This Week’s Product Pick

Pioneer POS (City of Industry, CA) unveiled its XV Series All-in-One POS Workstation, with 15-inch active-matrix TFT touchscreen and support of Intel’s Dual Core and Core 2 Duo technology. The new unit can run up to Core 2 Duo 3-GHz with 4 GB of memory, and features four serial ports, six USB ports, plus powered USB ports of 12V and 24V. It also offers automatic data redundancy with RAID 1, with optional built-in CD/DVD drive for external backup. Its network implements Intel 10/100/1000 BaseT with vPro (iAMT) technology, which allows remote monitor and remote clone by using third-party software such as Altiris and Landesk. The XV supports Microsoft’s Windows XP Professional, Windows Embedded for Point of Service (WEPOS), and Vista. The full range of peripherals for POS is available, and Pioneer will promote the product with its free demo program. “We have heard that some POS touchscreen manufacturers are taking two to three months to repair a defective product that has been in use for more than two years,” reported Michael Flores, Director, Business Development at Pioneer POS. “Besides a minimum of three years shelf-life, Pioneer POS designs its products to have at least five years of serviceability. We always make sure that we have parts available to service or repair our products five years from the release date. Today, Pioneer POS is still providing repair services for models released in 2002.”

XV Series POS Workstation from Pioneer POS

Worth Your While

EPC Connection
EPCglobal North America
October 14-16
Chicago

Self-Service Expo
KioskCom
October 15-16
New York

Retail Market Seminar
Ingram Micro Data Capture/POS Division
October 28      
Santa Ana, CA

IMPACT Now
ScanSource
November 10-11
Orlando

NRF Annual Convention & Expo
National Retail Federation
January 11-14, 2009
New York

ProMat 2009
Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA)
January 12-15, 2009
Chicago

Inspire 2009
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
January 18-21, 2009
Aruba Marriott Resort

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Diamonds Are Forever at CRS

CRS, Inc. (St. Paul, MN) unveiled the ITC-1000B, an upgrade to the popular Diamond Series ITC-1000 integrated thin-client POS terminal. Now in its fourth generation, the latest ITC terminal features two additional USB ports, SATA hard disk drive technology, and removal of venting on the side of the base to further seal the motherboard from environmental contaminates. It has been certified with leading POS applications such as ASI Restaurant Manager, CAP Software, Digital Dining, Dinerware, Focus POS, Future POS, InfoTouch, Keystroke POS, Maitre’d, and R-Stream.

“The ITC-1000 has emerged as the industry-leading fanless solution,” stated John Soderquist, Manager, CRS Peripherals and Parts Division. “The new ITC-1000B uses the same high-performance, Intel Celeron 1-GHz processor and Intel chipset to ensure the same reliability and compatibility resellers are experiencing with their ITC-1000.”

CRS also introduced its new POS swivel base, ideal for hospitality environments in which the POS terminal is shared between the bartender and server. Measuring 13 in. x 19 in., the base holds both POS terminal and receipt printer. Its patented design eliminates pull on cabling and allows 270-degree left and right rotation. The base features a high-impact surface and durable construction.

Diamond Series ITC-1000B Terminal from CRS, Inc.

NEO Lights Up Psion Teklogix

Psion Teklogix (Hebron, KY) shipped NEO, its next-generation, lightweight, pocket-sized handheld computer. The new device targets the needs of mobile workers in light industrial and retail settings, with features such as an angled high-resolution color display for easier viewing and 8-hour battery life. It replaces the company’s Workabout MX , which has been discontinued after 13 years.

Small and compact, NEO weighs 9.7 ounces and measures 6.5 in. x 2.5 in. x 1.5 in., while meeting an IP54 rating for water and dust resistance as well as an ability to withstand 26 drops from 4 feet to concrete. It runs Windows CE .NET 5.0 and offers the full range of advanced data capture and communications functions. In addition, NEO leverages Psion Teklogix’s PTX Connect application to deliver Voice-over-IP (VoIP) with discrete Push-to-Talk for real-time voice communications as well as Instant and Text Messaging functions. In order to support different application requirements, NEO comes with 48-key or 26-key numeric keyboards.

“NEO provides Psion Teklogix and our channels the opportunity to reach into a host of worldwide markets from retail and light duty warehousing to courier and event ticket verification,” indicated Rob Vandervecht, VP of Marketing for Psion Teklogix. “We developed it with the assistance of our channel partners, distributors, and customers to make NEO the most competitive product in the market with the right attributes that make our customer’s mobile workers more productive.”

