Redbox increases footprint

DVD kiosk provider Redbox has reached a deal to place DVD rental kiosks in more than 2 000 Walgreen stores, expanding its total retail presence industry wide to over 11 000 locations in the United State, reports Reuters.

Redbox, owned by Coinstar, McDonald's and private investors, said it will install about 1 800 additional kiosks at Walgreens stores in 2008 and 2009, in addition to the 250 currently available at Walgreens.

The Walgreens deal follows closely on a similar agreement to install about 2 700 Redbox kiosks in Wal-Mart Stores, beginning in 2008, the company said.

Hong Kong sports lovers can now make use of Leisure Link's self-service kiosks at 47 Leisure and Cultural Services Department venues to book leisure facilities or enrol in programmes, states News.gov.hk.

Users can enquire about and enrol in leisure programmes run by the department. Those who have been notified of successful enrolment in the programmes can settle payment and collect acknowledgement slips through the kiosks.

Other services provided by the self-service kiosks include booking residential, day and evening camps; settling payment for leisure facilities or programmes reserved through the department's phone booking service; applying for reallocation of leisure facility sessions and making supplementary payments on the spot for the use of facilities.

Self-service technology could see the main libraries in south Northants open for an extra 26 hours per week, says Buckingham Today.

Northants County Council recently implemented a public consultation into the proposals which would see books at Brackley and Towcester libraries fitted with Radio Frequency Identification tags.

The tags mean customers will be able to scan their chosen books in and out themselves and can return books to any county library using the technology.