Contact Information: Contact: Erin Doherty Four Winds Interactive 720-259-5060 Heidi Zimmerman USA TODAY 703-854-5304
Four Winds Interactive and USA TODAY Enter Into Digital Signage Business Arrangement
| Source: Four Winds Interactive
DENVER, CO--(Marketwire - November 20, 2008) - Four Winds Interactive and USA TODAY have
partnered on a digital
signage initiative that will bring an unprecedented digital concierge
to each new and redesigned lobby in the Courtyard by Marriott® brand.
Debuting late last year as a prototype, the GoBoard™ acts as an
interactive digital information center for guests, showcasing live news
from USA TODAY and running off of the Four Winds Interactive digital signage software
platform. Now available in eight hotels, Courtyard expects to rollout the
GoBoard and lobby redesign at 150 hotels by the end of 2009.
Located next to the welcome podiums in the new Courtyard lobby, the GoBoard
is displayed on a 57" LCD touch screen and is the technological centerpiece
of the lobby redesign. The Four Winds Interactive digital signage software
system supports the various types of content being displayed on the
screen including USA TODAY, Microsoft® Virtual Earth™, weather, and
local events, and then pushes them out to be viewed and interacted with by
the Courtyard guest.
Live USA TODAY news, money, sports, life, and scores serve as a centerpiece
on the GoBoard as well as a 3-day weather forecast, live stock market
quotes and airport delays. Microsoft Virtual Earth displays an
interactive map identifying local points of interest and near-by
restaurants, making the GoBoard the ideal tool for the business traveler
who is not familiar with the local surroundings. Developed specifically
for the Courtyard brand by Four Winds Interactive and
USA TODAY, the GoBoard gives the user control over the output on the
screen, making it an excellent tool to customize offerings based on guest
preferences.
Four Winds Interactive President David Levin stated, "The partnership with
USA TODAY and the development of the GoBoard have been major initiatives
throughout our entire company. The buzz surrounding the GoBoard project
and its impact on the Courtyard guest experience have been phenomenal.
It's a great honor to work with Marriott and a privilege to be aligned with
USA TODAY on such a groundbreaking initiative."
Jeff Webber, SVP and Publisher of USATODAY.com stated, "USA TODAY has had a
longstanding relationship with Marriott and the Courtyard brand by offering
news and information products to guests. We are excited to work together
with Marriott and Four Winds Interactive to create additional products that
provide value to guests and keep them connected while they are traveling."
About Four Winds Interactive
www.fourwindsinteractive.com
Located in Denver, CO, Four Winds Interactive offers a full-service
Interactive Digital Signage (iDS) software platform that turns LCD and
Plasma displays into a flexible, reliable, easy to use digital signage
network. With the iDS software platform, users get an easy to use digital
signage system that demonstrates the flexibility to customize content and
features to an individual client's needs. iDS leverages familiar Microsoft
programs and integrates with multiple live data types, giving the system a
truly unique competitive advantage. From single sign implementations to
enterprise-wide solutions, the software offers the scalability to expand at
any time and still utilize only one content manager interface. Offering a
comprehensive feature set including a drag and drop user interface,
multi-user security, broad content support and interactivity, the iDS
software package is a universal solution for any user's digital signage
needs.
About USA TODAY
USA TODAY is the nation's top-selling newspaper. It is published via
satellite at 34 locations in the USA and at four sites abroad. With a
total average daily circulation of 2.3 million, USA TODAY is available
worldwide. USA TODAY is published by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE : GCI ). The USA
TODAY brand also includes: USATODAY.com, an award-winning news and
information Web site that is updated 24 hours per day; USA TODAY Sports
Weekly, a magazine for enthusiasts of college and professional football and
baseball; USA TODAY Mobile, offering up-to-the minute news and information
on a variety of mobile platforms and devices; and USA TODAY LIVE, the
television arm of the USA TODAY brand that brings the spirit and quality of
the newspaper to television.