YourGuide News - Kiosks & Digital Signage

GeneralTouch will bring several innovative products to CeBIT Hannover 2012

YourGuide Ltd. — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:44:02 +0000

CeBIT2012 will open in Mar.6th 2012 in Hannover, Germany. As one of the most important exhibition of IT and communication industry in the world, CeBIT is not only the best platform for companies promoting itself to the world, but also the best chance to learn the advanced technologies and the industry trends in future. GeneralTouch (GT) will bring several innovative products to CeBIT2012, willing to exchange the opinions about the advanced touch technologies, the emerging applications and the future tendency of touch industry with general new old customers.

The latest products we will showcase in CeBIT2012 include true flat SAW touch monitor and computer, medical touch monitor, the whole front frame SAW touch monitor, multi-touch monitor etc. Surface Acoustics Wave (SAW) is a kind of traditional touch technology, because of its’ features of high reliability and stability, it’s always wildly utilized in high-end and heavy-load situation, such as industrial, entertainment, public and self-service, etc. GT is keeping deeply researching and continuously innovating in SAW, successfully commercialize array of new products and solutions, extend the application field of SAW, make it win more and more market share. The true flat SAW touch technology not only makes the products have an attractive appearance, but also be easily integrated for systems, it’s especially suitable for All-in-One (AIO). In medical and healthcare application, SAW touch can always provide high reliability and excellent touch experience, wherever in doctor office, pharmacy, bedside monitoring and patient self-service, etc. For multi-touch requirements, our SAW touch can support physical and stable multi-touch, completely meet the demand of fixed equipments. Through continuously optimizing the mechanism design, the whole front frame SAW touch products can be very easily integrated into systems, especially for OEM/ODM.

For more information about our latest touch technologies and products, warmly welcome to visit our booth at CeBIT2012, experience our innovative achievements, we pleasure to share the industry news and tendency with you.

Exhibition period: Mar.6th to 10th 2012
Visiting time: 9:00 to 18:00
Location: Hannover exhibition center, Germany
Our booth: A04, Hall 15

Digital Signage for Beginners!

YourGuide Ltd. — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:36:32 +0000

The FIRST digital signage trade show designed for everyone. If you have questions on digital signage but have never dared to ask them, this is the right place to ask them!

DIGITAL SIGNAGE TEC 2012 takes place on the 2, 3, 4 February 2012 in Messe Stuttgart, Germany. The event will serve the German, Austrian and Swiss markets. DIGITAL SIGNAGE TEC will stress market-specific complete digital signage solutions over individual products. It will address sign makers, digital printers, POS-designers, trade stand builders and shop fitters looking to integrate digital signage solutions into their existing concepts and designs. Visitors will be able to extend their core competences with screen-based ideas and solutions, enabling them to enhance their current offerings with new products and services generating extra value and income.

We are well placed to organise such a prestige event with our knowledge and expertise in this field. The exhibitors at the show are very different to our existing client base but it is our feeling that people want to talk to people working in the industry who actually work for clients who have integrated digital signage in their marketing strategies.

The Open Digital Signage Forum will demonstrate how by using today’s technology could improve your customer communications and significantly reduce your operating costs and find a solution that works for your business. The Forum boasts an impressive line-up of experts and operators of digital signage.

Highlights at Forum:

Thursday 2 February 2012: Case Study on Kentucky Fried Chicken in Germany

“We bring pictures to life and customers to attention”

Ralf Bonaventura, Sales & Marketing Manager – MKW

Friday 3 February 2012: Audi - Green IT and Digital Signage

Wolfgang Vogt, IT NSC - Audi PLC

Friday 3 February 2012: The confluence of digital signage and self service, exciting new business models and examples of studies.

Wolfgang Beinhauer, Fraunhofer IAO

DIGITAL SIGNAGE TEC 2012 takes place under the umbrella of EXPO 4.0. This event will comprise four trade shows under one roof, all focusing on visual communications. The combination of events with different focuses will ensure a much more diverse and dynamic make up of visitors, reflecting the fact that digital signage has moved beyond the retail space and now has relevance across all vertical markets. With an extensive list of media partners the event is set to attract in excess of 13,000 advertising professionals and visual communication specialist.

