Article
Touching the future in Orlando
More than 300 potential buyers from across the country came to look, learn and buy at The Self-Service & Kiosk Show, Feb. 13-14 in Orlando, Fla., despite a blizzard that nearly crippled travel from the northeastern United States.
February 19, 2006 by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance
One of the worst winter storms of the year couldn't stop exhibitors and attendees from descending on the Doubletree Hotel in Orlando, Fla., for The Self-Service & Kiosk Show, the biannual trade show focused on how self-service technology can help end-markets improve their business processes and increase customer satisfaction. In addition to two solid days of seminars and workshops, attendees had full access to a show floor filled with the latest self-service devices, all plugged in and ready for a test-drive.
The Show's anchor partners were Palm Desert National Bank, St. Clair Interactive Technologies, KIOSK Information Systems and Source Technologies.
Palm Desert National Bank's enormous booth showcased three of its vertical partners as examples of its wide array of transaction and cash management services. These included automated check-cashing service provider Vero, self-service financial services provider Info Touch whose TIO network accommodates bill payment and advanced financial kiosks, and Bantek/EFMark, the nation's largest provider of ATM maintenance including cash extraction.
"We will see very shortly the convergence of the kiosk model and ATM model," PDNB vice president of marketing Gloria Grand said.
At the St. Clair Interactive booth, emphasis was on the company's successful work on the Giant Food store in Camp Hill, Pa. Browsers could test out the various product ordering and info kiosks that form the front-end of the "grocery store of the future," allowing customers to access any in-store service from anywhere within the store. St. Clair also had eye-catching digital signage on display.
KIOSK Information Systems brought a number of applications to its anchor booth, including a highly customizable bill-payment kiosk and several of its rugged enclosure designs. One of the most interesting products on display was a corner-shaped entertainment pavilion with three screens facing in three directions, allowing multiple users to purchase ringtones, browse the Internet and build (and burn) a custom music CD.
 |
Source Technologies brought several kiosks from its "concourse" product family. Patrons were able to sample how Source Technologies facilitates real-time financial services like bill payment and check cashing.
Elsewhere on the show floor
Apunix Computer Services demonstrated a number of its real-world kiosk applications. President Sylvia Berens emphasized that her company builds its products around open-source, extensible services and platforms, which is in the best interest of the customer.
"We try to build kiosks as solid-state appliances, because deployers don't necessarily care if they're Linux or Windows," she said. "They just want something that will solve a problem."
Corporate Safe Specialists displayed several of its rugged cash-management safe systems, designed to not only provide a safe harbor for cash but also simplify operations by automating cash counting and account reconciliation.
D2 Sales announced a partnership to provide kiosk enclosures for PlascoID's BioPark Pass System and unveiled the Brand Builder Series kiosk, its newest stock, semi-custom kiosk built to meet diverse branding needs. D2 also showed its branded custom kiosk solutions and the Tree of Knowledge, a sapling-sized white metal tree with an Apple iMac mounted inside, demonstrating "kiosks don't have to be in a box," sales representative Laurie Osbourne said. D2 also highlighted its hand-scanning BioPark Pals kiosk - used to control access to recreation destinations - and its award-winning Burger King Virtual Fun Center.
Diebold's Premier Services division marketed its custodial, preventative and break/fix services. Services business development manager Kevin Mickle said opening the new division felt like running a start-up company - except with the backing of a $2 billion company already famed for products and maintenance in the ATM space.
"ATMs were the first successful kiosk deployment and we've done this a lot of years," Mickle said. "We're taking all that information and applying it to kiosks."
Electronic Systems Protection was on hand to talk about the importance of surge protection and power filtration. Representatives also offered information on ESP's contribution to the popular DEKKO propane-vending system, surely a mission-critical usage of electricity by anybody's standards.
Elo TouchSystems brought a number of its touchmonitors to the show, including the new 1537L 15-inch rear-mount. This latest model, dubbed an entry-level choice by the company, is aimed at kiosk, gaming and light shop-floor automation.
