Inmatrix: Innovating the Branded Media Player with Software = Solutions=20 That Help Small Businesses Better Engage Consumers

Inmatrix: Innovating the Branded = Media Player=20 with Software Solutions That Help Small Businesses Better Engage=20 Consumers

By: Jessica Sommerfield

The Crunch: Small businesses know that engaging = visuals=20 tend to pique consumer interest most efficiently. That=E2=80=99s why = =E2=80=94 to stay=20 competitive in the digital age =E2=80=94 they need to create and = manage branded=20 digital media at a price that=E2=80=99s within their budget. Founded in = 2003, Inmatrix offers = affordable digital=20 signage solutions for businesses through Zoom Player and its control = framework,=20 Zoom Commander. For its development of Zoom Player and = its deep=20 integrations, user-friendly interfaces,=20 and customization capabilities, Inmatrix has earned our = Editor=E2=80=99s=20 Retail Choice Award=E2=84=A2 for Branded Media Player = Solutions.

Media saturates nearly every aspect of the consumer experience, so = it=E2=80=99s no=20 surprise that shopping habits are strongly influenced by visually = engaging=20 digital displays and advertisements. As many as eight out of 10 = customers=20 have entered a store because a digital sign = caught their=20 attention, while 40% say digital displays can even affect what they = buy by=20 providing useful information at just the right time.

Digital signage is becoming a popular option among brick-and-mortar = retailers=20 looking for ways to keep an edge over growing e-commerce and social = shopping=20 channels. Already, 71% of consumers believe digital billboards stand = out more than=20 online advertisements. That revelation suggests that the saturation = of=20 online advertising, often viewed as a competitive advantage, is instead = making=20 on-premise digital displays more prominent =E2=80=94 and effective.

Digital signage may be the next best thing for retail, but it can = quickly=20 bust a small-business budget. Inmatrix, an Israeli = software=20 company founded in 2003 by Yaron Gur, is reversing that trend by making = digital=20 media tools more affordable for both consumers and smaller = businesses.

Zoom Player by Inmatrix helps = businesses of all=20 sizes easily control the content on their digital displays and=20 signage.

=E2=80=9COur solutions in digital signage =E2=80=94 including ZoomPlayer =E2=80=94 = are quite affordable=20 for small businesses. The cost includes the software and control module, = and,=20 depending on which hardware you use, you can run it on several = screens,=E2=80=9D=20 said Yaron Gur, Founder and CEO of Inmatrix.

Because its media software has such diverse applications, the = company=E2=80=99s=20 clientele ranges from small businesses in need of visually-engaging = branding=20 materials to large corporations like the IBM Research Lab = developing new=20 technologies.

With Inmatrix, small businesses have an affordable, flexible option = to=20 customize their branding in the ways that will most engage their = shoppers and=20 patrons. For its Zoom Player and the branded video management = capabilities it=20 provides to businesses, Inmatrix is receiving our Editor=E2=80=99s = Choice Award=E2=84=A2 for=20 Branded Media Player Solutions.

Zoom Player: Customizable Media Player to Fit Your Brand=E2=80=99s = Styling

Among the environments that use digital media players to display = content for=20 their visitors and consumers are airports, museums, hotels, restaurants, = and=20 other businesses. Zoom Player stands out among the scores of media = players on=20 the market thanks to its integration, user-friendly features, and its = ability to=20 scale from one PC to multiple remote displays.

Since Zoom Player is compatible with PC hardware and even touchscreen = tablets, small businesses can save money on equipment and get their = digital=20 displays up and running almost immediately. =E2=80=9CYou can take = existing hardware,=20 hook it up to a second monitor, and start displaying = advertisements,=E2=80=9D Yaron=20 said.

Zoom Player has multiple interfaces for playback and control = functions, with=20 full-screen navigation through each menu, and its Smart Play technology = supports=20 a wide range of video, audio, and image file formats. This means = businesses can=20 input their current branded materials without having to worry about file = conversion.

The Juke Box media library also has unique features with numerous = business=20 applications. Users can brand their content with custom posters and = backdrops, and tag content with metadata so files are easier to = differentiate=20 and retrieve.

While Inmatrix works directly with small-business clients, many of = its corporate clients have = integrated=20 Zoom Player into their larger products, ranging from consumer-facing = home=20 theater systems and memory storage devices to digital signage and retail = kiosk=20 setups.

=E2=80=9CMost of our clients have approached us trying to find a = solution for a=20 system,=E2=80=9D Yaron said. =E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99ve embedded our = technology into their products to save=20 them time-to-market. They can get expert tech support and save the cost = of=20 in-house training that would be required to reach something close to = what we=20 concentrate on.=E2=80=9D

Zoom Player=E2=80=99s versatility has also broadened its applications = beyond=20 Inmatrix=E2=80=99s original designs. =E2=80=9COur software is very = flexible, so sometimes=20 customers use it in cases we might not have even designed for, so = it=E2=80=99s always=20 nice to hear from our users and see which ways they=E2=80=99ve found to = use the=20 features,=E2=80=9D Yaron said.

