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News Archive |
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Friday, 30 May 2008
BELLEVUE, Wash. — Coinstar E-Payment Services, a subsidiary of Coinstar Inc., has announced that its full range of Pay As You Go products and services will be available in TravelCenters of America full-service travel centers.
The lineup of Coinstar Pay As You Go products includes prepaid wireless, long distance, gift cards, financial services such as prepaid re-loadable and one-time gift debit cards. These products and services will be available at more than 230 TA and Petro locations.
TA and Petro have already installed other Coinstar products, including amusement vending equipment, in more than 85 locations as well as a number of coin counting locations.
Friday, 30 May 2008
The Associated Press: Blockbuster Inc. recently unveiled a prototype of an in-store kiosk for downloading movies at its annual meeting, part of its plan to transform into more than just a DVD rental chain. The sleek prototype kiosk unveiled is just one way that Blockbuster is looking to deliver movies digitally. The design, which the company’s CEO said is likely to change with testing, offers a range of features to help customers make movie choices, including previews and recommendations. The company is working to reduce the download time for movies to about 30 seconds.
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Friday, 30 May 2008
Home Media Magazine: DVD rental kiosk operator Redbox has been certified by the Payment Card Industry (PCI), which determines security standards for payment account data. The PCI conducted an audit of Redbox’s more than 7,700 machines to determine if they met the group’s standards.
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Friday, 30 May 2008
Phoenix Kiosk, Inc. was born from the belief that quality products and tireless service are more important than polished image and parroted promises. We design kiosks, hardware and software for public environments and provide a host of related support services like installations, repair and maintenance, and online fulfillment of consumable kiosk supplies.
If it has to do with kiosks, digital signage or interactive public technologies, we have done it and will provide it to you with an unsurpassed level of service and quality.
Thursday, 29 May 2008
Blu-ray.com: DVDPlay announced that it will add Blu-ray titles to its popular kiosk-style DVD rental machines that are present at many grocery stores this June. The machines will offer these titles at the same $1.49 rental fee as their DVD selections. The first Blu-ray titles available via the kiosks will be "Untraceable" and "Men In Black," both of which should be available around June 10.
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Thursday, 29 May 2008
DENVER, Colo. — Pendum Inc., an independent provider of cash automation and armored transport solutions, has announced that it has launched sales and service of a self-service kiosk designed specifically for credit unions through CO-OP Shared Branching and Financial Service Centers Cooperative Inc. (FSCC).
The NCR 3800 Shared Branch Kiosk gives credit unions a powerful new tool to serve members and "guest" shared branching members conveniently and inexpensively. And Pendum, NCR's top reseller, now offers a single-source solution for the 3800 kiosk including hardware, installation, first- and second-line maintenance, cash replenishment, and cash and check deposit pick-up.
"We have already fulfilled and installed more orders for this kiosk than anyone in the industry," said Robert Malik, Pendum EVP. "By matching this ground-breaking product with our complete line of nationwide services, we're able to provide a superior value to credit unions."
Powered by a Web-based engine from Ensenta, the NCR 3800 allows end-users to conduct a wide range of financial transactions, whether at their own credit union or a shared location. Credit unions can install the kiosks in locations most convenient to their members, including branch locations, retail stores, or credit union-sponsored employer offices.
"The NCR 3800 helps credit unions to truly realize the benefits of the shared branching concept," said Jim Ballagh, Ensenta vice president of business development, "and Pendum's one-stop approach to sales and service makes the kiosk simple to implement and maintain."
For credit unions, using the NCR 3800 to expand their presence is far less expensive than opening an additional brick-and-mortar branch.
"Ensenta kiosks have enhanced the way we serve credit union members within the shared branching network," said Kelly Valencia, manager of First Tech Credit Union based in Portland, Ore. "These machines are also a viable Check 21 solution. The kiosks are very user-friendly, and our back office finds the EZ Admin System for processing to be just as easy to use. This system lets us view shared branching transactions made by our members and non-members at all Ensenta and 7-Eleven Vcom units."
This service is currently available to more than 35 million credit union members nationwide.
Thursday, 29 May 2008
LISBON, Portugal — Paderborn, Germany-based Wincor Nixdorf International welcomed guests of its International Management Seminar, this year in Lisbon, with dinner and entertainment at the Páteo Alfacinha, a venue that offers visitors a taste of 20th-century Portugal.
Wincor Nixdorf’s 200 or so guests, representing 34 countries, were entertained by local students, who sang and performed in traditional Portuguese style.
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Attendees spent the evening at Lisbon's Pateo Alfacinha, an establishment known for its Portuguese flare.
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But today it was all business, with a morning announcement that the once-third-ranked global ATM deployer has now assumed the No. 2 position, trailing only Dayton, Ohio’s NCR Corp., according to 2007 shipment figures tracked by England’s Retail Banking Research Ltd.
RBR reports that Wincor Nixdorf increased its global ATM deliveries from 18 percent in 2006 to 21 percent in 2007.
“Moving up to the No. 2 slot is yet another milestone in our success story,” said Stefan Auerbach, Wincor Nixdorf’s executive vice president of banking as well as a member of the company’s board of directors. “Our portfolio, as a provider of integrated hardware, software, and services, strengthens our position as a leading IT-solution supplier in the international retail-banking business.”
Auerbach opened the day’s events with a presentation outlining Wincor Nixdorf’s growth. In 1994, Wincor Nixdorf was No. 12 in global ATM shipments. By 2000, the company had moved to the No. 3 slot.