With less than one week to go until the start of DIGITAL SIGNAGE TEC 2012, pre-registrations indicate that we are set to have a very successful show.

As a special service an app has been designed by Messe Stuttgart and is available through the iPhone-App store.

To pre-register please visit www.digitalsignageeurope.com.

2012 – A year of celebration for Innovative Technology!

YourGuide Ltd. — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:36:50 +0000

2012 will see the start of a year of celebration for Oldham based bank note validator manufacturer Innovative Technology Ltd (ITL) as they celebrate 20 years of Innovation! Founded in 1992 by David Bellis MBE, Innovative Technology Ltd (ITL) was the first company to manufacture low cost multi-currency validators, when it introduced the NV1 Smiley® to the market - making banknote validators affordable to the AWP market.

20 years on, the company’s philosophy of proving exceptional value validation products still remains as the Company Ethos today. Investment in research, development and cutting edge innovation has allowed Innovative Technology to continue to provide exceptional value banknote validators - from the NV1, NV4 and more recently the popular NV9 USB to the new NV11 – Validator + Note Float. Launched late 2010 the NV11 creates a compact note payout solution to help alleviate the problem of coin starvation and keep machines operational. Innovative Technology prides itself on providing exceptional value, intelligent validation products with an industry-leading acceptance rate for multi-currency of typically 99.8%. Significant investment in research & development has seen Innovative Technology build on their established bank note validator range over the past few years, and move into coin and note payout solutions for existing markets but also new markets such as Kiosk and Self Serve. Innovative Technology will begin their 20-year celebrations at both London shows in January - ICE: Stand 4260 and EAG: Stand 154, where the complete bank note validator and payout solution ranges will be on display. The London shows this year will see the International launch of SMART Data! A new software based programme that allows Innovative Technology customers to alter, create or customise their own currency dataset files. Using SMART Data customers can add a new issue note to their existing dataset file or improve the performance of an existing dataset - for example collect notes with different wear patterns from the local area and incorporate into the dataset. Marketing Executive, Dayna Patterson said “The London shows are a great way to start the year and the perfect platform on which to launch SMART Data. The process is simple. Data is created by customers inserting their own bank notes into their existing ITL bank note validator (connected to a Windows PC). The SMART Data application then sends this data to the Innovative Technology servers for processing, and a new dataset is returned, incorporating the collected data. This new dataset can then be added to ITL bank note validators in the field as usual. SMART Data allows new issue notes and notes with differing wear patterns to be quickly incorporated into currency dataset files.” Marketing Executive, Dayna Paterson went on to say “January is always a busy, exciting month with the London shows and IMA, but 2012 more than ever has got off to a great start. This year sees us celebrate 20 Years of Innovation, launch our new programme SMART Data, enter into new markets with our bank note validators and payout solutions and begin a new recruitment campaign to expand our team. (A dedicated new recruitment website www.innovative-technology.co.uk/careers). ”

Hoeft & Wessel goes Android

YourGuide Ltd. — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:02:43 +0000

Hoeft & Wessel now offers the Android operating system on its mobile terminals for the very first time. The skeye.dart model in convenient PDA format is now also available with the Android version 2.3.6 (Gingerbread). This makes the company the first in the industry to combine a mobile data capture device for the special requirements of wholesale and retail with the Android operating system. In the German retail sector Hoeft & Wessel is the market leader for mobile terminals deployed in enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

This provides the sector in question with clear benefits. By using Android as the world´s leading Smartphone operating system on its professional data capture devices in branch outlets and in warehouses the wholesale and retail segment is provided with a consistent system platform for customers and employees alike. Using the Android mobile data capture device, employees are given unlimited access to information of relevance to processes, e.g. from the ERP system. At the same time, customers can receive further selected product information online in the shop and immediately via their mobile or smart phones. What is also conceivable, for instance, is the availability of merchandise or a suitable recommendation of other goods. This enhances the shopping experience for the customer.

