SAN FRANCISCO — The Goshen, Ind., software start-up RedPost has flipped the switch on the first installation of its digital signage at The Bently Reserve, a newly renovated conference center located in the heart of San Francisco’s financial district in the former Federal Reserve building.
On April 9 and 10, 2008, owners Christopher and Amber Marie Bently introduced the new Bently Conference Center during a series of gala events open to business associates, media, clients and the hospitality industry. Occupying the entire second floor of The Bently Reserve, the conference center features the latest high-definition digital technologies, including RedPost’s signs, and the most advanced building control systems to accurately monitor energy consumption and increase efficiency.
The Bently Reserve is starting with six signs, one outside each conference room, and plans to triple that number over the next three months.
“We’re excited to be part of this amazing project,” said Eric Kanagy, chief executive of RedPost. “They’ve succeeded in creating a breathtaking space that feels like it must have when the bank first opened in 1924 — with the addition of an incredible amount of technology, blended seamlessly into the environment. It’s been a joy to work with a company that shares the design philosophy and ideals that RedPost aspires to.”
RedPost’s new Sign(beta) follows up on the success of the RedPost/Kit, a do-it-yourself, hackable digital photo frame, that shipped to four continents and across the U.S.
On the hardware side, the Sign(beta) combines a 19-inch LCD screen with 1280 X 1024 resolution with a low power, VIA C7 carbon-neutral processor and built-in 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi. The Sign(beta) runs Wicker, RedPost’s customized implementation of Ubuntu, the popular open-source Linux operating system. Wicker allows users to either connect their Sign(beta) to Corktop, RedPost’s proprietary software, and load a Web site or display images from the local drive if no Internet access is available.