Auerbach attributes Wincor Nixdorf’s growth to specific strategies in key markets, including the United States and Asia — two markets where Wincor Nixdorf has focused much attention over the last three years.
And the proof is in numbers.
Wincor Nixdorf’s first-half results for the 2007/2008 fiscal year are coming in higher than forecasted. From the first half of FY 2006/2007, the company’s business in the Americas is up 29 percent; in Asia-Pacific and Africa, it’s up 32 percent; and in Europe, it’s up 9 percent.
Only the company’s business in Germany saw a decrease, falling 7 percent from the same period last year.
“Despite the sub prime crisis, which is being felt in Germany and throughout the world, we continue to see growth in banking,” Auerbach said. “The good news is that the banking business worldwide is expected to grow by a multiple of four over the next 15 years, and we are positioning ourselves for the growth.”
Acting global, thinking local has contributed to the company’s growth, Auerbach says, and likely led to the 11 additional international participants Wincor Nixdorf welcomed to its event this year.
“Branch and ATM channels in every big, established market remain the strongest banking touchpoints,” he said. “And we developed a global strategy to meet those needs, because we understood that we had to be more global. So we have developed strong partnerships and service relationships in all of our markets.”
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The view from the Pateo Alfacinha.
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Organic growth is expected to remain the company’s strategy, said one Wincor Nixdorf spokesman, despite some rumors that Wincor Nixdorf could be in the running for an acquisition of the cash-systems business operated by England-based De La Rue.
Growth through acquisition has not been a method Wincor Nixdorf has had success with in the past. Internal growth, on the other hand, is working.
Since FY 1999/2000, when 51 percent of Wincor Nixdorf’s business was based in Germany, the company has increased its international penetration across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas.
In FY ’99/’00, only 38 percent of Wincor Nixdorf’s business came from European countries beyond Germany. Today the percentage is 52.
In Asia/Pacific, the business percentage in ’99/’00 was 7 — today it is 13 percent. And in the Americas, only 4 percent of the company’s business could be attributed to the region in ’99/’00 — today the breakdown is 8 percent.
In fact, over the next few months, Wincor Nixdorf has announced plans to install some 7,000 ATMs in Asia, namely because of a strong partnership with First Data Corp. in Australia.
All three regions represent key markets, but so does Africa, where Nigeria is quickly becoming one of Wincor Nixdorf’s most-prized markets, Auerbach said.
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
NEW YORK — On the heels of a successful two-year pilot of personal electronic automated retail shops with ZoomSystems, Macy’s announced the rollout of this technology to more than half of its full-line department stores around the country. The new e-Spot automated shops offer the latest consumer electronics at a customer’s fingertips with touchscreen technology that processes the transaction and completes the sale in a matter of minutes. The machines will offer widely demanded brands including Apple, Sony, Canon and MyVu.
"Personal electronics are a massive business in today’s texting, downloading, photo ‘tagging,’ YouTubing world," said Chris Mizer, senior vice president of Macy’s Customer Operations. "And arguably more so than ever before, people’s tech taste is as much an extension of their personal style as their choice of shoe or apparel brands. As we continue to expand the Macy’s brand as the premiere shopping and lifestyle destination, it became increasingly obvious that our customer was looking to us for this caliber of electronic product. They wanted one-stop, no-fuss shopping, and we are responding."
The products available from e-Spot include iPods (Touch, Classic, Nano and Shuffle); Canon 7MP and 8MP digital cameras; Samsung 7MP digital camera and 1GB Camcorder; MyVu Personal Media Viewers; Sony, V-MODA, Bang and Olufsen and Harman Kardon headphones; and mobile accessories by Belkin. Products range from $14.99 to $349.99.
Providing instant gratification faster than online purchasing, e-Spot automated shops can complete a transaction in less than two minutes for knowledgeable, decided customers. The machines also have extensive product information and comparisons that allow customers with less-certain needs to be as thorough as necessary to feel comfortable.
"Customers tell us they love the no-pressure environment e-Spot provides," said Mizer. "Getting product information easily without pressure, and not waiting for someone with a key to unlock a cabinet or get the product from a back room — this is the type of comfortable shopping environment that today’s technology buyer appreciates."
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
JAPAN — McDonalds now lets Japanese customers pay for their Big Macs and Happy Meals with their mobile phones. After nearly a year in development, McDonalds Japan has announced the deployment of its e-wallet coupon and payment system, using Felica and NTT DoComo RFID readers.
Under the so-called Kazasu Kuupon (no contact coupon) program, DoCoMo subscribers are supposed to download an application and register on McDonalds Japan’s mobile Web site first. They will then receive digital vouchers on their mobile phones, which when tapped against an RFID reader placed at McDonalds counters will redeem the coupons. The McDonald's tally will show up on the clients’ next DoCoMo phone bill.
Moreover, customers can also pay food orders via their mobile phones, provided they are enrolled in DoCoMo’s mobile e-wallet system “iD.”
The Japan-only technology is currently being tested in 175 McDonalds Tokyo stores as of May 20. The company plans to rapidly expand the program to a total of 3,800 retail shops by 2009.
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
The Digital Technology Alliance · an amalgamation of deployers and vendors in both the self-service and the digital signage industries, has launched a beta version of its Storefront Security Standards Web site.
The site, www.S3security.org, explains how deployers of self-service solutions can apply for S3 certification.
