SECURITY BEFORE PERFORMANCE IN OUR CONNECTED AV WORLD MOMENT OF TRUTH FOR THE TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATOR ENSURING ROBUST NETWORKS IN DEMANDING ENVIRONMENTS JUNE/JULY 2021 ISSUE 32 BIG OR SMALL, TOUCH OR TOUCHLESS, LCD OR LED - SO MANY OPTIONS TO CONSIDER THREE THINGS EVERY RETAILER NEEDS FOR A NEXT-GEN OMNICHANNEL APPROACH THE TRUE IMPACT OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ON WORKFORCE EFFICIENCYCONTENTS 2KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE A round up of some of the latest kiosk and digital signage news to hit the editor’s inbox. John Tait, Global Managing Director, TNS Payments Market takes a look at how a truly omnichannel approach in retail means more than simply having all of the channels. It’s more important what retailers do with those channels for their customers, and how well each channel interconnects with another. 2KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE 06 NEWS 04 EDITOR’S NOTE 16 THREE THINGS EVERY RETAILER NEEDS FOR A NEXT- GEN OMNICHANNEL APPROACH 12 THE MOMENT OF TRUTH Publisher: Abacus Communications Editor: Laura Vallis Advertising: Hillview Media www.kdseurope.com Abacus Communications Limited 1 Tudor Business Park, Waterhouse Lane, Kingswood, KT20 6EN ISSN 2756-1097 Would you like to contribute to KDS? Please submit news stories, articles, press releases and industry expert opinions to Laura Vallis editor@kdseurope.com. Please include high resolution (300dpi+ CMYK) images. We publish all news and articles that adhere to our editorial guidelines free of charge. This ensures our content is unbiased and relevant to our industry. The views expressed in the articles and technical papers are those of the authors and are not endorsed by the publishers. The author and publisher, and its officers and employees, do not accept any liability for any errors that may have occurred, or for any reliance on their contents. All trademarks and brand names are respected within our publication. However, the publishers accept no responsibility for any inadvertent misuse that may occur. This publication is protected by copyright © 2021 and accordingly must not be reproduced in any medium. All rights reserved. Neil Anderson, Managing Director of Qcom Outsourcing explains how the effective rollout and installation of equipment can be amongst the most important ‘moments of truth’ for any technology manufacturer, systems integrator or reseller.Richard Slawsky, Adjunct Professor at the University of Louisville takes a look at the evolution, current status and future for kiosks, digital signage and large format displays. CONTENTS 3 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE 20 BIG OR SMALL, TOUCH OR TOUCHLESS, LCD OR LED 26 TRUE IMPACT OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ON WORKFORCE EFFICIENCY Technological advancements always come with fears around the future of humans in the workforce. But humans weren’t replaced by computers when they were brought into the workplace, and Richard Bird, Regional Sales Manager at Mandata believes AI won’t replace us completely either. A round up of promotions, structural changes and new recruits across the kiosk and digital signage industry. As more embedded systems adopt networked architectures, Ethernet switches play an increasingly crucial role. Martin Frederiksen, MD of Recab UK, explains how to select Ethernet switches for demanding operating environments. It may be painful for AV managers in the connected world of cloud-based signage operating over corporate IT networks, but Jeff Hastings of BrightSign says security has to take precedence over performance and functionality. 30 ENSURING ROBUST NETWORKS IN DEMANDING APPLICATIONS 36 MOVERS AND SHAKERS 34 SECURITY BEFORE PERFORMANCE IN OUR CONNECTED AV WORLD4KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE magazine (KDS), is the leading technical journal for manufacturers, integrators and deployers of self-service terminals and digital signage integrators. Previously known as Kiosk Solutions, our team at KDS understands the industry’s growing demands and responded by expanding into kiosk’s complementary digital signage and wayfinding markets and rebranding accordingly. Published six times a year, KDS reaches a readership of 25,000 individuals throughout the UK and Europe, comprised of customer service directors, design engineers, project managers, CIOs, CTOs, CFOs and many more. This presents a unique opportunity to reach a qualified audience not available through any other channel. Independent KDS is an independent publication, aiming to offer an objective view of the industry. Articles may present newsworthy acts and/or opinions of named companies, but all measures are taken to ensure that articles within KDS report the objective facts without bias. Editorial We welcome contributions and submissions of news, features, thought leadership posts and interviews from companies and individuals regarding the kiosk and digital signage industry. Send your story to the editor: Laura Vallis at editor@kdseurope.com. All editorial that we receive from third parties is subject to the editor-in-chief's ultimate approval, and submission of an article is no guarantee of publication. To ensure that all articles meet the editorial policy, we reserve the right to edit the whole or part of any material selected for publication. You can find our editorial policy on our website by clicking HERE. Advertising If you would like to discuss one of our advertising or advertorial packages please