Latest News Story's from Sedao
Release Date - 25/05/2009
Devon firm aims to upstage new apprentice
A UK firm thinks Sir Alan Sugar is no fool when, for the second year running, his latest apprentice is tasked in his new digital signage division.
Sedao today suggested that, when you consider that he's targeted last year's apprentice at petrol station forecourts and this year's at GP surgeries, then he obviously knows something big has happened in digital signage.
Both areas have seen catastrophic business failures, with Forecourt TV losing ten of millions before its demise and dozens of other companies suffering the same demise in sectors including doctors' surgeries.
Less than a week after Yasmina's appointment, Sedao - the software company based in North Devon that has been pioneering digital signage technology for the last 5 years - announced the culmination of its work to take digital signage out the realms of advertisers and in to the mainstream.
Rapidly evolving requirements
David Oades, Managing Director of Sedao explained: "Five years ago digital signage was the exclusive domain of big outdoor advertisers and most of them couldn't make a business from it because of the massive costs. Today it's not just about advertising, it has relevance to all sorts of people. While there are many companies who are still working on re-inventing business models that failed in the past, in most cases they're simply too late.
"Using modern digital LCD TVs to inform, educate and entertain people can be achieved without advertising. Whether it's a primary school using their reception screen and IT suite to create their own School TV channel, the local pub showing photos of the Sunday league match at the same time as their menu, or a local church creating a community notice board it's all the same concept - creating your own digital signage TV channel."
He continued: "With our technology you can create your own digital signage so cheaply you don't need it sponsored by adverts. If you do want to make some advertising revenue then you can create and add your own adverts in seconds giving you the revenue, but 99% of our customer don't. They don't want someone else's adverts or promotions for fizzy drink in their reception."
Facilitating mainstream accessibility
The firm this week announced a three-pronged release of new technology and pricing which it said was designed to put digital signage firmly on the mainstream map, not just for those like Sir Alan who are looking for advertisers.
It is offering unlimited site software licensing and free Sedao RSS news feeds, to enable users to publish their own news channels, complete with pictures.
And in areas where signage consists just of electronic posters for major brands, Oades added that Sedao even has an answer for that. "Our new Screen saver technology SOS is aimed at letting schools and businesses use every PC they own as digital signage, creating electronic posters all updated from the internet," he explained. "The same technology could be used by advertisers to update a million digital screens in a few seconds, for pennies per screen. It's really very simple."