Self-Service Expo, this time in New York. The expo runs from Oct. 15 until Oct. 16.
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Photograph by Travis Kircher
Dick Good, chairman of the SSKA, speaks to the advisory board about self-service in the face of a challenging and changing economy.
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V. Miller Newton, president of SSKA, opened the meeting by pointing out that retailers, regardless of their specialty, should feel a need to become engaged in self-service.
"We're on the eve of probably the greatest financial crisis of our time," Newton told SelfService.org after the meeting. "Companies are definitely hunkering down. They're going to cut costs. They're going to be budget conscious."
Yet in the midst of the belt-tightening, Newton says there is significant opportunity for retailers to get a leg up on their competition by utilizing self-service to cut labor costs and increase consumer engagement.
"I think it's interesting that the KioskCom attendance is up 33 percent," he said. "I believe that self-service is a critical component and a must-have in this economic downturn."
Additionally, Newton urged the board members to take part in the association’s new-deployer member drive, which provides a free year of SSKA membership to select deployers.
SSKA vendor members are asked to provide the association with a list of potential deployers that might be candidates for membership.
Executive director David Drain provided an overview of the association's activities, including a look at publicity the association received in the Atlanta Journal Constitution as well as a glance at the site statistics of SelfService.org.
During the meeting, Francie Mendelsohn of Summit Research Associates also provided statistics about the self-service industry and tips for deployers to keeping their self-service interfaces easy to use. Those tips included using large button icons, keeping text short and simple, and limiting the amount of sound included in the application.
Dick Good, chairman of the association, led a round table discussion focused on how the industry should adapt to an uncertain future.
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
(Arlington, Va.) WJLA-TV, Channel 7: Washington, D.C., building permit officials announced Tuesday that the city is allowing permit-seekers to skip the DCRA office and apply online or at the Virtual Permit Center, located at The Home Depot on Rhode Island Avenue NE. The two self-service kiosks, located inside the store, offer permit applicants a chance to pick up DCRA's "Postcard Permit" for home improvements. Applicants enter information on the kiosks, pay the associated fees with a credit card, and print out a paper permit.
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Wednesday, 15 October 2008
NEW YORK — Kiosk Industries Inc. is premiering a full line of kiosks from Eport Systems and Kiosk Entertainment, both divisions of Kiosk Industries Inc., this week at the KioskCom Self Service Expo in booth No. 465.
"We have five spectacular attractions to stimulate the U.S. economy," said Robert A. Klayman, chief executive of Canada’s Kiosk Industries.
During the expo, Kiosk Industries will demonstrate how its event-specific kiosks can easily adapt to changing environments, such as changing the logo and art on the kiosk’s façade as well as offering video e-postcard features to support a company or group event.
And according to a news release, The Walter Mercado Psychic Network Kiosk is linked to a global call-center network, with bases in Puerto Rico and Mexico City, and is supported by a multimillion dollar advertising campaign. Soon the kiosk is expected to be found in bi-lingual communities, in shopping malls, airport waiting rooms, supermarkets and mega-retailers. Under an exclusive agreement with international celebrity psychic Walter Mercado, a large staff of bi-lingual psychics offer readings in astrology and other psychic entertainment services.
Christian Dion, Kiosk Entertainment's "Psychic to the Stars," will offer free psychic readings during the expo.
Beyond Kiosk Industries’ psychic kiosk are the Glass Panel Kiosk, Sports Franchise Kiosk and the E-Gift Kiosk.
The Glass Panel Kiosk is designed for display in a department store window or as a floating glass image for indoor or outdoor applications.
The Sports Franchise Kiosk from Eport Systems will be on display during the expo, offering fans e-postcards from the game and a menu of gift items.
The E-Gift Kiosk offers live email consultation about gift purchases direct from the store.
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — NetWorld Alliance, publisher of Retail Customer Experience magazine and RetailCustomerExperience.com, and the National Retail Federation have announced a partnership to design and launch the Customer Experience Pavilion at NRF's 98th Annual Convention & Expo, to be held Jan. 11�?14, 2009, at Jacob Javits Center in New York. (Convention: Jan. 11�?14; Expo: Jan. 12�?13)
This pavilion will showcase solutions retailers can employ to better connect with today’s consumers to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. The central feature of the Customer Experience Pavilion will be a concept store that uses cutting�?edge technologies and community�?building activities to give retailers ideas on how to enhance the customer experience and extend a more effective brand.
"We’re going to be taking the most interesting technologies and other retail factors that enhance the customer experience and showcasing them in a real�?world and effective retail environment," said Susan Newman, vice president of conferences for NRF. "This year it will be an environment where we can feature gaming technologies, social networking, digital signage, interactive kiosks — really, anything that captures the customers’ attention while they’re in the store and keeps them coming back."
Working with Virginia�?based design firm Hybridia Design as well as the editorial staff of Retail Customer Experience magazine and RetailCustomerExperience.com, NRF is developing a concept store that offers new insights and ideas to retailers of all types and sizes.
"We want retailers to be able to take what they see in the store and envision how they can implement those strategies themselves," Newman said. "It’s about how to attract the customer no matter what the environment is — music, clothing, etc."
Tom Harper, publisher of Retail Customer Experience magazine and RetailCustomerExperience.com, believes the pavilion comes at the right time.
"Today’s shoppers are more demanding and have more choices of where to spend their time and money than ever before," he said. "For a retailer to be successful now and in the future, they must create an effective and differentiated multi�?channel shopping experience that keeps customers happy and loyal."
The Customer Experience Pavilion will include more than 48 exhibitors. Companies interested in exhibiting in the pavilion should contact Tami Sakell at 202�?661�?3044 for more information.
Companies interested in sponsoring a technology in the Customer Experience Concept Store should contact Susan Newman at 202�?626�?8154.
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
 Peak Systems is a software development company for terminal and self-service devices. The company specializes in development of payment terminals, management and monitoring systems. Products include: multi-vendor solutions for infokiosks and ATM stations - PeakSystems ATM Station, POS terminal devices - PeakSystems POS Station, management and monitoring systems and also platforms for creation of solutions for terminal and self-service devices - PeakSystems Platform SDK.
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Home Media: Redbox has filed a federal suit against Universal Studios Home Entertainment that alleges Universal’s new revenue-sharing terms for DVD-vending operators violates antitrust laws and misuses copyrights. The suit claims Universal’s new terms would eliminate low-cost rental alternatives for consumers by prohibiting redbox from renting or selling Universal DVDs until 45 days after they hit the street, limiting the number of Universal DVDs the kiosk operator can stock, and requiring redbox to destroy Universal DVDs after they leave the kiosks, instead of being sold as used to consumers. Redbox is seeking an injunction that would prohibit Universal from limiting the number of its DVDs in redbox kiosks, fiscal damages, and declarations of copyright misuse.