The S3 Storefront Security Standards initiative launched in October 2007 to provide a set of industry best practices to prevent identity theft, as well as protect consumer privacy and promote data security. The Alliance plans to begin offering the certification sometime in the fall.
"What I've seen in all new technologies, from the Internet to interactive, is that consumers are pretty smart. They're often wary of new technology and the risks that they may face by using these new technologies, because they've been burnt before," said Alex Richardson, managing director of Selling Machines Partners and president of the Digital Technology Alliance. "That's why this is important for our industry."
Rise of ID theft
Consumers' fears about identity theft have been justified in recent years, according to some reports. In March 2007, Stamford, Conn.-based Gartner Inc., an information technology research and advisory company, released a survey indicating that roughly 15 million Americans were victimized by some sort of identity theft-related fraud from mid-2005 to mid-2006, an increase of more than 50 percent from 2003, according the report.
"There's a whole set of hackers out there who'd love nothing better than to break into your device," Richardson said. “It might be a wireless RFID system or it might be a digital signage system. There are a lot of famous blue screen photos of systems in Toronto , and most likely those were hacked into. So these are very serious security incidents."
Richardson said several association members representing a broad spectrum of vendors and deployers throughout the industry formed a committee last October, after he and Self-Service and Kiosk Association Executive Director David Drain asked for volunteers to take up the issue of best practices.
"We got a great response," Richardson said. "We got representatives from New York, Chicago, California, Australia . It's a well represented group."
One of those committee members is Jimmy Dun of Dynasign.
"Certainly the people came from totally different backgrounds," Dun said. "I enjoy working with the group and the challenge is really getting the attention of the membership so they have the same vision that we have."
"The security of the content is paramount to our industry," he added, pointing specifically to displays that might reveal financial information. "It's the process. Good practices: that's the whole thing. Technology helps, but it's really running the operation that's the key to success and a secure environment."
Other committee members included:
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Alex Richardson, managing director of Selling Machines
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Jason Sinks, director of Polo Ralph Lauren
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David Drain, executive director of SSKA and DSA
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Scott Wood, director of standards, PCATS
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Dan Burke, regional account manager, Sarcom Inc. / PC Mall
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Mike Honkomp, director of new market development, Electronic Systems Protection
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Rufus Connell, vice president of information and communications security, Frost & Sullivan
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Craig Keefner, manager, KIOSK Information Systems
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John Hervey, executive director, PCATS
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Thomas Smith, president, Self-Service Networks
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Lawrence Dvorchik, general manager, JD Events
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Morgan Drew, chief executive officer, Abuzz
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Lyle Peterson, chief technology officer, Nanonation Inc.
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Josh Toland, senior field applications engineer, Flextronics
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Bryan McCormick, vice president of marketing, Landel
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Heinz Horstmann, sales manager, Provisio
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Janet Webster, manager of retail service network and access, United States Postal Service
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Michael Daily, president and chief operating officer, Freedom Shopping
Test taking
Visitors of the prototype Web site can get a crash course on what will be required before deployers can obtain S3 certification. Richardson said one of the most crucial steps is for each deployer to have at least one person who understands the ins and outs of the S3 best practices and who can be held responsible for making sure those best practices are carried out.
"We want every company · both large and small · to appoint someone to be a full- or part-time privacy and security data manager," Richardson said. "We don't expect a small company of 10 people to go out and hire someone else, but we do expect someone to clearly understand S3 and clearly understand basic IT security, or find a third-party to help them out."
Companies wishing to be certified must also complete a questionnaire on data security and privacy protection. Sample questions might include:
- Do you delete user data at the end of each consumer session?
- Do you log out of the session automatically after extended periods of inactivity?
- Do you automatically update software with new versions for operating system and virus protection?
- Do you send alerts to your monitoring station in case of tampering?
The applicant's responses to the questionnaire will determine eligibility for certification, Richardson said. He added that the applicant's privacy and data security officer will then be asked to confer with the committee during a telephone inteview in which the answers will be reviewed for conformity with the S3 guidelines. The committee will then decide whether certification will be granted, or if any additional information is required.
Richardson says the committee has not yet decided when certifications will expire. At this point in time, he says suggestions from members range from one to two years.
"It's going to be around one year or 18 months when you're going to have to come back and resubmit," he said. "If nothing has changed, then all you'll have to do is re-file the same application with the updated privacy officer's name."
Deployers that receive certification will then be eligible to display the S3 Storefront Security Standards logo on all of their deployments.
The beta version of the application site will be reviewed by the committee until August, Richardson said. He added that the Digital Technology Alliance welcomes input from outside sources, and lauded the work the committee had already done.
"It's not a very sexy topic, is it? But it's extremely important," he said. "It's good data. It's amazing how many people look at this and forget, and don't realize, how many things they're leaving out of their implementation."
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
TORONTO, Ontario — ADFLOW Networks Inc., a provider of digital signage and interactive kiosk technology in the self-service vertical, has announced it has achieved "ready for IBM" AnyPlace Kiosk status with ADFLOW’s Dynamic Messaging System software.
"Ready for" status means a business partner has earned the right to display specifically designed IBM marks in packaging and marketing materials of qualified offerings that have met compatibility and integration requirements established by IBM.
"We are very pleased to be working with IBM to help support digital signage and interactive kiosk initiatives," said Steve Kartonchik, vice president of sales and marketing for ADFLOW Networks. "We look forward to collaborating with IBM to provide our mutual clients digital signage offerings based on IBM AnyPlace Kiosks running ADFLOW’s Dynamic Messaging System software."
