Airports and self-service kiosks blog article by Charlie Osborne. Highlighted vendors include Protouch and cammax.
Continue reading Airports and Self Service Kiosks - The Perfect Match?.
MYRTLE BEACH -- The Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corp. cast a hook to the water Wednesday with the unveiling of a kiosk designed to lure business officials at the general aviation terminal at Myrtle Beach International Airport.
Continue reading EDC information kiosk goes live at Myrtle Beach.
Managed public session configuration is coming to Chrome.
Continue reading Google readies Chrome OS for all comers at the kiosk.
Marks and Spencer new digital eBoutique concept store opens in Netherlands. Features large 46 inch touchscreens for browsing ordering along with employees armed with iPads. The images are life sized.
Continue reading Marks and Spencer open food store with a digital 'eBoutique' concept.
The pharmacy automation systems market is expected to grow to $7.8 billion by 2018, having been valued at 4.7 billion globally in 2011, according to a market report published March 20, 2013, by Transparency Market Research.
Continue reading Report Predicts Growth in Pharmacy Automation Market.
Capi
tol Hill legislators are getting an intimate look at the latest in mobile healthcare today with the appearance of the HealthSpot Station at the Consumer Electronics Association's 2013 CES on the Hill.
Continue reading HealthSpot takes its kiosk to Capitol Hill.
New po
ssibility of Microsoft creating an option in the upcoming Windows 8.1 update (Windows Blue) to allow users to bypass the Start Screen and boot directly to the desktop.
The new monument kiosks will offer touch screen, computing and branding options, including a choice of DST or projected capacitive touch screens and custom laser cut and back lit branding on the bezel.
Continue reading Comark's New Outdoor Interactive Kiosk Offers Many Optional Features.
Updated page from FWI FourwindsInteractive shows options for any iOS device becoming digital sign or kiosk mode
Continue reading IDS Kiosk meets proxy iOS. Turn any iPhone into a kiosk.
With Google's release of the Nexus 7, hackers have access to a very high-quality touchscreen at relatively low cost that runs Google's latest code. This makes the Nexus an obvious target for customization and projects. Some of these applications require what I call "Kiosk Mode" or "Single Application Mode",
Continue reading How-To Create Kiosk Mode on the Nexus 7.
From Zack blog: In an effort to establish itself as a primary provider of cash delivery and payment system solutions, NCR Corporation ( NCR ) is consistently introducing new products and expanding the scope of old ones. The latest product from this company is the NCR slim line 85 for cinema.
Continue reading NCR Rolls Out 85 Cinema Kiosk.
Microsoft
released the new IE10 last week and made it an automatic update. That means Windows PC running Sitekiosk which are set for automatic update are going to get a new browser, and there is a problem...
Continue reading Alert - Sitekiosk Error and Internet Explorer version 10.
Dozens of 6-foot-4-inch stainless-steel kiosks are to be installed in 16 subway stations in the next few months in what the Metropolitan Transportation Authority calls its "On the Go!" program. They will replace some of the poster-size paper maps on platforms, mezzanines and turnstile areas, and also cut down on notices that sometimes proliferate to the point that they look like wallpaper.
Continue reading New Screens in the Subway Will Guide Riders and Sell to Them, Too.
SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah's capital will become the 20th city in the United States to adopt a small-distance bike sharing program when it launches GREENbike Monday and introduces a fleet of 100 bicycles and 10 kiosks throughout downtown.
Continue reading Salt Lake City's bike sharing initiative ready to launch.
Sports betting kiosks were approved in 2011 by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. They were approved without any serious opposition. The devices started appearing in taverns in 2012.
Continue reading Nevada Resort Association Fighting Existing Sports Betting Kiosks.
ATLANTA -- Safeway has agreed to install SoloHealth Station kiosks across almost 700 stores as part of a multiyear agreement, SoloHealth announced Tuesday.
Continue reading Safeway signs agreement to install SoloHealth Stations across store base.
Comark Corporation will have the award winning "On The Go" Kiosk on display at GlobalShop 2013, to be held from April 16 - 18, at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. The rugged monument kiosk features a stainless steel design with a 47" LCD display, including an integrated 3M DST touch screen, dual stereo speakers and high resolution camera. The kiosk was awarded "Outstanding Project of the Year in Advanced Traveler Information Systems" by the Intelligent Transportation Society of New York, in June of 2012.
Continue reading Comark to Showcase the 'On The Go' Kiosk at GlobalShop 2013.
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyber Kiosk Solutions, Inc. (OTCPink: CYBK) is pleased to announce it has executed a Letter of Intent to acquire 100% of Golf Concessions, LLC's assets, specifically the Concessions Pro™ name and Concessions Pro™ kiosk patent number 741-8311.