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Tuesday, 14 October 2008
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Travelers at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport are increasingly booking tickets online and using kiosks to check in, at a rate higher than some other large airports around the world. A survey of passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson, Mumbai International, Charles de Gaulle in Paris, Moscow Domodedovo, Sao Paulo Guarulhos and Johannesburg released by SITA, an air-transport IT company, found that in Atlanta, 18 percent of travelers check in online and 38 percent use kiosks for checking in. That’s compared with 19 percent and 20 percent a year earlier. Across the six airports, an average of 36 percent of passengers checked in online or with kiosks, compared with the combined 56 percent in Atlanta. Mumbai had a 19 percent rate of online check in, the only airport in the survey with a higher rate than Atlanta. North America in general is “one of the early adopter markets” for self-service technologies, says SITA director of portfolio marketing Dominique El Bez.
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Tuesday, 14 October 2008
NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Diebold Inc. says United Technologies Corp. has withdrawn its unsolicited bid for Diebold. UTC originally made an offer for the company Feb. 29, 2008.
Diebold’s John Lauer, the non-executive chairman of the board, says Diebold’s financial improvement has shed new light on the company’s outlook and strategic initiatives.
"This gives the board confidence that Diebold is on-course for creating substantial shareholder value for its investors, despite current global financial market conditions," he said.
Diebold on Sept. 30 increased its 2008 earnings expectations when it released its financial reports for 2007 and the first two quarters of 2008. The company’s earnings expectations are the result of earlier-than-expected progress from its cost-reduction initiatives, improved profitability from the company's Brazilian voting and lottery businesses, continued demand for the company's solutions in the global financial markets and a lower anticipated effective tax rate.
"Since 2006, we have focused on putting the right leadership in place, improving the key drivers of profitability and positioning the company for future growth," said Thomas W. Swidarski, Diebold’s president and chief executive. "We are now seeing the tangible results of these efforts. Recognizing there's much more for us to accomplish, I am increasingly confident in our strategies and our ability to execute on those strategies."
Monday, 13 October 2008
WORCESTER, Mass. — Two Worcester Polytechnic Institute students have invented a whole new campus perspective — a 3-D one, in fact — with the "WPImap Kiosk."
The technology stems from a required-for-graduation student research project and has been adopted by the university's admissions office in the Bartlett Center as a means to help prospective students, parents and current students better explore and learn more about WPI's campus. The kiosk, which is located in the university's Campus Center, houses a 3-D virtual map of the campus and allows the user to "walk around" campus in a virtual setting.
But if walking seems too "last century," users also have the option to "hop on" a Segway human transport vehicle — invented by one of WPI's most famous alums, Dean Kamen.
This invention started as an Interactive Qualifying Project — one of three projects WPI students must undertake before graduation — and was completed last spring by students Alexander Schwartz of New Fairfield, Conn., and Elisabeth Beinke of Norwalk, Conn.
"Not only is the kiosk a great tool for visitors to explore WPI's campus in a virtual environment, but it is also a great example of the innovative work our students are doing," said Edward J. Connor, WPI's director of admissions. "I enjoyed working with the team of students throughout the year, and their final product exceeded my expectations. The attention to detail and the accurate depiction of the campus in the virtual environment is amazing."
Akin to a 1980s arcade game, the kiosk features a joystick and trackball, and users can navigate around the 3D environment in real time, viewing all of the buildings and campus landmarks in photorealistic detail. Outside the virtual Bartlett Center, home of WPI's admissions and financial aid offices, players will notice a Segway. Upon stepping onto it, a full campus tour starts, complete with a virtual tour guide and a scripted path through all of the academic and residential buildings. The map will be continually developed and updated as the WPI campus evolves.
Monday, 13 October 2008
CIOL.com: Soon there will be more reasons to walk into a public call office in Bangalore, India, than just to make a phone call. Hundreds of PCOs in the city and elsewhere in Karnataka are now set to be upgraded into e-kiosks that provide multiple utility services, including the ability to book travel tickets, pay a variety of taxes, chat, browse and much more. The state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. has partnered with Intel and the Karnataka PCO Owners Association to enable PCO operators to upgrade into electronic information and transaction kiosks.
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Monday, 13 October 2008
(Alpharetta, Ga.) Gwinnett Herald: A new Johns Creek, Ga., company has rolled out a product it is hoping can take the market by storm to help people get a better understanding of their eye health. SoloHealth recently unveiled its EyeSite Kiosk, which gives consumers a free eye-health screening with recommendations based on the findings. Now, SoloHealth could receive a Forbes award for its innovation, which was accomplished via a partnership with manufacturer KIOSK Information Systems and software vendor Netkey — both association members.
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Monday, 13 October 2008
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. — Unicomp Corp. of America will showcase automated registration processing Oct. 19–22 at the MGMA Annual Conference in San Diego.
Using the IMPOWER core platform and automated registration engine, Unicomp developers have created a touchscreen interface and established the POWERstation Kiosk to enable self-service patient registration.
The POWERstation Kiosk integrates and shares data with any practice management and electronic medical record system through HL7 messaging protocol and ODBC connectivity, without requiring a custom interface. Authorization and consent-form signatures are electronically captured and sealed in a HIPAA-compliant digital-document format. Optical character recognition technology converts insurance card and driver's license information into digital patient data and stores images of the documents in patient-centric folders for accessibility locally or from remote offices. Insurance eligibility is verified in real-time over the Internet, allowing co-pay and deductible requirements to be determined. Credit-card payments are collected, and immediately processed electronically, before medical services are rendered.
Unicomp selected SeePoint Technology's secure kiosk systems, which include fully integrated duplex card scanners, electronic signature pads, magnetic card readers, HIPAA privacy filters and AEGIS Antimicrobial treatments proven to be effective against MRSA and a wide range of bacteria, fungi and harmful microbes.
"SeePoint's integrated hardware is a great fit to display and drive our POWERstation Patient Registration Kiosk application. The units contain all the devices needed to drive our software solutions, and they protect all cables, ports and wires from the public," said Andy Kaplan, president of Unicomp Corp. of America. "They are a great partner to work with as they are responsive and their units are manufactured specifically for healthcare facilities."
Friday, 10 October 2008
TMCnet.com: Good news for travelers going through the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport: They can now stop by and enjoy valuable services at the Boingo Kiosk. The kiosk enables travelers to recharge computers, cell phones and iPods, and print color documents and get free Wi-Fi access passes.
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Friday, 10 October 2008
USA TODAY: NEXTEP Systems' self-order dining kiosks are getting recognition from a leading mainstream newspaper. An article in USA Today highlights the efforts JFK airport is making to improve the traveling experience, including adding "civilized dining" services. To help facilitate the dining experience, the airport has deployed NEXTEP's self-order touchscreens, allowing travelers to order their food quickly and easily.
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Friday, 10 October 2008
NORTH CANTON, Ohio — The board of directors of Diebold Inc. have declared a fourth-quarter cash dividend of 25 cents per share on all common shares, according to a news release. The dividend is payable on Friday, Dec. 5, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Monday, Nov. 17.
Friday, 10 October 2008
GRAFTON, Wis. — Merchandising and visual marketing company Frank Mayer & Associates Inc. is introducing its SlideBuy Shopper Information System Oct. 15-16 at the KioskCom Self Service Expo in New York.
