RedPost announces next phase of it's Ubuntu-based DIY hardware platform
Aug 4th, 19:48 UTC
Updated all-in-one hardware running Linux is hacker-ready
Goshen, Ind. -- Today, RedPost inc. announced the next phase of its Ubuntu-driven hardware with the formation of a strategic partnership with Hurco Automation Ltd., a Taiwan-based industrial computer manufacturer with a twelve year history of building specialized, quality electronics. Hurco will manufacture RedPost's new Sign, a 19" all-in-one PC with the capability of a digital photo frame or as a digital sign when connected to RedPost's software.
Eric Kanagy, CEO, founded the company in February of 2007. "The hardware's industry-standard, our OS, called Wicker, is based on Ubuntu, and our web-based software is built with Ruby on Rails. Open source makes a startup like ours possible. Without it, we'd be stuck with a lot of money invested in Microsoft products, instead of in development."
The RedPost/Kit, a do-it-yourself digital photo frame kit, launched in June of 2007. The Sign(beta) followed this past April with the production grade version of the Sign shipping this October. The Sign includes a 19" LCD, a VIA motherboard with 1.5 GHz C7 microprocessor and 1 GB of memory, built-in wifi and a 1 year warranty.
RedPost also announced today a major upgrade to Wicker, the customized-Ubuntu that runs on every Sign. Wicker is available for download at http://sourceforge.net/projects/redpost/ and is now running Ubuntu 8.04 and Firefox 3.
Kanagy is an avid believer in the power of the open source community. "There's been a lot of buzz recently about open source hardware, with companies like BugLabs leading the charge and most recently an in depth thread on TechCrunch. We're contributing to the mix by keeping our hardware efforts standards-based and built on Linux. Most of our early adopters found us because we're not locking everything down like Sony."
Hurco Automation formed in 1996 as a joint venture between U.S.-based Hurco Companies and Taiwan-based Tycoon Enterprise. Hurco's background in industrial electronics engineering gives the company a unique advantage in producing the Sign to the highest quality standards.
Because every Sign runs Firefox, the open source web browser, anything that appears on the web, including text, graphics, Flash animation and short video clips, can appear on a Sign, organized into simple playlists through RedPost's software.
According to Kanagy, "One of the biggest challenges a startup faces is staying focused. RedPost is a software company, but by necessity, we've been building hardware to fill an unmet need in the market. After an exhaustive 18 month search process, we've finally found an expert hardware partner who frees us to stay focused on what we're good at -- our software."
The combination of Hurco Automation's industrial hardware experience and RedPost's easy-to-use software gives entrepreneurs, coffee-shop owners, retailers, non-profits, and colleges and universities an affordable, simple way to enhance communication at the neighborhood level.
According to Kanagy, "At $699, the Sign shatters the price barrier for digital signs, which has hovered above the $1,000-2,000 mark for the past 5 years. With our $59, 24 month lease program, digital signs now cost the same as a cell phone, instead of as much as a car payment."
Pricing on the Sign is $699. RedPost's software starts at $15/Sign/month. A $59, 24 month lease-to-own option, which includes software costs, is also available. The Sign begins shipping in October while the Sign(beta) continues to ship through September, priced at $599. Supply on the new Sign is limited and pre-orders are currently being accepted.
RedPost is planning a launch party for October 3, to be held in Downtown Goshen.
Easy, low-cost and local
Among other uses, RedPost serves as an ideal vehicle to deliver low-cost advertising in a very localized way. It functions as an iTunes-like website through which local businesses and organizations can quickly and easily promote events, exhibits, products and services. These customers or clients essentially submit their electronic poster, which can consist of multiple views, pay for it online, and have it quickly scheduled for the signs' playlists.
The RedPost user can use the software to easily create posters and handle all customer payments and system management automatically. So it is essentially the same as giving money to someone to pass out a bunch of posters around the neighborhood. In fact, it's even simpler than that, because you don't have to print the posters!
"This is all simple, proven, off-the-shelf technology," said Kanagy. "We've just repackaged it in a new way that makes this kind of communication very easy and inexpensive. We designed the software and hardware components of the system to just do what they're supposed to do."
"We think this is a path digital signage is primed to take: the digital equivalent of anybody who can draw up an ink-and-poster-board sign and stick it on bulletin boards around town. We want grandma to be able to do it for her church social as well as the corporate officer for the company's headquarters. Museums, campuses, hospitals, retirement villages -- there is an endless list of institutions and businesses as well as neighborhood locales that can make great use of this. But the key is keeping it simple and affordable."
Currently a number of institutions and organizations, including Purdue University, Argonne National Laboratory and other retail, non-profit, and hospitality locations have been engaged as beta test sites for RedPost. The company's backyard in Goshen, Ind., has been the primary proving ground, where RedPost has forged a role as a new communication medium for community events.
More information is available at http://www.theredpost.com/.
About Hurco Automation
Hurco Automation Ltd. was founded by Hurco Companies, U.S.A and Tycoon Enterprise, Taiwan in 1996. Its core engineering team came from the industrial controls sector of ITRI, Taiwan. Since the first day, the company is targeted at growing to be a Complete PC Based Industrial Automation Solution Provider. More information is available at http://www.pcbased.com.
About RedPost
Founded in February of 2007, RedPost inc. is a start-up software company out of Goshen, Ind., that aims to replace the world's bulletin boards with digital signs.
(Submitted by Eric Kanagy of RedPost inc.)
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