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Exhibitors flock to newly named Self-Service & Kiosk Show

With the line between kiosks and other self-service technology continuing to blur, Networld Alliance has transformed and expanded the focus of its semiannual show, which is expected to draw nearly 50 exhibitors in October to San Francisco.

October 16, 2005

As the line between kiosks and other self-service technology continues to blur, Networld Alliance has changed the name of its Kiosk Show to the Self-Service & Kiosk Show.

"The kiosk market is diversifying," said NetWorld senior vice president and show organizer Greg Swistak. "It's becoming increasingly difficult to look at machines such as self-service checkouts, smart carts, shopping assistants, automated shipping machines and digital signage and call them kiosks.

"It is apparent, however, that these machines are filling a request from businesses and their customers for solutions that are faster, more convenient and easier to use," he added. "Many businesses are turning to self-service solutions to fulfill this need."

The Self-Service & Kiosk Show is scheduled for Oct. 17-18 in San Francisco at the South San Francisco Conference Center.

The two-day event not only highlights self-service technology but also features real-world kiosk demonstrations. Show attendees are pre-screened buyers and key industry decision-makers involved with the purchasing or management of self-service/interactive kiosk solutions.

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Networld Alliance, which also owns ATMmarketplace, KioskMarketplace and Self-Service World, produced its first Kiosk Show in Boston in October 2004. After organizing a second show in Orlando in February, the company decided to make the event semiannual.

With its broadened focus, organizers have high expectations for attendance at the San Francisco Show. Exhibitor space has been filled since early August.

"I think the fact that we have a full exhibit floor is evidence that self-service is one of the hottest trends in business today," Swistak said. "The market demand for self-service technology touches virtually every industry including retail, hospitality, financial services and beyond, and these exhibitors are ready to meet that demand."

Nick Daddabbo, the senior product manager for Skaneateles Falls, N.Y., kiosk manufacturer Hand Held Products Inc., said the appeal of the show is its ability to attract all of the key players in self-service.

"For all answers in self-service - whether how to implement self-service technology, what to use, the benefits of technology or new things coming out - this show is the place to be," he said. "Every vendor who is anyone in the self-service industry is going to be at this show. You can walk in and walk out with a solution because you can find everything from hardware to software and peripherals in one place."

That enthusiasm is shared by Dick Good, Networld's chief executive.

"The Self-Service & Kiosk Show will represent the broader and rapidly growing elements of the self-service strategies and technology beyond the use of electronic self-service kiosks," Good said. "The show in San Francisco will include many more technologies and strategies than have previously been included in kiosk shows and exhibits."

As the show has garnered more attention within the industry and from media outlets, it has developed a reputation as an ideal site for launching new products, Swistak said.

"What we're seeing with the show is that many companies are taking advantage of the show's media coverage and primarily end-market audience to launch new programs," Swistak said.

Speakers

Keynote speaker Mohsen Moazami, a retail executive with Cisco Systems, who is expected to speak about connected commerce and how it is re-defining the shopping experience and challenging traditional retailing models.

Other speakers include Brian Slaughter of Dell Inc. and Mark Krogh of NCR Corp.

Slaughter is scheduled to head a seminar on why 2005 is the year for digital signage, how retailers can fund digital signage initiatives and what to look for in retail digital signage solutions.

In his presentation, Krogh plans to detail the key lessons one retailer learned during its self-service implementation and how those lessons can be applied across industries.

Exhibitors

Almost 50 exhibitors have signed up for the upcoming Kiosk Show. Here is a partial list of the companies and what they are planning to exhibit.

Source Technologies, based in Charlotte, N.C., is planning to feature three standard Concourse hardware platforms. The three platforms will be used to demonstrate several of the company's software offerings, including its Concourse Teller, Concourse Bill Pay, Concourse Check Cashing and Concourse CreditApp. Source Technologies also plans to showcase its latest transactional kiosk.

Hand Held Products Inc., based in Skaneateles Falls, N.Y., will launch its Image Kiosk 8560 at the show. The mini-kiosk, powered by the company's Adaptus Imaging Technology and the Windows CE 5.0 operating system, enables retailers and their customers to check prices and retrieve product information.

Livewire International of York, Pa., will showcase a gift/travel card activation and dispensing kiosk it is developing. The kiosk will be one of the first to sell, dispense and activate Visa, MasterCard or American Express cards. Livewire also plans to exhibit kiosks designed to sell, activate and dispense radio frequency identification toll tags for state highway agencies.