NEO’s Tilted Screen Avoids “Scan, Tilt, and Squint"

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ALLIANCES

WaiterPAD Gets Busy

TriniTEQ (Emeryville, CA) announced that its WaiterPAD handheld POS system for hospitality has successfully completed Payment Application Best Practices (PABP) compliance testing performed by Digital Resources Group (DRG), one of Visa’s designated data security assessors. DRG’s testing covered all aspects of the application that stores, processes, or transmits payment information, including the handheld and supporting wireless system.  WaiterPAD utilizes low-frequency, long-range RF technology to overcome wireless transmission obstacles commonly found in restaurant environments, such as metal, glass, and liquids.

“Hospitality security requirements continue to rise in response to sophisticated and often well-publicized security breaches,” noted James Vote, CTO at TriniTEQ. “PABP compliance validation is an important milestone given WaiterPAD’s design as the high-profile hospitality enterprise’s handheld of choice for reliable ordering, up-selling, and now secure payment at the table.”

Earlier this month, TriniTEQ was selected as an IBM Business Partner for the foodservice and hospitality industry. Under this agreement, TriniTEQ will offer its customers IBM’s SurePOS hardware and services with its WaiterPAD handheld ordering system. First deployed in 1999, WaiterPAD is used by thousands of restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues around the world. Australia-based PalmTEQ, the manufacturer, changed its company name to TriniTEQ this year.

Ready Hooked on Talon’s Video Archiving

Talon DVR has introduced the Integrated Archive System (IAS) for long-term backup, its next-generation feature addressing the changing needs of retailers and the growing utility of integrated, in-store video systems. In particular, the new feature should help retailers in areas such as personnel management and risk avoidance by providing long-term video archiving of events. This new capability is available through Ready Distribution (Beaverton, OR), which exclusively handles Talon digital video surveillance products for the POS channel.

Talon IAS provides automated video archiving on the server using hot-swap hard drives. Remote viewing is done by inserting one of the archive hard drives into your USB dock. The Talon IAS kit comes complete with the Talon Backup Viewer that allows users to retrieve archives on any Windows PC. Since these backups are going to standard SATA hard drives, the archives are fast, secure, and relatively inexpensive. Retailers can add additional hard drives to keep virtually unlimited archives of their video information.

“We have found that retailers are looking beyond the legacy functions of DVR systems and are looking to do more with the technology,” observed Derrell Ness, President of Ready Distribution. “Retailers are looking to their video systems to help review staffing levels, check customer service processes, study store traffic patterns, and mitigate customer personal injury lawsuits. These functions sometime require months of archived video data and some retailers are looking to store several years worth of that data.”

Derrell Ness, President, Ready Distribution

Code Corner

SofTechnics (Akron, OH) offered SoftGrocer Version 1.6. SoftGrocer provides a single point of control for item and inventory management for grocery retailers, with tools to help store associates focus on exceptions. New features make the receiving, replenishment, and tracking of store inventory more efficient and precise, according to the developer. This includes expanded EDI support of ASN and PO receiving, as well as enriched data capture for detailed vendor scorecard reporting. In addition, the new location-based inventory module allows associates to define and track inventory across multiple locations, including the back room.

Sato (Charlotte, NC) announced the latest release of its barcode and RFID labeling software, Label Gallery 3, which has completed certification testing for Microsoft Windows Vista and offers extended solution possibilities to software developers. Designed to support both PC and mobile device users, LG3 integrates label printing with third-party applications such as Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and Hospital Information Systems (HIS). It delivers “true” multi-lingual support using the Unicode standard and its wizard-driven interface has been enhanced with improved printing control and extended design capabilities, according to the company.

STARTS & STOPS

CipherLab Draws “Cubing” Solution

CipherLab (Plano, TX) has made available its automatic container space calculation software for use on its industrial mobile computers. CipherLab’s Intelligent Order Entry (IOE), designed specifically for use by grocery and c-stores, ensures that shipping container space is maximized to resolve packing problems and reduce overall freight costs. When used in conjunction with the company’s handheld scanners, IOE enables users to calculate the cubic footage and weight of bulk goods, thereby reducing wasted space in shipping containers. The IOE program also alerts users to discontinued items, checks availability of substitute items, converts UPC codes to warehouse codes, and displays backroom inventory during the order process.

