Category Archives: Kiosk Newsbits

Kiosk manufacturer news

Kiosk Industry is the news engine for the Kiosk Manufacturer Association or KMA, a global, cause-based, not-for-profit organization focused on better self-service for customers and employees through kiosks and information technology (IT). Kiosk Industry Association leads efforts to optimize self-service engagements and engagement outcomes using information technology such as kiosks.

The Kiosk Industry Group acts as the professional news and marketing website for the kiosk and self-service industry. We are funded by those companies for the benefit of developers, resources and client companies interested in self-service, kiosks, thin or internet terminals and POS systems. News about the industry and by the industry that is relevant to companies looking to utilize self-service, and companies which assist in doing just that (hardware, software and application).

Kiosk research – Airport Kiosks Market 2015-2022

Research on demand — The global airport kiosks market was valued at US$ 248.7 Mn in 2014 and is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 16.1% from 2015 to 2022 reaching a value of US$ 8151 Mn in 2022. 

The growing demand for self-service among the passengers is one of the major factors which is bolstering the growth of airport kiosks market worldwide. This is primarily supported by rising passenger traffic, which is encouraging airport passengers to increasingly look for various self-service solutions such as self-boarding, check-in, bag recovery, document scanning, and flight re-booking at the airports. Additionally, the market’s growth is accelerated by rising IT spending on airports because of increasing airport privatization. 

The global airport kiosks market growth is currently restricted by the deepening penetration of innovative portable computing devices, such as smartphones, iPads, and tablets. These devices are providing more freedom to passengers to get the flight status on demand and flight booking with mobile check-in facilities. The key market players profiled in this report include NCR Corporation, IER SAS, Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques (SITA), Toshiba Tec Corporation, Embross Group, Rockwell Collins Inc., Wincor Nixdorf International GmbH, MedinyX Corporation, Fujitsu Ltd., and KIOSK Information Systems. 

The global airport kiosks market has been segmented on the basis of components, applications, and geographical regions. On the basis of components, the market is classified into hardware, software, and services with the hardware segment leading the market in 2014, followed by the services and software segments. Demand for the hardware segment is majorly supported by increasing airport construction around the globe, which is encouraging the deployment of various kinds of interactive kiosks by the airport operators. 

On the basis of applications, the global airport kiosk market is classified into common-use self-service (CUSS), automated passport control (APC), baggage check-in, information, and others which include different retail kiosks and currency exchange kiosks (CEK). In 2014, CUSS led the global airport kiosks market in terms of revenue and is expected to follow this trend until 2022. Similarly, a substantial demand is expected to be seen for applications like APC, retail, and information kiosks owing to growing demand for border management solutions, information regarding flight status, ticket-booking, and on-demand dining facility at airports globally. 

North America headed the airport kiosks market in 2014, holding approximately 37% of the global market revenue share and is expected to continue the same trend during the forecast period from 2015 to 2022. The primary driver for the implementation of kiosks at airports in North America is the steadily rising number of travelers in the region. This is further reinforced by the growing use of APC kiosks at most of the airports in the U.S. Moreover, the rise of new airport development activities and with infrastructure upgrades are propelling demand for kiosks across Europe. 

Pricing:

Electronic (Single User): USD 4795
Electronic (1 – 5 Users): USD 7795
Electronic (Enterprisewide): USD 10795


For more information please click on: 
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/publication/m9lbtyq/airport_kiosks_market_global 

The growing demand for self-service among the passengers is one of the major factors which is bolstering the growth of airport kiosks market worldwide. This is primarily supported by rising passenger traffic, which is encouraging airport passengers to increasingly look for various self-service solutions such as self-boarding, check-in, bag recovery, document scanning, and flight re-booking at the airports. Additionally, the market’s growth is accelerated by rising IT spending on airports because of increasing airport privatization. 

The global airport kiosks market growth is currently restricted by the deepening penetration of innovative portable computing devices, such as smartphones, iPads, and tablets. These devices are providing more freedom to passengers to get the flight status on demand and flight booking with mobile check-in facilities. The key market players profiled in this report include NCR Corporation, IER SAS, Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques (SITA), Toshiba Tec Corporation, Embross Group, Rockwell Collins Inc., Wincor Nixdorf International GmbH, MedinyX Corporation, Fujitsu Ltd., and KIOSK Information Systems. 

