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Verizon rumored to be working with Redbox on its internet video streaming service
If you're still trying to make the pieces of the recent "Verizon is launching an over the top video service" rumor fit, perhaps the missing element is information detailed by TechCrunch suggesting Big Red is the unnamed partner aligned with Redbox's upcoming online video efforts. According to the rumor, the two would connect like Voltron, or, like Dish Network and Blockbuster -- without the whole falling into ruin, bankruptcy and eventual purchase part of the story -- for a subscription service offering movies for streaming and download to a variety of devices. Allegedly dubbed Project Zoetrope, it would launch this spring however unlike Netflix or Amazon Prime Instant Video's all-you-can-eat approach, its hook is described as a credit based system allowing a certain number of movies to be streamed or downloaded every month. It's all very sketchy at the moment, but Redbox has gone dark about its streaming plans and it's just about time we heard something there, so we'll add one more thing to keep our eyes and ears open for at CES in January.
Samsung 'Optical Sensor in Pixel' LCDs rolling out, ready for Surface 2.0
With Samsung's Microsoft Surface product, the SUR40, already available for pre-order, the company says its 1080p 40-inch "Optical Sensor in Pixel" LCD panels have gone into mass production. Those optical sensors help to more accurately interpret multi-touch input without interrupting display signals, offering a more fluid, interactive experience. Tempered glass overlaying the display supports 176 pounds of load and up to 50 touch points at once, which should be more than enough for a Pacific Giant Octopus or any jerk that leans on your $8K table. While the SUR40 is certainly a showcase device for these panels, it isn't the only practical application -- Samsung says it's thin enough and light enough to wall-mount, and hopes to see it used by stock brokers, financial analysts and schools.
Blockbuster Express kiosks hike rental rates to keep offering new movies
In a continuation of the worst fad ever, it appears NCR's Blockbuster Express kiosk biz is the latest to come down with a case of price hike-itis, following competitors Redbox and Netflix. Of course the cause behind this is the studios, who are pushing for higher rates on new release movies or delayed windows. The 3-2-1 pricing structure it has been testing kicks in on "Hot Movies" in the first month they're available (sound familiar?), renting for $3 the first night (additional nights are still just $1 each, Blu-ray discs still cost $1 extra the first night), dropping to $2 after a month and then to $1 after 90 days. Expect the squeeze to be continually and evenly applied to your video rental options as long as Hollywood believes it increases sales.
Valve and Xsolla set up more than 450,000 cash kiosks in Russia
Valve recently embraced the Russian Ruble to make Steam transactions easier for its Russian customers -- while this may have made it easier for Russian gamers to see how much things cost, that didn't mean it was any easier to buy said things, as much of the country uses cash. Unwilling to block an entire market from spending its money, Valve has teamed with Xsolla, a game-monetization company, to establish more than 450,000 cash kiosks in Russia, where users can add cash directly to their Steam Wallets. It's nice of companies to make spending money on their products so easy -- it's almost like charity work. Almost.
Use an iPad in a kiosk with aluminum nClosures
The enclosures securing and protecting the iPads I spied at LaGuardia looked like custom jobs for Delta's terminal, but if you want to install an iPad for use in a kiosk, it appears nClosures has your multitouch device literally covered. The iPad kiosk mount from nClosures is a complete solution, with a lock to secure the aluminum enclosure around the iPad (and an option to add a cable for added security), radio transparency so you can use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and of course a hole for the power cable. The enclosures sport a VESA bolt pattern on the back so you can use those mounts or you can buy one from nClosures. Plus, the company will work with you on custom enclosures if their stock black or silver basic enclosure isn't what you need. You can buy an enclosure with or without Home button access, all of which cost $169 each. The VESA mount costs $10. These are already in use in some museums, so if you've seen some in the wild, let us know in the comments. These look like a great solution for museums and other installations needing a simple kiosk solution for iPads.