Designed to optimize the consumer experience across a broad range of market segments, including retail, travel, financial, government, healthcare and entertainment, IBM’s AnyPlace Kiosk line includes powerful self-service kiosks in 15-, 17- and 19-inch touchscreen performance models with dual video display capability, and integrated expansion for wireless capability.
IBM’s Anyplace Kiosk products support ADFLOW Networks’ innovative single Web-hosted applications designed to deliver dynamic marketing messages to digital and interactive displays, from a single control panel that controls both digital signage and interactive kiosks. ADFLOW’s patented security and proven implementation methodology means the users are ensured a completely controlled customer experience.
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
MoreRFID: Intellident, a U.K.-based company, has announced the launch of the new smartServe kiosk, a library self-service device. smartServe offers patrons the ability to issue, renew and return items, check account status and even pay fees.
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Tuesday, 27 May 2008
The Milwaukee (Wis.) Journal Sentinel: Just as banks and pharmacies have opened branches in supermarkets, the Milwaukee Public Library is studying the idea of creating three "express libraries" that would give residents access to library materials and services at convenient places and times, Library Director Paula Kiely said. Library officials are considering the express libraries and self-service checkout technology as they search for ways to maintain service while cutting costs.
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Thursday, 22 May 2008
CHICAGO — FansEdge, a provider of licensed sports products, has announced the opening of a new store in Aurora, Ill. that will use multiple marketing channels, including kiosks and other interactive technology, to tout its products.
The store, which is 2,500 square feet, includes licensed apparel, memorabilia, collectibles and hard goods such as blankets, tailgating items, etc. In addition to its wide product selection, the store also includes interactive kiosks for ordering products.
Customers may order items for various sports teams in different colors, sizes and styles, by simply using the kiosk. The kiosk then transmits a purchase order, and depending on the item, it will be delivered to the store within 24 hours or, at the customer’s request, to their doorstep if they live in the Chicago area.
FansEdge stores also include a touchscreen interactive window display. Through this display, mall patrons can utilize the façade of the store to browse the complete FansEdge inventory, as if they were in the store.
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
The Associated Press: The Declaration of Independence looked a bit different before Benjamin Franklin got his hands on it, using a pen to scratch out the words "sacred and undeniable." He thought it would be better to make truths such as "All men are created equal" be "self-evident." Edits such as this are captured in a new interactive exhibit at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., that allows visitors to zoom in on the specific words and phrases that formed the basis of the American republic. The curious can see different versions of historic documents and examine them line by line, using touchscreens that show the library's first high-definition scanned images of the drafts.
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Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Video Business: Redbox, the largest U.S. movie-rental kiosk maker, has announced that it named former JetBlue Airways chief financial officer John Harvey as its financial chief as the company prepares for an initial public offering. Harvey, a one-time Ernst & Young accountant, also held finance positions with America West Airlines and Southwest Airlines.
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Tuesday, 20 May 2008
The Retail Bulletin: Tesco's Fresh & Easy chain has uniquely adopted an all-self-checkout model that was initially questioned but is gaining increasing customer acceptance, according to the grocer's internal research. As many as 90 percent of its customers indicated that they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the checkout experience, and in a separate independent survey some 60 percent of shoppers found the arrangement favorable while another 27 percent stated that it doesn't matter what format the checkouts take.
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Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Adweek: Microsoft's Surface interface was unveiled a year ago, around the same time that Apple launched the iPhone, which uses a similar "natural-user" interface on a simpler, smaller scale. But it's only now that consumers are getting their first glimpse of its potential. "With Surface, Microsoft is pushing the digital world to a new level with cool technology, but they need to convince other companies who develop applications to come on board," says David Daoud, an analyst with IDC. "The problem is, developing more applications will be challenging."
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Tuesday, 20 May 2008
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The first major installation of Pan-Oston’s Utopia self-service checkout solution is underway in the 30-outlet Chicago-area grocery chain Strack and Van Til. According to a news release, Utopia, developed by Pan-Oston, is simple to install, manage and update. The unit also is scalable, PCI compliant, and integrates with any POS software.
"It’s as if they designed it just for us," said Henry Bykerk, director of information systems for Strack & Van Til. "The installation of our Utopia solution was as simple as Pan-Oston promised. Within three hours of delivery we scanned our first item."
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
MEQUON, Wis. — D2 Sales LLC today announced that Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters of Norfolk, Va., has chosen the My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program.
The My Patient Passport Express kiosk allows patients to check-in, make future appointments and update their medical history, all using a user-friendly touchscreen. Patients can use their credit card to make co-pay payments, and sign documents using the integrated electronic signature pad.
“The kiosk allows our clients to provide outstanding patient care and service while at the same time improving efficiency for the medical facility,” said Sandra Nix, D2’s chief executive officer.
The D2 My Patient Passport Express kiosk provides patients with the convenience of easy check-in, records updating, co-pay payment acceptance, wayfinding and mapping features.
Monday, 19 May 2008
The (Everett, Wash.) HeraldNet: He's accused of stealing around $450,000 from grocery store coin-counting machines in three states. Local police believe Michael Burns, 39, ripped off the machines while working for Coinstar Inc. They allege Burns, of Maple Valley in King County, wore a company uniform when he walked into stores and used inside knowledge to break into the kiosks, according to court documents. When police arrested Burns on Friday, they confiscated around $130,000 in cash along with high-priced electronics and a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle, the documents said. Detectives still haven't accounted for thousands of dollars more that are missing. Police were alerted after loss prevention officers at Bellevue-based Coinstar discovered thefts at several of their kiosks.