According to a news release, the universal system combines a touchscreen monitor with customized software to create a powerful presence on the retail shelf. The SlideBuy System allows for customizable frames, software and can accommodate various monitor sizes. Placed on existing store shelving, the SlideBuy glides back and forth allowing easy product access.
"The innovative design takes product information directly to the shelf without displacing existing product," said Allen Buchholz, executive vice president of sales for Frank Mayer & Associates.
Thursday, 09 October 2008
PictureBusiness: Jessops has recently announced that it has signed a deal with Lucidiom to install and deliver over 1,000 kiosks at the leading photographic retailer's 233 stores across the U.K. The new kiosks and related software will complement the recent launch of Jessops Jpics, "allowing consumers to enjoy the wider range of photographic products available from the service in-store," the company said in a released statement. The companies explained that Jessops' partnership with Lucidiom is the first of its kind in the U.K. and marks a step in a new direction for photo kiosks nationwide.
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Thursday, 09 October 2008
Nazret.com: The Ethiopia Commodity Exchange is soliciting to raise U.S. $26 million to create information affluence and enable prosperity by establishing an information kiosk for the inhabitants of every Ethiopian village, as part of its Commitment to Action. Over the next five years, ECX commits to establishing 5,000 information kiosks, networked into a national system, where farmers can receive up-to-date information on ECX market prices, national market and production trends, global commodity outlook and weather forecasts, as well as cropping technologies, fertilizer and seed prices and other key information.
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Thursday, 09 October 2008
Luxury Travel Magazine: From Oct. 13, 2008, Lufthansa passengers flying from London Heathrow will be able to use mobile boarding passes on all Lufthansa non-stop flights to Germany, as well as to most onward destinations in Europe. The service will be gradually introduced from additional U.K. and European departure points over the coming months. The U.K. launch follows the successful introduction of mobile boarding passes on all domestic German routes in the summer and last month on about 1,000 daily flights out of Germany to almost 400 European destinations.
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Thursday, 09 October 2008
OAKLAND, Calif. — Earlier this year, a select group of San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District riders took part in a first-in-the-nation trial to pay for their fares and food, receive discounts and check account balances using just their new mobile phone containing a contactless chip that enables transactions without a traditional plastic card.
BART, First Data and ViVOtech have since released the results of the trial conducted in the San Francisco area from Jan. 28 to May 30, 2008, which demonstrates high use when both transit fare and retail payments are combined in the same phone.
The results show that BART riders who took part in the trial extensively used their contactless, Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled phones to pay for their BART fares and meals at participating Jack in the Box restaurants.
The results also show that participants at BART stations frequently tapped smart advertisements in BART stations with their NFC phones. These posters contained directions to nearby Jack in the Box restaurants.
The data shows that trial participants took close to 9,000 trips on BART during the trial. To pay at BART stations, they simply tapped their NFC-equipped mobile phones, provided by Sprint, on top of the BART fare gates. This represents an average of 50 trips per participant during the four-month trial. Participants also topped-up their BART card balances more than 800 times using the over-the-air (OTA) feature of their NFC-equipped phones averaging five BART top-ups per mobile phone during the trial. More than 80 percent of trial participants indicated that the mobile wallet application was easy to use.
"We're very excited that our trial was so successful," BART's longest serving board member, James Fang, said. "NFC devices are all the rage in Asia, and if all goes well, millions of Americans will have access to these NFC-enabled phones starting in two years. With so many people turning to transit to avoid the ever-skyrocketing price of gas, we must do everything we can to break down the barriers that stand in the way of them using BART. The NFC-enabled phone simplifies their lives because they never need to dig for a BART ticket again, and they can bypass those fumbling for change at the ticket machine, and instead, go directly through the faregates — knowing they always have the correct fare on their phones."
Another value of this trial was to test the combination of transit and Jack in the Box meal purchases using the mobile phones as well as to drive traffic to merchants using NFC-enabled smart posters. During the trial, participants tapped their phones several hundred times on smart posters located throughout the BART terminal to obtain directions to the nearest Jack in the Box restaurant from the BART station.
ViVOtech developed the wallet software for the NFC mobile phones and the OTA card provisioning servers that Sprint used for the trial. This enabled participants to remotely download their BART fare and Jack Ca$h gift cards onto their mobile phones, check their card balances, review previous transactions, automatically top up their cards and use their phones to pay for BART fares and Jack in the Box food. ViVOtech also provided the contactless payment devices that read the NFC-enabled chips at Jack in the Box restaurants.
Thursday, 09 October 2008
WESTON, Fla. — Esprida Corp., a provider of remote management technology, has announced that it has teamed up with key industry partners to showcase branch optimization at KioskCom in New York, October 15-16.
The multi-partner solution makes it possible for government agencies and financial services organizations to monitor and control a customer visit throughout its lifecycle for improved services, greater efficiencies and enhanced customer experience.
"Esprida and its partners provide branches with a combination of best-in-class solutions in a process that uses self-service kiosks, queue management software and front-office applications to create a seamless workflow with people in the branch," said Anila Jobanputra, president of Esprida Corp. "Our software, Esprida LiveControl, is the service oriented architecture platform that makes all of this possible by enabling communication between hardware, software, customers and staff."
The Esprida-engineered solution leverages hardware, customer flow technology, configuration control software, an application solution platform, and secure connectivity products.
The solution accepts selections in its queuing process and offers visitors recommendations on the most appropriate channel to complete their task(s) quickly and easily.
Thursday, 09 October 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Self-Service & Kiosk Association (SSKA), an organization committed to helping create more successful self-service deployments worldwide, is pleased to announce that 33 self-service deployers have joined the association as a result of a new initiative focused on deployer recruitment.
The Association's Advisory Board has elected to offer free one-year memberships to qualified organizations, offers that are valued at $250 each. Letters have been sent to Association members asking them to submit five to 10 names of colleagues or clients for consideration. Organizations that qualify are those who have deployed, or are considering deploying, self-service technology. Deployers are organizations in vertical industries such as retail, travel, banking, hospitality, government and healthcare.
Deployer member benefits include:
- Access to SSKA's Expert Panel
- Contact information of other deployer members for networking purposes
- The ability to participate in Deployer's Council meetings and conference calls
- Entrance to the association's members-only library of Best Practices documents
- Deployer Quarterly newsletters
- Webinars with featured industry experts
- Networking with leaders in the industry
- Discounts on research reports
- Complimentary individual consulting and referrals
The new deployer members that have already responded to the recruitment drive are:
- 7Cs Winery LLC
- Adventist Health System
- Ambassadors
- American Airlines
- American Casino and Entertainment Properties
- American Kiosk Management
- American Medallion Designs Inc.
- American Museum of Natural History
- AT&T Mobility
- Austin Energy
- Bank of Eastern Oregon
- Cabela's
- Canadian Tire Corporation
- Discount Tire Co.
- Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group
- Financial Service Centers Cooperative
- Fontainebleau Las Vegas
- Grand Pacific Resorts
- Harrah’s Entertainment
- Lighting4sale
- Local Government Federal Credit Union
- Lowe’s Companies
- Macy’s West Department Stores
- Mahvelous Mailboxes!
- Marathon Staffing
- Marshall University
- Memory Maker Photo Jewelry
- Niche Wear LLC
- Palace Sports & Entertainment
- PCA Services Inc.
- Sodexo
- Southwest Medical Associates
- Toys R Us
- Villanova University
- Washington's Lottery
"The Self-Service & Kiosk Association is really stepping up to offer more to self-service deployers," said David Drain, executive director of SSKA. "We are proud to welcome the many deployers who have responded so far. The opportunity for some deployers to enjoy free one-year memberships will give them a chance to experience first-hand what the association is all about. Once they see the vast array of resources available at their fingertips, we're confident that first year of membership won’t be their last."
To apply for this free offer, go to the association's Web site at www.selfservice.org/join and use the discount code FREE2.
Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Newsday.com: A talking kiosk resembling an ATM will help blind or low-vision passengers get around a ferry terminal in lower Manhattan. The kiosk is scheduled to be unveiled Wednesday at Whitehall Ferry terminal by a host of city and small business agencies. A similar kiosk was installed last year at Staten Island's St. George Ferry terminal.
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Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Mediacaster Magazine: Petro-Canada will deploy customer self-service food ordering technology and drive-through point-of-sale kiosk solutions in its c-stores. Working with Radiant Systems, the new platform will provide consumers with high-quality food and coffee as well as traditional fuel and convenience offerings.
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Wednesday, 08 October 2008
The Franchise Magazine: G&D (UK) Ltd., the London franchisee of Advanced Media Information, has placed its second touchscreen guest information kiosk at the prestigious Millennium Gloucester Hotel and Conference Centre in Kensington. This follows the success of its first kiosk at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel.
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Wednesday, 08 October 2008
AMonline: The possibility of economic recession may not necessarily be bad news for everyone, according to Paul Schlossberg, president of D/FW Consulting. As Schlossberg points out, vending and onsite foodservice operators will be rethinking their service options, perhaps deploying more self-service food ordering kiosks to free up labor.
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Wednesday, 08 October 2008
MALVERN, Pa. — USA Technologies Inc. and AIR-serv, a provider of coin-operated tire inflation and vacuuming services, have announced an agreement where Air-serv will enable its kiosks, over the next two years, to accept credit cards with USA Technologies' ePort and ePort Connect Service. Motorists who pull into gas stations or convenience stores will soon be able to use their debit or credit cards to operate kiosks that will allow them to inflate their tires or vacuum the interior of their cars.
Air-Serv is currently presenting the companies' combined solution at the NACS Show in Chicago, October 4-7. The NACS Show is the most comprehensive annual gathering of retailers and suppliers in the global convenience and petroleum retailing industry.
"Motorists will no longer need to carry coins, or go into the gas station or convenience store to convert bills into change to operate the air compressor or vacuum," said Tom Bauer, president of AIR-serv. "We are installing the USA Technologies e-Port cashless transaction solution on our tire inflation compressors and vacuum machines to give motorists the ease, convenience and speed of being able to use credit or debit cards. The $140 billion convenience and gas industry has proven that consumers are comfortable using debit and credit cards at the pump and in stores to make small purchases. We are confident that these buying habits will be replicated when a consumer needs to inflate tires or vacuum their cars."
Under the agreement with USA Technologies, AIR-serv will install 10,000 e-Port cashless transaction terminals over the next two years. Installations are expected to begin before the end of the year.
Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Honolulu Advertiser: DeWayne McKinney, who made millions of dollars in Hawaii after spending nearly two decades in a California prison for a murder he didn't commit, died early yesterday in Kaimuki in a moped accident. McKinney's prison-to-paradise story drew national attention. He arrived in Hawaii in 2001 and started his Island ATM business with his $1.7 million settlement from the Orange County Police Department. At the time of his death he owned 42 ATMs on three islands and had a net worth of more than $6 million, said Carl Stein, whose company processed transactions for McKinney.
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Tuesday, 07 October 2008
MyCustomer.com: Self-service can deliver significant assistance to the customer, and financial benefits to the business. Yet many organizations continue to struggle with the right role for self-service in their portfolio of support offerings and its use has plateaued. Allen Bonde examines the reasons for this — and explores what the right role for self-service really is.
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Tuesday, 07 October 2008
AME Info: SITA, the specialist provider of IT solutions to airlines and airports, today said there is overwhelming evidence from passengers surveyed at six of the world's busiest airports across five continents, that self-service is fast becoming the norm for passengers from Atlanta to Moscow and that the main challenge to even broader adoption of DIY travel management is baggage.
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Tuesday, 07 October 2008
MESA, Ariz. — According to a news release, Better ATM Services has reached agreements with Automated Cash Management Systems and APTUS Financial to dispense Amazon.com gift cards at ATMs across the nation.
The two ISOs will be part of a special pilot program in which Amazon.com gift cards will be distributed with a free $25 Restaurant.com promotional card. Dallas–based Columbus Data Services will provide transaction processing services for the program.
Better ATM Services also has become a reseller of Amazon.com gift cards, allowing Amazon.com gift cards to be distributed through ATM networks owned and operated by ISOs throughout the United States. The Amazon.com gift card is immediately valid for use toward purchase of any of the millions of items offered for sale at Amazon.com.
"Tough economic times mean consumers will increasingly demand more value," said Better ATM Services chief executive Todd Nuttall. "Gift cards with coupons and incentives distributed through ATMs provide just that."
Gift cards make up the largest segment of prepaid cards. Boston-based TowerGroup estimates that approximately $80 billion was spent on gift cards in 2006. Based on Mercator Advisory Group research, that total included approximately 600 million cards that were sold in-store.
Tuesday, 07 October 2008
LONDON · At KioskCom Self Service Expo Europe and The Digital Signage Show Europe, it was difficult to determine where one show ended and the other began. The reason was a line-up of kiosk and digital signage products that seemed to blur the lines between the two categories.
On the kiosk side of the tradeshow floor, attendees saw queue management systems from both New Vision and Cammax, which made use of both kiosks and digital signs. For use in applications from delis to doctor's offices, the units allowed users to input their information via touchscreen kiosk and receive a numbered ticket. Their numbers were then automatically sent to screens around the facility, and back-end software managed the number-calling.
Meanwhile, on the digital signage end of the floor, attendees had their hands all over the screens, mainly because a majority of exhibitors featured touch technology as part of their signage solutions.
Popular with show visitors was the U-Touch/Next Window booth, which had an impressive lineup of branded screens, all of which were touch-enabled. Blurring the line between digital signage and kiosk was the Car Finder, an all-weather enclosed screen that let travelers find their cars at the airport by license plate number or parking garage ticket.
Samsung's booth was certainly a highlight from a digital signage standpoint. Samsung showed Samsung ID, a video wall solution launched in recent months and shown in the U.K. for the first time at KioskCom. The unit comes with a base that anchors the screens, which can then be stacked up to five-high using interlocking posts.