Euro Touch Kiosks, a newly established American division of an established European kiosk company, showed its streamlined, general-purpose indoor and outdoor units. Even at a tiny seven inches deep, the outdoor unit could still contain an internal Dell computer for on-site maintenance. The units are constructed of anodized aluminum with stainless steel trim. The company claims they allow no internal condensation and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
 |
Ewait, a Norway-based newcomer to the U.S. self-service market, demonstrated its stylishly functional CT model kiosks with USB and ear plug jacks, Web cam, 17-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and hybrid card swipe. The units also sported a snazzy look: black aluminum with birchwood trim, grey metal keyboard and chrome-colored trackball.
"The order books are filling up," CEO Kristian Mikkelson said of the response at the show.
Expand Networks gave attendees information on its IT infrastructure, which serves a diverse range of customers from Continental Airlines to Motorola to the U.S. Department of Defense.
5point-Fivepoint LLC demonstrated its Silhouette and inSight kiosks, touting its adaptability to deployer and consumer needs. The units use scalable architecture and flexible hardware to deliver what 5point calls a holistic user experience. The Silhouette is a slim, contemporary unit, whereas the inSight is a little thicker and allows for a printer.
FlyTech showcased its modular kiosk lines, including the polished stainless steel K892. The units can accommodate a variety of hardware, including card payment, printing, DVD burning, any photo storage card reader and Bluetooth.
Geist Manufacturing brought samples from its enormous catalog of power distribution units, from horizontal and vertical power distribution to switches and mounting hardware.
Graphic Systems Inc. showcased digital signage. The AdView Dynamic Messenger could run news feeds and interactive productions. Often used in hospitals as kiosks or as dynamic hotel meeting room signs, the units can be programmed via network or flash storage card. GSI also demonstrated a prototype file unit: an interactive screen using side-mounted mechanical buttons for input.
Hand Held Products exhibited its 8560 Minikiosk with 5.7-inch screen. The unit has virtually no footprint, touchscreen navigation and an advanced barcode reader that can read almost any linear or 2D barcode.
"It's an adaptable application that lets the vendor customize it," senior product manager Nick Daddabbo said. "It's powered by Windows CE 5.0. It does as much as a big kiosk."
HECON demonstrated units from its substantial catalog of thermal printers. The company, which recently celebrated its 40th birthday, specializes in rugged thermal printers for gas pump, kiosk and other unattended installations.
Immersion showed its next-generation force feedback touchscreen technology, TouchSense. The hardware simulates touching a real button. It uses a system of actuators, sound and three-dimensional buttons displayed on the screen. When a user pressed a button, it appeared to go in, made a noise and felt like pressing a real button. Vice president of corporate marketing Gayle Schaeffer said the product is a response to people who want to use touchscreens but find they lack a sense of realism.
Instruments & Equipment Co. offered information on its voluminous catalog of products and services. The company specializes in POS systems and components, as well as kiosk packages, barcode systems, touchscreens, displays and signature capture.
KING Products & Solutions Inc. demonstrated several of its kiosks and software packages, including the dual screen Plynth G5, a sleek touchscreen unit with an additional digital sign mounted on arms above head level. Not only is the additional signage meant to draw foot traffic to the unit, it can be used for advertising and marketing as well.
"I know companies who use that sign as a source of advertising revenue," KING's vice president of North America sales and marketing Robert Giblett said.
KioskLogix Inc. unveiled its new BizCenterLOGIX solution, an integrated business center kiosk combining a Lexmark X-422 multifunction device and its NetStopPro kiosk browser to provide a small terminal/hardware desktop solution selling Internet access, e-mail, printing, inbound and outbound faxing via credit card, cash or prepaid stored-value PIN code.
Kioware showed its HTML-enabled kiosks designed to use companies' pre-existing Web-based software so companies can avoid the expense of redeveloping existing HTML applications for kiosk deployment.
"We take browser-based content and deploy it on a kiosk," Kioware president James Kruper said. "Why spend a lot of money developing kiosk content when you have industry-standard HTML?"
