Apple is inviting reporters to an event next week to see what it calls “our latest creation,” which is thought to be a tablet-style touch-screen computer.

The company email offered no specifics about what it would display at the invitation-only January 27 event in San Francisco.

But it comes amid speculation that Apple is close to unveiling the gadget that is bigger than an iPhone but smaller than a standard laptop.

Tablets are one-piece computers with big screens and no keyboards. Such devices have been around since the early 1990s, but haven’t seen much success in the mainstream.

The real questions will be asked after the launch, when focus will fall on who will be providing what types of content (music, magazines, video, games, books etc) for Apple’s new slate.

Recent rumours have suggested that Apple is currently in talks with HarperCollins and a number of other major book publishers suggesting the tablet will be looking to straddle the eReader market.

This month, we are excited to be exhibiting our three off the shelf kiosk designs at the KioskCom Self Service Expo 2009.

Starting on the 30th September at the Olympia in London, we will be exhibiting our Xen Kiosk Series for visitors to view and order on the same day. 

As well as exhibiting our multifunctional kiosk, Protouch’s managing director, Tom Quarry will be taking part in the education programme, holding a seminar at 1.45pm-2.15pm on the 30th September called ‘EPoS for the store of the future.’

Tom will discuss Protouch’s award winning EPoS kiosk hardware, focusing on the Kiddicare case study. Attendees will learn how our award winning kiosk managed more customers with less staff costs, as well as increasing customer spend and enhancing the sales processed in store.

Our stand will be based at 162 and will display the wall mountable Xen X4, the award winning slim floor standing Xen X5 and the larger floor standing Xen X6.

All users and resellers are encouraged to come along to our stand to talk to our team about their kiosk needs. We have a wide range of applications that can be installed onto the kiosks to make them relevant to each business such as: an Internet kiosk, ticket kiosk, payment kiosk, information kiosk, card dispensing kiosk and much more.

We at Protouch want to meet the extremely wide need for self service kiosks and make kiosk deployment simple. Our kiosks offer numerous accessory combinations which can easily be modified, at any time.

Customers simply select what they want, choose their accessories and graphics; resulting in a fully customised kiosk.

Our kiosks on display have already proven themselves to be successful products in varying industry sectors. Refined over the last nine years each kiosk is set to meet three specific economies of scale; quality, price and reliability, suitable for end users and retailers.

This strategy has seen us achieve a top quality kiosk system in the award winning and innovative Xen X5 Kiddicare Kiosk, which will be fully explained in Tom’s kiosk seminar.

As well as the kiosk seminar and exhibition, we will also be taking part in the Minicom Digital Signage Expert Tour KioskCom. This free tour will provide an overview of a selection of carefully hand-picked exhibitors, following the accurate path of the digital signage supply chain.

From content creation to digital measure ment, the tour will outline how they fit into the overall Digital Signage Puzzle.

The tour has been specifically designed to give visitors a bird’s eye view of the overall application by providing the full end-to-end story with real live demos of each piece in the puzzle, and overview of the solution which visitors would not normally get. Visitors can sign up for the tour here.

Touchscreen manufacturer Protouch will be exhibiting their touchscreen and kiosk systems at KioskCom Europe 2009.

Taking place at the Olympia Exhibition Centre, London on September 31st and October 1st, attendees can expect to see a the very best kiosk, touchscreen and digital signage manufacturers showcase their collections across the two-day event.

The exhibition returns to London for the 4th extremely successful year and aims to introduce businesses from all industry sectors to the self service world, demonstrating innovation, education and the best self service companies the industry has to offer.

The two-day exhibition will see 85 exhibitors allow businesses the opportunity to touch and try working examples of the solutions they have offer. Guests will also receive free tailored advice for their company’s size and budget, have the chance to network with their peers as well as receiving a full briefing on the latest technology on offer.

The exhibiton is ideal for people who are in charge of improving customer service, people who ensure their company stays ahead of new technology or people who are key decision makers within a company.

People who work in retail, hospitality and catering, travel and tourism, transport, banking/financial services/insurance, leisure and attractions, Government and Local Authority, Logistics and Transport, Building/Real Estate/Facilities Management, photographic services or health care will gain a wide range of knowledge about self service systems and how they can work for their business.

Throughout the exhibition guests can expect to see, ATM’s, bespoke use kiosks, check in/check out kiosks, digital signage systems, information kiosks, photo kiosks, self service checkouts plus many more technology solutions to benefit their business.

Full details about the event, including details of each exhibitor, how to get to the event as well as self service industry news can be found at the KioskCom Europe website.

To attend the KioskCom 2009 Exhibition click here to register you and your company for FREE!

Protouch are a touchscreen manufacturer and distributor who supply touch screenkiosks, monitors & PCs, EPoS systems and large format digital signage across all industries.

They have already won two EPoS awards for their revolutionary in store kiosk solutions and do everything from in store payment, ordering, product look up, receipt / ticket printing, RFID, Bluetooth and more.

For more information about their products and services visit the Protouch website today.

Protouch have been shortlisted at the Retail Week Technology Awards for their innovative self service kiosk range, for No.1 UK nursery supplier, Kiddicare.
The X5 Kiddicare kiosks have been shortlisted, alongside three other entries, to win the EPoS Intitiative Award.
The touch screen technology was created by Protouch ad K3, using the award-winning Xen X5, to provide greater functionality and clear benefits to both Kiddicare’s business and its customers.
The awards ceremony is due to take place on June 16th at the prestigious London Hilton on Park Lane, which will see hundreds of experts and professionals in the technology retail industry come together to celebrate the developments of innovative technology.
Tom Quarry, Managing Director of Protouch, said, “This is the third time we have been shortlisted for an award and we are delighted at the success of the kiosks and the industries recognition that we are leading the way for in-store EPoS kiosks solutions.
“We are continually working alongside other companies to provide solutions for their customers’ retail needs and are now developing new EPoS solutions such as are new Xen X4, which is being trialled by several big brands and looks to have great success also.”