Making kiosks work for small business

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Traditional wisdom holds that self-service technology offers the most promise for large companies able to implement large deployments. But a recent report from…

Reading the fine print: buried hurdles in the EULA

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Until just recently, the End User License Agreement for the Macromedia Flash Player prohibited its use on kiosks - which meant that most of the world's kiosks…

Apple iPod makes the move to solid-state

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 7, 2005

Apple Computer is looking to revolutionize the consumer electronics field once again with the introduction of yet another model of its popular iPod portable…

This kiosk is a work of art

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Los Angeles-based SeePoint recently launched an elaborate and artistic kiosk program that helps visitors make the most out of a trip to the J. Paul Getty…

Self-service city hall: the benefits of e-gov kiosks

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Many interactions between citizens and their local government are routine and repetitive - in other words, ripe for a self-service solution. A well-designed…

No moving parts: the rise of solid-state storage

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

For a designer trying to make kiosks as small, quiet and efficient as possible, the hard drive often represents the biggest stumbling block. Solid-state memory…

Giving `pay-by-phone' new meaning

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Contactless payment systems are gaining ground, which has some operators looking to put payment information in a device we all have in our pockets at any given…

Shelf-front kiosks combat information overload

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Ultra-compact kiosks and displays allow retailers to dispense product information and collect loyalty data on shelves. Electronic pricing labels shrink the…

Now hiring: the kiosk as HR professional

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Good help is harder to find than ever, especially in certain industries where human resource departments are strained to the breaking point. Kiosks can help…

Digital signage company makes strong NASDAQ debut

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

China's Focus Media Holdings recently went public, raising US$170 million and watching its per-share price rise 19 percent on day one. It was a strong showing…

Reaching the masses: making self-service devices accessible

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Hardware and software designers constantly fine-tune their work to build a kiosk that is usable by as many people as possible. Satisfying government…

Firefox extension optimizes browser for kiosk use

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 28, 2005

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - The popular Internet browser Firefox - which has chipped away at the market share of Microsoft's dominant Internet Explorer browser…

Can't-miss retail

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

With traditional advertising waning in effectiveness, retailers are turning to "event retailing" to drive sales and generate excitement - and kiosks are often…

Automating the survey process

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Intelligent businesses rely on customer feedback to drive decision-making. Paper ballots and face-to-face polls remain useful, but survey kiosks are becoming…

New Sharp display can show two images at once

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 14, 2005

TOKYO - A new LCD monitor unveiled by Sharp Corp. can show two different full-screen images at the same time, according to an Associated Press report. One of…

Cold, hard cash

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Credit and debit transactions might be on the rise, but cash isn't going anywhere - in order for most kiosks to reach their potential, they still need to…

Uniquely identified

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Several new commercial offerings take fingerprint data and use it to drive everything from personal identification to retail payment. But how much education…

Making fast food even faster

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Kiosks are beginning to pop up in quick-service restaurants, helping speed the ordering process and improve the customer experience ... and among their…

Vending comes of age

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Can a marriage between the kiosk and the tried-and-true vending machine produce a better shopping experience for the consumer, while putting more money in the…

Checks and balances

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

While direct deposit and online banks have changed the way many people handle their money, there are still countless paychecks generated and distributed every…