Zoom Commander: Automate & Manage Ads for Your Digital = Signage

Feedback on how Zoom Player customers use the product has led = Inmatrix to=20 develop a deluxe control framework for the media player, called Zoom Commander.

While Zoom Player could already be controlled remotely, several = customers=20 requested additional control features, such as the ability to time = videos or=20 specify where content appears on a display. =E2=80=9CWe decided to build = a second=20 product that invisibly uses the first product. It=E2=80=99s not = something that we went=20 out and marketed =E2=80=93 it=E2=80=99s just a framework that we wrote = that controls our other=20 technology,=E2=80=9D Yaron said.

Zoom Commander manages, controls, schedules, and presents media = through one=20 of many Zoom Presenter configurations. For example on the display end, a = video=20 wall configuration coordinates displays on multiple screens to create = one large=20 image, while screen zones and numerous screens allow users to segment = content to=20 specific areas and devices. These features enable businesses to create = specific=20 visual effects and maximize their screen space to showcase more branded=20 materials or tie related content together.

Zoom Commander takes Zoom Player to the = next level,=20 allowing for more intricately customized configurations.

On the control side, Zoom Commander features a tag system for easier = content=20 organization, with a scheduler to automate displays for specific dates = and=20 times. Zoom Commander=E2=80=99s web-browsing technology also enables = website-like=20 layouts and design capabilities through content management system (CMS)=20 integration.

With cloud distribution, linked screens, and the capability for = remote=20 presentations, Zoom Commander gives small businesses wider-scale options = for=20 sharing and presenting their content beyond a single location.

At the small business level, Zoom Commander finds a practical use in=20 restaurants that need to coordinate and time digital menu displays. = =E2=80=9CYou can=20 change the displayed menu based on the hour to have different menus show = up for=20 breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and you can even run advertising or push = videos at=20 specific times,=E2=80=9D Yaron said.

Developed in response to user feedback, Zoom Commander provides a = more deluxe=20 framework for managing branded digital content. By streamlining = operations and=20 encouraging creativity in how they use their digital signage, Zoom = Player helps=20 small businesses better engage and inform their customers.

Innovating Digital Media Technology Based on End-User = Experience

Small businesses recognize that visually engaging displays are = effective in=20 attracting customers, and are flocking to use the technology. But use = cases can=20 vary widely, which is why Inmatrix relies on feedback to help companies = focus on=20 their target audiences.

Through Facebook and other user communities, Inmatrix listens and = responds to=20 how people are both using and engaging with its software products.

=E2=80=9CSometimes we get a request saying our media player supports = 90% of what they=20 need, and doing one small thing would make it perfect. If the idea is = good and=20 we think it=E2=80=99s worth the investment, we go ahead,=E2=80=9D Yaron = said.

Inmatrix is dedicated to responding to = feedback=20 through its forum and social media communities =E2=80=94 including = Facebook.

Inmatrix has also adopted a development schedule that pushes out new = updates=20 every few months. =E2=80=9CWe release a major version whenever we insert = one of our=20 milestone features into it,=E2=80=9D Yaron said. =E2=80=9CFor the next = version, we=E2=80=99re focusing=20 on additional connectivity to third parties and more methods of bringing = content=20 to the end user. That=E2=80=99s most of our focus, as well as polishing = the user=20 interface. That=E2=80=99s something we try to re-evaluate with every = major release to=20 make sure we=E2=80=99re not bloating software or inserting features = users don=E2=80=99t=20 want.=E2=80=9D

By focusing on the end-user experience, Inmatrix continues to improve = its=20 media software in ways that benefit businesses. As small retailers = realize the=20 power of digital signage for customer acquisition and purchasing = influence, Zoom=20 Player with Zoom Commander provides a simple, affordable, and highly=20 customizable solution.

Providing small businesses the tools to design and manage their = branded=20 displays, Inmatrix helps retailers connect with their customers and stay = competitive despite market shifts. That=E2=80=99s why we=E2=80=99re = awarding Inmatrix our=20 Editor=E2=80=99s Choice Award=E2=84=A2 for Branded Media Player = Solutions.

Industry = Blog	About = Us
Stores	Contact = Us
Community	Privacy = Policy
Sitemap	Terms of=20 Use

A=20 - B	C=20 - D	E=20 - F	G=20 - H
I=20 - J	K=20 - L	M=20 - N	O=20 - P
Q=20 - R	S=20 - T	U=20 - V	W=20 - Z