The global airport kiosks market has been segmented on the basis of components, applications, and geographical regions. On the basis of components, the market is classified into hardware, software, and services with the hardware segment leading the market in 2014, followed by the services and software segments. Demand for the hardware segment is majorly supported by increasing airport construction around the globe, which is encouraging the deployment of various kinds of interactive kiosks by the airport operators. 

On the basis of applications, the global airport kiosk market is classified into common-use self-service (CUSS), automated passport control (APC), baggage check-in, information, and others which include different retail kiosks and currency exchange kiosks (CEK). In 2014, CUSS led the global airport kiosks market in terms of revenue and is expected to follow this trend until 2022. Similarly, a substantial demand is expected to be seen for applications like APC, retail, and information kiosks owing to growing demand for border management solutions, information regarding flight status, ticket-booking, and on-demand dining facility at airports globally. 

North America headed the airport kiosks market in 2014, holding approximately 37% of the global market revenue share and is expected to continue the same trend during the forecast period from 2015 to 2022. The primary driver for the implementation of kiosks at airports in North America is the steadily rising number of travelers in the region. This is further reinforced by the growing use of APC kiosks at most of the airports in the U.S. Moreover, the rise of new airport development activities and with infrastructure upgrades are propelling demand for kiosks across Europe. 

Pricing:

Electronic (Single User): USD 4795
Electronic (1 – 5 Users): USD 7795
Electronic (Enterprisewide): USD 10795

Kiosk Tips — Self-Service Contingency Planning

Kiosk Idle Timeout: What Happens When They Walk Away… Customers don’t always behave as we would expect when using our kiosks. In the context of software, this is referred to as the “happy path” where everything goes according to plan. As kiosk software developers we also must plan for what we’ll refer to as the “sad path.” This is when the… Read More »

PCI Kiosk vs EMV Kiosk

PCI Compliance vs EMV Compliance What’s the difference between PCI compliance kiosk and EMV compliance kiosk?  The short answer is they’re both guidelines for protecting cardholder data for the purpose preventing fraud, but they focus on different elements of the credit card transaction. “To clarify it even further and more simply, PCI is about making sure the card… Read More »

High-tech light therapy kiosk aims to combat Vitamin D deficiency, launches with clinical trials –

Vitamin D deficiency is one of most common health problems in the United States. Studies have found that as many as three-fourths of teens and adults in the U.S. may not be getting enough of the vitamin. Seattle-based startup Solius is working to combat that problem with a light therapy kiosk that…

Source: www.geekwire.com

The company enrolled 150 people in its initial clinical trial in the Seattle area, a step that is required before the device can be submitted for approval to the FDA. One kiosk in the trial was placed on Bainbridge Island, a 30-minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle, and another was placed at Joint Base Lewis-McCord, where Solius is working with the military on a clinical trial about war fighter readiness.

 

Hennessey said that the company didn’t seek out those with a vitamin D deficiency to take part in the trial. Rather, the company wanted to see who would self-refer to use the Solius device.

 

The user experience is entirely self-serve, though Hennessey said the company places the kiosks in areas like care centers where medical staff is nearby.

 We’re doing something that we believe will be better than any pharmaceutical drug, and we believe it’s the future of medicine.

Because the Solius is regulated as a non-invasive medical device, the process for FDA approval is more relaxed than for a pharmaceutical drug. Solius is not conducting a randomized clinical trial to test the device’s effectiveness, for example, something most drugs must go through before they reach the market.

https://www.geekwire.com/2018/high-tech-light-therapy-kiosk-aims-combat-vitamin-d-deficiency-launches-clinical-trials/

Under Armour Charging Kiosks for shoppers to store, charge phones

Under Armour is not in the phone charging business. Rather, the company has teamed with ChargeItSpot to provide kiosks where shoppers at Under Armour’s  Brand House stores, including in Baltimore, can store and charge their phones for free while shopping.

ChargeitSpot says it provides charging stations for retail stores, casinos, hospitals, malls, stadiums and other venues. The arrangement was confirmed by Under Armour.

