News

MICRO INDUSTRIES® AT RETAIL SYSTEMS 2004: INTRODUCING NEW INTERACTIVE CLIENT SYSTEMS, NEW SERVICES, AND THE CENTER FOR INTERACTIVE RETAILING

May 18, 2004

RETAIL SYSTEMS 2004, Chicago, Ill. - May 18, 2004 - Micro Industries® announced major advances in systems and services designed to revolutionize the shopping experience for consumers, expand brand reach for retail products, and help retailers to increase sales. Here at the premier event for retail IT executives, the company introduced two first-of-their-kind interactive client systems: the noiseless, shelf-mountable Touch&Go Paige™ and the 30-inch portrait-style Touch&Go Messenger™ 30P. It also announced mCosm, its new turnkey infrastructure service company that provides retailers with complete interactive client solutions featuring wireless, real-time internet connectivity, and the opening of the Center for Interactive Retailing at its corporate headquarters near Columbus, Ohio.

The Touch&Go Paige: The New Decision Point in Retail Environments
Micro Industries' Touch&Go Paige is the unique and ultimate virtual retail sales associate. With its diminutive profile, the Paige can be mounted on shelves-taking little or no shelf space-or on end-caps, and serves as a compelling product information system running media-rich content that really draws attention from shoppers.

At less than four inches thick, the 12-inch by 10-inch Touch&Go Paige is powered by the Intel® Pentium® M processor and features an ultra-bright LCD touch screen and dual speakers. It may be configured with a barcode scanner, magnetic strip reader, and printer to create a self-contained interactive system for transaction processing and coupon printing.

The Touch&Go Portrait Messenger 30P:
A Dramatic New Tool for In-store Consumer Interaction
With its unique portrait format, the new 30-inch tall Touch&Go Messenger 30P is a powerful interactive system that can be used to attract, inform, and persuade shoppers. Its sleek packaging and vivid, ultra-bright screen delivers maximum impact in any environment, from banks and upscale clothing stores to hotels and quick-service restaurants. Unlike competing systems, the Messenger is powerful enough to run media-rich graphics on its portrait-style screen.

mCosm: Turn-key Solutions for Leading Retailers
mCosm provides turnkey solutions to retailers that want to inform and influence customers at multiple decision points in the buying process with the lowest total cost of ownership. Through mCosm, they can leverage the power of real-time, secure, internet connectivity for the interactive client systems in their stores. mCosm helps them define their goals and needs, then will specify, build, install, and manage for them the network infrastructure, self-service applications and interactive client systems, for their unique retail environments. mCosm also provides outsourced services for remotely managing, monitoring, controlling, and updating thousands of interactive clients running multiple applications, letting retailers focus on their customers, not technology.

The Center for Interactive Retailing
For retailers considering the future of their stores, Micro Industries has made interactive retailing tangible by building the Center for Interactive Retailing at its headquarters. At the Center, retailers can see, touch, hear, and use a variety of advanced systems, all supported by a wireless IT infrastructure built by mCosm.

Availability and Price
Based on configuration and order volume, Micro Industries Touch&Go interactive client systems range in price from $1,000 to $6,000 U.S. each. For more information on Micro Industries' interactive client systems, mCosm services, and the Center for Interactive Retailing, visit http://www.microindustries.com/cfir.html.

About Micro Industries
For more than 25 years, Micro Industries Corporation of Westerville, Ohio, has provided electronic engineering and manufacturing services to OEMs, helping them translate their concepts into cost-effective embedded and integrated computer systems for a variety of markets. Micro Industries partners with media content developers and software developers to provide premium interactive kiosk and POS/POC systems to the retail market. Micro Industries is a pioneer and emerging leader in the market for premium interactive client systems and services for retailers.

Micro Industries manufactures its Touch&Go computer systems and motherboards in two facilities in the Columbus, Ohio area, with a management system registered to ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14000:1996. Micro Industries is an Affiliate Member of the Intel® Communications Alliance. For more information, visit www.microindustries.com.