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Monday, 19 May 2008
Home Media Magazine: Blockbuster Inc. said it is beginning pilot tests of digital kiosks that will let consumers download movie rentals to portable devices and memory sticks — the latter playable on a PC and television. During an investor call, CEO Jim Keyes said the tests would be conducted over a six- to 12-month period.
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Monday, 19 May 2008
e-Health Insider: A new touchscreen kiosk is to be launched in Europe by self-service specialist NCR, designed to simplify the checking in and out procedures for patients. MediKiosk, a self-service machine which interfaces with hospital information systems and collects clinical information from patients prior to an appointment, is to be piloted by an NHS foundation trust, and one practice in England later this year.
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Friday, 16 May 2008
AUSTIN, Texas — 3M Touch Systems Inc., a provider of capacitive touch technology, announced the MicroTouch CT150 15-inch Touch Monitor, designed for integration into kiosks, industrial enclosures and other installations where compact, touch-integrated displays are preferred. The high-performance display delivers images with a 500:1 contrast ratio on the LCD panel. In addition, the module can be print-color matched, ideal for photo kiosks.
Integration capabilities of the MicroTouch CT150 include a variety of mounting options, such as the 75 mm VESA pattern on the back of the steel case allowing for mounting on an array of arms and stands for stand-alone applications. The three bezel choices offered enable design flexibility, while the remote on-screen display module connects to the monitor and allows image adjustment on the installed monitor.
The metal enclosure on the MicroTouch CT150 is VESA compatible, providing mounting stability and protection from the LCD display. The CT150 includes 3M’s proven MicroTouch ClearTek II capacitive touchscreen technology.
The MicroTouch CT150 is FCC-B, CE, UL/cUL certified and fully complies to the European Union Directive on Restrictions on Hazardous Substances.
Friday, 16 May 2008
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Citing a market growth of wide-aspect ratio LCDs, Fujitsu Components America Inc. announced an expanded line-up of standard, wide-aspect ratio, 4-wire resistive touch panels. The devices fit available wide-aspect ratio LCDs to eliminate custom development costs for OEMs and shorten their product time-to-market.
Touch panels in Fujitsu’s expanded line have 16:9 and 16:10 aspect ratios and come in the following diagonal-inch sizes: 6.5, 7.0, 8.0, 8.9, 9.0, 10.2, 12.1, 13.3 and 15.3. Options for palm rejection and light force touch activation are also available.
Demand for wide-aspect ratio, touch-enabled displays is increasing in many consumer, industrial, and medical applications due to the increasing use of high-resolution graphics and video content, which has a landscape orientation in a 16:9 aspect ratio, said Bruce DeVisser, Fujitsu Components’ touch panel product marketing manager. In addition, using a touch panel instead of a keyboard allows more product area to be devoted to a wider/larger display.
Friday, 16 May 2008
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Increasing numbers of European consumers use self-service in their everyday lives, and the latest research from NCR Corp. shows an increasing percentage of individuals actually favor businesses that offer "do-it-myself" options.
The 2008 NCR Self-Service Consumer survey, conducted by BuzzBack Market Research, reveals that 67 percent, or nearly 7 out of 10, consumers across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. are more likely to do business with a company that offers the flexibility to interact using self-service — whether via the Internet, on a mobile device or at a kiosk or ATM.
Moreover, 56 percent say their likelihood to use self-service has increased over the past year.
"The bottom line is that we are truly at an inflection point," said Bill Nuti, NCR’s chairman and chief executive officer. "Technology innovation, coupled with changes in consumer behavior, is forcing businesses to adapt to a consumer who is changing the way they connect, interact and transact with your business.
"The self-service revolution is real because consumers see how they personally gain from it. Self-service is convenient and efficient, gives them time back and puts them in control — all of which are highly valued. Consumers require anytime, anywhere convenience. They have gotten a taste of what is possible and they want more. In fact, they are demanding it."
In addition to being more likely to do business with enterprises offering self-service, 58 percent of the survey respondents say the availability of self-service technologies creates a more positive perception of the deployer’s brand.
The survey also shows that European consumers clearly value the ability to use a combination of self-service channels — their PDA or cell phone, the Internet and touch points such as ATMs or kiosks — to improve their overall experience. Ninety-eight percent would use a combination of such self-service channels to handle a transaction or service in the retail or hotel industries. The findings are similar for consumer transactions in the travel (97 percent), banking (96 percent) and healthcare (95 percent) industries.
Friday, 16 May 2008
The New York Daily News: Doctors at Jacobi Medical Center in New York want to get the word out about a program they've created that allows people to be tested for HIV while getting important lessons on AIDS prevention. The idea behind Project BRIEF is to boost the number of people tested for the AIDS virus by offering the test in emergency rooms via individual, portable HIV kiosks. The kiosks give patients privacy as they answer a short questionnaire on a computer and watch informational videos while waiting for the results from their cotton-swab tests, which take about 20 minutes.
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Thursday, 15 May 2008
TORRANCE, Calif. — Seiko Instruments USA Inc.'s Thermal Printer Division, a provider of thermal printer technology, announced a new small-form-factor, low-cost two-inch kiosk printer. The APU-G247 packs many of the features commonly found on larger kiosk printers, and frees mechanical design real estate, making it ideal for entry-level and mid-range self-service applications.
