The premier British parenting lifestyle company Maclaren recently asked Three Byte Intermedia, a custom software studio specializing in innovative AV solutions, to develop an in-store digital catalog that runs on Apple iPad. Maclaren is known worldwide for its line of baby buggies, strollers, carriers and personal care products for mothers and children.
Three Byte faced a number of challenges in crafting the catalog for Maclaren showrooms where the iPads act as digital signage displays. "The requirements were intense," recalls principal Olaaf Rossi. "We had a four-week turnaround and needed to develop a content management system to push updates remotely and functionality that would prevent users from exiting the app to browse the web or play Angry Birds."
Three Byte built the catalog on its ActiveDeck product, a proprietary cloud-based service that enables PowerPoint to function as CMS. Three Byte also authored the content in PowerPoint and built a sync mechanism to replicate it to all of Maclaren's iPads.
"ActiveDeck is an easy way to push rich, attention-grabbing media to iPads," Rossi explains. Its features include pop-up menus, video playback and a time-triggered idle mode to attract users to the iPad screens.
"Because ActiveDeck is controlled by the widely-used PowerPoint, Maclaren's staff can let customers know about the company's latest products without learning new software," he points out. Maclaren manages the custom iPad catalog by simply modifying PowerPoint slides and clicking a sync button that updates the catalog on all of its iPads.
Maclaren already rolled out the new catalog to seven iPads in its Hong Kong showroom. The company plans to introduce the catalog to the U.S. in its New York showroom before rolling it out across the country.
About Three Bye Intermedia
Three Byte Intermedia (www.3-byte.com) specializes in the design and implementation of innovative AV solutions for challenging projects of all sizes. It offers custom software development, show control systems design and development, architectural design support, AV systems design and integration, and systems engineering. For more information, visit http://3-byte.com/.