The apps on Delta's iPads at LaGuardia airport in New York
A few weeks ago I got stuck for many hours at LaGuardia airport in New York (shocking, I realize, given how smooth air travel is these days). While at the Delta terminal I saw dozens of iPads installed next to small booths, designed for travelers to recharge and possibly play a game or order some food. We knew this was coming, but I was surprised to see them there nonetheless. While the iPads were physically locked down, iOS was pretty much just stock, with the apps Delta wants you to use on one screen, and all the stock iOS apps (Mail, Safari, etc.) on the other screen. I didn't see anyone swipe to the second screen while I was at the terminal. As you can see in the screenshot below, the apps Delta has added to the iPad are: Epicurious, Google Earth, SportsTap, Checkers Free HD, CNBC Real-Time for iPad, USA Today, Hangman Classic HD (the one I saw people playing the most, incidentally), Marketboard, Tic Tac Toe Free, The Weather Channel Max, WebMD, Delta's own app (of course), [it is a web shortcut to Delta.com, in fact. - Ed.] plus web shortcuts for a feedback form about the food and beverage company which runs the services at the terminal, and a pitch to have your apps on the iPads. Lastly, there's a simple menu app for Crust, which was at the Delta terminal. Have any of you tried these out? Let us know your reactions in the comments.
RFID tags let you share waterpark photos on Facebook without leaving the lazy river
See this happy couple? They're smiling because they're in love, they're at a waterpark, and they haven't contracted E. coli yet. They could also be chuckling with the knowledge that all 700 of their closest Facebook friends will soon see them canoodling in an artificial lagoon, thanks to a strange new photo-sharing program from Great Wolf Resorts. From now on, visitors to Great Wolf's Grand Mound lodge will be able to automatically post their vacation pics on Facebook, using only an RFID-equipped wristband. All they have to do is register their accounts at check-in, slap on their bands and head over to any of five kiosks stationed throughout the resort, where they can pose for pictures that will be instantly uploaded to their walls (along with captions). Immediately de-tagging yourself, however, remains a uniquely manual task. Wade past the break for the full PR.
Redbox starts renting out video games nationwide, charges $2 for your Xbox 360, PS3 or Wii pleasure
Exactly as promised, Redbox is today inaugurating a new branch to its media-renting venture with the introduction of video game rentals at $2 a day. There's a pretty rich and fresh selection on offer, including the likes of Duke Nukem Forever, Dirt 3, and Brink, and you can reserve your copy online before moseying down to your nearest Redbox kiosk to execute the transaction. About 5,000 of those crimson encasements have already been partaking in the testing of this service, but now Redbox is flipping the switch on the other 21,000 across the US and making things officially official.
Redbox will offer $2 per day videogame rentals nationwide in June
Kiosk movie rental giant Redbox is finally officially expanding into the games category, announcing today it will offer videogames nationwide starting June 17th. The $2/day game rentals will include selections for PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii (two of which even have a working online service right now). This may be old hat to some since it's been in testing at about 5,000 locations since around the same time it kicked off nationwide Blu-ray rentals, but for 21,000+ other locations there's now a whole new reason to stand behind someone that wants to check each and every title available when all you want to do is return a disc. Seriously, express return slots Redbox -- get on it.
Spot movie rental kiosks aim to beat Redbox on price and convenience
Since Netflix is experiencing new competition to its popular movie distribution model it only fits that Redbox should too and the most interesting entrant we've seen in the movie kiosk business is "Spot. The Difference". It recently test launched 25 boxes in Riverside County California and currently beat Redbox's pricing by renting DVDs and Blu-ray discs for $1 / day each, or 89 cents if rented in pairs. Of course, just winning on price isn't enough to keep us from sticking with our coupon codes and smartphone apps, but the company has fixed our main beef with the red boxes by designing a kiosk with two slots, one for rental, and another for return. That way you're not waiting behind the people of Walmart as they skim through every disc in the box when all you want to do is return Glee, Season 2, Volume 1 and be on your way. It also claims to fit more movies in a smaller space, but really, you had us at express disc return slot.