Officials from Branford, Conn.-based Netkey Inc.have announced plans to demonstrate Netkey 6.5, the company's latest version of its kiosk application development toolkit and management software platform. The product, which Borders Books selected for its Title Sleuth kiosks, helps businesses develop, deploy and manage applications such as gift registry, human resources and online banking, delivered to customers and employees via kiosks, digital signs, PC terminals and other self-service and digital merchandising technologies.

Kiosk software company Kioware, also of York, Pa., will exhibit a mobile kiosk it is developing with partner Citywide Transportation. The interactive taxicab kiosk provides passengers with information on attractions, maps, restaurants, nightlife and hotels, to name a few. The kiosk also can provide public service information such as Amber Alerts, severe weather notifications and information on community events. Citywide Transportation uses Kioware to secure the kiosks and uses Kioware's attract screen feature to advertise local attractions and businesses.

Buena Park, Calif.-basedNoritsu America Corp., the world's largest manufacturer of photo processing and digital imaging systems, is planning to display its CT-X, the next generation of photo kiosk software. The company also expects to display its CT-2 digital input terminal.

Tranax Technologies Inc. of Fremont, Calif., plans to exhibit several of its products at the show, including its check-cashing self-service terminal, which the company describes as a convergence of a traditional ATM and a check-cashing kiosk. The company also expects to display its ticketing self-service terminal, which is a combination ticketing kiosk and ATM, as well as its coin ATM and transactional kiosk.

Willets, Calif.-based kiosk enclosure designer and manufacturer METALfx is planning to partner with San Franciso-based friendlywayfor a display of some of the kiosks the companies have worked on together. The companies plan to display, for the first time, Friendlyway's Impress unit, as well as Metal fx's Welcome, Classic and Van units.

Steinkjer, Norway-based Electronic Wireless and Interactive Tables is planning the first United States presentation of three of its products.The E-Table is an interactive table with touchscreen technology in which a customer can order from his or her seat and at the same time surf the Internet. The E-Mobile is a handheld wireless ordering system for restaurants. Ewait CT is a communication terminal that is used to buy music and transfer it directly to an mp3 player and pay for it with a credit card through an integrated cardreader.

Unik C&C Co. Ltd., based in Seoul, South Korea, is planning to demonstrate DVD Mate, its automated DVD kiosk. The kiosk features a payment system for credit cards and membership point cards. The kiosk is unique, company officials said, in that it includes a validation system for returning DVDs to any networked DVD Mate.

Mequon, Wis.-based D2 Sales plans to exhibit several of its kiosks at the show. Among them are its Tree of Knowledge kiosk, its Burger King Kids Virtual Fun Center and an in-wall kiosk made for leasing centers.

Kiosk Logix Inc., based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is set to display NetStop, its secure browser software for self-service kiosks. The company also plans to showcase BizCenterLogix, its latest public-access business-center solution. Utilizing Netstop in combination with the multifunction Lexmark X-422, business centers can offer paid access to high speed Internet, printing, copying and faxing. 

Graphic Systems Inc.,based in Wichita, Kan.,plans to demonstrate it AdView Network Messenger and AdView Dynamic Messenger. "They are affordable, easy-to-use dynamic sign systems," said Diana Williamson, national commercial and hospitality account executive for Graphic Systems.

Uniontown, Ohio-based Diebold Premier Services, a division of Diebold Inc., plans to showcase its kiosk servicing solutions. "Diebold Premier Services provides total service solutions to kiosk manufacturers and their partners," said Julie Manson, Diebold's senior services marketing manager.

Touchmate Touchscreen, based in Brisbane, Australia, is expected to display,"a range of TouchMate comprehensive solutions including hardware and software," said David Ellsworth, the company's chief executive. The company also plans to use the Self-Service & Kiosk Show as an opportunity to promote its new U.S. office.

Palm Desert, Calif.-based PDNB Electronic Banking Solutions, a division of Palm Desert National Bank, will use its booth to provide information on its cash services. The company supplies and/or manages close to $900 million in vault cash for ATM cash replenishment. PDNB also offers ATM management and kiosk-payment management services such as cash acceptance, currency management, multiapplication settlement for bill payers, reconciliation and kiosk balancing to more than 16,000 ATMs and advance function kiosks nationwide.

