Product Review Part 3:
Archos Internet Media Tablet: Pros / Cons & Development

4.5 out of 5 Popstars

Summary: I give the Archos Internet Media Tablet 4.5 out of 5 Popstars for an innovative, unique and feature-rich approach to portable media players that approach the capabilities of a full-blown laptop.

Working for a company like Popstar, one of my biggest allies is innovation. The new, the experimental, these things help re-define limits and boundaries of existing technology and takes us as software developers further by leveraging new technologies. It’s not enough to understand how the technology works and what it was designed to do, often the goal is to discover what else it can do, as well as how to combine it with new technology (such as mobile technology) in unique and helpful ways. Read the rest of this entry »

KANSAS CITY, MO (May 6, 2009) —  Popstar Networks, Inc., a leader in the digital media industry, and Digital Evolution Group, a full-service e-consultancy firm, recently partnered to develop and install interactive event and wayfinding kiosks at Crown Center.   Crown Center, located in the heart of downtown Kansas City and owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc., is a multi-use 40-acre complex including a retail shopping mall, two luxury hotels, an exhibit hall and other office and residential buildings.  The kiosk project was commissioned to enhance the visitor experience in navigating and obtaining detailed information on retailers, dining establishments, and entertainment venues located within the complex.  The state-of-the-art kiosks allow visitors to locate stores based upon the category or name of the store and provide a description of the retailer, store hours and any current sales or promotions.  Additionally, they offer guided direction to the store through Digital Evolution Group’s interactive property map solution.  These advanced interactive kiosks also provide information on the Crown Center campus and surrounding attractions, display restaurant menus, play video clips of currently running theater productions and promote other upcoming events at the Center. 

 Digital Evolution Group who designed and developed Crown Center’s website, partnered with Popstar to provide Popstar’s Frontstage™ interactive digital signage solution because of its ability to integrate directly with their powerful Site Management System.  The integration with Digital Evolution Group’s Site Management System provides Crown Center the ability to centrally control the updating of content, event listings, store and digital map information, and video and graphic files on both the website and the four installed kiosks via the Frontstage™ Server. As part of Popstar’s BackStage℠ strategic consulting process, the parties collaborated to identify all project goals and content requirements before developing wireframes and prototypes for Crown Center to review.  A field and user interaction study conducted early in the process resulted in the solution being clearly defined to meet Crown Center’s unique requirements and allowed for efficient interactive development within Popstar’s FrontStage™ Digital Signage Network software.  The project was completed in 90 days, just prior to the holiday season – one of Crown Center’s most highly trafficked periods.

 ”The field and user studies were a very important part to the success of the project, allowing us to confirm assumptions and verify requirements before the application development began. Utilizing the Popstar BackStage℠ process and clearly defining goals and further refining them gave us a clear roadmap for development and final deployment”, said Maria Scarpello, Sales Solutions Manager at Popstar, “this resulted in a solution that ideally suited the needs of Crown Center” she added.

 “Empowering our client partners to command and control digital content from a centralized web-based interface and push it to any platform, screen or device has been the cornerstone of our success for past nine years” says Jeff Eden, Principal at Digital Evolution Group.“ Popstar’s FrontStage™ software now allows us to efficiently deploy cost effective and centrally managed digital signage solutions for our national and global client base.”

 Chris Ronan, Communications Manager for Crown Center adds: “The kiosks have been a big hit. They help our customers get where they want to go, but they also showcase our events, sales and specials and other important information”, he further states. “Crown Center has a lot to offer and the kiosks are great vehicles for getting the word out.“

 About Popstar Networks

Popstar Networks, Inc., headquartered in Olathe, Kansas, is a leader in designing and implementing customized digital media solutions – enabling clients to communicate their unique messages and incorporate digital signage into overall marketing and communications strategies.  Since its founding in 2003, Popstar has revolutionized the digital media industry with its customer-first process for developing dynamic and interactive digital signage networks.  Popstar has also set a new standard for engaging audiences with exciting interactive media applications. Its flexible technology, software development, and creative visual designs have set the trend for the industry, led by the FrontStage™ Player, FrontStage™ Server, and SmartContent™ products and complemented by BackStage℠ – their comprehensive strategic consulting process. For more information, please visit us at http://www.popstarnetworks.com.

 About Digital Evolution Group

Digital Evolution Group is a full-service e-consultancy dedicated to helping its clients achieve success with creative, integrated and intelligent Internet-centric solutions.  Digital Evolution Group fuses design talent and engineering skill and with the rare ability to translate business objectives into ingenious online strategies. Strategies that deliver break-through value, empower clients and partners to advance strategic initiatives and put new opportunities within their reach.

 Since its inception in 1999, Digital Evolution Group has been leading the strategic initiatives and development of superbly designed, highly dynamic, tightly integrated, easily administered and highly scalable Internet toolsets and platforms currently being leveraged by organizations such as Hallmark Cards Inc, Cerner Corporation, MGM Grand, Pizza Hut Franchisees, Developers Diversified Realty, RED Development, Inland Group, New Balance Shoe Company, The Timberland Company, Kansas City Steak Company, Orscheln Farm and Home, Seaboard Foods, University of Kansas, Country Club Plaza, Challenger Sports, FerrellGas and the State of Missouri to name a few. For more information, visit http://www.digitalev.com or call 1-913-498-9988.

 About Crown Center

Located on the southern edge of downtown Kansas City, Crown Center offers fine hotels, entertainment, dining, shopping, offices and residential living.  Home to the international headquarters of Hallmark Cards, Inc., the complex attracts more than five million annual visitors. For more information, visit http://www.crowncenter.com or call 816-274-8444.

Media contact:
Stacey Morse
Popstar Networks, Inc.
Phone: 913-747-6300  
Email: staceym@popstarnetworks.com
http://www.popstarnetworks.com