contact sales@kdseurope.com.If there’s one positive takeaway that the pandemic has given us, it’s the ability to reflect and consider what’s important. In the business world it’s also given us the time and opportunity to work out the best technological approach to increase revenue and efficiency. In this issue, Neil Anderson of Qcom Outsourcing explains how the effective rollout and installation of equipment can be one of the most important ‘moments of truth’, while John Tait of TNS Payments Market, takes a look at three things every retailer should have for a next-gen omnichannel approach. With more embedded systems adopting networked architectures, Ethernet switches are playing an increasingly crucial role. Martin Frederiksen, MD of Recab UK, explains how to select switches for demanding operating environments. Our big article this issue takes a look at the evolution, current status and future for kiosks, digital signage and large format displays. Richard Slawsky takes an overview of the options available to our industry and how to navigate the big question of the optimum solution. Jeff Hastings of Brightsign looks at security, believing it has to take precedence over performance and functionality in our connected AV world. Of course technological advancements always come with fears around the future of the human workforce. Our article by Richard Bird at Mandata considers the true impact of digital technology on workforce efficiency and whether we should be worried about the future of manpower. At KDS we recognise the importance of human interaction and how critical F2F networking is. Our team is busy working on how best to stage KDS 2021 and next steps will be announced as soon as we are able. If you are interested in speaking at KDS 2021, want to suggest seminar topics, or offer your thoughts on attending a live event this autumn, please contact sales@ kdseurope.com. We’d be delighted to hear from you. Enjoy the read! Laura Vallis Editor Kiosk and Digital Signage Magazine FOREWORD 5 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE EDITOR’S NOTEDESIGUAL TEAMS UP WITH MISHIPAY Desigual has announced it is deploying MishiPay in stores in Barcelona and Madrid. MishiPay is a mobile self-checkout technology for shopping in physical shops and transferring the immediacy of the online experience to the real world. The technology enables shoppers to scan the barcode of products and pay via their mobile phone, eliminating the need to visit a checkout. Consumers are increasingly digital and, according to 2020 data, more than half of online sales on desigual. com are made via mobile or tablet and 75% of traffic comes from a mobile device. For those consumers who prioritise speed and privacy during the checkout process, this new technology enables a contactless shopping experience complete with secure, convenient payment methods. Javier Fernández, head of Desigual’s Technological Innovation area, explains, “We want to respond to the needs of all types of consumers, regardless of the channel in which they shop.” ViewSonic’s ColorPro Professional Monitor VP2768a has won the Best Enthusiast Photo Monitor award at the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) World Awards 2021. The VP2768a was recognised for its high standard of colour accuracy, uniformity and calibration capability, making it a top-tier monitor for high-end graphic arts applications. TIPA world awards both recognise and honour industry companies and their products and serve as an important benchmark and guide for consumers in making their purchasing decisions. Oscar Lin, Head of the Monitor Business Unit at ViewSonic, said, “ViewSonic has always kept creatives at the forefront of our product innovations and collaborated with designers, photographers and videographers to balance design and functionality in our offerings. This recognition by TIPA, whose members are among the most influential and knowledgeable creative experts in the photography industry, validates the ColorPro Professional Monitor´s industry-leading colour accuracy and user-centric design that makes it the choice of creatives worldwide.” VP2768a is one of many state-of-the- art monitors in ViewSonic´s ColorPro Professional Monitor series. NEWS IN BRIEF EPSON EXPANDS TABLET-BASED MPOS RANGE – TM-M30II-SL Following an extensive collaboration with European mPOS ISVs (independent software vendors), Epson has introduced the TM-M30II- SL. This all-in-one mPOS solution has been specifically designed to meet strong market demand for point-of- sale solutions that are both easy- to-use and stylish enough to blend with the modern design of boutique outlets, small restaurants, bars, coffee shops, delis, pop-ups and food trucks. The TM-M30II-SL has been recognised with a prestigious iF Design Award for its blend of elegant aesthetics and functionality. The low- profile, ergonomic design is stable and blends stylishly into modern retail counters. There is internal routing for the power supply and peripheral cables, ensuring they are neatly tucked away out of sight for an uncluttered till space. It also features an ingenious sliding clamp that allows the tablet to be secured safely in place when in use but is quickly and easily released and removed when needed. The clear acrylic backplate is available in two sizes, meaning it’s compatible with any size tablet and is future- proof for tablet upgrades. The versatile TM-m30II-SL also provides the option for wall- mounting – ideal for when space is at a premium or for retailers requiring a cost-efficient solution for self-order kiosk functionality. 6KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE VIEWSONIC’S COLORPRO PROFESSIONAL MONITOR SERIES WINS TIPA WORLD AWARD 2021Vestel Visual Solutions has marked the launch of its next-generation IFX Series of 4K interactive displays with the creation and showcase of its own NFT art collection. Depicting some of the greatest thought leaders of all time, including Aristotle, Socrates and Hippocrates, the tokenised artwork has been designed using the IFX displays’ intuitive whiteboard application. Made up of six pieces, the NFT art collection is now live on OpenSea. Selcen Uyguntuzel, Deputy General Manager of Sales, Vestel, said, “Offering a tailored technology solution for both the classroom and the boardroom, the Android 9.0-powered IFX displays inspire and support creativity in all forms, from design and ideation to dynamic problem-solving. For the IFX Series launch, we wanted to be able to illustrate this in a fittingly creative and dynamic way. By using the IFX Whiteboard application to create our own digital art collection, we believe that we have managed to achieve this. We have not only become one of the first AV brands to design and then mint our own art but also to use an NFT collection as part of a product launch.” Of the NFT artwork, Barış Altınkaya, Deputy General Manager of Marketing, Vestel, added, “A fun collection, the art itself is a nod to the great trailblazers who have paved the way for today’s leaders, and tomorrow’s next generation of dynamic thinkers.” VISUALIZATION SIGNS EXCLUSIVE UK AGREEMENT WITH MACROPIX Visualization has announced the exclusive distribution of the MacroPiX LED product line. MacroPiX Srl offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor LED technology displays. Designed, engineered and predominantly built in Italy, MacroPiX products offer unique proprietary technology providing either standalone products or fully customised solutions, now available for the UK market. ITL LAUNCHES BIOMETRICS VIA USB - ICU LITE Innovative Technology has launched its latest biometrics solution - ICU Lite. A compact version of their ICU Pro, it enables users to add age verification and facial recognition-based functions to a machine via a convenient, plug-in USB device. Using biometric technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms, ICU Lite connects to the individual host machine or terminal such as kiosks, self-checkouts or gaming machines. Functions include age verification, facial recognition, face-covering detection and gender identification, depending on your specific need. NEWS IN BRIEF 7 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE VESTEL CELEBRATES LAUNCH OF NEW IFX SERIES WITH NFT ART COLLECTION Publish your news and company announcements here Contact: editor@kdseurope.com SmartLabs has unveiled its Dynamic Ad Insertion solution, SmartLabs DAI. With this intelligent and flexible ad insertion system, operators and broadcasters will be able to add or replace ads with higher accuracy and greater profits. While TV advertising revenue declines and video content viewing audiences tend to granulate, broadcasters and operators strive to sustain advertising profits by implementing new flexible strategies and cutting-edge technologies. SmartLabs’ Ad Insertion Solution, enables highly accurate ad targeting and placement to drive video content monetisation success. SmartLabs DAI solution enables broadcasters and operators to dynamically insert ad units into video content. With its server-side ad insertion technology, operators can add or replace ads in live video streams, pre-recorded and xVoD content. With built-in VAST protocol support, depending on requirements, users can partner with third parties or configure their own campaigns and become independent of any external advertising services. Mikhail Grachev, CEO said: “We wanted to create a flexible solution that enabled operators and broadcasters to manage their ad campaigns in the most efficient way. We also focused on creating the technology that would provide a perfect content watching experience for the viewers.” SMARTLABS UNVEILS NEW AD SOLUTIONNEWS IN BRIEF 8KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE Following the success of its online event, Absen has extended the availability of its virtual booth, showcasing its product portfolio, making it accessible to everyone. The online experience staged Absen’s products, all within a fully interactive and free-to-navigate virtual booth. The online event spanned the 1st of June, and covered the advantages of LED in immersive experiences and featured a live Q&A for audiences across the globe. The booth, split into sections such as corporate, virtual studios, retail and MicroLED, enables visitors to see Absen’s products up close and personal from the comfort of their homes. Each section of the booth features a voiceover explaining the section for visitors and features Absen’s latest products, such as the AbseniCon3.0, Aurora Series and Jade Dragon series, for each market. The products are fully interactable for visitors and feature detailed information such as product specifications, case study videos of real-life applications and product brochures. Jessica Golding, Absen’s European Brand Manager, said, “The virtual booth is designed to be an immersive experience, presenting all the creative applications for LED in a variety of markets. The booth allows visitors to explore just how powerful LED can be in all areas, by expanding on Absen’s years of