La Gard displayed several generations of locks, from its mid-century era combination lock to its contemporary key-coded, audit-enabled electronic locks to its next-generation, remote-manageable Navigator lock with neither buttons nor dials. Navigator operates with a server-based locking system from which a single person can monitor and program the status of several locks. To unlock a Navigator takes an on-site connection to a manager's PDA.
"As kiosks start becoming more transactional, selling stamps, money orders and whatnot, they need a real, managed security system," national product manager Orlando Consalvi said.
 |
Nanonation's booth was decked with some head-turning "picture frames" that were built around slim digital displays, allowing the dynamic updating of artwork. The company also demonstrated its Web-based management system for digital signage, with new "layering features" that allow elements like text and backgrounds to be switched out without the need to re-render the entire video.
Executives from Netkey were on hand to tout the benefits of the latest version of its kiosk and signage management software suite, Netkey 6.5. One real-world application included a front-end designed for Home Depot, allowing customers to order products from both the store or a Web catalog and have them shipped directly to their home.
New Edge Networks, a CISP-compliant business network provider, touted its ability to provide secure managed data networks worldwide. The company operates one of the largest ATM networks in the world, touting 800 ATM switches.
"We're everywhere," channel sales manager Ken Simon said. "We bought AT&T's `At Home'; we have interconnect agreements with every major provider."
ParTech allowed customers a glimpse of its visually striking ViGo POS system, designed for harsh restaurant environments. The system features 18-gauge steel construction and a special emphasis on ergonomic design.
Planar showed its 17-inch and 19-inch touchscreen monitors, as well as the sci-fi-esque DS15 Integrated Marketing Solution, designed for point-of-sale and point-of-purchase marketing. Planar touts the touchscreen's easy installation and ability to mount almost anywhere, including as an interactive informational tool on store shelves.
PQI Corp. allowed attendees a close-up look at its DiskOnModule brand of flash memory. A number of sizes and form-factors were on display, including several designed as replacements for traditional "moving parts" IDE hard drives.
RealTime Shredding offered up its 600lb-per-hour industrial strength self-service shredder, made for deployment in malls and high foot-traffic areas. RealTime Shredding president Amanda Verrie said consumers who get behind with at-home shredding find the machine useful to catch up, and commercial users who handle sensitive information, like cellular phone stores at malls, use it to destroy documents in compliance with the law.
The Rhombus Group offered information on its sub-contractor network that specializes in local service technicians. Some of Rhombus' service customers include Wal-Mart/Sam's Club, Coinstar, DirecTV and Sony Electronics.
 |
Solectron co-demonstrated the automated DVD rental kiosk it built for redbox. The simple red metal box holds approximately 500 DVDs on a series of stacked carousels. When a customer selects a DVD on the unit's touchscreen, the carousels turn to the appropriate point at which a robotic mechanism can collect the DVD and dispense it through a vertical slot in the machine's side. The Redbox system is deployed in McDonald's (its parent company) and groceries around the U.S.
SmartPower Systems showcased its line of power supplies and accessories, including the SBK/SBP-TBF uninterruptible power supply and the PC Series of power conditioners, which feature brownout and "prolonged over-voltage" protection.
SolvPort offered information on its ATM and kiosk service programs. The company's services include back-office technical support, monitoring, field technical service, installation and project management.
Star Micronics America demonstrated several of its kiosk printers, which have been used for solutions in airline travel, gaming and ATMs. The company also offered information on its thermal card printer/rewriter, an all-in-one unit ideal for loyalty programs, event credentials and any circumstance where temporary IDs are needed.
Technical Transportation Inc. offered information on its "white glove" delivery service for kiosks, ATMs and other large electronic devices.
Transaction Network Services touted its transaction data delivery capabilities. Vice president of self-service solutions Kent Phillips said the company has relationships with every broadband provider in the country, transferring 20 million transactions per day, including credit, debit and stored value. Phillips touted TNS's ability to connect kiosks and ATMs almost anywhere, and the ability to accommodate massive Triple DES throughput.
[Editor's note: Info Touch Technologies became Tio Networks in April 2006.]
About James Bickers
Related Media
Subscribe
Get the latest news and resources from Kiosk Marketplace.
