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The 2005 Kiosk Awards: Entries for Best Demonstration of ROI, Best Digital Display Application, Best Entertaining or Gaming Kiosk and Best Travel or Hospitality Kiosk

Find out who has entered what into the 2005 Kiosk Awards categories of Best Demonstration of ROI, Best Digital Display Application, Best Entertaining or Gaming Kiosk and Best Travel or Hospitality Kiosk.

September 25, 2005 by

Best Demonstration of ROI

The Mazda Retail Kiosk, by Nanonation Inc.

Mazda retail kiosks provide customers with instant, detailed and customizable information about various Mazda products. Using a multimedia PC with a keyboard and mouse, customers are able to gather vehicle information, compare a Mazda model to competitors, custom configure their own Mazda, view promotional videos, surf the Mazda consumer Web site, view local dealership incentives, inventory and marketing information and print to a color printer. Mazda is able to tailor and target the content and information for each of its dealerships, while leveraging its brand, media assets and information technology infrastructure. The kiosks are remotely managed and can provide usage statistics.

Photo.Teller, by Whitech USA Inc.
Photo.Teller accepts digital images from all memory cards, CDs, DVDs and phone cameras via infrared or Bluetooth. The images also can be scanned in and printed, archived,

burned to CD, DVD ore-mailed. The Photo.Teller digital kiosk has been designed to upsell customers by presenting them with a range of additional services, such as borders or an index print, every time they use the kiosk. Photo.Teller's open architectural design provides the retailer with choices that allows them to offer services specific to their business and customer needs, and a remote management feature lets retailers control kiosks across multiple locations.

SHOW/PRO Promotional Kiosk at Roomful Express Furniture, by Showroom Technology Inc.

SHOW/PRO kiosks eliminate the intimidating and invasive method consumers previously used to apply for credit and/or receive promotions or coupons in furniture showrooms. The kiosk allows the consumer to enter sensitive credit data and private information using an ELO touchscreen, which eliminates the error- prone method of filling out paper forms, speeds the process and frees floor personnel to serve customers in more profitable ways. Each month, retailers can collect and analyze financial metrics, including average ticket, number of promotional credit apps, approval rate on the promotional credit apps and the amount purchased with the promotional card.

Best Digital Display Application

Douglas Theatres Interactive Digital Displays, by Nanonation Inc.

Customers of Edgewood Theatres in Nebraska can use a small kiosk located in the center of the lobby to choose the movie trailers they want to see on two large 50- by-89-inch screens in the theater's lobby. If a theater customer is not requesting trailers through the kiosk, the screens cycle between playing trailers of upcoming films to showing advertisements for the theater, concessions and sponsors. A smaller, round screen next to one of the large screens is constantly playing motion-enhanced advertisements for sponsors or the theater itself. The system can be monitored and managed remotely, which makes adding new content and advertisements as easy as moving a file on a network and can be done anywhere through the Internet.

The HomeOwnership Center on DisplayPoint, by SeePoint Technology

Designed to be deployed in financial institutions (FIs) and realty offices and operating on a Flash platform, the HomeOwnership Center on DisplayPoint finds and filters content from the Multiple Listing Service to provide kiosk users with real-time, up-to-date information about homes that fit their unique parameters. In addition, the user can print specifically tailored information about financing options, including what the house will cost per month. The interactive digital signage kiosk features a 40-inch LCD and touchscreen, backlit signage and a concealed full-size printer and paper catch. Real-time monitoring capabilities check for paper and back-up power supplies and real-time metrics track usage.

Best Entertainment & Gaming Kiosk

Animal Planet Booth Kiosk, by Silver Beacon Media
The interactive application designed for Animal Planet's dog show booth features both two-dimensional and three- dimensional animation, a morph game, a matching game, test-your-knowledge quizzes, promotional trailers, show clips and an online newsletter sign-up sheet. The kiosk's 30-inch touchscreen overlay, which is secured to the plasma screen, runs on a field sensor with cameras located in the corners. When the user brings his finger to the glass, the field is broken and a "mouseclick" is recorded; this approach eliminates dead or desensitized pads. The kiosks help users gain an under- standing and appreciation of Animal Planet and its current programming.

