One of my favorite clients announces Sign(beta)

As I wrote about earlier, I have been working with RedPost, Inc. here in Goshen for the last few years. Dannyprose has helped RedPost with everything from their corporate brand, to developing their initial collateral, to the brand for the relaunch of both their hardware and software products.

RedPost’s mission no less simple than it is grand: replace every neighborhood bulletin board with a locally-owned digital sign, powered by RedPost’s burgeoning software offering, Corktop.

This weekend, RedPost released the second version of their hardware: Sign^beta. Beyond improvements to structure, finish and nitty-gritty hardware upgrades, CEO Eric Kanagy and company are releasing what is entirely absent in the hardware-world of digital signage: attractive displays that don’t break the bank, and can provide almost every feature of $1,000 units, as well as adding a few features along the way (see “overrated” ease-of-use).

Kanagy’s target: you, and the coffeeshops around you. And the banks, and grocery stores, and bars.

While the rest of the digital signage market focuses their attention on grabbing the slender share of the market that inhabits the strip of Las Vegas and the Union Squares of the country, Eric’s model works best when placed in your backyard, when networks of signs are run and operated by local entrepreneurs, and when they feature content that is relevant to… well, you. It doesn’t matter if the RedPost network is your office, or the neighborhood you live in, or a grouping of professional organizations: the goal is that when you look at a RedPost Sign, you’ll see something that is relevant to you, and not a Nike ad or stock tickers.

Technical Specifications

From RedPost:

19″, 1280×1024 LCD
integrated VIA motherboard (VIA C7 1.5 GHz processor, 1 GB memory)
built-in wifi
boots from included flash drive with Wicker, our customized version of Ubuntu, pre-installed
standard VESA mounting holes on back
built-to-order in Goshen, Indiana
17.5″ wide x 14.5″ high x 3″ deep
optional flush-mount kit available

What I Learned Working for RedPost

During a slowing economy, and especially during a recession, entrepreneurs are the ones who keep ideas moving
Users care the most about value, especially compared to technical features. Period. No matter what a marketer ever tells you otherwise
It’s much better, and funnier for all involved, to make fun of your shortcomings than try to hide them
You don’t have to “look” web 2.0 to exemplify it’s ideals
Despite the rate at which human beings are procreating, the world is by far smaller than we think it is.