CORPORATE UPDATE - NeoProducts and eStation.com Inc. to Deliver Public Access
Terminal Solutions
(Canada Newswire; 03/31/99)
TORONTO, March 31 /CNW/ - NeoProducts Pty Ltd. (NeoProducts) and
eStation.com Inc. today announced a three-year systems integrator agreement
that enables eStation.com Inc. to joint market public access terminal
electronic commerce solutions. E-commerce includes all types of commercial
transactions done via computers or telecommunications. According to The World
Trade Organization in 1998, US$300 billion worth of business will be conducted
electronically by the year 2000.
NeoProducts will bundle the eStation.com application on their family of
terminals. This software could then be activated based on an individual
customer's requirements. The terminals also provide organizations with a cost-
effective way to bring their products and services to a greater number of
people. This new relationship between two leaders in systems integration,
design and manufacturing solutions enables NeoProducts and eStation Inc. to
deliver a full service public access solution that can be customized to meet
the unique needs of each enterprise.
The new product family will be marketed as eStation(R) terminals. The
eStation(R) touch-screen based systems will provide users with quick access to
a virtual storefront that can offer information, goods and services, 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. The eStation(R) interactive terminal makes it easy for
individuals to access services such as online shopping and banking, imaging,
utility, medical, telecommunications, education, library, insurance,
university, energy, recreation, transportation, news and games. eStation(R)
terminals will be located primarily in high pedestrian traffic areas such as
shopping malls, airports, hotel, sports stadiums, government agencies,
universities, retail stores, hospitals, banking and healthcare centers.
The eStation(R) features a networked multimedia computer, touch screen
monitor, stereo speakers, peripherals and eStation(R) application software. The
eStation(R) can be provided with a universal handset to support telephony
functions. Several printer options will be included to provide users with
airline or concert tickets, receipts, coupons, and screen printouts. In
addition, the card reader is conveniently located on the terminal to offer
customers additional payment choices, such as credit, debit and smart cards.
"NeoProducts is uniquely positioned to work with eStation.com Inc. to
design, manufacture and deliver terminals to meet their client needs," said
Dwight Baycroft Vice President of sales and marketing for NeoProducts, North
America. "eStation terminals will allow users to remain fully productive having
instant access to information services and the Internet even though they are
remote from their business location or home office", said John Tevlin President
and CEO eStation.com Inc.
NeoProducts designs, manufactures and markets interactive touch screen based
systems for a range of applications including public interactive terminals for
E-commerce, multimedia pay phones and gaming systems. Founded in 1987,
NeoProducts Pty Ltd. has become one of the largest manufacturers of touch
screen public access terminals, or kiosks with over 8000 units installed
todate. Neo's terminals are the delivery vehicle for the Department of
Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs' Automated Job Search network
in Australia, which deploys 2,352 kiosks in over 300 locations providing direct
job seeker access to the national employment database. In 1997, this unique
network was awarded the Smithsonian Award for Technological Innovation in the
workplace.
Neo has also provided IBM one of the major technology sponsors for the
Sydney 2000 Olympics with 130 infopoint terminals shipped to date. The touch
screen terminals employ the latest multimedia techniques and display details of
the many events and venues associated with the games. Neo has provided
transaction terminals for banking, theatre and sports ticketing, accommodation,
gift registry, gaming, driver licence testing, human resources, shopping,
government services, airline, telco and many additional applications.
eStation.com Inc. will be the new name of TKN Interactive Marketing Systems
Inc., (TKNI) as approved by the shareholders at the annual meeting March 30,
1999. The company will continue to trade as TKNI until the change has been
approved by CDN. Currently there are 86,812,465 TKNI shares outstanding.
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