Automated retail exhibits strong viability because it "gives retailers, who are operating on razor-thin margins, an opportunity to take underutilized space in the store," said Paul Davis, Coinstar's exiting director and CEO, during last week's investor conference. Consumers love automated retail too, he said, "because, well, consumers are time-starved, they don't have a lot of time on their hands, and they're looking for easy solutions within arm's reach."
Continue reading Coinstar banking on automated retail.
When members of the Student Technology Committee and Associated Student Government saw a deficit in the connection students had to campus, they turned to a new, high-tech and innovative solution -- digital kiosks.
Continue reading High-Tech Digital Kiosks Set to Appear around UA Campus.
New PR on Milan kiosk design from Frank Olea. This is a nice design.
Ingenico (Euronext: FR0000125346 - ING), leading worldwide provider of payment solutions today announces a strategic partnership with Timbec Inc., a Montreal-based interactive indoor kiosk solution provider, to jointly market Ingenico's new generation iSelf-Service Series payment solutions in the growing dynamic self-service unattended payment acceptance vertical in Canada.
Solohealth CEO Bart Foster on the benefits of the company's kiosks for consumers. 4 1/2 minute interview of Bart on future of self-service healthcare. Click here for video
The Dyer County Driver's License office has been closed for nearly two months and while many drivers have made the long trek to Union City or Trenton for their driver's license needs, there is a little-known option right here in Dyersburg that drivers can use. Prior to the driver's license office on James H. Rice Road closing at the end of last year,
Continue reading Tennessee DMV Kiosk with pictures.
Seeking Alpha article on the potential impact of tablets on the king of kiosks Coinstar.
Continue reading Coinstar: Tablets Killed The Video Kiosk Star?.
Billerica, Mass., Feb. 7, 2013 -- MorphoTrust USA (Safran), together with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOS), recently unveiled self-service kiosks for renewal and replacement of driver licenses and ID cards at approximately 40 new locations, including Driver Service Centers, as well as alternate locations, including public libraries and AAA offices. Tennessee is one of the first states to offer these kiosks in other convenient public locations, dramatically reducing customer wait times.
Continue reading MorphoTrust unveils self-service DMV license renewal kiosk in Tennessee.
LAS VEGAS, Jan 24, 2013 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Global Cash Access, Inc. ("GCA"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Cash Access, Holdings, Inc. GCA +2.21% , will unveil several new cash access products, internet and cashless gaming solutions at ICE Totally Gaming, which is being held at ExCeL London February 5-7.
Source link on Customer Experience
A new kiosk system by SeePoint Technology boasts weather preparedness in the
event of extreme heat and cold or the occasional deluge of rain. The all-weather Secure Point Outdoor Kiosk System can withstand temperatures ranging from minus 2 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit with its ruggedized, vandal-resistant construction, according to the company.
"It's our first true outdoor unit," said Jeff Goldstein, SeePoint's VP of sales. The kiosk can be configured with peripherals for applications such as retail, bill-payment, wayfinding, ticketing and restaurant ordering, he said.
SeePoint has "built and sold and shipped" the units to several clients, Goldstein said, including the state of Wisconsin. The Badger State plans to deploy the kiosks as a self-service vehicle emissions test portal, where drivers can measure their vehicle's smog output and receive documentation for passing.
Other features of the kiosk include:
- 19-inch capacitive touchscreen high-bright LCD with AEGIS antimicrobial coating
- 14 gauge steel with zinc primer and exterior powder coat
- Integrated Dell small form factor computer system
- Secure key lock cabinet with no exposed cables, wires or ports
- Waterproof speakers
- Illuminated peripheral and keyboard bay
- Thermostatically controlled air conditioning and heater
- Optional remote access locking system
The Florida Department of Transportation showed off a prototype ticket kiosk that will be used as part of the $1.2 billion SunRail commuter train system set to span Central Florida starting May 2014. Nice video of the unit as they anticipate it will be in production. Cash and coin and bus ticket vouchers along with credit.
Walmart customers can print out the tickets at a Ticketmaster kiosk in the electronics department and pay for them at the register.
Continue reading Walmart now selling men's basketball tickets using kiosk.
UNION COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) -- Some new technology is making it harder to smuggle illegal items into the Union County Jail. A new commissary kiosk has replaced the need for loved ones to bring outside items to the inmates.
Continue reading Jail kiosk keeps track of inmates' money.
OTTAWA, Ont. -- Thousands of vending machines still can't digest those plastic $20 bank notes the government released two months ago, with machine owners blaming the Bank of Canada for their problems.