Redbox now has an app for Android, updated app for iPhone
Redbox quietly updated its official iPhone app to version 2.0.1 a few weeks ago and today announced a version for Android devices. It appears that the functionality and look is the same across both apps and should be familiar to any Redbox user, find nearby boxes, browse their contents and reserve discs on the go. There's also the ability to map a route to the nearest box is needed, and CNET notes the websites been upgraded to allow users to reserve up to 5 movies at once if necessary Check the gallery for screens from both or just head to iTunes or the Android Market to grab the one that fits you best. %Gallery-116943%
Elliptic Labs to show off gesture-sensing iPad dock at CES 2011
Elliptic Labs has been working on gesture-sensing technology for a while now (where you can just swipe your hand in the air instead of actually touching a screen), and rumor has it that the company will be showing off a dock at next month's CES show for the iPad -- something that enables you to control Apple's magical and revolutionary device without actually touching it. The main use is apparently in the kitchen (where your hands might be messy from cooking, keeping you from wanting to grease up that screen like a pie plate), but I can see this functionality in a kiosk somewhere, or any system where you wouldn't want people actually laying hands on a device. There's a quick video after the break featuring one of the company's other devices, but presumably the same gestures would be used to control the iPad. It'll be interesting to see, too, just what kind of functionality the controller can offer. Swiping between screens wouldn't be hard, but I'd like to know if it offers any more granular control as well. Fortunately, TUAW will be live at CES, so we'll make sure to stop by Elliptic's booth and give it a try to let you know what it's like.
MOD Systems' Download2Go kiosks now hawking DRM-free music
You'll need to pop into a Quick Chek in New York or New Jersey to take advantage for now, but if you and iTunes just aren't on speaking terms, a hear-to-heart with a MOD Systems' Download2Go kiosk may be your best alternative. Planted in ten locations across aforementioned states, these kiosks work a lot like the movie-equipped ones that were installed in various Blockbuster locations and in 30 US airports, but rather than hosting the newest chick flicks, these are loaded down with singles, albums and other things you may enjoy on your so-called MP3 player. You can get a general idea of how it works with a film just after the break, but whatever you do, make sure you bring an unloaded SD card or USB drive.
Blockbuster Express kiosks test $2.99 per night new release rentals, Redbox looks unimpressed
28 days. It's more than an unappreciated flick from the turn of the millennium, it's also driving the executives at Redbox, Netflix and a smattering of other unorthodox rental companies mad. Movie studios have been hellbent on keeping their new release DVDs and Blu-ray Discs out of instant-rent hands for 28 days after release, noting that dollar-per-night rentals could drastically reduce DVD / BD sales in the all-important launch window. Now, however, it seems that at least a couple of 'em are willing to bend. Starting this week in four major cities (Atlanta, Miami, Phoenix and San Francisco, for those curious) DVDs for Warner Bros.' "Inception" and 20th Century Fox's "Knight and Day" are being slipped into NCR's Blockbuster Express kiosks. The catch? It'll be $2.99 per night to rent either of them, a nearly threefold increase in the nightly rate that Redbox charges. Additional details on the trial are few and far betwixt, but it's safe to say that Redbox isn't any closer to nabbing fresh flicks sooner, and unless you're down with a 3x price hike, neither are you.
Flix on Stix kiosks coming soon: it's like Redbox, but with USB thumb drives
The concept's far from new -- Warner and Paramount signed up way back in the heyday known as "2009" to offer movies on SD cards, and select Blockbuster rental kiosks have been popping 'em out ever since. But Flix on Stix is an expected twist on the models that are already out there, and it's one that will no doubt face some difficulty in reaching the same level of acceptance as Redbox. Put simply (or as simply as possible), consumers waltz up to a kiosk, select a TV show, game or movie, and then they choose whether they'd like to purchase or rent the title. The outfit has yet to come clean with specific pricing, but the (presumably mocked up) video embedded after the break shows rental rates of $1, $2, $3 and $4 for 3, 6, 9 and 12 days. There's also no clear indication how TV episodes and games will be handled, but we're hearing that users can either bring their own USB stick (USB 3.0 is accepted!) or opt to procure one directly from the machine. Swipe your Visa or Mastercard (c'mon, no Discover or AMEX?), and then... wait. In fact, this is apt to be the biggest hurdle. What are the resolutions being offered? What if you select a 1080p film that's 7GB, and only have a 4GB USB drive? Or better yet, what if you've got a 8GB USB 2.0 drive and a doctor's appointment in ten minutes? Comically enough, the demonstration video actually shows the patron playing a game of poker while she waits for the transfer to complete -- something tells us that's not going to go over well with prospective customers waiting in line. We're guessing that most folks will peace right on out if the wait to purchase something from a box exceeds a few minutes, and given the very nature of this scheme, it sounds like that scenario is almost guaranteed to happen ad nauseum. At any rate, expect to see the first of these popping up in two to three months, and meanwhile we'll be digging for more details on pricing and distribution plans.