Moreover, the skeye.dart is now also available in a high-end version with roughly one third enhanced computing power, RAM twice as high and faster UMTS/HSPA mobile telephony connection. Optionally equipped with a numeric keypad or only a few input keys, the mobile data capture device with its 89 mm (3.5") VGA touch screen provides a future-proof platform even for the most demanding applications.

"With its first Android handheld, Hoeft & Wessel once again delivers proof of its core expertise, namely Customising. We offer various operating systems on our mobile terminals, depending on our customers´ requirements," explains Dr Andreas Mueller, Head of Development for mobile solutions at Hoeft & Wessel. The specialist for mobile terminals, ticketing and parking systems has already carried out a first live installation of the Android operating system: the Dutch navy deploys the Hoeft & Wessel terminal skeye.dart as a wireless communications system. With the freely programmable operating system, especially secure communication on the ships is possible both via voice and data transmission via a single handheld.

The benefits of Android are quite obvious: it has developed into a leading Smartphone operating system with a correspondingly high level of acceptance and familiarity amongst developers, offering manifold applications and excellent, intuitive touch screen operation. An open-source system reduces the dependency on market players, gives software developers various programming options and it provides a high degree of security.

Hoeft & Wessel AG assumes that the significance of the Android operating system will also increase in the field of the professional, particularly robust mobile terminals. Mueller: "We already are well prepared for the future requirements at this stage, thus underscoring our claim and sophistication as a technology leader."

Box Technologies Solutions chosen to help Poundland achieve improved productivity.

YourGuide Ltd. — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:23:35 +0000

A mobile tablet solution provided by Box Technologies is at the heart of improved productivity and accuracy within critical quality assurance processes at Poundland.

Overview
The recipient of the Discount Retailer of the Year 2011 at The Retail Industry Awards, Poundland® has become a high street phenomenon. With increasing sales and more than 380 stores, the huge number of deliveries handled by the two main Midlands-based warehouse hubs requires the latest in technology solutions to ensure that Poundland’s supply chain keeps pace with demand.

The Challenge
Poundland’s Quality Assurance Team, plays a pivotal role in ensuring the timely delivery of goods to stores across the UK and Eire in order to keep up with the ever expanding product range. The deployment of a comprehensive solution to check and record items being delivered became a priority for the IT team. Long time technology solutions partner Box Technologies was tasked with providing a truly mobile solution to increase accuracy and of course, productivity.

Poundland had a solution in place that only partly solved the problem. Its shortcomings came from the fact it was trolley based, cumbersome, and comprised a laptop, scanner, and camera, powered by a mobile battery pack to ensure the solution could last the shift. In an environment alive with forklift trucks and constant movement, the Quality Assurance Team found itself having to interrupt its work in order to allow the traffic to go past. Being trolley based, there was also an added problem of getting the unit between pallets during busy periods.

The challenge was to find a solution that was not only mobile, portable, and compact but one that also incorporated all of the required technologies needed to allow the Quality Assurance team
undertake their tasks with increased productivity.

Finally, it was the clear and quantifiable cost savings delivered which convinced Poundland to acquire the solution offered by Box Technologies. The tablet device enabled Poundland to replace multiple different elements of the legacy hardware. Long term cost reductions in terms of maintenance and support costs could be realised with just one device doing the job previously performed by four.

The Solution
The increasing sophistication and functionality provided by tablet based technology seemed to offer the ideal platform. Box Technologies worked with the team at Poundland to specify a tablet
device incorporating all of the required functionality.

The Motion F5 PC developed and manufactured by one of the leading vendors in the industry, takes technology into the field to streamline multiple processes and improve mobile workforce productivity. For Poundland, the objective was to roll out a solution which enabled a rapid and accurate quality control procedure through the use of one portable device. As goods are delivered into the warehouse, every box must be opened and samples of the goods checked. Type, quantity, colour and contents must all cross reference against the existing database, and of course, in real time. When discrepancies are found images must be taken to record these and where new items are taken into stock, these must be entered into the database.