As many as half a million machines that scan bank notes needed reprogramming to accept the radically redesigned $20 bills, the most popular denomination in Canada.
Continue reading New $20 bill indigestible for many vending machines.
Manhattan NY article on iPad & tablet rental. Here is photo of Powerport unit built five years ago for precisely that..(ipad laptop rental). Click to enlarge the image.
Continue reading Public Kiosks Lockers for IPads & Tablet rental borrow..
New marijuana autoretail automated retail dispensing machine come to Washington and soon Colorado. Stock price of company thru the roof.
Continue reading Pot Vending Machine Manufacturer Medbox Wants To Go Mainstream .
Gia
nt E
agle location for 21 units trialling new Coinstar service. Turn in your old gift cards for money.
Continue reading Alula kiosks giving cash for unwanted gift cards.
Picks for history and awards.
Continue reading Kiosk History Revisited and 2012 & 2011 Awards.
At next month's massive 2013 International CES in Las Vegas, the
intersection will take the form of the HealthSpot Station, a kiosk
designed to be deployed in any consumer-friendly location and act as a
doctor's visit.
Continue reading HealthSpot to unveil new kiosk at 2013 International CES | mHIMSS.
With the surging mobile user segment coupled with cloud computing, we have a host of new options for touchscreen friendly interfaces.
The self-service and kiosk industry has struggled for years to settle on the ideal UI. Many customers use their existing website for not only content but as the main interface for a kiosk.
It wasn't so many years ago that we are breathed a sigh of relief at all the ATMs, and the airline check-in kiosks, and the Kodak photokiosks thinking to ourselves how users were now becoming comfortable with interacting with machines, and pressing buttons. We begged and borrowed and used parts of those to build "intuitive interface". Francie Mendelsohn of Summit can tell a lot of stories about interfaces (good and bad).
Nowadays, gven all of the new content publishing tools like Joomla and the rest (I use MovableType), now websites are perfectly templated with consistent stylesheet and content. That makes it easier to parse or walk a site programmatically and present a new templated view. We used to call these "lens" or portals and there is usually a javascript detection mechanism in the website which would redirect.
I've been looking at mobilizing my own websites and different ways to do it. One thing I am learning is that there are all types of mobilization cloud companies that will do the conversion for you, and offer any type of customization, and lots of nice "widgets" for special functions. I like widgets...
So I took a regular website and ran it thru one of the services. What I get is a great little mobile site, but also I can use that same design for my touchscreen kiosk.
For my test case I wanted to use a very "busy" or dense website. I was on www.modells.com who does sporting goods. Here is their main website.
You can click on it and see it larger but it is pretty busy...
Now, I load the url into my mobilization engine. I go thru a quick 4 steps and boom, instant mobile site...
Now it looks like this...
Much better, though not much use for my 19" LCD with touchscreen that typically runs 1280x1024.
But I can fix that. I can reset my browser so that it emulates mobile browser and I can override the resolutions.
Much much better...
Now I have a website with a mobile version but also pretty friendly ipad android mobile phone genre interface (which I am guessing most people are comfortable using).
If you have questions or comments please send to me: craig at kiosk.com or craig.keefner at gmail.com
JPMorgan Chase is going full steam ahead with a pilot of self-service banking kiosks that are now in 100 branches - and counting. The kiosks are being rolled out as a compliment to instant card-issuing machines from Datacard that Chase formally introduced this week into 2,000 branches in its retail branch system of approximately 5,500 locations.
Livewire Digital Powers Public Access SmartScreens Based on its eConcierge® Digital Signage Platform
Picking up momentum.. Livewire Digital is pleased to announce the deployment of its eConcierge® kiosk and digital signage product in New York City. The system, developed for New York-based City24/7, is to be installed at 250 locations throughout the city. Livewire worked in collaboration with multiple blue chip technology companies to integrate location-based restaurant and shopping information with new Zagat ratings into its eConcierge® framework.
MokiTouch challenges its developers to come up with coolest self-service app they can.
Continue reading MokiTouch for Microsoft Surface hackathon!.
NYC starts installing touchscreen information terminals as part of their conventional payphone stations. Pretty sure this is an extension of the program Bloomberg put together with AT&T. There would seem to be value in having all of the consumers in NY connecting via your network.
Minneapolis, MN -- The IntoxBox Interactive Breathalyzer is the world's first "smart" commercial breathalyzer for bars and events. Developed by Walden Innovative Resources, Inc. in Minneapolis, the IntoxBox has a 19-inch touch screen monitor that guides users through the testing process with an entertaining, interactive display.
