Wayne,
Here is the AVAL press release that many have been anxiously
waiting for as to update shareholders and interested parties.
News June 24, 12:51 Eastern Time
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA (June 24) BUSINESS WIRE -June 24,
1998-- Avalon Group, Inc. today announced its new line of
Internet-ready, interactive multimedia kiosks being
launched under the brand name X-po!(TM) . The kiosk is a
state-of-the-art touchscreen terminal that uses standard
personal computer architecture and Internet
communications/network protocols. This product provides a
direct link between a consumer and specialized
information, or encourages the intelligent purchase of
products and services by the consumer.
X-po! is being marketed to distributors, systems
integrators and to customers across a variety of vertical
markets. Applications include: airline ticketing in
airports; dissemination of health information in
physician and hospital clinics; member services in
fitness centers and gyms; parts catalogs and automotive
retail stores; product catalogs in shopping malls; and
other high-traffic or targeted retail locations.
Initial kiosk units already have been sold and
discussions with potential customers have been underway
for several months. Many customers see the kiosks as a
way to increase sales of products and services and/or
reduce the amount of time that their own employees need
to spend with customers for routine inquiries or
transactions.
X-po! kiosks are designed as an all-in-one unit with the
computer and the flatscreen monitor housed in a single,
portable casing. X-po! terminals provide a competitive
advantage by offering a smaller, less obtrusive footprint
that is ideal for desktop or wall mounting in locations
where space is at a premium such as hotels, physician
clinics, gas stations, retail stores, pharmacies, etc.
The modular system design allows for expansion through
the addition of peripheral devices and display
enclosures, if the units are placed in larger
environments where space is not a concern and higher
visibility is important to attract attention.
X-po! kiosks are capable of displaying full-motion,
full-screen video and stereo sound with enough storage to
contain three full-length digitized movies or millions of
pages of text and graphics. Since the units are
Internet-ready and carry a wide variety of built-in
network capabilities, they offer added flexibility over
other, similar units on the market today.
Other advantages offered by X-po! include proprietary
hardware and software technological advancements and
aesthetic enhancements such as a patented ceramic
composite housing, which enables the Company to offer
customized shapes, colors and finishes at a significantly
lower cost than traditional plastic or metal housings.
The company has launched the product range at a
cost-competitive price, linked with a subsidized business
model that allows customers for the kiosks to participate
in revenue sharing programs.
"This Internet-ready, interactive kiosk is the right
product at exactly the right time for today's business
marketplace," says Ron Green, Avalon Group, Inc.
president & CEO. "The launch of the X-po! product line
permits Avalon to begin a determined sales and marketing
effort over the medium and long term to build revenues
for the company.
"Although the kiosk market in general has had a varied
history over the past few years, newer technologies,
improved communications and lower price points are
fueling a renaissance in kiosk adoption by a wide variety
of customers.
"We believe that the much-reported boom in the kiosk
market is large enough, and durable enough, to support a
number of kiosk vendors. Avalon has positioned itself to
be one of the first companies to combine all of these
features and customer-focused needs in one product line.
Even a market share of less than 1 percent of the
estimated North American kiosk shipments over the next
few years will allow the Company to achieve its business
forecasts."
Avalon Group, Inc. has recently reorganized its resources
to be able to concentrate on the introduction of the
X-po! product line. Originally intended for the
healthcare market, the X-po! terminals received so much
attention from developers and potential customers in
other markets that the Company decided to exploit this
interest by placing more attention on selling kiosks,
content and related sponsorship opportunities in a more
generic form. The Company is currently developing
relationships with a number of large strategic partners
to complement its own sales and technology teams. This
shift in emphasis places Avalon Group, Inc. more in the
role of a technology company than its previous direction
as a healthcare publishing company. This significantly
broadens the market opportunity and revenue potential for
the Company. Stock symbol: OTC Bulletin Board(R): AVAL
X-po! is a trademark of Avalon Group, Inc.
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