This week's CES report has been all abuzz with talk of the partnership for digital signs, Intel, and Microsoft. Other industry vendors have released news pieces which speak of their involvement with Intel and Microsoft. Essentially their work at CES was an attempt to take online to the out-of-home realm.

Putting digital signage in brick-and-mortar arena is not new, but the Microsoft/Intel collaboration means big business is getting more heavily involved in DooH. The Intel prototype is built to allow customers to use a multi-touch holographic display to virtually tour the store, find deals, read reviews, give feedback online, and shop for products online while still within the confines of the store itself. It integrates with social networking, blogs and mobile phones. Joe Jensen, general manager of Intel Embedded Computing Division said the following of the partnership:

"We designed the Intel Intelligent Digital Signage Concept to show that retailers can engage and interact with consumers in a more personal and compelling manner through new usage models such as augmented reality and interactive product explorations, which in turn could yield an increase in revenue and customer loyalty."

In addition, coupon codes integrated with interactive maps of the store can give directions on specific product promotions, making the in-store experience more efficient and enjoyable.

Finally, and perhaps the coolest part of the display is the built-in cameras that can do image analysis of consumers to determine gender, age, and clothing type being worn. This information, while somewhat of a Minority Report style of advertising, it does give the ability to tailor only types of clothing that is similar and that would fit the specific demographic being targeted.

Immediate feedback to advertisers does not always alleviate privacy concerns, but the software should be available by the second quarter of the year. It utilizes Intel's Core i7 processors, and Microsoft's Windows Embedded Standard 2011.

To run the digital signs, which use Intel's Core i7 processors, Intel turned to Microsoft for a version of its Windows Embedded Standard 2011 software optimized for digital signage technology. That platform is expected to be available in the second quarter of the year.