Continue reading World's First 'Smart' Breathalyzer Kiosk.
NEW YORK, Nov 12, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- CES Unveiled Table # 17--HealthSpot, a pioneer in patient and provider driven healthcare technology, has developed a cutting-edge telehealth system that provides high-quality medical diagnostics to patients anytime, anywhere. At CES Unveiled New York, HealthSpot will give attendees a first look from the provider's view at the HealthSpot Station, a private, walk-in kiosk that affords acute care patients live access to board-certified doctors, via high-definition videoconferencing and interactive digital medical devices.
United spars with advocates for blind access to check-in kiosks. "The airlines are waiting for there to be a consistent national standard for kiosks before spending millions of dollars," Nuechterlein said
Continue reading United Fights to Let Blind Use Check-In Kiosks.
New solar powered outdoor kiosk combining visitor center, shelter, and computer access in one.
Safety and security issues have resulted in the permanent closure of ServiceOntario kiosks around the province. Potential debit and credit card skimming activities at kiosks in the Toronto area.
Continue reading ServiceOntario DMV kiosks kaput forever.
Feds announce they've busted 14 members of a gang that used rapid withdrawals at cash-advance kiosks at casinos in California and Nevada to trick Citibank.
Continue reading 60-Second Cash Kiosk Hackers Steal $1 Million: FBI.
The expanded role for lobby assistants coincides with the deployment of a new generation of Self-Service Kiosks . In November, USPS will begin equipping each of 15 Post Offices with two new kiosks.
Continue reading USPS set to expand use of lobby assistants and self-service kiosks.
PURCHASE, N.Y. and QUINCY, Mass., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Customers utilizing the Coinstar(® )kiosks at all Stop & Shop stores, now have the option of placing the full value of their coins, without fees, onto a Stop & Shop gift card. In addition, customers also have the option to select a gift card from a variety of national retailers and e-retailers. The gift cards are immediately activated and can be used the same day.
Continue reading Stop & Shop Customers Now Able To Redeem Coins For No Fee Retail Gift Cards .
Instead of issuing tickets and scanning bar codes, Bonnaroo tickets were wristbands containing 13.56 MHz contactless chips that concertgoers used to gain access to the grounds and related venues.
Continue reading Contactless ticketing catching on at festivals.
Good news for the security of hotels and travelers: Onity, whose keycard locks can be found on at least four million rooms around the world, has a plan to fix a security flaw that could allow hackers to insert a homemade device into its keycard locks and open them in seconds.
Genkiosk Kiosk Software and Genkiosk Kiosk Management System have been successfully deployed as the operating platform for an ambitious project, providing multi-function kiosks with an emphasis on digital gaming to licensed establishments around the UK.
Continue reading Genkiosk Deploy Their Kiosk Software as a Gaming Platform .
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. - Travelers using Westchester County Airport will soon be able to register in advance and get through security quicker with a new screening program.
Continue reading Westchester Airport To Debut New Screening Process.
Coinstar (CSTR), which helped topple Blockbuster with its $1-a-day Redbox DVD kiosks, is now trying the same approach in the coffee market, installing dispensers to pump out cheap, fresh-brewed mochas and lattes at the corner store.
Continue reading Redbox Operator Coinstar Tries Coffee Dispensers.
ATLANTA, Ga. -- SoloHealth on Thursday announced it has plans in place to expand its FDA-approved SoloHealth Station health-and-wellness digital kiosks to more than 2,500 store locations by mid-2013, scaling to more than 4,000 by 2014.
As a turbulent economy spurs companies to seek ways to control costs, many are looking at their payment collection systems for ways to be more efficient. And for some, those efficiencies can be obtained via the use of bill payment kiosks.
Continue reading Finding the Sweet Spot with Bill Payment Kiosks.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--iSnap Social, the creator of the Social Photo Station and accompanying suite of social media marketing tools, has shared its 500,000th photo and reached 100 million online impressions. The iSnap Social Photo Station lets users snap a photo at a venue, event or business and instantly upload it to social networks such as Facebook, Foursquare and Twitter. iSnap Social users recently shared their 500,000th photo, resulting in over 100 million total online impressions.
The cloud-based retail solutions company One iota announced the launch of the SmartPod, a fully integrated self-service kiosk designed to help stores increase revenue through multichannel retailing.
Continue reading One iota releases in-store e-commerce solution for retail.
iSnap Social is up to 130 kiosks deployed. New venture from Alex Lowe ex-CTO of WebRaiser.
Continue reading Kiosk photo business taking off.
It's convenient and offers an instant reward for conscientious recyclers. No, not curbside recycling. Instead, recycling kiosks are becoming more prevalent.
