According to the most recent market studies, photo books are rapidly becoming one of the most requested products in the retail photo market. Projections from Photofinishing News forecast that during 2006 more than 30 million photo books will be printed worldwide. Other data from the 2006 PMA Digital Imaging Survey say that among US households that requested custom products, more than 30% get photo book. This growing trend finally demonstrates that in the era of digital photography consumers don’t print less, they just print differently and require new products, new ways of preserving and sharing their images.
Consumers are still fascinated by printed images but at the same time, to get their images out of their PCs, they need more complete and attractive products, possibly made rapidly at retail. Photo books at kiosk are the right answer for satisfying these new consumer’s needs and represent a good profit opportunity for retailers.
Embracing this growing trend, Oblò Multimedia (www.oblo.biz), the leading European developer of advanced multimedia kiosk systems for retailers, has created the new Book system for making photo books and other specialty products at retail.
"We introduced our Book service earlier this year in the European market and it has been very well received by both consumers and photo retailers", says Raffaella Manca VP Marketing & Strategies, "our photo books are appreciated by consumers because they are not an anonymous collection of images: we invested a lot of time in making the right graphics tailored to the various occasions. Creating a great photo book is now far easier and more fun for consumers! With our Book system, retailers don’t need to buy special equipment, they just use their minilab to create stunning photo books, printed on premium photo paper."
Oblò photo books can be created by consumers at kiosks or on a PC workstation, through a few easy steps, thanks to the unique themed templates and the auto-composition software.
Book features the proprietary FaceMatic technology for the automatic positioning of images. Oblò’s face detection technology allows users to quickly create a photo book with their images positioned correctly. FaceMatic saves up to 50% of the time generally needed to manually fit images into books!
Book incorporates more than 200 pages of original designs and interactive layouts. The variety of themes (from "classic" to "cool", "holiday", "childhood", etc.), let customers create unique memories, making sure their special event isn’t forgotten! Customers can then personalise their books selecting different sizes and various colours for the cover, editing title, adding captions, enhancing images and dragging & dropping photos in different layouts.
Photo books are available in different formats from 6"x9" to 8"x12" and more and can be printed on either single- or double- sided pages. Oblò books have a professional look provided through the careful selection of high quality Italian-style supplies. The hard-bound covers with their soft touch feel, available in different colours and sizes, are supplied together with metallic spirals and stickers for trouble free binding operations. The finished photo book can be produced at store by retailer in few minutes, utilising a simple wire binder.
In addition, only with Book retailers can differentiate themselves from competitors offering the photo book concept combined with the Oblò patented Youontv DVD service.
Customers will love sharing their photo books with family and friends and viewing them on television with the Hollywood-style DVD disc incorporating not only the pages from the photo book, but also videoclips and music!
The archive of original images for reprinting, included in each disc, increases customer’s loyalty. The software workflow is designed to automatically offer to consumers the DVD up-sell at kiosk, to maximise retailer profitability. The combination of photo book and DVD services makes the Oblò Book system a real high value product, extremely profitable for retailers.
Book software is integrated into the MOVO, our new multimedia kiosk which features all multimedia and specialty printing services and it can also be installed in all other Oblò kiosks. In addition this powerful software suite makes it possible for retailers to operate multiple photo book workstations from any PCs. In addition, the complete photo book software with the full Oblò kiosk software suite (OK Order Kiosk Software & Book Software) is available for upgrading existing kiosks already installed by any manufacturer.
The Oblò Book software suite is also available for OEM licensing applications.
During Photokina, Book application will be demonstrated at the Oblò booth (Hall 10.2, Stand B20 / C21).
In addition, as part of the "Imaging with mobile devices" seminar program on September 28th, sponsored by Photo Imaging News and IMI Europe, Oblò Multimedia will present a paper on "Creating photo books through kiosks", to emphasize our firm belief that retailers still play the key role in the photo imaging industry and kiosks are their best ally. For information and registration visit: http://www.imieurope.com
About Oblò Multimedia
Oblò Multimedia srl, based in Spilimbergo, Italy, is an innovative imaging company that specializes in multimedia digital photo kiosks, designed for retailers. Oblò’s mission is to provide leading edge products and software to the Info-Imaging market, supported by ongoing research and development of concepts that combine technology, creativity, and ergonomic design.
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