5 Jan 2021: We are excited have a brand new Photo Finale Kiosk software release ready for rollout. This is a huge release and a bit different than a normal kiosk update, so much so that instead of APM Kiosk, we are calling it PF Kiosk and version 1.0. PF Kiosk 1.0 is a fresh start for a new year on a platform that will allow us to develop both kiosk and web quicker and more efficiently. In the end, this means easier setup and maintenance for you, more innovative features for your customers to enjoy, and a more seamless presentation to help your brand shine.
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> Start with the Quick Start Guide
New in PF Kiosk
- Responsive UI. The old APM software was restricted to what is now considered a pretty small screen, but PF Kiosk uses the full screen, no matter what size you have.
- Cloud order archives & account management. One huge benefit of the new kiosk is for your staff's ability to help customers. Now all the kiosk orders will be saved and accessible through myLab, just like your online orders are. This means you can reprint easily, find past orders, etc. The metadata for orders can be located in myLab at any time. Photos from orders are kept for 62 days. In the case of a member, the uncropped original photo will still be available indefinitely in most cases -- assuming the customer hasn't deleted it, or their account hasn't be deleted for inactivity.
- Central catalog control. This means that online products and pricing will be pulled through to the kiosk. This is similar to how PF@Kiosk works now. This means central control across your fleet and less setup and hassle for you.
- Central benefit control. Promos, coupons, membership benefits, and prepaid plans you have set up online will now work on kiosk.
- EasyLink Mobile Upload. If you have tried this out on your website uploader, you will be happy to know that we have added the functionality to the new kiosk as well. Users can now easily get photos from a phone into the kiosk by scanning a QR code or clicking a text message link. (The User Enhancements bundle subscription is required for the SMS service; without, users will see only the QR code option.) It's quick and doesn't require entering a code or downloading anything.
- Built on Chromium. The APM platform used Microsoft Explorer and Flash. With a platform based on the same engine used by the Chrome browser, we have a stronger, more flexible, and more secure position to take advantages of the latest web technologies.
Coming soon to PF Kiosk
As much as we wanted to pack every possible bell and whistle into version 1.0, we had to draw the line somewhere. Below are some of the functions and features that the old APM had or that we know you want in a kiosk and are planning to add to version 1.1 or later. Disclaimer: this list is not a guarantee of delivery.
- Passport photo products. We have many dealers who use the APM kiosk admin menu's Passport Photos workflow to position and print the passport photos they take in the store. While we have Passport Photo products as part of a regular online catalog, they will not be restricted to in-store/admin-only type of a workflow for the first version of the PF Kiosk. If you choose to add these products, users will be able to order them from your website or from PF Kiosk. There are a few ways to dissuade this type of usage: add a high price, bury the products, etc. We can help set up the best solution for your lab to tide you over until we have completed the ideal setup for an in-store usage that you are used to from the APM.
- Platform-based promo restrictions. Currently (online and kiosk), you can set a promo to be a pickup-only, ship-only, or member-only and we plan to expand this to also allows promos/coupons to be set based on ordering platform (kiosk-only, mobile-only, online-only).
- Choice of archive products. Users will have the option to choose from all the archive products you offer (CD, DVD, USB) rather than just one, as they currently can. This change will also be available or your website setup.
- Scanning. We will be re-introducing single page scanning to the kiosk workflow in the 1.1 update. (We are assessing the need for multi-feed scanning beyond that release. If you would use this, please drop us a note.)
- Red eye tools. We use the Img.ly editor on the website and kiosk (if subscribed to the User Enhancements bundle). While it replaces the other editing features of the old APM, and adds plenty more, it does not have a red-eye tool. We are currently looking for a good tool to incorporate into the kiosk. If we can find a suitable solution, we will add it to our schedule to add.
- Credit card swiper support. We are assessing the need for swiper support at the kiosk. If this feature is important to you, please let us know. For taking credit card payment at the kiosk in version 1.0, users will be able to enter their card info manually.
- Auto-updates. To further our mission to make the new kiosk as easy to maintain for your staff as possible, we will be adding an automatic update feature to the kiosk, so when we push out a new version, there is nothing you will need to do to get the latest and greatest.
