InfoSignz seeing corporate interest in free SaaS system
InfoSignz Technologies is eyeing an aggressive push for its InfoSignz digital-signage platform, available on the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, in several markets including India, the U.S. and the UK.
The company, headquartered in Pune, India with offices in Mumbai, San Francisco and the UK, recently made its system available for free.
The free version has all the features necessary to create an enterprise-scale digital-signage network, according to InfoSignz, allowing users to create, schedule, publish and manage content on multiple screens remotely from any PC via the Web. (A typical interface screen is pictured.)
CEO Siddharth Sethi told SCREENS.tv: "During our soft launch we have seen sign-ups from locations across the globe. The SaaS model that we have developed this platform on is precisely about reach. We hope to take this product to places where a physical sales force will find hard to reach. We are looking for meaningful alliances in all geographies."
InfoSignz' revenue-generation model involves charging small amounts for premium, pay-per-use services or products. Advertisement-based revenues generated through partnerships will also be key.
Said Sethi: "The pay-per-use model...is not for the system itself but premium components. Even in the free version, customers would be able to access components and content and pay if and only if they choose to use the premium components and for the time duration that they choose to use. That is a big advantage for all types of businesses – they do not have to invest upfront for components/features they are not sure whether they will use or not.
"Moreover, in the not-so-distant future, we are going to introduce the concept of creating your own components – create your own functionality and host that with us."
Communication tool
Sethi is keen to stress that the InfoSignz system is aimed at digital-signage users across the board rather than any one niche, but in practice who will employ it? According to Sethi, the majority of users expressing an interest are not looking to make money selling advertising space but rather to improve their communications.
"There is a market beyond in-store advertising networks and out-of-home TV networks," he said. "We have been approached by educational institutes, hospitals, and corporates for internal communication and conference-room messaging, stockbroking and financial companies. None of these clients have shown interest for selling advertising space but everyone has their agenda which they want to achieve through digital signage. It's a communication tool and not just an advertising tool."
In future, InfoSignz is planning to integrate digital signage with clients' existing enterprise data sources -- inventory systems, ticketing systems, Web feeds, billing and media management. "We go beyond just displaying this data. It is about making our screens intelligent to act upon this data," said Sethi.
He added: "Apart from doing time-based scheduling, we plan to introduce data-based scheduling in the near future. Easy integration into data systems is a key aspect – not only display data, but also act-upon data. So for example, if India reaches the finals of a Cricket World Cup, only then show a certain loop – that is what we are working towards and we hope to have that scheduling engine out in the next quarter."
Flash concerns
There has been some concern in the marketplace over InfoSignz' requirement that Adobe's Flash 9 player is used, and suggestions that unless the company has received special dispensation from Adobe, the use of the Flash Web player browser plug-in for digital signage is expressly prohibited by Adobe in its End User License Agreement (EULA), section 3.1.
According to Sethi, however, the EULA only states that the Flash Web player cannot be used on non-PC devices or those with embedded or device versions of operating systems, such as mobile phones or set-top boxes. By contrast, he said, "we provide our software for only PC-based systems with full operating systems".
Nevertheless, he added, "we are also working on other delivery mechanisms for customers who are not willing to use such plug-ins. That mechanism should be available in the next three to four weeks."
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great for free
Posted 19/02/08 10:35 by alook
unbelievable for Free.. Thank you Siddharth
Cool product
Posted 19/02/08 10:07 by Amit
It's interesting product that can be part of success for a restaurant to corporate office. Especially it can be used in media, entertainment and public spaces. It’s easy to use. I worked with one demo through Infosignz it’s cool.
It's free.... Amazing
Posted 19/02/08 06:33 by Gaurav Jain
I have created an account and explored the features of InfoSignz with the help of its quick tour and i came to a conclusion that it is simply superb product to use, for small as well as big names in the advertising world.
Good one...
Posted 19/02/08 05:49 by Raj' Kannan
Let's hope this brings some relief from putting too much of investment and maintenance cost of office display systems.
Product with good features
Posted 19/02/08 05:46 by Dhavan Rathore
It looks like it will be very usefull and will provide lot of features which can be used by different type of industries and will help them to spread the information all orver the world. Really, it is a new revoluation in the world of communication.
New revolution in ad world
Posted 19/02/08 05:43 by Rafat
This is a new revolution and beginning of new epoch in ad world, todays cutthroat contention in corporate world software like InfoSignz for promotion of their product would be a great help.As InfoSignz is a freeware it would be a bless for medium size business organization.
InfoSignz
Posted 19/02/08 05:14 by Shahnawaz Khan
Its a nice digital display management system.And a cool user interface.
Interesting development in Digital Signage world
Posted 18/02/08 07:27 by Avinash
This is an interesting development in digital signage world where most of the players offer their digital signage software and hardware solutions for a fee. With InfoSignz being offered free, it will become first choice amongst OOH players and screen owners.