The APU-G247 kiosk printer supports two-inch-wide thermal printer paper and has a front-loading design that takes advantage of the Seiko Instruments EZOP clamshell-style paper replacement technology. The EZOP design allows users to quickly replace the paper roll with a simple drop-in process.
At 5.8 inches high, and 3.8 inches wide and deep, the APU-G247 is small enough to satisfy the most demanding self-service integration criteria. The 24-volt thermal printer offers serial and USB connectivity and can print receipts, tickets and labels at up to 5.9 inches per second. The print head and cutter are rated for 100 million pulses, over 100 kilometers of printed output and more than one million cuts.
Thursday, 15 May 2008
EMERYVILLE, Calif. — NextWindow, a designer and manufacturer of optical touch technology, announced the introduction of its new 2150 Optical Touchscreen for large-format LCDs and plasma displays. The 2150 Optical Touchscreen will debut at the upcoming SID Display Week 2008 May 18 in Los Angeles.
The Optical Touchscreen utilizes clear tempered glass for maximum image clarity and accurate touch sensitivity. The screens are activated by a light touch with any touch method (finger, gloved hand, or pointer), and require only a one-time, four-point calibration. Now even easier to integrate, the sensor does not require any special gaskets or grounding considerations, and there are no compression issues. The 2150, which is designed for display integrators and manufacturers developing custom display enclosures, is perfect for interactive kiosks, digital signage, education, training and collaboration.
Thursday, 15 May 2008
MILAN, Italy – IBM Corp. has announced a new interactive banking kiosk to help financial institutions improve the customer experience.
The ‘virtual’ solution, developed by the IBM Bari research laboratory in Italy, will enable customers to communicate and interact with a virtual bank teller. Customers will see the teller on a display, delivering and receiving paper documents and checks, helping customers fill out and sign forms and providing support and specialized advice.
The virtual bank teller is designed to work across a bank’s local branch network from a central site. In the bank’s local branches, the interactive kiosk can be introduced to support traditional front office services, especially at peak hours, or in some instances could replace traditional operations.
Customer benefits include significant reductions in queues and real time access to tellers with specialized skills for complex query resolution. The kiosk can speed up the completion of more straight-forward self-service tasks (such as deposit slips and checks), while also offering customized and consistent support.
Business benefits include the ability to enhance customer service and competitive differentiation, as well as optimizing human capital management — deploying skilled resources in the most efficient manner across the branch network without the need for physical relocation.
Further potential benefits and innovations include seasonal capacity modeling to meet seasonal increases in demand at vacation locations or the dedicated provision of specialist skills to support events such as mergers and acquisitions.
The kiosk also provides a new CRM channel that allows banks to upgrade their branch network, roll out new products and integrate new services.
Thursday, 15 May 2008
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Ready Credit Corp., a provider of self-service pre-paid products and services for the financially underserved, has partnered with CheckFreePay, to add a new bill pay feature to its self-service ReadySTATION Cash Service Centers. Consumers will now be able to pay more than 11,000 bills with cash at the ReadySTATION.
The ReadySTATION, currently deployed at 55 retail locations in six states, allows consumers to purchase an instantly issued, ready-to-use ReadyCARD Prepaid MasterCard. The ReadyCARD can be used anywhere that accepts MasterCard.
Bill payments made at a ReadySTATION can be processed the next business day for $2.50, or through standard three-business-day processing for $1.50. Stores already featuring the ReadySTATION Cash Service Center include Dollar Tree in Atlanta and Houston, Save-A-Lot in Milwaukee, selected stores in the SUPERVALU network and convenience stores in Minneapolis/St. Paul and El Paso.
Thursday, 15 May 2008
Washington Post: Travelers who love going abroad — but hate the tedious customs process — soon might be able to avoid customs altogether. Dulles International Airport has been selected for a pilot program that will let U.S. citizens and others who qualify to check themselves through customs at a self-service kiosk. Enrollees would pay a yearly fee of $100, go through a background check and then take a biometrics test to get through the process.
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Thursday, 15 May 2008
Buffalo (N.Y.) Business First: YRC Logistics has set up seven kiosks along the border between the United States and Canada — including two in Western New York — to help expedite clearance of cross-border shipments for its clients. Each kiosk has a camera and telephone, enabling communication with drivers as they present paperwork needed for customs clearance. Once a driver arrives at the kiosk, he is connected to the Buffalo office. The driver scans any required documents based on the client and the type of goods being shipped. The Buffalo office reviews the documents and returns required information to the driver for immediate customs processing and border crossing.
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Thursday, 15 May 2008
CNN: Foreseeing the future is a tricky business. Why, for instance, should Hollywood moguls have paid much attention when the USB standard emerged in the mid-90's? Now USB ports are to be found in $300 portable video players and $3,000 50-inch plasma HDTVs. So in retrospect it was only a matter of time before entrepreneurs tried out this idea: public kiosks that allow consumers to download movies directly onto a USB memory device, to be watched later on their portable video players, computers, or TVs.
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Thursday, 15 May 2008
Pop City: East Liberty, Pa.-based Electric Owl Studios is keeping children happy while they wait, one hospital at a time. The company’s flagship toy, K.I.C.K., kids interaction creation kiosks, is a futuristic fun device that entertains children to age seven with short interactive games while they pass the time in waiting rooms.