Continue reading Handy kiosks dispense recycling rewards.
Dover --
The continuing efforts of Delaware's Division of Motor Vehicles
(DMV) to provide the highest level of customer service is expanding with
the introduction today of new self-service Kiosks at the Dover,
Wilmington and Georgetown lane locations.
Continue reading Introduction of Self-Service Kiosk is Latest Customer Benefit from DMV .
MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TIO Networks Corp., (TSX-V: TNC) ("TIO"), North America's leading expedited bill payment company, is expanding bill pay options for America's growing Hispanic community through a new strategic alliance with Progreso Financiero. Progreso is a provider of responsible financial products for underserved Hispanics in the United States. TIO will launch the first five bill-pay kiosks at Progreso Financiero locations across California and Texas, with the intention to expand the program and offer Progreso payments as an option at thousands of TIO-powered third-party retail bill payment locations.
Wonderful article off Government News which looks at self-service kiosk kiosks in government and whether are not it is increasing.
Continue reading Are Government Kiosks Making a Comeback?.
Two of the market leaders in kiosks and digital services have just announced a merger of their operations to create a new force in the European market, providing customers with an unrivalled product and service offer. Retec Digital PLC and NeoProducts (UK) Ltd will both benefit from increased scale and synergies, and consolidate their respective positions in the industry.
Continue reading Major new force in the European Kiosk Market.
ST
. LOUIS (Oct. 2, 2012) - Travelers cancut their check-in time in half and hit the road faster, thanks to new self-service car rental kiosks rolling out in the top 50 airport locations throughout the United States. Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental - which are owned and operated by Enterprise Holdings - are implementing the fast and convenient touch-screen kiosks as part of the company's ongoing commitment to providing superior customer service.
Continue reading New Self-Service Kiosks for Enterprise, National & Alamo.
Knott is preparing to place 10 breathalyzer kiosks in various bars across the Salt Lake Valley by as early as November. His company employs Lifeloc Technology-brand breathalyzers that are FDA approved and often used by law enforcement across the country.
Continue reading Business Plans Launch Of Breathalyzer Kiosks In Utah Bars.
DOVER -- Jennifer Cohan swiped her driver's license through a kiosk at the Dover Division of Motor Vehicles and, within moments, an automated female voice began prompting her through the steps required to get a duplicate copy of her license
Continue reading DELAWARE: Kiosks at DMV sites offer drivers options.
PU
RCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MasterCard today announced the expansion of its U.S. electronic payments roadmap to include the ATM channel. Beginning in October 2016, a liability shift hierarchy will be introduced for ATM transactions in the U.S., as part of an effort to globally align the use of EMV technology to prevent and manage fraud in the payments ecosystem.
Continue reading MasterCard Extends U.S. EMV Migration Roadmap to ATM Channel.
NORTH HOUSTON, TX - Visitors to Willowbrook Mall now have a new and easy way to purchase a gift card. The shopping center's Shop Etc. Mall Gift Card kiosk, located near Subway in the Food Court, is the new definition of fast and convenient shopping. Guests simply make their selection by using the easy-to-follow instructions on the touch-screen monitor.
Continue reading Willowbrook Mall Unveils Convenient and Easy-To-Use Gift Card Kiosk.
Good data metrics on SoloHealth and what people use them for.
SoloHealth®, a leading consumer-driven healthcare technology company, announced today it has entered a strategic p
artnership to utilize Dell's OEM Solutions technology, development and deployment expertise for its next-generation SoloHealth Station™ consumer kiosk. Under terms of the partnership, Dell will produce and deliver thousands of SoloHealth Station kiosks to retail locations nationwide beginning this fall.
Image via CrunchBase
Shred Stop has 12 kiosks in Snohomish and King counties and two in Portland, Ore. Hershman and Rettig's near-term goal is to get to 200 kiosks, with a long-term goal of 5,000 to 10,000 kiosks. Think Coinstar, for document shredding, Hershman said.
Continue reading Document shredding become next Coinstar?.
Pretty cool iteration for bank teller terminals. Good example of integrating into the decor. Maybe those banks will spend some of that money after all :-)
Continue reading New Chase facility offers self-service kiosks.
Continental Prisons Systems Inks 2 Fulton County Jails Anticipates $300,000 In New Revenues Annually
IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 16, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Continental Prison Systems, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: CPSZ) a transaction services provider to the correctional and judicial markets in the US is pleased to announce the completion and signing of an agreement to provide services to Fulton County's two Jail facilities in Atlanta, Georgia
Takeaway: Jack Wallen takes a look at SureFox Kiosk Browser, one of the best solutions for controlling what web sites your users can browse on Android and iOS tablets.