The IP54 rated F5 has enabled the Quality Assurance team to operate with one device that captures data via a barcode scanner, integrated 3.0 megapixel digital camera and a web cam. The ergonomics of the lightweight device with its slip-free grip and moulded handle make it an ideal design. It is built to be carried all day, to survive bumps or drops and enables data capture while standing or walking. For hands-free operation Poundland equips the tablet with straps and a
safety harness. Its gorilla glass provides the strength needed within tough workplace environments and View Anywhere® technology ensures excellent viewing of all kinds of documentation and images whatever the light source.

In operational terms, the device provides Wi-Fi, Bluetooth® wireless connectivity and optional mobile broadband with Gobi™ connectivity (WWAN) for real time data transfer. The device has powerful processing capabilities and is available with up to an Intel® Core™ i7 vPro™. It has an extended battery life to cope with the most demanding shift and incorporates a hot-swap battery feature which eliminates downtime when changing batteries. This superior performance and level of functionality within such a portable form-factor answered Poundland’s requirements precisely.

Conclusion
With the Box Technologies enabled solution, the Quality Assurance team can go about their work more quickly and through increased flexibility and greater mobility, can improve its productivity levels. An added bonus is the reduction of interruptions for the fork lift drivers. This wearable and portable solution has revolutionised the task of the team. Mick Corbett, IT Solutions Leader at Poundland, confirmed this. “The Quality Assurance team have a mission critical task to perform.
Our expansion and increasing range of goods that we can offer our customers means that the task will continue to expand and evolve. The introduction of the Motion F5 tablet has brought huge benefits in our abilities to check the quality of goods, and the speed with which we do that. Finally, we have eliminated the need for a bulky and multi faceted approach to one that brings the best of state of the art technology together in one lightweight and portable device.”

Suzo Happ Updated Website offers e-commerce.

YourGuide Ltd. — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:11:04 +0000

Suzo Happ in Europe has an updated website. The generic Suzo Happ Group website www.suzohapp.com leads to the individual regional websites. These regional websites have now been updated to follow a more generic name, thus making it even easier for customers to find.

The website of the European headquarters in the Netherlands can now be found at http://eu.suzohapp.com/. The Northern American website correspondingly is http://na.suzohapp.com/.

The Suzo Happ Group’s European website now also offers an e-commerce environment. Customers can order products online and can see product info, pictures and manuals.

The Suzo Happ Group will once again be exhibiting at the ICE in London in January. Visitors are invited to come to stand at the customary position as ever at number 4150.

Michael Hoeft appointed CEO of Hoeft & Wessel AG

YourGuide Ltd. — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:48:51 +0000

Michael Hoeft has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Management of Hoeft & Wessel AG by the Supervisory Board. He will be taking over the tasks of Hansjoachim Oehmen, who will be leaving the Company with immediate effect.

In 1978, Michael Hoeft and Rolf Wessel had founded the company by the same name. From an erstwhile start-up, they formed a successful medium-sized company with a workforce of some 500 employees. The Hoeft & Wessel Group today is the leading technology specialist in the field of IT hardware and software for ticketing, parking and mobile solutions in the United Kingdom and Germany. Its main locations are Hannover, Germany, and Swindon, west of London.

Hoeft & Wessel subsidiary Metric wins tender for more than 200 parking machines

YourGuide Ltd. — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:48:18 +0000

British City of Nottingham opts for the new Elite model

Swindon, UK, 12/01/2012. (euro adhoc) - The Hoeft & Wessel subsidiary Metric has won a Europe-wide tender advertised by the British City of Nottingham for more than 200 car park ticket vending machines. The City Council opted for the latest model from the manufacturer headquartered in Swindon, west of London. The Elite model features a full alphanumeric keyboard for data entry and the complete set of payment options: customers can pay using coins, chip or PIN-based credit or debit cards, or by means of EMV contactless cards. The Elite can be upgraded at a later stage to allow payments to be made by mobile phone. The individual pay-and-display machines are linked to the ASLAN back-office software suite - also supplied by Metric - via the GSM network using GPRS telecommunications technology. With the exception of five units, all the machines will be solar-powered. Deliveries have already started.