The bright-red kiosks  in Under Armour stores depict the company’s logo.

Each kiosk contains eight charging compartments.  Shoppers enter their phone numbers and charge the device while shopping, then retrieve it by entering the phone number again.

Philadelphia-based ChargeItSpot offers a mobile app that can alert users when their phone battery is running low.

Source: www.baltimoresun.com

YVR’s BorderXpress Wins Airport Innovation of The Year

CAPA Centre for Aviation recognizes home-grown border clearance solution on the global stage

RICHMOND, BC, Oct. 7,…

Source: www.prnewswire.com

RICHMOND, BCOct. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ – CAPA Centre for Aviation has named Vancouver Airport Authority’s BorderXpress self-service border solution the 2015 Airport Innovation of the Year. Announced at the CAPA World Aviation Summit in Helsinki, Finland on October 7, this prestigious award recognizes the impact of YVR’s industry-leading border clearance solution on the travel experience at airports around the world.


CAPA Centre for Aviation is the leading provider of independent aviation market intelligence, analysis and data services. Its annual Aviation Awards of Excellence reward airlines and airports that demonstrate strategic industry leadership amidst changing industry conditions. Candidates for the awards are shortlisted by the CAPA team of analysts and aviation partners, and then reviewed by an esteemed panel of judges. A new category for 2015, the airport innovation award is given to the airport or IT supplier responsible for the most powerful information technology innovation in the airport sector.

“Vancouver Airport Authority has been a pioneer with its development of BorderXpress Automated Passport Control Kiosks, which have reduced border waiting times by over 50 per cent,” said Peter Harbison, CAPA Executive Chairman. “The judging panel selected Vancouver Airport Authority for being extremely innovative and taking the strategic initiative to develop a product that has significantly impacted the airport sector.”

Micro Market Research Trends, Analysis, Forecast

KIOSK market research report covering industry trends, market share, market growth analysis and projection by MIcroMarketMonitor.com. KIOSK market report includes, What are market estimates and forecasts; which of KIOSK markets are doing well and which are not? and KIOSK companies.

Source: www.micromarketmonitor.com

Must be the season for the market report people.  This is another one which ends up looking at Airport Kiosks but in fact the companies it profiles are not the biggest players. I guess there are people that buy these things.

A drive-thru, a fitting room and self-serve kiosks

Concept store tests fresh ways of meeting online shoppers’ evolving needs OTTAWA, Oct. 29, 2015 /CNW/ – Canada…

Source: www.newswire.ca

The pilot store features a bright, free-flowing environment and offers a range of new customer conveniences, such as self-serve shipping stations, that allow online shoppers and small business owners alike to do business quickly and easily:

  • Drive-thru parcel pickup. Customers never have to get out of their car. At the welcome kiosk, they simply scan the barcode on their smartphone or paper pickup notice, then drive ahead to receive the item at the pickup window. (The canopy will protect them and their item in bad weather). If the parcel is big or heavy, staff will place it in the customer’s vehicle.
  • All-in-one self-serve shipping station. A unique technology lets customers send their parcels anywhere in Canada 24/7. Using a touch screen, the customer selects their parcel service, scans their item for weight and size, pays by debit or credit card and prints their shipping label. Once they scan the barcoded label and place the parcel in the drop box, a receipt confirms the item is on its way, and ready for them to track online.
  • A fitting room. Customers can try on the outfit they bought online right away to see if it is right for them. The spacious 50-square-foot private space is equipped with a full mirror and a small bench – like any retail store. If the item isn’t right for them, they have the added convenience of being able to return it immediately.
  • Self-serve vending kiosk. Customers can buy stamps, shipping supplies such as PriorityTM Prepaid and XpresspostTM Prepaid envelopes or bubble envelopes, gift cards and more. The user-friendly self-serve transactions are quick and customers can avoid lineups at the counter.
  • Extended hours. While the self-serve kiosks and shipping stations are in a section that’s open 24/7, the centre’s extended full-service hours for the drive-thru, the fitting room and more complex transactions with the help of our staff are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The store also offers free Wifi and larger postal boxes for customers. Canada Post can also rent space in the store to other retailers to open a pop-up store, or short-term sales outlet – an emerging retail trend.

