Trade Show Report It’s never a dull moment in the amusement business, but last week’s Amusement Expo International show in Las Vegas pushed the industry’s excitement into a higher gear. Attendees at the Las Vegas Convention Center indulged in a barrage of gamification innovations – personalization technologies such as immersive reality, AI holograms and avatars – that augment… Read More »
Photo provided by the National Retail Federation. NRF Big Show 2026 Report One would be guilty of hyperbole to say that the NRF Big Show in New York City has become the largest self-service technology show in the world. But a veteran attendee can certainly say the number of unattended service exhibits has surged every year, driven by… Read More »
Photo provided by the Consumer Technology Association. Tech Report from Las Vegas Everyone knows AI is changing the way we live. What became obvious walking the CES show this week is that everything from making the morning coffee to using the toilet to knowing the best route to get to wherever you’re going when you leave the house… Read More »
Photo provided by the Consumer Technology Association. CES 2026 to highlight booming tech investment, announces record innovation awards Economic uncertainty hangs across much of the globe, but technology remains on the march. AI spending will continue to rise in 2026, with 68% of CEOs increasing investment, according to Teneo, the CEO advisory firm. Next week’s CES show in Las… Read More »
Service and Vending Much has been reported about new capabilities of self service equipment thanks to technology, but when it comes to vending, one maxim has never changed since the time Hero of Tesibus is believed to have invented a coin-operated machine to dispense sacrificial water in ancient Egypt: Service makes the difference. In vending industry parlance, “service”… Read More »
Removing Self-Checkout by Walmart Buzz The only thing more popular than Taylor Swift’s music industry influence might be Walmart and it’s Self-Checkout units. Maybe close to 100,000 installed across the world? Cash cow for NCR for sure (but here comes Zebra…). Toshiba isn’t exactly laying down either. Fact is over the last 12 months Walmart has removed self-checkout… Read More »
Betson Enterprises, a provider of amusement and skill games, is expanding its national footprint with a new office in La Vista, Nebraska, to meet the growing demand for skill games in the state. Having successfully established a strong presence in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, Betson is poised to replicate its success in Nebraska with the introduction of innovative… Read More »
Food Automation and Robotics Chipotle and Cava are coming together—setting aside rivalry—to invest $25 million in Hyphen, a food automation startup focused on kitchen robotics for fast-casual dining. Chipotle’s Cultivate Next fund led with $15 million, and Cava contributed $5 million upfront with another $5 million pledged contingent on terms. This is Cava’s first major step into kitchen… Read More »
Customer experience, theft prevention, inventory transparency and more take center stage RetailNOW panel explores rising RFID use cases With technologies improving many aspects of retail operations, one longtime standby not to be overlooked thanks to its convenience and versatility is radio frequency identification (RFID). Best known for simplifying inventory management, RFID has evolved to improve the customer experience… Read More »
AI on the move RetailNow panel calls tech players to action Anyone active in the retail space knows that AI, in addition to improving the customer experience, is changing many if not most retail functions. In order for retailers to adapt to this new reality, they need the support of technology providers and a game plan for introducing… Read More »