Continue reading Tech Byte: Lock down browser usage with SureFox Kiosk Browser.
Reader Domenico Bettinelli has shared this image of an iPad at a Panera Bread in Pennsylvania. It's being used as a customer-facing point of sale kiosk, which sounds pretty handy. Domenico writes:
Continue reading iPad point of sale kiosk spied at Panera Bread.
Working with Clear Channel Airports, full-service kiosk solutions provider Meridian has launched an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant turnkey system for interactive digital signage and advertising for installation at airports across the U.S. and Canada, according to an announcement from Meridian.
Through a partnership with EZ Card and Kiosk, approved by the city council last October, the city was able to install for free, a kiosk in the lobby of the city hall where residents can pay utility bills in English or in Spanish.
Continue reading New Utility Bill-Paying Kiosk Launches at Lynwood City Hall.
San Diego startup ecoATM, the maker of kiosks that fully automate the buy-back of used mobile phones and other portable electronics, announced today it has achieved its first major expansion outside of California with the installation of 28 kiosks in malls throughout Texas.
Continue reading Mobile phone-recycling kiosks headed for the Lone Star State.
Self-service health screening, monitoring aims at retail
Continue reading Kiosk maker SoloHealth raises $12M.
The Marshall Subway is one of 20 locations across the United States to have a touch-screen drive-thru kiosk. Wartner, who's been with Subway for 24 years, said the Montevideo Subway location implemented a touch-screen system at the same time, being the first ones in Minnesota.
Continue reading Subway of Marshall adds a new touch-screen drive-thru.
A new kiosk is expected to streamline applications for frequent traveler benefits, freeing up human officers to catch drug smugglers
Continue reading Avatar Officer Installed at Arizona-Mexico Border Station.
Save up to 33% on the latest industry report on ADA and PCI Compliance.
Continue reading Discount for new ADA and PCI bundle from Digital Screenmedia Association.
Kiosks located in Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration Offices dispense registration tags. Photo by David Kidd
August 2, 2012 By Justine Brown
In the 1990s, kiosks were king. Government agencies that wanted to provide a self-service option for constituents chose kiosks to handle a variety of transactions and offer a wide array of information, often taking significant pressure off front-line staff.
But as public use of the Internet took off and personal computers became cheaper, more sophisticated and easier to use, many government agencies found that websites could replace kiosks. Developing a simple website application was much cheaper and easier than placing kiosks around town, which often needed constant updating and maintenance. Thus, kiosks took a back seat as agencies focused on building website applications.
"Kiosks definitely died off for a while," said Francie Mendelsohn, president at Summit Research Associates Inc., a Maryland-based company that focuses on the kiosk industry. "As Internet technology took off in leaps and bounds, kiosks remained pretty stagnant for a while."
Today, however, kiosks may be poised for a comeback. While the Internet and the proliferation of smartphones and mobile apps give agencies more options for interacting with constituents, the kiosk has reinvented itself. Vastly improved technology and a much wider range of capabilities are allowing kiosks to play a larger role in some government agencies' arsenal of tech-based offerings. Now more and more agencies are going back to kiosks, begging the question, were the early kiosks just ahead of their time?
"As the saying goes, this is not your grandfather's kiosk," said Mendelsohn. "There are more options for government agencies available now, and I think many agencies have found that some areas are very well suited for the new generation of kiosk technology. The technology and reliability have improved vastly."
And there's evidence of this sophistication in technology and implementation. "We are seeing a very significant renewed interest in kiosks by government," said Don Lineburg, chief financial officer and vice president of business and operations at Phoenix Kiosk, which recently completed a kiosk-based jury check-in system for Maricopa County, Ariz., in conjunction with ACS. "Kiosks can help agencies raise revenue and reduce expenses, which is exactly what they need right now."
As state governments continue to grapple with tight budgets and reduced staff, several have turned to kiosks to alleviate the pressure from departments that are struggling to keep pace with citizen demand. The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) has used kiosks for several years to help support its customers. But today, the role kiosks play has grown significantly. The MVA recently deployed third-generation kiosks in its offices.
"In general, we are trying to find ways to allow the customer to complete transactions on their own," said Al Short, CIO of the MVA. "The improvements in kiosk technology have given us opportunities to introduce services that, in the past, required us to use an agent. We've had great success in offloading more and more transactions from our front-line staff and improving efficiencies."
Among other things, citizens can use kiosks in MVA offices to renew their vehicle registration and receive a renewal sticker instantly.