For the first half of 2015, the number of parcels from fashion retailers delivered increased by 18 per cent while in the Greater Toronto Area, they grew 28 per cent compared to the previous year. Canada Post delivers two out of three parcels ordered online in the country.

Walgreen’s Rite Aid purchase could bring new digital health partners

Walgreens Boots Alliance will acquire Rite Aid for $9 a share, or a total of $9.4 billion, the companies announced yesterday. The merger represents a major consolidation in the drug store sector in the United States — according to the Wall Street Journal, the combined marketshare of Walgreens and Rite Aid will be 46.5 percent compared to 30 percent from CVS, Walgreen’s closest rival.

Source: mobihealthnews.com

So what might Rite Aid bring to the table? In some areas, it merely matches Walgreens feature for feature. For instance, Rite Aid launched its mobile app for prescription refills in 2012, two years after Walgreens. It beat Walgreens to the punch with telemedicine integration, working with Optum to connect its customers with Optum nurses and other providers via Optum’s videochat-enabled NowClinic service, powered by American Well. But that service has now been discontinued.


But Rite Aid does have two digital health partnerships that Walgreens doesn’t have. For one, health kiosk company higi signed an agreement last year to distribute more than 4,000 kiosks to Rite Aid stores. At the kiosks, users can take their vital signs, including blood pressure, height, and weight. Users can create an account which gamifies their vitals reading it, converting it to a single “HigiScore” that represents the user’s overall wellness (including vitals signs as well as “lifestyle” and “community” scores drawn from device integrations and social media), and “HigiWatts,” which are points users get for visiting kiosks regularly. Higi also has a mobile app available to facilitate further engagement with the platform. Notably, higi also works with Walgreens competitor CVS.

RedyRef Tablet Kiosk Enclosure in Elotouch booth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: RedyRef Interactive Kiosks debuts New Generation of enGAGE (T) Tablet Kiosk Enclosure at NRF Retails Big Show 2016! Riverdale, New Jersey. – January 13, 2016 – RedyRef, a turn-key, self-service kiosk solution provider is debuting a new tablet kiosk enclosure solution featuring the Elo I-Series family of tablets: the enGAGE (T) at NRF Retail’s Big… Read More »

Gov’t agencies seek to sequester savings with self-service

Could the sequester cuts lead to self-service gains in public sector deployments? 

Source: www.kioskmarketplace.com

Excerpt: “Governments across the country are feeling the impact of our fiscal crisis,” said Chris Gilder, CEO of Meridian Zero Degrees, a company that provides design, consulting and software for self-service solutions. “Demands for service remain while budgets are shrinking. Self-service solutions help bridge the gap between consumer expectations and economic reality.”

With the U.S. economy more than four years into a financial crisis, kiosk companies already have experienced an increase in government demand for self-service.

And while government need for kiosks may be increasing, such deployments are nothing new, said Terri McClelland, CEO of the San Antonio-based kiosk company DynaTouch. McClelland said her company has been working on government kiosk projects since the late 1980s, but added that “government agencies need self-service kiosks now more than ever.”

The benefit of bill-payment kiosks

Next, you need to consider user security, since bill-payment kiosks deal with sensitive information. “At a minimum, this means your kiosk needs to meet EMV standards. Bill-payment kiosks need to have an EMV-certified payment system. This means that the data is encrypted from the moment the card is entered, through the kiosk, the gateway, the processor, and the vendor,” said Laura Miller, director of marketing, KioWare Software. In addition, you also need to keep your software and hardware up to date to close security loopholes.

One way to keep your kiosk secure is to use kiosk software to lock down the kiosk and prevent hackers from messing with sensitive data. “Kiosks need to be secured with kiosk software if they are going to be handling sensitive information, particularly of a financial nature. Anything else is a poor substitute that can put users and organizations at risk for data theft or leakage,” Miller said. “Kiosk software is built exactly for this purpose, with file download blocking, browser lockdown, clearing of private data, resetting the browser between users, and EMV-supported payment encryption to secure payment data.”

Bill-payment kiosks can provide great benefits to retail customers, as long as you keep the basics of availability, security and customer experience in mind.