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Tuesday, 13 May 2008
MEQUON, Wis. — D2 Sales LLC announced that the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, N.J., has chosen the My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program.
The My Patient Passport Express kiosk allows patients to check-in, make future appointments and update their medical history, all through a user-friendly touchscreen. Patients can use their credit cards to make co-pay payments, and sign documents using the integrated electronic signature pad.
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
IrishDev: Xerox Ireland announced the Xerox Photo Kiosk, developed in partnership with Imaxel. This solution is designed for storefront locations that want to offer a one hour or less, local print service for personalized photographic applications such as calendars, photograph albums and books, posters and photo cards.
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Monday, 12 May 2008
ABERDEEM, N.C. — Meridian Kiosks has announced the latest addition to its outd oor kiosk line.
The Titan kiosk has watertight construction and a NEMA 4 rating. Heating and cooling units on the kiosk maintain a preset temperature to ensure that electronic devices function properly.
Standard configurations for the Titan include a UV rated weather-resistant powder coat finish, industrial PC, high-bright display with thru-glass touch technology and climate control. The Titan design can also integrate other peripherals such as a receipt printer, keyboard and card readers. Meridian also offers different powder coat options and full-color graphic wraps.
The Titan kiosk is already deployed at marketing agencies, car manufacturers and motorsport teams for current lead generation, product information and consumer feedback applications. The Titan is also ideal for QSR drive thru, ticketing and wayfinding.
Monday, 12 May 2008
Progressive Grocer: Healthnotes, a provider of wellness marketing programs for food and drug retailers, has changed its name to Aisle7 in a new branding initiative designed to cater to the broadening health and wellness market — and shopper marketing initiatives — at retail. Healthnotes, known for providing educational content for in-store kiosks and retailers' Web sites, said it began expanding into a storewide marketing solution in 2006, and has seen over 40 percent annual growth in this segment of the business. Today Healthnotes/Aisle7 claims to be part of more than 2,500 retail implementations, including projects at nine of the top 10 U.S. supermarket chains.
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Monday, 12 May 2008
The (Drexel U.) Triangle: InfoNET screens and kiosks will be added around campus as part of Drexel University’s Division of Student Life and Administrative Service's Power of Ten initiative, according to Rita LaRue, senior associate vice president for Business Services. The kiosks are primarily for students to know what is happening on and around campus.
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Monday, 12 May 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Digital Signage Association has published “Retail Digital Signage ROI: Finding the break-even point,” an exclusive research report that uses real-world numbers to estimate ROI and benefits for various types of retail.
“The one question that gets asked about digital signage more than any other is, ‘What is this going to do for me?’” said James Bickers, editor of Retail Customer Experience and former editor of Digital Signage Today. “This report spells out the benefits with clear numerical data.”
About the report
It’s clear that digital signage has a positive impact on retail sales — but just how much of one is a matter of debate. Numerous studies have been commissioned and published, trying to determine the net effect dynamic signage will have on the average store’s sales.
In this report, we aim to provide a thumbnail estimate of that break-even point, for various types of retail. To do this, we created a fictional shopping center retailer, complete with a screen layout floor plan. We took that floor plan to 10 leading digital signage providers and had them price out a signage program. We averaged those numbers together, and then compared them to an average of the sales uplift figures and the ultimate impact on revenue.
You’ll see the assumptions we used, the prices we received and the results that follow when they’re all put together.
- Learn about the costs – and the benefits – of deploying digital signage in your retail space.
- Get a grip on ROI with actual numbers provided by actual digital signage vendors.
- How much does your store stand to profit over time as a result of deploying screens?
- Pages of exclusive graphs tell the story.
- Make the case for adding digital signage with research-based sales-lift data.
- Gain insight into how digital signage works, and what specific benefits it brings, to specific retailer types.
Get your copy of the report here.
Friday, 09 May 2008
ITBusiness Canada: A Canadian firm says it can help the healthcare industry cut down on prescription errors and improve patient-pharmacist contact by installing automated pill-dispensing kiosks at doctors' offices, clinics, drug stores and hospitals. PharmaTrust, a sleek green-and-white box similar to an ATM, can read doctors' prescription scripts, dispense 150 commonly prescribed drugs, collect and manage patient records and set up a remote live video conference with a pharmacist. The machine, developed by PCA Services Inc., of Oakville, Ontario, will soon be tested by the Sunnybrook Health Services Centre in its hospital pharmacy in Toronto.
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Friday, 09 May 2008
WEST CHESTER, Pa. — MEI, a developer of unattended payment systems, launched its Cashflow Banknote Recycler for self-checkout operations in all retail applications.
The Cashflow BNR is a point-of-sale cash-recycling device that combines the functions of a traditional bill acceptor and dispenser into one device, significantly reducing the cash float required for undisrupted self-checkout operation.
The MEI Cashflow BNR has a compact footprint, operates at a high speed and has been designed for reliability. With the ability to recycle up to four denominations, the BNR allows self-service systems to run on less cash for longer periods of time. The modular design enables closed-loop cash management, and cash handling improves with its cash loader module that enables the device to serve customers immediately.
Several self-service equipment OEMs are currently preparing for field tests of new terminals using the Cashflow BNR.
Thursday, 08 May 2008
MEQUON, Wis. — D2 Sales LLC has announced that Group Health Cooperative in Madison, Wis. has chosen the My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program.