Short said he's surprised by the number of calls he's received from other states about the success of the devices and how they're being used. "On the flip side of that, we've seen other states doing things with kiosks that we want to start exploring as well," he said.
Clark County, Wash., recently launched a kiosk application that lets pretrial offenders check in weekly at a kiosk rather than in-person with a probation officer. The kiosk performs a biometric scan of the veins in the offender's finger to verify his or her identity. "Our caseloads were growing, and we couldn't keep up," said Lisa Biffle, project manager for Clark County, adding that 800 people currently participate in the program. "When they check in, we know it's them and we can verify they are still in the area. Prior to this, they were calling in. They could have been anywhere and we wouldn't have known it."
Pretrial offenders are registered at intake. From that point forward they use the kiosks to check in each week. The vein reader on the kiosk interfaces with the county's database, so once offenders are identified, the system displays their data onscreen and they are asked a series of questions. Offenders also can leave messages for and receive messages from their probation officer via the devices.
"Kiosks are completely new for us, so there has been a learning curve. But it's already saving us a huge amount of time," said Biffle. "The kiosks are allowing us huge efficiencies at a time when we have growing caseloads but we can't hire any more staff."
Biffle said the county hopes to expand into other kiosk-based programs. "There are a lot of possibilities," she said.
Maricopa County launched a kiosk-based juror check-in system in Phoenix in February. The county is using 25 kiosks to process 600 jurors per day. There, jurors use a kiosk to scan a bar code that was printed on their summons. The system confirms their attendance and that they are appearing on the correct day. "What used to take an hour of waiting in line to check in with a live person now takes a total of 15 seconds," according to Ron Graves, account executive at Phoenix Kiosk. "When the juror is subsequently dismissed, he or she can then use the kiosk again to instantly receive a check and a letter of appreciation they can present to their employer as proof of their service."
In some cases, states have set off to use kiosks in one way, only to later redeploy them in another manner. In 2009, New Mexico received a federal Children's Health Insurance Program reauthorization grant to find innovative ways to increase enrollment among underserved populations. The state used the funds to purchase kiosks that would allow constituents to apply for Medicaid in rural areas where Internet access wasn't available.
"We put the kiosks in places where they should have helped increase enrollment, but it turned out they didn't," said Kathy Slater-Huff, marketing and outreach manager for the New Mexico Human Services Department. "We realized that because we were only offering Medicaid enrollment, people weren't using them. Our constituents had a more immediate need to get food on the table and to heat their homes than for medical coverage, but because we had a funding issue, we couldn't offer all three programs on the kiosks."
Rather than scrapping the entire program, New Mexico moved the kiosks and split them between 12 state and field offices, where they are now used to handle 1,000 to 1,200 Medicaid applications every month. "They are much more efficient from a client standpoint," said Slater-Huff. "They use kiosks instead of waiting in line for two to three hours. The applications also get approved faster, and constituents get coverage much quicker."
The kiosks also are helping New Mexico Human Services' staff. The applications completed via kiosk go into a central processing unit, so staff at the local office doesn't even touch it. "They are very easy to use, and the client does most of the work on their own," said Slater-Huff. "All our staff has to do is scan some documents, so they are dealing with the client for five to 10 minutes versus an hour. With all the health-care reform changes coming, it will be interesting to see what role kiosks will play. We are hoping to be able to purchase many more to increase accessibility."
Meanwhile, New York City is exploring replacing an even older technology -- public payphones -- with touchscreen kiosks. The city is preparing to launch a pilot that will provide up to 250 touchscreen kiosks in pedestrian-centric locations in all five boroughs. Pedestrians will use the kiosks to access local information, such as street maps, local dining information and transit schedules in multiple languages, eventually increasing to about 10 languages. Screens also will feature an icon that links directly to 311 Online for users to access city information or file complaints.
According to a spokesperson at the city's Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, feedback from the program will inform New York City's ongoing efforts to assess the future of traditional payphones, the franchise agreements for which expire in October 2014.
While kiosks may help agencies offset tight budgets once deployed, upfront costs for purchasing and setting up a kiosk-based system can be significant, so some agencies are pursuing mobile apps instead. "Government has to have a much stronger business case now than ever before to invest in kiosks because of the growth of mobile technology," Mendelsohn said. "You can do a lot of things from a PC at home or from a smartphone, so many agencies are moving things right over to mobile devices. It's happening very quickly and at a low cost."
But experts say it really comes downto what you're trying to deliver and who you are delivering to. Mobile apps won't work for all situations or people. "Mobile apps are going to have their place, especially in individual transactions," Lineburg said. "But they lack the robust nature needed for broad public use."