Source: www.kioskmarketplace.com

“At a minimum, this means your kiosk needs to meet EMV standards. Bill-payment kiosks need to have an EMV-certified payment system. This means that the data is encrypted from the moment the card is entered, through the kiosk, the gateway, the processor, and the vendor,” said Laura Miller, director of marketing, KioWare Software. In addition, you also need to keep your software and hardware up to date to close security loopholes.

Digital Signage Software by Meridian Kiosks

Kiosk manufacturer, integrator and software developer Meridian will introduce turn-key digital signage software application to market at Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas this week.

Source: www.prweb.com

In January, Meridian partnered with Legends to deploy InterAct digital signage at Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl 50. These kiosks allowed Super Bowl goers to browse exclusive merchandise that could be purchased at the NFL Shop retail stores located throughout the stadium. Meridian is currently working on numerous projects for the next deployments of the InterAct software application. “The great thing about InterAct is that it is modular and scalable,” said Gilder. “As we find that customers need particular features, we will continue to expand and grow the many capabilities of this product.”

Elionic 100 – Kiosk Industry News

Touch-screen tablet is WiFi, realtime biometric device. Employees can easily check schedules, view benefits, access their time cards, and request time off.

Source: amgtime.com

Interesting new device for biometric employee time tracking. All in one Android tablet. Fingerprints and photo.

Kiosk Manufacturer Association Quarterly Update

Kiosk Manufacturer Association Quarterly Update KMA focuses on QSR, Fast Casual self-order systems and EMV 2018 status. New association website kma.global for Accessibility & ADA EASTLAKE, Colo. June 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — KMA, also known as the Kiosk Manufacturer Association, is happy to present the quarterly update with news from the QSR world and the new association website launched (https://kma.global).… Read More »

ADUSA and Frank Mayer Announce Partnership

ADUSA and Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. Announce Partnership Combined Self-Service Kiosk Technologies Target QSR & Fast Casual Restaurants Hoffman Estates, Ill. (July, 5 2018) – ADUSA, Inc. today announced that it has established a partnership with Grafton, WI-based manufacturer Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. The partnership will combine ADUSA’s Qi™ Digital Engagement software with Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc.’s Approach line of… Read More »

NRF Kiosks – Ingenico and Pyramid announcement

Press Release: Ingenico and Pyramid announcement Paris, Thursday 10 January 2019 Ingenico and Pyramid blend their expertise to distribute the ultimate connected kiosk Ingenico Group (Euronext: FR0000125346 – ING), the global leader in seamless payment, and Pyramid, leading integrator and kiosk solution provider, today announced their partnership for the distribution of Think&Go connected kiosks. These combine Ingenico’s expertise… Read More »

Frank Mayer at ICX Summit

Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. To Demonstrate Approach Self-Service Kiosks at ICX Summit See Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc.’s expanded line of self-ordering kiosks at the 2019 Interactive Customer Experience Summit in Dallas June 4-6. GRAFTON, WI – Find Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc.’s self-service kiosk line Approach at the 2019 Interactive Customer Experience (ICX) Summit at Omni… Read More »

Kiosk Future Trends – Vending Kiosk Opportunities

Excerpt from Canadian Vending magazine May 2020 — Kiosk sales are expected to accelerate post-pandemic, due to affordability of its footprint and sanitary interface, when compared to a crowded store. Take-Aways Kiosks are safer than dealing with people Vending machines sell tangible goods Customers like to customize orders, and preferably via machine than person. Business orders for self-service… Read More »

Healthcare Kiosks – SoloHealth raises $2.4M + Cleveland Clinic

Health kiosk company SoloHealth has changed its name to Pursuant Health and raised $2.4 million in equity and securities, according to an SEC filing. Per the company’s website, the name change reflects a new partnership with Cleveland Clinic Wellness, which the company embarked on at the end of March. This will add a workplace wellness business to the company’s existing public kiosk business.

Source: mobihealthnews.com

SoloHealth takes on new name and new investors. The big differentiator for Pursuant is the Vision Testing module.  That’s mechanically more complex and adds cost. 

