NCR Corp. today announced the deployment of its Blockbuster Express DVD-rental kiosks in 200 Duane Reade drugstore locations in Manhattan. The kiosks offer DVD rentals for $1 per night and will be installed in 200 locations over the next several months, most of them by the end of the year, NCR says. Some of the kiosks already are operating at Duane Reade locations.

Alex Camara, vice president and general manager of NCR Entertainment, says the kiosks' convenience factor is well-suited to Duane Reade's customer experience.

DVD rental kiosks are a great fit in high-traffic urban areas because they take up a very small retail footprint. Paired with a convenience or drug store location, it gives consumers a very convenient way to pick up their favorite entertainment titles while they shop for everyday items. New Yorkers think of Duane Reade for convenience. Our DVD kiosks provide Duane Reade with additional convenience for its customers.

NCR says the Blockbuster Express kiosks offer the largest selection of new-release and classic titles in the DVD-rental kiosk market, with more than 900-disc capacity.

NCR Corp. has announced the opening of a new manufacturing plant in Manaus, Amazonas in Brazil. The company said in a news release that the facility will support the market demand for NCR's SelfServ ATMs in Brazil, the Caribbean and throughout Latin America. The company announced it would build the plant earlier this year.

Bob Tramontano, NCR's vice president of marketing, says the Brazilian market is poised for rapid growth:

Surveys with the retail banking industry show that the Brazilian ATM market is to grow 16 percent by 2012, which warrants that significant investments are made. NCR’s investment of R$73 million (US $42 million) will help shape the future of manufacturing in Brazil as we build, design and engineer specific products to meet the needs of our customers in the region.

NCR says the new facility will create 250 new jobs in Manaus.

With the LPP, we wish to help partners continue to develop the in-depth technical expertise, market knowledge and highly specialized skill sets needed to implement, deploy and support the cutting-edge solutions expected by our end-customers. Over the years, local partnerships have proved successful, but today we are pleased to launch a dedicated and comprehensive indirect channel program, which will enable the industry to take full advantage of IER's innovations through unmatched worldwide local services and skills.

Nanonation, a Lincoln, Neb.-based provider of software for kiosks and digital signage, has announced it will showcase enhancements to its products at this week's KioskCom Self Service Expo. According to a news release from Nanonation, the company will show attendees new technologies to deploy and manage digital marketing assets across a variety of customer touchpoints. The company's booth also will feature stations where attendees can see a firsthand demonstration of its CommandPoint tools to monitor, manage and measure enterprise deployments.

Brian Ardinger, Nanonation's chief marketing officer, says the company's exhibit will give attendees an idea of how its customer experience technologies can benefit their enterprises:

We’ve enhanced our software platform to provide a wider range of customer experience technologies than ever before. These technologies enable businesses to cut costs, leverage investments, and deliver differentiated experiences across the enterprise. This show will give marketers and IT professionals a way to see, feel, and experience real-world examples.

Nanonation says the new product features it will exhibit include:

• User interface and functionality enhancements to its software platform
• Enhanced data-tagging intelligence to automate and improve content management
• Intelligent, SKU-activated merchandising solutions for customers and employees
• Digital menu board solutions for hospitality environments
• Customer-driven digital signage
• Mobile integration solutions, including Microsoft Tag and SMS messaging
• Digital audio solutions for management of the in-store audio experience

The company also has announced that CEO Bradley Walker will moderate a panel, "Creating the Intelligent Customer Experience," Tuesday at 10:30 and that Ardinger wil present a "Tech Talk" on the show floor entitled "Better Shopper Marketing Through Technology: Creating Innovative, Immersive and Intelligent Customer Experiences."

Nanonation is a platinum sponsor of the KioskCom event and will showcase its solutions in booth #307.

Epson, a supplier of POS and print solutions, today announced it will launch a new line of transaction printers that includes a compact, thermal printer with all-front access for use in specialty POS and kiosk applications. According to a news release from Epson, the new printer will be released sometime in the next two quarters, along with two other models for use in retail applications.

Epson says that in a 2009 brand-awareness study, 79 percent of resellers said that Epson's range and variety of printers gave them a sales advantage when selling to retailers. Keith Kratzberg, senior vice president of commercial sales and marketing for Epson America, says the new line of printers will offer its partners even more options:

Resellers are extremely important to our success. We listened to the feedback throughout the channel, and we designed new products to meet market demands. Whether the customer needs a simple plug-and-play printer or a highly configurable printer for use across a large retail enterprise, our partners will have an Epson solution. This new lineup of products will generate new revenue streams for our channel partners and help them cultivate and grow their businesses.

Epson says that, according to a 2009 IHL retail study, the company holds a 41 percent share of the thermal printer POS installed base.

Capturing attention and engaging customers through interaction at the point-of-decision is critical in achieving true one-to-one marketing. NCR, which leads how the world connects, interacts and transacts with business, and ADFLOW Networks, with its innovative assisted-selling solutions, offer retailers a means to redefine the in-store customer shopping experience while increasing sales, boosting store productivity and enhancing operational efficiency. We are delighted to be working with NCR to deliver these exciting solutions to the marketplace.