The Big Red Kiosk at Riviera Hotel and Casino, by Apunix Computer Services
The Riviera "Big Red" kiosk is both an informational and a transactional kiosk. Customers can find information about the casino's current and future events, review

restaurant options, view video clips and schedules of shows, find directions and maps, and take mini-tutorials on how to play table games in the casino. The kiosk connects database, which allows customers to review their loyalty point balance in real time and see what items are available to them when they redeem their points.

The kiosk is graphically rich, carrying through the bold, neon styling associated with the casino, and a 15-inch touchscreen makes the kiosk easy to use.

Gaming Kiosk at Blue Square, by Remote Media

Blue Square, traditionally a provider of online gambling services, has implemented the first gaming kiosks in licensed betting offices in the United Kingdom. The kiosks allow Blue Square to provide gambling service to those customers who either don't have access to the Internet or who want the security of being within a licensed betting office where there is a reduced risk of fraudulent use of bank details.

The self-service gambling kiosk removes the need to employ staff to process bets, which reduces staffing costs. The software platform for the online service and kiosk is the same, which promotes simplicity.

Interactive Entertainment System at KC Hopps Inc./The 810 Zone sports bar & restaurant, by Nanonation

The 810 Zone's tableside interactive digital entertainment system allows customers to interact with touchscreens that offer a variety of entertainment and information options. Guests can choose live video feeds from more than 94 channels, play video games or surf a variety of sports-themed Web sites.

Each tableside unit includes a small form factor PC and a 17-inch Planar touchscreen display with speakers mounted within the wall. The system also includes a Web-based admin tool that allows the staff to upload new graphics, update specials on a daily basis, track system utilization and incorporate in-house and sponsor promotions while the device is not in use.

Kid's Virtual Fun Center at Burger King, by D2 Sales

Specifically designed for children ages 6 to 12, the Kid's Virtual Fun Center features Burger King branded, custom video games that are fun, non-violent, educational and which empower kids to make their own play decisions.

All games are played via a touchscreen with onscreen buttons both at the top and bottom of the screen for kids of different heights. The design integrates the look and feel of the Burger King brand and is compliant with Universal Design and ADA guidelines for disabled child access.

The custom-designed, interactive content specifically builds loyalty to the Burger King brand through integration of the Burger King products, logos and marketing materials.

Best Travel or Hospitality Kiosk

EasyPoint Xpress Check-In at Hyatt, by NCR

The NCR EasyPoint Xpress Check-In kiosk serves end users by making the hotel check-in experience quick and easy. The kiosk confirms reservations and allows check-in for walk-in guests, encodes, validates and dispenses the room key and prints the guest's folio in approximately one minute. EasyPoint Xpress Check-In initially prompts the guest to select the check-in or check-out option using a touchscreen. Depending on the selection, it asks the guest to swipe a credit card. The kiosk determines the card type and card information and then guides the guest through the remainder of the transaction. The kiosk allows the hotel to improve operational efficiencies by redeploying labor to better serve customers in other areas.

Hilton Self-Service Checkin Kiosk, by Hilton Hotels Corp.

Guests who don't want to wait in line to check in or who prefer high-tech, low- contact service can use the Hilton Self- Service Checkin kiosk to gain seamless passage from the hotel lobby to their room. When guests check in using the kiosk, they can choose room type, smoking preferences, bed size and additional services, such as breakfast, valet parking and attraction tickets. Guests insert a credit card for identification purposes and instructions on a touchscreen walk them through the process, which takes approximately two minutes. The reservation is then displayed, the room type selected and the kiosk dispenses room keys and directions to the room. Guests also can check out using the kiosk.

Virtual Visitor Center at North Carolina Division of Tourism and Department of Transportation, by Technology Portals Inc.
Deployed in 12 N.C. Welcome Centers, the TravelTouch kiosk solution provides travelers with up-to-date travel information 24/7 and the ability to act upon this information, such as making reservations, purchasing hunting and fishing licenses, buying tickets to events and getting directions and weather information. All interaction takes place through the use of an Elo touchscreen. A magnetic stripe card reader can handle any e-commerce requirements, a phone handset is attached for transactions requiring voice and a thermal printer handles printing issues. The program is designed to be self-sustaining revenue- wise through advertising, sponsorship and signage. Dynamic digital signage is expected to be added in Fall 2005.

Other categories in the Kiosk Awards are covered in the articlesThe 2005 Kiosk Awards: Entries for Best Retail Kiosk, Best Financial KioskandThe 2005 Kiosk Awards: Entries for General and Best New Kiosk Application.

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