What's needed before you install the new PF Kiosk
- Windows 8.1 x64. Photo Finale Kiosk (PFK) requires Windows 8.1 x64 or higher, with administrative rights are required to run the installer. The user account used to run PF Kiosk does not need to be a local administrator.
- Internet access. Your kiosk computer needs to have internet access to install and to run the new PF Kiosk software.
- New or currently-supported kiosk license. The new PF Kiosk software is only available to supported kiosks. If you are out of a support contract, you will need to renew before you can install the new software.
- PF Web catalog. The new PF Kiosk relies on a corresponding PF website catalog for products, pricing, memberships, and many other settings. If you are one of our kiosk-only customers, we will set you up with a PF Standard website and corresponding catalog. If you do not want a consumer-facing website, we can discourage search engines from crawling it, and you will pay no additional cost. However, this is a great opportunity for you to expand your business online and we encourage you to use the website as an order-taking tool, even if you offer store pickup only–this has been a very popular way, especially recently, to keep your customers ordering from you even while they may not be able to visit your store.
- Lab 50. We recommend to have our Lab 50 software on a separate computer. Most dealers are set up this way, but if you are one of the few not using Lab 50, or not using it on a separate computer, please let us know, we will discuss options with you.
- Keyboard & mouse. This is recommended. PF Kiosk does have an on-screen keyboard and is designed to work on a touch screen, however, a physical keyboard and mouse makes for a much more pleasant user experience.
Contact info
- Technical: If you have technical questions, our support ticket system is the quickest method: support@photofinale.com
- Sales: For support contract, renewal, licensing, Lab 50 or PF Web purchase questions, please contact your sales rep directly, or email our general sales inbox: sales@photofinale.com
FAQs
Q: Can I just keep using my old APM if I don't want the new PF Kiosk?
A: No. Unfortunately, when Flash reaches its end of life officially on Jan 12, 2021, your APM Kiosk (which is based in Flash) will stop working.
Q: What happens on January 12th?
A: January 12, 2021 is when the plug is pulled on Flash. When that happens, the old APM software will not work. Microsoft has built this into the browser, so it doesn't rely on any kind of Windows or browser update to occur, so you will not be able to disconnect or avoid updating to get around it.
Q: What if I have Windows 7?
A: Windows 7 is no longer supported by Photo Finale or by Microsoft. You will need to upgrade to 8.1 or higher before you install the new software.
Q: What if my kiosk is not connected to the internet?
A: PF Kiosk will only install and run work if the computer is connected to the internet.
Q: What happens if my internet goes down? Can customers still place orders?
A: No.
Q: My kiosk computer is old anyway, what should I buy?
A: Generally speaking, a modern, off-the-shelf computer works just fine and there are good touchscreen options available. Full tech spec details: https://wiki.photofinale.com/x/LwFXAw (same for Lab 50)
Q: What if I don't have a PF website?
A: We will issue you a standard PF website. If you do not want to use the website for taking consumer orders online, we will give it a coded name and discourage website crawlers from indexing it. If you do want to use it to take orders, we can go over terms and issue a user-friendly name. You may consider upgrading to a friendly PFSR landing page at a discounted rate at this time as well. Ask your sales rep for pricing and terms.
Q: Do I pay commission on my PF Kiosk orders?
A: No. Orders placed on your new PF Kiosk are labelled as coming from "PF Kiosk Prints" or "PF Kiosk Creative" ... you will notice these two new designators in your order source reports. These, as well as the soon-to-be-defunct PF@Kiosk orders, do not count as revenue that you will be charged a commission on.
Q: Since orders go through the internet, does this slow down the order getting to my Lab 50?
A: Possibly. You may notice more of a delay with large orders. It does take time for the order to go up to our server and back to your Lab 50 to print. We have found that the server speed isn't as much of an issue as is local bandwidth, so depending on your setup, that may affect speeds.
Q: I need help!
A: Please send an email to support@photofinale.com with as much detail as possible in the areas in which you need assistance. We have all hands on deck to make updating as smooth and painless as possible!