Randhana, commercial manager for Samsung, said that the video wall at the show took only about 20 minutes to set up, while other video walls can take several hours to assemble. Using the posts, screens can pivot, allowing the wall to be convex or concave as well as flat.
Here are some other highlights from the show floor:
XPERIENCE WIRELESS showed the DT Research mobile tablet, which Trevor Bingham of Xperience said is being used by Tesco's grocery pickers who collect orders placed online. The tablets are also used by Cadbury's, the U.K.'s largest chocolate provider.
PREEDY SOLUTIONS, a glass processor, used its glass expertise to develop a large-scale optical touchscreen. Images were shown using a short-throw projector placed behind the glass.
NETKEY announced at the show that its digital signage software is now available in both software-as-a-service and licensed packaged formats. Bob Ventresca, director of marketing for Netkey, said the software has seen success in a wide spectrum of markets including out-of-home advertising, corporate communications, education, healthcare, government, transportation, retail, banking and financial services, and tourism and hospitality.
Offering a different kind of touch technology, 3M MICROTOUCH featured an interactive game on its large-format screens. 3M uses Dispersive Signal Technology, where piezos are mounted on each corner and read "waves" activated by contact with the surface.
KIOSK MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS was part of the show's largest partner booth, along with HEMISPEHRE WEST for currency handling, PROVISIO for kiosk lockdown, CREDIT CALL for payment processes and HYPERCOM for chip and PIN solutions.
RITTAL's highlight was a movable wall kiosk that could shift up and down at the touch of a button. Rittal's Peter Hill said the unit operates on a threaded spindle rather than using a motor to virtually eliminate operating noise.
STAR MICRONICS' thermal and dot matrix kiosk printers were on display in a Royal Mail postal kiosk and a Marks & Spencer wine recommendation kiosk. Jennie Miller of Star said the printers took care of printing receipts as well as package labels.
ALLPAY.NET showed a Diebold machine for housing councils that allows tenants to pay rent on properties. Similar to an ATM, the units accept credit/debit and can accept up to 100 mixed bulk notes.
DICOLL released a budget kiosk at the show, which is designed to be assembled by the deployer to ease shipping.
"It's multi-function, relatively customizable and aimed at the sub-£2,000 market," said David Gibbins of Dicoll.
Coffee drinkers hovered around GWD MEDIA's booth, as the company was giving away coffee from a self-service dispensing machine. GWD creates remote monitoring systems for kiosks, and is installed on 650 Coffee Nation machines across the U.K. Jed Fraser, CMO of GWD, said the systems detect and alert operators if the machine's supplies are low, as well as provide real-time statistics about the number of cups dispensed.
STOREFRONT.COM's DIMA-award-winning photo kiosks were on display, running the company's Omnishop photo software. In addition to developing digital photos, the kiosks allow retailers to offer other services through the interface, such as deli and prescriptions ordering, wine pairing and flower ordering.
VERIFONE released its Vx700 PIN pad and card reader combo at KioskCom, which is designed to thwart efforts to skim PINs or card stripes.
EUROSIGN's integrated digital screens got attention from attendees who saw their own face on the screen. Eurosign, developed by Ireland's Radiant Europe, used a Quividi audience measurement solution that calculated how many impressions the screen received by detecting the number of times peoples' eyes met the screen. Each day the counts were well over 1,500.
Monday, 06 October 2008
FRESNO, Calif. — Continental Prison Systems Inc., provider of technology that streamlines the inmate release process and reduces the cost of loading funds to an inmate's account over the Internet or through a kiosk, has signed a new deal with a 485-bed Colorado prison.
"Two booking-room kiosks and two visiting-room kiosks have been installed at this facility," said said Ron Hodge, president and chief executive of Continental Prison Systems. "These kiosks have experienced significantly greater-than-expected volumes in the first two weeks. The money loaded onto the inmates' accounts and the bail/fines being paid by both cash and credit card have far exceeded all previous projections. We continue to work with the facility on a daily basis and we will soon bring on our proprietary 'remote' Internet-based money-transfer service. These services include loading funds onto an inmate's trust account and also the ability to pay fines and bail through CPSZ's online site."
The EZ exit debit card will follow these services in early November. The facility has expressed the desire to be 100 percent cashless by the end of this year.
Monday, 06 October 2008
The (Sunbury, Pa.) Daily Item: New technology in place at the Monroe Marketplace Giant Food Stores location in Pennsylvania allows customers to find products and get special offers by using the interactive Shopping Solutions kiosks. The kiosks can be used to locate an item and print a map, or place a deli order or access a shopping list made from home. Customers can even find meal ideas with more than 2,500 recipes that can be printed from the kiosks.
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Friday, 03 October 2008
The Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald: A generation of children is growing up that will not remember paper airline tickets — and it's possible the next generation will not remember boarding passes, either. It is now possible to book a flight, check in, get a boarding pass and board a plane without a single piece of paper other than your photo identification. Airlines, including KLM, Air France, Lufthansa and Air Canada, have introduced mobile-phone boarding passes.
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Friday, 03 October 2008
Supermarket News: Schnuck Markets, which runs 103 supermarkets, has rolled out ShoptoCook Recipe Solutions Center kiosks to 27 stores following a pilot in one store last year. Each store features three kiosks, including one each in the meat and wine departments. Schnucks plans on rolling out the kiosks to additional stores in October. The kiosks provide printed recipes, wine pairings and information on a variety of health conditions.
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Friday, 03 October 2008
POSEN, Ill. — Corporate Safe Specialists, an association member, and The Pinnacle Corp. have announced that interface and certification efforts are nearly complete between the CSS line of Advanced Cash Control Systems and Pinnacle's Palm POS.
According to a news release, Palm POS will provide direct integrated functionality to CSS' suite of Advanced Cash Control Systems, providing a single point-of-control for cash flow and enabling a clerk's ability to accept, validate and secure cash directly into a business-rated safe. This integration will enable increased productivity with authenticated and traceable employee deposits, while reducing clerk training efforts by consolidating separate systems. The integration will provide increased visibility through consolidated loss prevention reporting that includes cashier details and safe events to support accountability audits. Integration will also eliminate the need for a stand-alone terminal for the safe, which frees precious space in the retail location and lowers overall equipment expense.
"The integration of Advanced Cash Control Systems into the Pinnacle Palm POS provides retailers the flexibility and single point for cash transactions that they are looking for," said James Currey, national sales manager for CSS. "CSS is always looking for innovative technology advancements that will increase the productivity of our customers' staff, in the most cost effective means possible. This solution will provide an integrated cash management capability increasing visibility to the retailer, while allowing for easier training for clerks to learn a single system for accepting payment and securing the cash, keeping the proper balance of funds in the till while reducing the exposure of the business."
Friday, 03 October 2008
HILLSBORO, Ore. — MTI, a provider of interactive merchandising technology and an association member, continues to innovate handheld electronics display solutions with the release of Freedom Universal 2.0.