The My Patient Passport Express kiosk allows patients to check-in, make future appointments, and update their medical history, all using a user-friendly touchscreen kiosk with HIPPA compliant custom privacy overlay. The Group Health Cooperative branded kiosk allows patients to use their credit card to make co-pay payments and sign documents using the integrated electronic signature pad.
“The kiosk allows our clients to provide outstanding patient care and service while at the same time improving efficiency for the medical facility,” said Sandra Nix, D2’s chief executive.
The D2 My Patient Passport Express kiosk provides patients with the convenience of easy check-in, records updating, co-pay payment acceptance and wayfinding and mapping features.
Thursday, 08 May 2008
ESSEN, Germany — The second annual Kiosk Europe Expo opened yesterday with a new component this year: Digital Signage Expo. The co-located expos are organized by hf media & events, publishers of Kiosk Europe magazine. hf partnered with POPAI to produce the Digital Signage Expo.
The organizer reported 170 exhibitors from 26 countries and over 3,000 pre-registered attendees and exhibitor personnel. About 100 of the exhibitors are related to kiosks with the other 70 related to digital signage. Some companies, like IBM, displayed both technologies in their booth.
During a press briefing yesterday, the show organizers claimed this to be the largest self-service and kiosk show in the world, based on size of the show floor. They also made a similar claim regarding being the largest digital signage show in Europe.
Karin Wunderlich, managing director of POPAI (Germany-Austria-Switzerland), said she was pleased with the exhibitor turnout being the first year for the Digital Signage Expo. The expo includes a Digital Signage Content Centre, “showing to visitors what digital signage can deliver,” she said. She was also pleased to announced that in two weeks, POPAI will be releasing a 400-page global digital signage study.
Jens Schindler, managing director of hf media & events, indicated his belief that kiosks and digital signage are complementary and that the industries can learn from each other. He also announced that next year the show will have yet another component to be called Cash Management Expo. hf is partnering with Coin Media and EFMA on this effort.
David Drain is the executive director of the Self Service & Kiosk Association and the Digital Signage Association. He is on location in Essen, Germany.
Thursday, 08 May 2008
DAYTON, Ohio — NCR Corp. has released the financial results of the first quarter of 2008, ending March 31.
The company reported net income of $48 million, 27 cents per share, up 41 percent from the $34 million, 19 per share, in net income it reported for 1Q 2007.
NCR attributes some of the increase to the sale of its Canadian manufacturing facility, which created a $16 million pre-tax gain recorded as income.
NCR reported revenue of $1.18 billion, up 19 percent from 1Q '07.
Revenue growth in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa was the strongest, coming in 30 percent higher than the same period last year. In the Americas, revenue was up 15 percent; in Asia-Pacific, it was up 7 percent.
NCR did not release net-income breakdowns for those regions.
"The new NCR has started 2008 on a positive note, delivering strong revenue growth, margin expansion and much-improved cash flow," said Bill Nuti, chairman and chief executive of NCR. "Our vision for the new NCR is to lead how the world connects, interacts and transacts with business; and early in 2008 we're seeing increased traction for our newer self-service offerings as well as continued solid demand for core solutions and services across our geographic regions. Throughout the year and going forward, we are focused on implementing our strategies of generating profitable revenue growth, building a leading cost structure, and improving our working capital. We have significant work ahead on each of these initiatives, but the progress exhibited by our first-quarter results indicates we are on the right path."
Tuesday, 06 May 2008
DUBAI, United Arab Emirites — MxN Middle East FZ-LLC, a Dubai-based digital signage and digital media company, has been appointed as distributor by KIOSK Information Systems. MxN is pleased to add the Self Service Kiosk products of KIOSK to the impressive list of products it distributes for the Digital Signage and Digital Media industry. KIOSK manufactures information kiosk solutions with functions such as touchscreens, ticket printers, card readers, card dispensing solutions, bill payment, money accepting, money dispensing, order entry, photo kiosk solutions, music download, public Internet access terminals, gaming kiosks as well as biometric solutions such as fingerprint readers.
"In today's digital world, solutions like the ones MxN provides will increasingly become the norm. MxN provides a full turnkey solution including the hardware, software, content and technical support," said Raad Raad, managing director of MxN.
Dan Stewart, director of international sales for KIOSK said, “I strongly support the fact that we are learning and growing together in a business where sharing our knowledge with the right partner is critical. Our partnership with MxN enables us not only to support our customers with a complete solution, but most importantly, brings their attention to cost effective and world leading products with partners they can trust.”
Preliminary research indicates that the out of home media industry is growing at a very fast rate. There are many underutilized opportunities for the integration of digital signage and information kiosks. More and more customers are requesting overhead LCD screens to be integrated into their service kiosks to promote their products or to generate extra revenue. MxN has developed innovative solutions for integrating digital signage into kiosk solutions. The main benefits of this are to leverage the kiosk placement and use an overhead screen for media sales or information distribution.
MxN is one of the only companies in the region to be able to provide a full turnkey solution for its customers. MxN is an example of a company committed to maintaining its dominant leadership position in the area of digital media.
"In choosing MxN, one of the determining factors was their ability to deliver on all aspects of a project from hardware, software and technology to content," continued Stewart.
"We are very excited about adding KIOSK as a product that MxN distributes. We are constantly looking for solutions and products that take our integration and installation abilities above those of our competitors. KIOSK is a very real example of a product that helps us achieve that goal," said MxN's Raad.
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