Apple devices seen everywhere at the LA Auto Show
Tech blog Cosby Sweaters noticed something interesting at the recent LA Auto Show: Apple was there in force. Not officially -- there is no iCar being sold just yet. But iPads and iMacs were used for a surprising amount of the kiosk displays by manufacturers. Lexus even had a 15-iPod touch display (as seen above) set up to demonstrate features and functions of its new cars. When it comes to functionality, security, and usability, Apple's devices are actually relatively cheap to set up, create as a kiosk and then use at a show. This is probably far from the last time we'll see iPod touches and iPads used in this way at conventions.
Delta's JFK terminal goes iPad crazy
Back in the day, it was not uncommon to sit down in a booth at a diner and find a box with lists of songs that you could browse and play back through the jukebox. Fast forward to 2010, and the Delta Airlines terminal at New York City's John F. Kennedy airport. With most people carrying a jukebox in their pocket, eateries like Croque Madame have installed Apple iPads in the booths that allow travelers to place food orders, check their email or read the news while waiting for their connection. OTG Management is installing as many as 200 iPads in the Delta JFK terminal and plans to do the same at LaGuardia soon as well. Since travelers typically have limited time before they have to catch flights, OTG isn't implementing any time limits, but hopefully they are putting some sort of anti-bacterial, anti-grease screen protectors on the tablets. Considering how many people go through major airports, using a touch-dependent device like the iPad in an area where people are eating probably isn't for the germophobic. [Via Engadget]
Redbox announces plans to enter streaming business next year
It may not be quite the same obvious transition that Netflix made, but it looks like DVD kiosk company Redbox will soon be making a push of its own into the streaming business. That word comes straight from the CEO of parent company Coinstar, Paul Davis, who told listeners to the company's recent earnings call that it is in "detailed negotiations with a number of highly interested parties" to launch a "Redbox-branded" streaming service sometime next year. That would seem to suggest that Redbox will be relying on a partner already established in the field rather than rolling its own service, but Davis was otherwise light on details, adding only that streaming represents a "significant opportunity" for the company. That doesn't mean Redbox will be getting out of the kiosk business anytime soon, though -- according to Davis, there's still a "long, profitable life ahead" there.
PYNK smart system could make those Kodak print kiosks useful (video)
Just because film is dead doesn't mean that companies are at a loss for schemes to profit in the digital age. Take Kodak's PYNK smart print system as the perfect case study. Consumers buy PYNK branded photo frames and mats at $15 and $4 a pop, respectively. They then scan the goods into one of Kodak's 100,000 imaging kiosks and the machine will print photos (at further cost) into a perfectly cropped, sized, and aligned collage suitable for framing. A pretty smart solution for craft-less dummies like us.
Redbox crosses a billion rentals and celebrates with a giveaway
Someone (we're looking at you, Ben) notched Redbox's billionth rental recently in Tampa, Florida recently, and to celebrate the company's launched a "Thanks a Billion" giveaway. Renting a disc during the promotion (or sending a letter through the mail, no e-) nets a free rental, while the real prizes start with "Golden Ticket" rentals -- 50 codes placed on DVDs across America that are worth a $500 gift card -- plus a grand prize of a Sony 52-inch HDTV, surround sound system, Blu-ray player and some movies...or a trip to the People's Choice Awards. We know that's not really a choice for you, so all that's left is to check out the details and map of areas where Golden Ticket are located on the official website.