With more than 60,000 installed parking machines in over 45 countries, Metric is one of the largest global providers.

GeneralTouch at the 4th Total Media 2011

YourGuide Ltd. — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:21:28 +0000

GeneralTouch in collaboration with Barcitronic S.A. played a shining part in the 4th Total Media 2011 which was held in Madrid, Spain, on 28th and 29th September 2011. The huge participation of trade visitors and exhibitors from different countries made the show a rousing success. GeneralTouch’s offer of SAW touch technology inspired many visitors as they search for media applications in their respective industries.

As one of the leading global touch solution providers, GeneralTouch combines high-performance LCD panels with its unique Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) touch technology to produce the outstanding RTL , OTL and DTL series products for many industries , such as gaming/amusement, kiosks, retail self-service & interactive digital-signage displays.

GeneralTouch SAW technology recognizes touch on virtually the entire screen surface, offering full-screen interface navigation and a highly efficient display canvas for almost any commercial application. Out large-format touchmonitors feature exceptionally durable and sturdy display screens, which are specifically designed for interactive touch applications.

About GeneralTouch Technology Co., Ltd.
GeneralTouch was established in 2000 and has since become a leading touch solution provider to the global market, manufacturing a wide range of touch screen, touch monitor products and digital signage solutions. GeneralTouch capitalizes on advanced technologies while keeping abreast with the leading trend of the touch market. We offer our customers an extensive array of touch solutions and help them to determine the most appropriate choice for their specific needs. Through our consistent and high quality performance, we have proven to be reliable and trustworthy partners when it comes to providing touch solutions. Consequently, our products have been widely used in industries related to finance, gaming, retail, kiosk, healthcare, education, etc.

About the SAW Technology
The Surface Acoustic Wave technology is a kind of touch technology based on acoustic waves on a glass surface. The SAW touch screen consists of the control card, transducers and a pure glass panel. Compared with other touch technologies, the SAW technology has high reliability, absence of drift, durable, high precision, unhindered light transmittance, and so on. As a touch technology, it is ideal for application in the financial, medical, self-service equipment industry, etc.

Visit our web site here to get more information.

CUSTOM AMERICA opening

YourGuide Ltd. — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:41:48 +0000

Over the past 20 years Custom Group has committed itself to designing,developing and quickly delivering high quality user friendly technology. We have made this possible by committing 50% of our human resources to engineering while reinvesting 10% of our total revenues into R&D.

Our strategy has been to continuously deliver customized hardware, software and services influenced by our heritage of Italian design and quality.

Our goal is to continue to meet market needs and become a global leader in the self?service, retail automation,gaming and ticketing verticals markets while maintaining the strategy which has made us successful.

We realize as we have done for the past 20 years that we must listen to the voice of the customer and respond quickly to his demands and needs. Over the past year we have made very strategic decisions and investments which will help us stream line our business processes to meet demand and prepare us for the future. Some of these decisions have been to reorganize our operations and also open additional manufacturing facilities.

Today, Custom Group employees 4 global manufacturing facilities throughout Europe and Asia with redundant manufacturing capabilities for key SKUs. Such a strategy helps us ensure product delivery.

In the spirit of continues improvements and listening to the voice of our customers, we are proud to announce the formation of Custom America as of January 1, 2012. We are opening a New Jersey based sales office/warehouse and we are in the process of building a team dedicated to the America's market.

The America's team will consist of external sales representatives, channel account managers, field engineers and office support personnel to effectively manage daily operations. More than half of our 5000 square foot New Jersey facility has been dedicated to warehousing and all orders will be processed from this facility. Based on our customers forecasts we will start to maintain safety stock levels to try and meet low volume production needs.

We are excited to embark on this new journey and venture as we continue to evolve and shape Custom Group and stand beside our partners.