We are not sure where Mark Greenhalgh is (actually) taking this, as we don’t think Tapinto [1] is particularly unique or innovative but he is certainly making a lot of noise, talking about a lot of foreign interest and meeting a lot of people.
Mark’s former venture Cabtivate [2] that went into receivership leaving a lot or Edinburgh taxi drivers unhappy has already returned having been bought by the Russian outfit IMTV on 19th December 2007 – as reported by us exclusively a few weeks before that [3].
In a recent (separate) press release from IMTV [4] they gave some clues as to where they wanted to go with Cabtivate in the UK (at least)…
Tony Yammine, CEO of IMTV, explains that there were several commercial and technological issues facing the original offering which meant there had been some reluctance from taxi drivers to get involved with the project.
“I am delighted to say that we have solved all these issues and the company is now ready to roll,” says Yammine.
The system will be fitted in black cab networks in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and London and has also received approval from local authorities for installation in networks in Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield, Nottingham, Reading and Swindon.
Anyway, make up your own mind about Tapinto; today’s Press Release from them is below and you can see Tapinto on stand C47 at Screen Expo Europe.
TAPINTO LAUNCHES SITE TO COPE WITH INTERNATIONAL DEMAND
The company behind a bespoke in-car touch screen directory system has upgraded its website to cope with increased international interest in its product.
The revolutionary Tapinto system is now available to customers across the globe after being pioneered in private hire cars in Edinburgh.
The website – www.tapinto.info [5] – can be translated into 7 languages and includes live demonstrations of each of the product’s functions; the local directory, audio visual capabilities, the split screen and the visual only feature.
Tapinto’s presence on the world stage has also been cemented by exhibiting at Europe’s largest digital signage and out of home TV event showcasing the latest developments in digital signage, media networks, interactive technology and content Screen Expo 2008 at Stand C47.
It represents a breakthrough for the company having spent the past 12 months developing and perfecting the interactive system, which can screen varied content from full audio and vision to static ‘web’ pages as well as offering special Bluetooth downloads.
Tapinto Managing Director Mark Greenhalgh said launching the new website, designed by 1st Class Media, is a significant one for the company. He said: “This new site makes discovering the capabilities of the Tapinto system so accessible. It will open us up to new markets and help us make the product a global one.
“Potential network owners are now able to see exactly what the system does at the touch of a button.
“It is a much needed marketing tool. This is the best way for Tapinto to make its products available internationally and to keep our potential customers up to date with further developments as they become available.”
“There is a large international market looking for systems like ours and the best and most cost effective way of introducing our hardware and software solutions is via the internet.”
Tapinto is already making a name for itself internationally having received requests for information, meetings and demonstrations in N. Ireland, Rep of Ireland, UAE, Malta, Netherlands, Pakistan, South Africa, Germany, Greece, and the US and Mark is confident this is just the beginning of making a global network of Tapinto systems.
He said: “We have spent the past few months developing and road testing the system and now we are in a position to roll it out across the globe by showcasing the work we have done in Edinburgh.”
“We already have significant interest from owners of private hire firms and other companies in the UK and overseas but the Screen Expo Europe 2008 will be the first chance we have to get the system in front of such a huge audience of potential customers.”
“And now we have grown into the kind of company we were actually looking for when we started developing Tapinto.”
“The beauty of Tapinto is that it is flexible enough to offer a fully bespoke in-car package with everything from supplying the hardware and software to managing and maintaining our clients network on their behalf or giving someone wants to run their own network the tools tools and training to do so.”
“In short, it is the perfect solution for anyone looking to set up an in-car network.”
The system works by fitting private hire cars with a special headrest containing an 8-inch touch screen to provide news, weather and sports updates, advertising opportunities and public information for residents and visitors to any city.
Mark added: “Of course other people elsewhere in the world have developed screen systems, but they are usually for use in their own company or vehicle fleet. Nobody has developed a system that can be supplied to anybody, anywhere in the world for whatever they want to use it for.”
Check out also, the system that Cabvision [6] use and the EnQii / Digital View Media system that powers Info Ecran [7] in Paris.