Apple Tries To BSOD Digital Signage With Software Update

2:00PM January 21, 2009 | Nick Broughall

Reader Gianpaolo was wandering through Burwood shopping centre when he noticed this borked digital sign for Nokia. While it’s no BSOD, it’s good to see that Microsoft isn’t the only software company that can bring a digital display to its knees (click the image for a larger version).

[Thanks Gianpaolo!] In case you couldn’t make it out, the error was caused by Apple software update…

Comments

poedgirl

January 21, 2009 at 2:55 PM

I think the question to ask here is why were they running something like iTunes on a digital billboard?

Glen C

January 21, 2009 at 3:27 PM

come on what is the actual error???
is the display networked in anyway so software updates can run… and besides what sort of halfwit leaves the setting to allow updates to run automatically on a set up like this anyway?

Nate Nead

January 21, 2009 at 5:31 PM

I would be interested to see what software platform is running the signage. Currently I only know of several signage platforms utilizing mac as their media player (most of the currently using the mac mini). Helius, EasyShadow, and Nanonation all come to mind. Every dog has his day though. It’s happened to the best of them…

Ricardodude

January 21, 2009 at 10:43 PM

@poedgirl
Its not itunes, its bonjour, which is a networking thing I believe.

dogg

January 22, 2009 at 7:47 AM

Nate, did you see the picture? It is not running on a mac, it is running on a PC. It just has a dialog box opened for updating apple software.
Do not fear mac fanbois, you can blame this one on MS all you like.

Micky Johnson

January 22, 2009 at 10:23 PM

It’s running Windows XP you can clearly see the WIN XP taskbar at the bottom and the error dialogue box is a Win XP style box.

Rod

March 2, 2009 at 7:43 AM

This is Windows XP. The offending application is Apple Updater. This is typically installed with Quicktime. However Quicktime gives you the option of no updates. However, if you also install this it will give you the option to install Bonjour or update it. Whoever did this digital signage either didn’t have much experience, has no IT knowledge, didn’t do any testing or was just plain lazy. Better software providers such as Scala and Navori provide their integrators with enough knowledge to avoid this. The major down side is that Nokia paid for this advertising and will have second thoughts the next time.

Michael Neely

April 19, 2009 at 12:41 AM

We have a Mac based solution that, when configured properly, avoids the issues of software updating itself automatically. Regardless of platform, it’s really an issue of deployment.

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