According to a news release, Universal 2.0 is the latest addition to MTI's Freedom platform, which provides shoppers the ability to handle and demonstrate live, fully-powered electronic devices while providing unmatched security and merchandising flexibility to retailers. Building on the real-world intelligence gathered from thousands of existing Freedom deployments, MTI designed Universal 2.0 with both modern retail environments and unparalleled consumer experience in mind.
Like MTI's other Freedom platforms, Universal 2.0 continues to provide power and security to a broad range of handheld products such as digital cameras, camcorders, GPS products and mobile phones. However, Universal 2.0's new design provides a significantly reduced footprint, never distracting from or diminishing the "hero" effect of today's ever-smaller, must-have products. The new design also includes a host of new features such as: an integrated rotating 360-degree swivel to prevent cable twist and greatly increase retractor life; 270-degree viewable LED light ring to spotlight product and provide visual security; and enhanced security modules that feature advanced battery back-up capabilities.
Universal 2.0's programmable multi-color light rings not only enhance the look of the display, but can seamlessly connect with MTI's SKU activated merchandising system (Intuition Lift) for interactive content and color-guided product selection based on user engagement.
This system triggers sku-specific information based on customer interaction. Depending on the product displayed, messaging can drive sales through simulated ownership experiences, explanation of hidden features and benefits, product comparisons or suggestive selling of accessories. This interactive experience has been shown to both increase sales and decrease product returns, as an educated shopper becomes a more confident owner.
Freedom Universal 2.0 is also backwards compatible, allowing it to work seamlessly with Freedom 1.0 components, including smart cables, making it a more enhanced, low-cost upgrade option for retailers already using MTI's Freedom Universal line of displays.
Friday, 03 October 2008
Gizmodo: Conspiracy theorists who believe Elvis Presley is still alive and well might be excited to learn that an e-passport containing his photograph and vital statistics was verified and accepted by a self-service terminal at an Amsterdam Airport. The problem is, the passenger was not the king of rock and roll, but a hacker who was making the case that some e-passport verification platforms still lack the basic software infrastructure necessary to spot fraudulent documentation.
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Friday, 03 October 2008
PC World: This week, California became the second state to pass a law making it illegal to steal data from radio frequency identification cards. The law sets a penalty that includes a maximum fine of U.S. $1,500 and up to a year in prison for someone convicted of surreptitiously reading information from an RFID card. RFID chips, used in a growing variety of applications worldwide, store small amounts of information that a nearby device can read. Among other things, the chips can be used to store customer data on a credit card or allow authorized people to open locked office doors or car doors in "keyless" entry systems.
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Friday, 03 October 2008
ATMmarketplace.com: Industry executives, solution deployers and law enforcement met in Houston last month during the ATM Industry Association's Payments Fraud in the Americas conference. A handful of them sat down for one-on-one video interviews with ATM Marketplace. Click below to watch what they had to say about ATM ram raids and debit-card fraud.
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Friday, 03 October 2008
Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle): Coinstar Inc., deployer of coin-counting kiosks, is morning the loss of its chairman. Keith Grinstein, a Seattle venture capitalist, has died at the age of 48. "He could have easily been the funniest man in Seattle," said Nick Hanauer, a close friend of Grinstein. "He had a remarkable wit … and a big heart." The cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
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Thursday, 02 October 2008
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Health care providers now have a new self-service option when it comes to patient registration.
Unicomp Corp. of America, a provider of process automation products for the business side of medicine, will showcase its comprehensive POWERstation Patient Registration Kiosk during the MGMA 2008 Annual Conference, October 19-22, in San Diego at exhibitor booth #1015.
POWERstation is a part of Unicomp's IMPOWER family of workflow optimization solutions that are specifically developed for the office-based medical practice.
According to the news release, POWERstation is a feature-rich 'elegantly simple' application that includes an innovative suite of productivity tools to improve patient registration efficiency and accuracy. Patient registration is also the beginning of the revenue cycle. Improving patient demographic and insurance information accuracy will reduce insurance claim denials and increase cash-flow. Patient registration errors account for approximately 60 percent of all insurance claim denials, and subsequently result in unnecessary revenue write-offs and labor-intensive claim rework. For example, it is estimated that by incorporating the POWERstation solution, a moderate-size group practice could realize a bottom line benefit of several hundred thousand dollars, and thus yield a significant return on investment.
POWERstation's technology platform includes a combination of clerk-assisted workstations and/or self-service kiosks that can be used individually, or can coexist as complementary components, to enhance the patient check-in process. POWERstation integrates and shares data with any Practice Management and Electronic Medical Record system through the use of the widely-supported HL7 messaging protocol and ODBC connectivity, without requiring a custom interface.
Patient-completed forms are automatically translated into text records using handwriting recognition technology. Authorization and consent form signatures are electronically captured and sealed in a legally-binding, HIPAA-compliant, digital document format. Insurance cards, driver licenses, referrals, and other patient-provided documents are scanned along with the patient-completed forms and stored in paperless patient charts and folders, which are accessible locally or from remote offices. Optical Character Recognition technology converts insurance card and driver license information into digital patient data. Insurance eligibility is verified in real-time over the Internet, allowing co-pay and deductible requirements to be determined. Payments are collected by check or credit card, and immediately processed electronically, before medical services are rendered.
"As a long time user of Unicomp's IMPOWER solutions, I know the benefits they bring to the patient registration process," said Ron Welty, executive director of Amarillo Heart Group. "Our clinic sees over 300 patients a day and the efficiencies we've gained from using IMPOWER products at our check-in desks have helped our organization immensely."
Thursday, 02 October 2008
GLOUCESTERSHIRE, England — As a result of a record-breaking reception to an automated DVD rental kiosk in a Spar store in Formby, Liverpool, a second Movie Booth kiosk has recently launched in a Southport store to kick-start the surge of DVD rental kiosks in the Northwest.
According to a news release, the DVD rental kiosk concept has so far received an excellent response from the people of Formby since launching in May, with initial month rental levels surpassing all figures previously seen by The Movie Booth. As a result, The Movie Booth decided to deploy another kiosk on Merseyside to serve consumer demand.
DVD rental machines have experienced steady growth in the U.K. in recent months, with the credit crunch being given as the reason why people are staying at home and renting more movies. The Movie Booth kiosks operate using advanced robotics, making the rental of movies a fully automated experience for the customer. The kiosks placed in the Spar stores in Merseyside are expected to form the basis of the rollout of multiple kiosks across the Northwest.
As part of the Merseyside kiosk launches, Britain's Next Top Model finalist, Charlotte Denton, has assisted in giving demonstrations on how to use the kiosk during their first weeks of deployment.
"The Formby kiosk has started extremely well, as I knew it would, so we decided not to waste any time in getting the next one set up," said John Youssef, who is overseeing the deployment of the DVD rental machines at Merseyside. "We hope to launch two more by the end of 2008."
