Dave Haynes

I keep seeing press releases like this popping up in Google Alerts, announcing new Intel Atom-based micro PCs and boards that are perfect for, among many things, digital signage. Safely hidden away in the turret of my mountaintop compound near the windswept shores of Lake Ontario (OK, a spare bedroom in suburban Toronto), I don't have a bench to test gear, nor would I know what the hell I was doing in assessing whether any or all of these new, low-cost x86 platforms are actually capable of doing as billed. But I suspect a lot of companies are, for three simple reasons: 1 - Form factor - Aopen gets a TON of business in this space because it has a small PC that CAN push out 720P video and smooth Flash. But by today's standards the Aopen DE box is expensive, and even more so because a lot of vendors slap on$200-$300 of inflated margins 2 - Fanless - There are people w... (more)

DDN Plans to Roll Out Massive Digital Signage Network with 7-11

Digital Signage Journal There's a press release making the rounds today about a company called DDN - who you will have never heard of - announcing plans to roll out with convenience store giant 7-11. The deal between the the world's biggest c-store operator and Digital Display Networks, Inc. would create one of the bigger digital out of home networks, anywhere, if it gets out to more than 6,200 stores in the United States and Canada, reaching an estimated 190 million monthly viewers. The programming will have national and local entertainment news and weather, and a blend of hous... (more)

Nice Screens, Shame About the Dancing

Microsoft Developer on Ulitzer I have not seen the stores in person, but from a distance I really, really like what Microsoft has done with its retail presence. Sure it looks vaguely familiar to Apple's stores, but big whoop. The wall to wall screens are brilliant. However, I am now second-guessing whether I'd actually want to step inside a store and be trampled by line-dancing geeks rocking out to Will.I.Am and Fergie. Sheesh. I'd love to see the look on the guy who walked up to cash to buy his Windows 7 upgrade and got stuck watching this horror show. "Umm, can I, excuse me, ... (more)

CoolSign gets a VP Global Sales

CoolSign's President, Lou Giacalone, Jr., sent me a note this weekend letting me know he's hired industry veteran Leo Bull on as the company's Vice President of Global Sales, with Atlanta-based Bull coming over from Wireless Ronin, where he was a regional VP. This is a good move for Lou as he spins a bunch of dishes every day and the less he has to worry about day to day sales issues, the more time he has for other stuff. He has a couple of strong sales guys in Chris Colt and Raffi Vartian, but from what I can tell Giacalone has worn a sales hat as well since he came back to the ... (more)

Groupe Viva closes $1.1 million funding round

Congratulations to Pierre, Martin and the rest of my friends at Groupe Viva, a suburban Montreal company that is quickly expanding in the DS biz and just got the OK to announce a $1.1 million funding round. The company is better known in the Montreal area as Sportech, but has re-branded itself to distinguish itself from the original company that got into DS as an offshoot of its sports event work. Groupe VIVA is proud to announce the conclusion of a private $1.1-million round of financing with a group of investors including the Fonds d'investissement économique régional (FIER) Vil... (more)