Craig Keefner of the Kiosk Industry Group, an informal networking group of people involved with kiosks, agreed. "When you are doing more complex transactions on the government side where there are liabilities, it's going to be harder to use mobile apps," he said. "You could probably do a lot of things more cheaply with them, but when you get into fingerprints and other sensitive information, you have to be careful. The last thing you want is to have a breach in security."
Soon, agencies will likely strive to employ a combination of technologies -- including kiosks, Web-based applications and mobile options -- to deliver information and services in the most efficient and appropriate way. For example, in addition to new kiosks, Maryland is delving into mobile apps in the driver's education arena, where users are likely to be younger and tech-savvier.
"We've introduced a driver's practice test that's available as a mobile app," said Short. "We are also exploring options in the mobile space for new drivers to maintain a logbook of their behind-the-wheel time."
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Mia
mi Beach's bike sharing kiosk project is definitely not on a roll. After launching about 80 DecoBike kiosks in March 2011, the city still hasn't come close to meeting revenue expectations, according to the Miami Herald, which reported that DecoBike invested $3.7 million into the business but lost $387,000 in 2011.
Continue reading Learning from Miami's struggling bike kiosk deployment.
C
alifornia got its first-ever municipal bike-sharing program on Saturday with the launch of a pilot project in Anaheim.
Continue reading California Gets Its First City Bike-Sharing Program in Anaheim.
The kiosk allows eligible WIC clients to use the health department computer on the kiosk and follow the easy instructions to complete a ten minute module on nutrition. When the module is compete, clients receive a certificate and the office assistant will print their WIC vouchers.
Continue reading WIC kiosks increase convenience.
Order and pickup self-service stations for KFC in New Zealand.
Continue reading KFC to introduce self-service kiosks.
Acq
uire Digital announce the new appointment of Macau based TG Cyber-Tech Co Ltd as exclusive distributors of the Acquire product range in Asia. Established in 2003, the company are a prime distributor for many key A/V brands, and have
recently been working closely with Acquire Digital on a number of projects.
Continue reading Acquire Distributor Now in Asia.
Care4 Station & HealthSpot in the news. Uses video collaboration to bring doctor to patient. Impressive design by Nottingham Spirk.
Continue reading Little medical kiosks hold big possibilities: editorial.
Bl
og by Natsumi Nakamura of PFU on the failure of the Penn wine kiosk failure. She raises all the right points. In addition, I think the lack of competition hurt this project. It reminds us of backyard bbq & beer arrangement kept in the family.
Continue reading Why Penn's wine kiosk failed.
Some 400 pay-kiosks are being set up across the island by a Malta-based company that hopes to expand its network to other European countries.
Continue reading Pay your bills at a one-stop kiosk.
Karla Guarino is now the Executive Vice President of Sales at Zivelo. Zivelo and Ziver Birg just had the Inc writeup. Guarino is the second industry veteran in the last few months to join up. Traci Fretheim (wife of Derek who founded Ceroview) is Global VP of Sales. Karla has spent the last few years with Dave McCracken at Livewire. Before that she was with KIS (Kiosk Information Systems) in Colorado.
Opinion on iPad kiosks off KioskMarketplace. It's pretty much spot on with the freezing app and particularly the lack of a wired ethernet interface. 3G not nearly enough and WiFi never is as good as ethernet. Big problem is the keypad buffer and how touches can stack up and overflow so to speak. It is uncontrolled flow and is the easiest way to break almost any tablet.
Continue reading iPad kiosks: The cheap, unreliable kiosk solution.
Versatile Systems has announced the addition of the Seneca floor-standing model to its line of digital signage kiosk options.
Continue reading Versatile Adds Seneca Kiosk to Smart Sign Delivery Options.
Continue reading MokiTouch for Android tablets Launched.
Nice writeup on Ziver Birg, his beginnings, and how things are going in Marion with Zivelo. Surprised that Cy wasn't mentioned except indirectly in the "burned thru $4 million investment". I used to help with quotes for Cy back at Affordable and the condo. Nice revenue# for 2011 of $4 million.
Continue reading Write up on Ziver Birg of Zivelo.
Meridian announced the release of a custom dealer self-service solution for Adam Technology Partners. The Automated Drop-Off Assistance Mechanism (ADAM) kiosk can integrate into most Dealer Management Systems, allowing for sharing and updating of data.
The company is installing Smartrac NFC tags on 150 SmartPix kiosks deployed in Britain, enabling NFC phone users to quickly upload photos, via Bluetooth, for a variety of printing services.
Continue reading Fujifilm UK's RFID-enabled Kiosks, Consumers Can Tap N Print.
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