CipherLab’s IOE is currently being used by Associated Grocers of Florida, a cooperative of independent retailers in the Southeastern U.S. that is rapidly expanding throughout the Caribbean and Central and South America. AG Florida recently opened the first phase of its 1.5-million-square-foot shipping facility in Freeport, Grand Bahamas. “It’s imperative that we have a streamlined and efficient logistics system that takes into account the unique needs of maritime transportation,” declared Noel Bostick, AG’s IT Operations Manager. “In this business, weight is not necessarily the biggest cost factor—it’s space. By working with CipherLab, AG put ordering control into its customers’ hands.”

According to Al Crawford, VP of Technology at CipherLab, the new IOE solution can also assist grocers and retailers in more efficiently delivering goods by air, sea, and rail. “Although we initially developed Intelligent Order Entry for use in port facilities, the concept of ‘cubing,’ or automatically calculating the cubic feet of container space, is the same for other forms of transportation. Intelligent Order Entry, when coupled with CipherLab handheld mobile computers, creates one of the most efficient systems of its type—and one that gives an almost immediate return on investment to our customers.”

South of the Border for Datamax-O’Neil

Datamax-O’Neil, a subsidiary of Dover Corporation, will extend its Value Partner Program (VPP) to their reseller and distribution partners in the Latin American region. The program is similar to the VPP the company introduced in North America earlier this year, but has been tailored specifically for Latin America, and rewards partners based on the level of services they provide to their end-users before, during, and after their sales of Datamax-O’Neil printer solutions. It launched this month and will be fully executed by early 2009, according to the company.

When fully implemented, the VPP will provide the company’s resellers with the full complement of technical, marketing, and sales support resources and programs. Technical support features product training, 24x7 online customer service and support, and printer and application development assistance. The VPP’s marketing component includes development of cooperative marketing programs as well as an assortment of value-added sales and marketing support tools and collateral. In the area of sales support, resellers will receive access to demand-generation sales leads, participation in joint sales calls, and eligibility for revenue growth incentives and marketing development funds.

“The Valued Partner Program is definitely a win-win for both the channel and our end-users,” said Plamen Petkov, SVP of Marketing and Business Development for Datamax-O’Neil (Orlando). “We spent considerable time evaluating and designing the most effective program we could offer our partners in Latin America, and the program we are launching rewards resellers by helping them take advantage of this dynamic market with a host of benefits that are designed to help grow their business and customer base.”

Key Advertiser Links

Be sure to visit these vendors for the latest in channel products and offers for resellers.

POS & Auto ID Distribution
BlueStar
Ingram Micro
ScanSource

POS & Peripherals
Bematech
Logic Controls
POS-X

Barcode Printers
Wasp Barcode Technologies

Data Collection Terminals
CipherLab
Datalogic Mobile
Honeywell S&M
Honeywell S&M/Metrologic

ECRs / Touchscreens / Printers/
Parts and Supplies
CRS, Inc.

Receipt Printers
Citizen Systems America
Star Micronics

Retail Software
InfoTouch
Toshiba TEC

Screen Protection
3M Optical Products

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

Touchscreens
FireBox Displays

ACQUISITIONS

Sensormatic’s New “Vue” of Item-Level RFID

Sensormatic Electronics (Boca Raton, FL), part of Tyco International, has acquired Vue Technology (Lake Forest, CA), one of the leading providers of item-level RFID addressing retail. Vue’s technology spans software, RFID read points, and RF networking devices. The integration of Vue’s RFID infrastructure into Sensormatic’s portfolio of loss prevention hardware solutions and other sensor technologies will undoubtedly spur deployment of RFID at the store level, since both companies enjoy significant market traction with leading retailers worldwide.

“The acquisition of Vue Technology builds on Sensormatic’s strategy for providing customer benefits such as greater product availability, accurate replenishments, and effective inventory cycle counting at the retail selling floor,” observed Scott Clements, VP and GM, Sensormatic. “Sensormatic is known as a company that helps retailers reduce theft losses. Now we can help retailers address their biggest form of loss—lost sales due to inventory inaccuracies. Sensormatic is focused on lowering the cost and complexity of implementing item-level RFID solutions.”

“We believe this acquisition will help to accelerate the adoption of item-level RFID technology,” asserted Robert Locke, CEO at Vue Technology. “Vue gains access to Sensormatic’s product development resources and Tyco’s global delivery capabilities. Additionally, Vue will benefit from the growing Sensormatic portfolio of smart sensor technologies.” Vue claims customers have achieved up to 99% sales floor inventory and an increase in same store sales of up to 25% in recent applications.