Every year in the U.K., 2.4 million adults rent four or more DVDs each month, according to the release. A further 7.6 million adults rent between one and three DVDs every month, and these figures suggest that recent news sounding the death-knell for DVD rental are unfounded.
Thursday, 02 October 2008
Florida Today: Nothing grabs attention like a space-suited astronaut in a hotel lobby. Advertising entrepreneur Tim Hock is using 6-foot-tall astronaut statues to draw users to interactive computer kiosks that have started to appear in Cocoa Beach hotels and will be installed in full starting next week. The touchscreen business directories, which cost $3,000 to $5,000, include printers so visitors can create brochures.
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Thursday, 02 October 2008
Government Technology: In April, the Library of Congress unveiled the "Library of Congress Experience," computer kiosks in selected locations that let users virtually flip through and examine artifacts that are too delicate for handling, such as Jefferson's Declaration of Independence draft, George Washington's copy of the U.S. Constitution, John Beckley's Bill of Rights, the Gutenberg Bible, the Giant Bible of Mainz, Martin Waldeseemüller's 16th-century world maps and more.
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Thursday, 02 October 2008
The (Villanova University) Villanovan: When the official student newspaper of Villanova University ranked new technologies available at the university, No. 2 on the list was the "Dorm Competition Kiosks" that have been deployed in four residence halls on campus. The devices are equipped with touchscreen technology and display energy monitoring statistics in categories such as hot water, cold water, hot water energy and electricity. Students are encouraged to do their part to conserve energy and "beat" the other dorms.
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Thursday, 02 October 2008
LONDON — Now in its third year, KioskCom Self Service Expo Europe opened yesterday at Olympia and offered attendees a look into the European display market with the inclusion of the Digital Signage Show Europe.
Many of the kiosk exhibitors had already jumped on board early on, using digital screens as part of total kiosk solutions.
One such company was Cammax, which showed a patient check-in kiosk used in health clinics. The unit issues numbered tickets for those in the waiting room and those numbers are automatically fed to a digital sign, so patients know their place in the queue.
The kiosk also allows users to purchase personal items such as pregnancy tests, etc. through the kiosk without having to see a doctor or health consultant.
"It's saving the nurses time, helping speed up the processes and does this discreetly," said Adrian Hamor, production manager for Cammax.
On the digital signage front, Samsung's booth proved to be a popular destination for those interested in display technology.
The Samsung ID video wall was launched in recent months and is being shown in the U.K. for the first time at this show, said Ami Randhana, commercial manager for Samsung. The unit comes with a base that anchors the screens, which can then be stacked up to five-high using interlocking posts.
Randhana said that the video wall at the show, a three-by-three matrix, took only about 20 minutes to set up, while other video walls can take several hours to assemble. Using the posts, screens can pivot, allowing the wall to be convex or concave as well as flat.
The screens themselves were thin-bezel digital information displays (DIDs) that are manufactured to commercial standards. The screens are intended to be left on 24/7, so they are equipped with temperature controls to minimize heat which causes considerable wear over time.
Content was driven to the video wall using Samsung's MagicNet software for digital signage, which allows users to stretch the content across the entire matrix or control each screen individually.
Also in Samsung's booth was a 70-inch fully-integrated touchscreen powered by infrared touch, the 460CXn screen networked with Samsung MagicInfo and the customizable 400MNx display.
Thursday, 02 October 2008
NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Diebold Inc.'s share price went up 3.6 percent yesterday after the company filed its delinquent earnings results for 2007 and the first and second quarters of 2008. The company raised its earnings expectations for 2008 and reported 2007 year-end revenue of $2.97 billion and net income of $40 million.
Earnings per share guidance for the rest of 2008 has increased from $1.47-$1.37 per share to $1.62-$1.52 per share.
In a news release, Diebold said the upward revision in earnings expectations are the result of earlier-than-expected progress from cost-reduction initiatives, improved profitability from the Brazilian voting and lottery businesses, continued demand for the solutions in the global financial markets, and a lower-than-anticipated effective tax rate.
"We are very pleased that we have become current with our financial reporting, which has been a top priority for the company for more than a year," said Thomas W. Swidarski, Diebold president and chief executive. "The significant progress we've made in our cost-reduction initiatives has resulted in some of our anticipated savings coming in earlier than planned. This continued progress in reducing costs positions us well as we work toward achieving our profitability goals for 2009 and beyond. In addition, our global sales environment remains solid despite the well-publicized challenges facing the financial industry in the United States."
Revenue for 2007 was up .8 percent when compared with restated revenue of $2.94 billion for 2006, while net income was down 62 percent from the $105 million reported in '06.
Diebold says its future performance hinges on timing of a self-service upgrade and/or replacement cycle in mature markets, such as the Unites States; high levels of deployment growth for new self-service products in emerging markets, such as Asia-Pacific; demand for new service offerings, including outsourcing or operating a network of ATMs; demand beyond expectations for security products and services for the financial, retail and government sectors; implementation and timeline for new election systems in the United States, the company's strong financial position; and the company's ability to successfully integrate acquisitions.
"Since 2006, we have focused on putting the right leadership in place, improving the key drivers of profitability and positioning the company for future growth," Swidarski said. "We are now seeing the tangible results of these efforts. Recognizing there's much more for us to accomplish, I am increasingly confident in our strategies and our ability to execute on those strategies."
Additionally, in its annual report, which it filed yesterday, Diebold says it expects to successfully cut $100 million from its expenses by the end of the year — a goal defined by its Smart Business 100 program to reduce expenses. Diebold also expects to cut its global workforce by 800 full-time positions, which account for about 5 percent of its overall employment. The majority of those cuts are expected to occur in North America, Brazil and parts of Western Europe.
Thursday, 02 October 2008
 Saitech is one of the few firms in the kiosk solutions arena who is fully turn-key. Saitech, based in Toronto, operates a full spectrum team to create a unified kiosk solution from concept to hardware to User Interface to execution in the field. With a single point of contact, our clients achieve tremendous efficiency and focus. Our specialty is in the niche of "Creating Trust at the Point of Decision". We generate bright, crisp graphics-driven animations to show customers how systems and products work within seconds. Well informed customers make larger and more comfortable purchase decisions.
Saitech creates the kiosk's hardware look and feel, controls fabrication, develops the User Interface and rolls out your project to the field. One firm, one call.
Wednesday, 01 October 2008
Video Business: DVDPlay is dropping the price of its DVD rentals to match its larger rivals. Closely held DVDPlay, the No. 3 U.S. movie-rental kiosk operator, this week will drop the price of its daily rentals for both standard DVDs and Blu-ray discs to $1, the company said in a statement. DVDPlay, which also said it would expand its title selection, had been charging $1.49.
"In an economy of rising prices, our customers are looking for value for their entertainment dollars," DVDPlay president Charlie Piper said in the statement. DVDPlay's price reduction brings its fees even with the $1 daily rental rate charged by both Redbox and TNR/Moviecube for standard DVDs. Neither of DVDPlay's larger competitors offer Blu-ray.