experience in applications of all shapes and sizes and presenting them for anyone to see.” ABSEN SHOWCASES VIRTUAL LED BOOTH EXPERIENCE VENTOLA READY FOR ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY REOPENING LED lighting firm, Ventola Projects has bolstered its reputation in the Family Entertainment Centre industry following a raft of project wins across the world. The news follows a period in which many facilities in the sector had been renovating their venues ahead of lockdown measures easing. Playing its part in multi-million pound refurbishment projects, Ventola, which has distribution models set up in the UK, US and Middle East, has recently secured wins with Bowl Incline, an FEC remodel project near Lake Tahoe (US), as well as securing a contract to supply LED lighting to a number of FEC venues in Saudi Arabia, later this year. Mick Ventola, founder, Ventola Projects, said, “This has been a tough time for venue operators. Not only have they had to contend with months behind closed doors, but also, they know customers will be looking for something fresh, exciting and modern when they reopen. Simply reopening your facilities as they were won’t cut it in a market where competition will be fiercely contested. “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to support in some way, providing economically sound and attractive lighting features that will help the industry get back on its feet.” Displaylite has entered into a new partnership with Philips Monitors to supply their new range of touch monitors in the UK. The agreement covers Touch Glass, In Cell and Open Frame Monitors. The range includes the B9T series of 15.6in, 17in, 21.5in and 23.8in PCAP (projected capacitive) Touch Glass Monitors, with a new range of In-Cell and Open Frame Monitors launched recently. Philips Touch Glass PCAP monitors support up to 10-point touch and are IP65 rated from the front, making them ideal for use in demanding touch applications. Key features include; SmoothTouch technology, a sturdy articulating stand and an optional bracket enabling a mini-PC to be secured. DISPLAYLITE APPOINTED AS PHILIPS’ TOUCH SOLUTIONS PARTNER9 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE ONE DIGITAL SIGNAGE GEAR UP FOR CONTINUED GROWTH WITH TRADE SHOWROOM GRAND OPENING NEXMOSPHERE PARTNER WITH BRIGHTSIGN BrightSign players have been integrated with Nexmosphere technology to help tempt customers back into bricks and mortar retail stores as they reopen. The solutions, which will be demonstrated online and at ISE 2021, enable customer interactivity with touchless technology using sensors to deliver engaging, memorable and hygienic shopping experiences. Commenting on the range, Jeff Hastings, CEO of BrightSign, said, “Retail faces a brave new world following COVID. We have spent years encouraging customers to interact with touch-screen interfaces, and now we are finding new ways to deliver exciting in-store experiences. BrightSign players and Nexmosphere technologies together face today’s challenges head-on with forward-thinking technology that is sure to bring digital displays to life without touch.” WIRELESS WAYO Wayo is now selling and renting their battery-powered, portable digital signboard. The display board can be placed indoors or outdoors and can run for up to 17 hours on a single charge. High definition images can be uploaded via a USB stick directly onto the display which is easily mobilised but lockable once in position. The Wayo does not have any trailing wires and so can safely be placed where customers are passing, ideal for showing Covid safety notices in addition to instructions and marketing information. The display can show multiple messages or video; multiple messages rotating in order and can repeat on a loop. The Wayo sign is designed for temporary sites, in indoor or outdoor environments and is suited for operations in venues such as bars, restaurants, retail, outdoor shows, events and shopping centres. Following the relaxations of Covid restrictions, One Digital Signage was proud to welcome industry partners back to its West Midlands HQ where it can now showcase its latest product ranges in a purpose-built facility. The Cradley Heath based digital signage specialist opened the doors to its new showroom with a series of open days for partners and resellers from across the AV industry. The new space represents the first Vestel B2B partner showroom in the UK and kicking off its week-long grand opening was a key partner day, allowing the One Digital Signage team to welcome some of the organisations and people they work closely with to deliver projects and drive business growth. Guests were able to meet the One Digital Signage team face to face (a novel experience after the days of lockdown) and get a detailed look at the 2021 product ranges, many of which incorporate their own technologies and componentry to deliver market-leading digital signage solutions. If you would like to discuss one of our advertising or advertorial packages contact: sales@kdseurope.com SMART TECH CRUCIAL TO REBUILDING TRUST IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT AFTER PANDEMIC Smart technology must be at the heart of British public transport systems to help regain public trust in its safety and security, suggests new research by Milestone Systems. The mass return to train travel is an opportunity for a significant change to the network’s data infrastructure and an opportunity to rebuild trust in public transport and limit long-term avoidance following the pandemic.Next >