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BlueFire Digital Product Review

Review

BlueFire MS Mobile Interactive Bluetooth System

BlueFire Digital Lives up to it's name, implementing one of the hottest ideas for targeted advertising - sending their message right to your pocket!

I wander into the local electronics store with my mind set on purchasing an MP3 player and gaze at the plasma displays showing off all of the latest and great must-have toys and one of those displays catches my eye. It informs me that I can get more information on a particular model that I've been watching on my Bluetooth device. I enable it and PRESTO! I've just received a coupon for 20% off that MP3 player! Is it magic? No - It's BlueFire Digital MS SE software. With BlueFire Digital MS SE Software, you can target consumers more effectively by giving them what they want, where they want it, when they need it! And since this is Bluetooth technology, the service is FREE to the customer. It gets sweeter - read on to see why BlueFire Digital is turning heads everywhere they go.

We based this review on our Digital Signage Forum criteria of packaging, level of understanding product directions and installation, ease of use for set-up and overall performance plus speed of software and all applicable specifications that apply to the mission statement results which is a comprehensive Digital Signage Solution.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS:

Get up to date information on which files were downloaded most.

Instantly add tags or serial numbers to each coupon or image content distributed to mobile device.

Non-intrusive systems. Send content to mobile devices only when they opt-in to receive it. In addition, prevent distribution to devices from list. (exclude list).

Comprehensive reporting functionality provides data for further analysis such as ROI, most active devices, most downloaded file and more.

Integrated APIs makes integration to any DS and kiosk software easy.

Use as a standalone system to distribute content such as special promotion, contact information, sale etc.

Free for customer. No airtime charges for customer receiving contents.

Supports the following file formats: jar, wbmp, jpg, jpe, jpeg, png, gif, 3gp, 3gpp, mid, midi, mp3

Hardware Requirements:

x86 processor (Intel, AMD, VIA)

USB Bluetooth Device (included in BlueFire MS Standard Edition)

128 MB RAM

50 MB of HD Space for software

Software Requirements:

Microsoft Windows XP professional with SP2

...or Linux with 2.6 kernel or later

Java 1.4 or later

FROM THE DEVELOPERS:

BlueFire MS SE mobile marketing system instantly adds mobile advertising capabilities to any digital signage (DS) and kiosk offerings. BlueFire MS SE comes with plug-n-play USB hardware and software that create mobile marketing Hotspot which is affordable, maintenance free, highly efficient and highly secure.

BlueFire MS SE provides stand-alone mobile marketing functionality, if digital signage is not available. Content and distribution list for stand-alone is controlled remotely via web or onsite.

Delivery of ring-tones, wallpaper, movie trailers, coupons, schedules and other promotional contents to customer's mobile phones makes DS systems equipped with BlueFire MS SE is far more superior than plain DS or kiosk.

BlueFire MS SE easy to use Java and Web API interfaces provide synchronization with DS to distribute mobile content relative to content on LCD or Plasma screen. Kiosk operators can use BlueFire MS SE to market revenue generating mobile contents that are delivered to the consumer right on the spot.

Java and Web API are encapsulated with BlueFire MS SE as a one package. This simplified system offers integration, into digital signage and kiosk developed in any language, in less than 10 lines of code. BlueFire MS SE APIs can greatly minimize development time to reduce cost, increase profits and shorten time to market.

BlueFire MS SE is integrated and works with the following Digital Signage Software:
Scala
DynaSign
FireSign
Webpavement

REVIEW:

1) Packaging

The software arrived in a FedEx Priority envelope with all applicable, step by step instructions to get you going.

2) Level of understanding of product directions and installation.

Installation was as simple as adding a line of code in the windows/inf directory, plugging in the included USB Bluetooth device, running the software and rebooting the machine. Very simple and straight forward - just the way we like it around here.
3) Ease of use for set-up and overall performance.

This device is detected under Microsoft XP SP2 (Vista support in the works) and all applicable drivers were automatically loaded. Overall performance was flawless.
4) Speed if software/ scheduler and ease of help files.

Once installed the software executed on system startup quickly and without causing any errors to our test machine. Help files were intact and covered most commonly asked questions. Unusual technical questions are directed to their website where you may contact their tech support personnel via support form.
5) Accuracy of spec sheet or PDF files.

Documentation for this device was thorough and well written.

6) Appearance after install is completed and running.

BlueFire Digital's interface is very clean and uncluttered. SIMPLICITY is the word here. Nothing confusing to detract from the task at hand. A small icon in the task bar is black and white when not inquiring and color when it is looking for a signal.
7) Audio

N/A

Support:

Standard stuff here. Email, phone as well as an online support form for any technical questions you may have.
Summary

Here is a breakdown on how a typical consumer is targeted using BlueFire Digital's MS Software w/Bluetooth Technology:

1. Consumer sees digital signage and is informed that they can receive content on their mobile phone (This content can be a coupon in an image file, music or video file, or any promotional item where distribution is in a file by file basis or distributing collection of files packaged into a catalog).

2. Consumer turns on Bluetooth functionality on their phone (opt-in).

3. BlueFire MS SE automatically detects nearby Bluetooth device.

4. BlueFire MS SE initiates connection to the Bluetooth device.

5. Once connection is established, BlueFire MS SE initiates transfer of content.

6. Consumers' mobile device informs them regarding content transfer request (at this point consumer can Accept or Reject content transfer request from BlueFire MS SE -opt-in).

7. If consumer Rejects content transfer, BlueFire MS SE disconnects from mobile device.

8.If consumer Accepts content transfer, BlueFire MS SE automatically initiates file transfer to consumers' mobile device.

9. Once the transfer is complete, BlueFire MS SE disconnects from mobile device.

Ahhhhh...We love the smell of Bluetooth in the AM!

About BlueFire Digital

BlueFire Digital is a privately held company located in the heart of Silicon Valley. BlueFire Digital provides simplified mobile marketing products for Digital Signage, Kiosk, static posters, billboards, newspapers and magazines.

Our Internet based end-to-end solutions enable small and medium and large sized enterprises to build, promote, manage and profit from their mobile marketing campaigns.

BlueFire Digital provides technology for reaching customers at the point-of-decision in retail stores, banks, grocery stores, medical offices and other public venues.

For more information, please visit www.bluefiredigital.com.

Splash screen for start-up

Accessing controls...

Web Interface - Where it all begins.

Schedule - This is where all of your content is scheduled from.

View Assets - View the files you have already uploaded for scheduling.

Upload Assets - From here you may upload up to 10 items at a time into your assets area for scheduling.

Advanced Settings - Setting excluded devices, ports and other advanced options made simple.

Reports - View reports by dates, most download file, most active mobile client, specific file or specific client.

Results - An instant coupon! In this case, it is coupled with DynaSign's solution.

Given BlueFire's ease of use and powerful web-based solution, we are giving them FIVE out of FIVE STARS