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Wednesday, 01 October 2008
NEW YORK — Innovative Office Products, Inc., will feature its space-saving 9190 and 9189 model LCD mounting arms at the 2008 KioskCom Self Services Expo, October 15-16 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Innovative will display its products at Booth 238.
Both mounting arm models "float" flat-screen monitors to offer flexible, space-saving solutions for point-of-sale systems. Many kiosks use space inefficiently by locking a screen in one position, making it more an obstacle or uncomfortable experience than a convenient service. Innovative's 9190 model and 9189 model LCD arms reduce a kiosk's footprint and provide a great range of motion for consumers.
"These POS solutions provide necessary functionality without consuming excess space," said Bud Oddsen, president of Innovative Office Products. "These mounts float POS devices in the air, allowing the user to effortlessly raise and lower the screen and enabling users of all sizes to achieve an optimal viewing angle."
The 9190 is an ergonomic, compact countertop mount for kiosks, signature capture screens and other POS devices. Securing a monitor safely to a counter, the mount is durable enough for retail environments, yet users can effortlessly pivot and turn it for easier viewing. The 9190 model also features:
- Quick set-up.
- Cable management system that allows cables to pass through the counter or behind the mount.
- Lock-in option.
- Support for monitors up to 25 pounds.
- Compatibility with VESA monitors.
Like the 9190 model, the 9189 is an ergonomic, compact countertop solution that reduces a kiosk or monitor's footprint. However, it also allows users to adjust the height of a monitor. It is available in three different ranges of height: 7-12 inches, 7-24 inches and 7-36 inches. This mount is secured by passing through a hole in the counter, allowing a retailer to bundle cables beneath the surface and out of view. The 9189 model also features:
- Quick set-up.
- Support for monitors up to 25 pounds.
- Smooth pivoting and turning.
- Lock-in option.
- Durable, retail-ready construction.
- Compatibility with VESA monitors
At KioskCom, Innovative will also be displaying its 7500 model flat panel radial arm and its EVO line of ergonomic LCD arms.
The 7500 Radial Arm weightlessly suspends a flat screen monitor about a desk or counter, freeing up valuable space and reducing clutter. Its range and flexibility features:
- 27-inch horizontal reach, and 18 inches of vertical range.
- Folds back to occupy just three inches of space.
- Can tilt a monitor up to 200 degrees.
- Manages cables and keeps them out of sight.
- Includes, FLEXmount, a mounting kit that provides users with six different mounting options.
- Compatible with VESA monitors.
The EVO line of ergonomic LCD arms are available in a variety of lengths, heights and mounting solutions, including slat-rail designs and desktop options. EVO's combination of attractive and intuitive design has made it an award-winning product. Like the 7500, EVO floats a monitor or laptop above a desk for an ergonomic set-up that can reduce workplace injuries. With EVO, you can adjust a screen with one hand and tuck it out of the way while not in use. These arms are also available in Any Color You Like to match a variety of color schemes.
Wednesday, 01 October 2008
NEW YORK — Innovative Office Products, Inc., will feature its space-saving 9190 and 9189 model LCD mounting arms at the 2008 KioskCom Self Services Expo, October 15-16 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Innovative will display its products at Booth 238.
Both mounting arm models "float" flat-screen monitors to offer flexible, space-saving solutions for point-of-sale systems. Many kiosks use space inefficiently by locking a screen in one position, making it more an obstacle or uncomfortable experience than a convenient service. Innovative's 9190 model and 9189 model LCD arms reduce a kiosk's footprint and provide a great range of motion for consumers.
"These POS solutions provide necessary functionality without consuming excess space," said Bud Oddsen, president of Innovative Office Products. "These mounts float POS devices in the air, allowing the user to effortlessly raise and lower the screen and enabling users of all sizes to achieve an optimal viewing angle."
The 9190 is an ergonomic, compact countertop mount for kiosks, signature capture screens and other POS devices. Securing a monitor safely to a counter, the mount is durable enough for retail environments, yet users can effortlessly pivot and turn it for easier viewing. The 9190 model also features:
- Quick set-up.
- Cable management system that allows cables to pass through the counter or behind the mount.
- Lock-in option.
- Support for monitors up to 25 pounds.
- Compatibility with VESA monitors.
Like the 9190 model, the 9189 is an ergonomic, compact countertop solution that reduces a kiosk or monitor's footprint. However, it also allows users to adjust the height of a monitor. It is available in three different ranges of height: 7-12 inches, 7-24 inches and 7-36 inches. This mount is secured by passing through a hole in the counter, allowing a retailer to bundle cables beneath the surface and out of view. The 9189 model also features:
- Quick set-up.
- Support for monitors up to 25 pounds.
- Smooth pivoting and turning.
- Lock-in option.
- Durable, retail-ready construction.
- Compatibility with VESA monitors
At KioskCom, Innovative will also be displaying its 7500 model flat panel radial arm and its EVO line of ergonomic LCD arms.
The 7500 Radial Arm weightlessly suspends a flat screen monitor about a desk or counter, freeing up valuable space and reducing clutter. Its range and flexibility features:
- 27-inch horizontal reach, and 18 inches of vertical range.
- Folds back to occupy just three inches of space.
- Can tilt a monitor up to 200 degrees.
- Manages cables and keeps them out of sight.
- Includes, FLEXmount, a mounting kit that provides users with six different mounting options.
- Compatible with VESA monitors.
The EVO line of ergonomic LCD arms are available in a variety of lengths, heights and mounting solutions, including slat-rail designs and desktop options. EVO's combination of attractive and intuitive design has made it an award-winning product. Like the 7500, EVO floats a monitor or laptop above a desk for an ergonomic set-up that can reduce workplace injuries. With EVO, you can adjust a screen with one hand and tuck it out of the way while not in use. These arms are also available in Any Color You Like to match a variety of color schemes.
Wednesday, 01 October 2008
PARMA, Italy — Custom Engineering has announced the debut of the VKP80II ETH, the latest in the company's VKP kiosk printer range, according to a news release.
With its ARM processor, the VKP80II ETH is twice as powerful as the standard version, offering unique performance as a kiosk and ATM printer.
One significant new feature is the Ethernet interface with integrated Web server and IP address that assures the remote monitoring of the device, for full diagnostics of the printer conditions in real time.
A further advantage of the VKP80II ETH Ethernet interface is the possibility to eliminate the PC card installed on the self-service kiosk, with savings in terms of both costs and maintenance: everything can be controlled by the central server via Ethernet.
Thanks to its integrated client mailing, the VKP80II ETH automatically sends an e-mail to inform the deployer of any problem, or let him know that his kiosk is running out of paper.
The integrated server also allows for remote planning: it is possible to install applications, updates and configurations in real time, via the Web.
The ARM processor memorizes logos and fonts in files like a normal PC: simply "drag & drop" to update the graphics and styles of the printed tickets, without needing any dedicated software.
The new Full Driver and Status Monitor software is also available on the Ethernet port: software that allows the deployer to adjust the printer settings directly and easily, accessing tools to create logos, fonts, updates and accessing a complete diagnostic service on the printer status log.
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