Baltimore, Md.-basedICM LLC,the sole marketer for Alvisual products in the U.S., Canada and Latin America, plans to display several Alvisual products, including the Media Point freestanding or wall hung unit. ICM also plans to showcase Alvisual's recently released Videoposter, which allows the delivery of a basic illuminated message along with video/audio communications.

Electronic Systems Protection of Zebulon, N.C., plans to exhibit its Digital QC Power Filters that protect sensitive Kiosk equipment from surges, ground noise, dirty power disruptions, lightning and other harmful voltage transients. ESP's product line is the first power filter in the industry that provides comprehensive protection for kiosk equipment.

BI/ Beit-Tec, based in Tunis, Tunisia,plans to exhibit an interactive multimedia kiosk named Aroua, in two models: T-2005 and Q-2005. The touchscreen kiosk is made of wood and metal and can be integrated into the company's Intelligent Digital Photo System, which allows consumers to select and order photographss taken by a professional photographer that are stocked on a server. 

Toronto-based St. Clair Interactive Communications Inc.plans to demonstrate its solutions forgrocery, specialty retail, QSR, telecom, digital entertainment and other vertical markets. The company also plans to showcase its remote management and dynamic content packages, as well as seven new application software templates.

Nanonation, based in Lincoln, Neb., is planning to exhibit its Nanopoint E3 software. The software platform can be used for a variety of applications, including digital signage and self-service kiosks. The company expects to showcase its CommandPoint Software, as well, which enables themonitoring, measuring and managing of multiple kiosk and digital signage deployments from any Web-enabled PC.

Haddon Heights, N.J.-basedThe Rhombus Group Inc.will promote itsnationwide kiosk installation, service, maintenance and logistics capabilities to visitors to its booth at the show. 

SiteKiosk by Proviso, based in Miami Beach, Fla., will showcase its ability to convert any normal Windows PC into an Internet kiosk terminal. The company also expects to display its Internet filter, its Web cam solution for photo kiosks and SiteCash, its payment functionality software, along with numerous other products.

Star Micronics Americaof Edison, N.J., is planning toshow its extensive line of kiosk printers, including adjustable-width 2-inch, 3-inch and 4-inch thermal kiosk printers.

King Products & Solutions, based in Mississauga, Ontario,plans to exhibit its dual-display kiosks. The kiosk is a floor-standing model with a 30-inch LCD display mounted above the kiosk that enables clients to present vibrant multi-media content and advertising on a large secondary screen. The company recently contracted with IKEA North America to supply100 running customized self-service credit application software.

Parabit Systems, based in Glenwood Landing, N.Y., is planning to present it two latest kiosk models: Slim Sledd and Commuter. Parabit manufactures its kiosks from high-impact ABS material, a flexible material that returns to its original form after being struck or bent.

Mt. Prospect, Ill.-based Pay-Ease Inc. plans to demonstrate its V Series automated commerce machine multifunction kiosk. It provides all traditional ATM services (cash dispensing, deposits, transfers, etc.) and also delivers financial services, such as utility consumer service and municipal bill payment and debit, smart, transit parking and phone card top-ups. Payment is accepted by cash, personal check, credit, debit and smart card.

Transaction Network Services Inc., based in Reston, Va., is planning to display its fully managed data-communications services. TNS provides data connectivity to most major credit and debit card processors. TNS' officials plan to showcase the company's ability to build and operate data networks on behalf of kiosk deployers.  

TD Fischer Group Inc., based in Wausau, Wisc., plans to display its kiosk design and manufacturing capabilities. This year, the TD Fischer Group will present an industrial-design kiosk with fully functional labor management software and a kiosk design for the real estate market.

Redmond, Wash.-based TPI Software LLC is planning to showcase its patent-pending thin-client technology that can drive a centralized-payment server software solution that routes transactions to business payment processors. The company also plans to display its newly announced TPI Hosted Services.

ELO Touch Systems, based in Menlo Park, Calif., plans to exhibit its 15-inch LCD rear-mount touchmonitor, expected to be released in October. The company also will showcase the 17- and 19-inch versions of the monitor. The rear-mount touch monitors are the first sealed touch monitors designed specifically for kiosks, company officials say. Also showcased will be ELO's its 15-inch All-in-One Touchcomputer.  

Fivepoint LLC, based in Xenia, Ohio, plans to exhibit its Silhouette series kiosk, which is running a Department of Energy application named "Get Energized" and an eXPO series kiosk running KioWare and a human resources application.