See Oracle in 3D

Oracle (Redwood Shores, CA) will buy U.K.-based Advanced Visual Technology (AVT), which provides 3D visual macro space planning software for retailers. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second half of 2008. Until the deal closes, each company will continue to operate independently. Financial details of the transaction were not released.

AVT enables retailers to collaborate with their stores and supplier partners to design and plan retail floor space in real time with a current photo-realistic view of each store. AVT products combined with Oracle Retail’s comprehensive application suite can be used to increase the profitability of the store’s selling space through enhanced space allocation and performance monitoring across categories, aisles, departments, and the entire store. Benefits include reduced stock-out rates and excess inventory costs. After the deal closes, AVT employees and management are expected to join the Oracle Retail Global Business Unit.

“Adding AVT to our portfolio of retail applications further builds on our strategy of providing broad and deep industry solutions that help transform the economics of retail businesses,” explained Duncan Angove, SVP and GM, Oracle Retail. “The combination of Oracle and AVT will create an industry-leading macro space management solution that will maximize profitability through better allocation of selling space. This will help enable retailers to gain rapid and profitable ROI from every inch of store space and help Oracle further realize its vision for insight-driven retailing.”

[Editor’s Note: Heady stuff for resellers, perhaps, but some of the world’s leading retail companies already use AVT’s products.]

Channel Factoid

Some good news. Fully 61% of midsized companies in the U.S. plan to increase spending on IT in the coming year, with only 10% expecting budget cuts. Overall, comparatively few of these midsized companies (19%) express a high level of satisfaction with how they use IT to address business priorities, and less than one-third (32%) are very satisfied with how they address growing IT security concerns. More to the point, these companies feel their technology consultants and providers could improve in such areas as cost of services and solutions (52%), technical knowledge (44%), and understanding of business issues (40%). At present, 29% say they turn to local IT consultants for strategic and tactical advice, while 59% look internally, and 40% do their own research on the Internet. Survey conducted by the Midmarket Group of Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions.

HELLO GOODBYE

Scopaz Leads Ingram Micro DC/POS

Justin Scopaz has been promoted to GM and VP of Ingram Micro’s Data Capture/POS Division (Carlsbad, CA), with day-to-day responsibility of leading the division’s team and executing against its core growth initiatives. Scopaz will report directly to John Soumbasakis, the former GM, who was recently named SVP and GM of Strategic Divisions for Ingram Micro North America. Scopaz joined the Data Capture/POS Division in late 2004, and most recently directed its vendor management and marketing teams.

“Justin’s drive for excellence and continued leadership within our team and among our partners has played a critical role in the growth, culture, and performance of this fast-growing division,” said Soumbasakis. “We’re pleased to have Justin lead this team and build upon the growing success of our associates and partners.”

“Ingram Micro’s Data Capture/POS Division has experienced record-setting year-over-year growth thanks to the hard work and dedication of Justin and our entire team,” continued Soumbasakis. “In just a short time, we’ve become one of the IT industry’s top channel partners for sourcing all-in-one POS, AIDC, and RFID technology solutions. That’s an accomplishment that we all take great pride in and share with our solution provider and vendor partners.”

Justin Scopaz, GM & VP, Ingram Micro Data Capture/POS Division

ScanSource Communications Names Baker President

ScanSource Communications (Greenville, SC) has selected Glen “Buck” Baker as its new President. Baker formerly served as SVP of Merchandising for the Catalyst Telecom sales unit, but many of our readers will remember him from earlier days when ScanSource only offered POS & Barcoding and Buck was front and center in merchandising for those products.

Baker replaces Jill Phillips, who has decided to retire after more than 20 years in the technology industry. Phillips joined the ScanSource team in 2006 when her company, T2 Supply, was purchased by ScanSource, Inc. She has served as President of both the T2 Supply sales unit and, most recently, ScanSource Communications when it was created by the merger of T2 and the Paragon sales unit in October 2007.

“Buck has played a very important role in the development and strengthening of our merchandising teams, from serving as a leader for our internal group to cultivating strong relationships with our vendor partners,” said Scott Benbenek, President of Worldwide Operations, ScanSource, Inc. “We will certainly miss Jill, her enthusiasm and leadership, but we know the company is in great hands as we continue to grow our communications business.”