APC Kiosk Deployment September Update

Latest numbers from firms on numbers. According the January 2015 count, there are 903 operational APC kiosks located in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Dublin, Ireland and Abu Dhabi with another 189 targeted to go live by Spring 2015. This is up from just 280 in February 2014 and will bring the total number of APC Kiosks… Read More »

Kiosk Industry – PayPal Here Card Reader Supports EMV, Apple Pay, Android Pay

With the arrival of Apple Pay and, more recently, Android Pay, consumers are becoming more comfortable with alternative ways of paying that don’t involve credit card swipes. And now, with the U.S.’s transition to EMV – smart cards that store data on chips instead of magnetic stripes, which offers increased security – many business owners will have to upgrade their hardware… Read More »

Retail Kiosk – Provision Installations Surge Forward in Top Markets

Current installation totals exceed 150 3D Savings Center Kiosks in NYC and LA retail locations CHATSWORTH, CA – October 27, 2015. Provision Interactive Technologies, Inc. (“Provision”), a subsidiary of Provision Holding, Inc. (OTC PINK: PVHO) announced today, that more than 150 3D Savings Center Kiosks have been successfully installed. These installations represent further penetration of the New York… Read More »

ChargeItSpot Adds Loyalty to Charging Stations

New line of phone charging stations incorporates card scanner feature allowing retailers to offer complimentary phone charging exclusively for loyalty members
Philadelphia, PA (…

Source: www.benzinga.com

The charging stations feature a built-in card scanner that enables complimentary phone charging as an exclusive benefit for loyalty card members. The technology also enables clients to collect and append opt-in data – like email addresses and phone numbers – from loyalty members.

Retailers and mall operators aren’t the only ones able to benefit from this next generation of charging kiosk. Casinos, stadiums, and any brand with a loyalty or membership program are prime targets for this new technology. The kiosks can also help drive new loyalty sign-ups. If a customer is not an existing loyalty member, the touchscreen will direct them to the nearest on-site location where they can sign up to become a member, and then get a free phone charge.

Absolute Worldwide Logistics Member

Absolute Worldwide Logistics joined as a charter member of the Kiosk Industry Group.  Below is a profile of them and their services. Thank you John! Absolute Worldwide Logistics is a hybrid domestic and international freight forwarder to the kiosk, store fixture, and digital signage community. AWL offer a full menu of flexible and tailored service options to deliver… Read More »

New digital kiosks designed to catch criminals

The SRSO received three new kiosks Thursday that display wanted fugitives, missing persons and public safety alerts.

Source: www.pnj.com

The kiosks have a three-paneled screen that can be programmed offsite to show text, photos and even video. In the case of an amber or silver alert — cases involving a missing and endangered child or adult with dementia — the screen will automatically post the person’s image and information on the top two-thirds of the display.


The machines cost roughly $3,000-$5,000 each, but Aloy said taxpayers aren’t footing the bill.

“The dollars come from crime-prevention funds, things like fines from the courthouse,” he said.


KioWare Remote Server Interface Update

Tuesday, January 05, 2016 KioWare has released a new version of their KioWare Server & KioCloud kiosk management product solutions. All KioWare products can be used to secure mobile devices such as tablets, desktops, and smartphones running Android or Windows Operating Systems.  KioWare kiosk software products lock down your device into kiosk mode, which secures the overall operating… Read More »

DVD Kiosk – Redbox Revenue Drops 17% in Q4, as DVD Rentals Plummet

Redbox, the kiosk-based DVD rental unit of Outerwall, reported a 17% decline in revenue for the fourth quarter of 2015, as movie rentals dropped 24% year over year. Outerwall said Redbox’s revenue for the quarter was $407 million, down from $490.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Source: variety.com

The company operated 40,480 Redbox kiosks at the end of 2015, removing 1,800 units (a decline of 4.2%) over the course of the year. In 2016, Outerwall expects to remove 2,000 more Redbox vending machines.

Overall, Outerwall reported $527.2 million in consolidated revenue for the fourth quarter of 2015, a 12% decline, and net income of $17 million ($1.00 per share), down 61% from the year-earlier period. The results beat Wall Street estimates of $513 million in revenue and earnings per share of 63 cents; those were based on Outerwall’s lowered guidance for full-year 2015 earnings and EPS, which it issued in early December.