This Week’s Product Pick
Honeywell Scanning & Mobility (Skaneateles Falls, NY) announced the latest release of its popular Dolphin 7850 Mobile Computer, featuring water, dust, and shock resistant casing, power management, and three new long-range laser scanning options. The 7850 was developed for high performance, high endurance, and easy ergonomic operation, according to the company. It has an upward angled screen for convenient viewing and comfortable integrated pistol grip that is easy to hold during extended shifts. The three new scanning options available for the 7850—High Performance, Long Range, and Advanced Long Range—provide usability from 5 to 30 feet, meeting the barcode reading requirements common in warehouse and distribution environments. The mobile computer runs Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 with integrated 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi communications and can perform for 10 hours or more on one charge due to Shift-Plus power management technology. Its rugged chassis incorporates an internal magnesium alloy frame and has been tested to endure multiple drops onto concrete. “The addition of long-range scanning into the 7850 reinforces Honeywell’s commitment to continually expand our product line to meet the needs of our customers,” said Garrison Gomez, Senior Product Manager of Mobility Product Marketing for Honeywell Scanning & Mobility. For more information, click here.
Honeywell’s Dolphin 7850 Now Features Long-Range Scanning
MARKET WATCH Top 9 IT Security Threats and Resolutions for the New Year This quick, tasty overview on IT security was provided by Kevin Prince, Chief Architect for Perimeter eSecurity (Milford, CT), which supplies on-demand security services for retailers. Threats and their corresponding solutions are listed in descending order of severity, along with their current status. According to Prince, the nature of IT security has changed radically due to the current economic, political and legislative environment in the U.S., as well as the type and volume of information that is now available on the Internet. Threat #1: Malicious Insiders (Rising Threat) Employees with malicious intent have always been the biggest threat to their organizations. Resolution: Conduct Employee Security Awareness Training, in the form of mandatory, monthly online courses. Chose the program that offers up-to-date courses, ensures users understand policies and procedures, and provides reporting to management. Threat #2: Malware (Steady Threat) Malicious software may include viruses, worms, Trojan Horse programs, etc., and the most prolific distribution method has now become Websites that host such threats. Resolution: URL Filtering, Patch Management, and Other Protections. Employ patch management and system anti-virus and spyware protection to combat the malware threat, but also proactively manage sites where employees are allowed to surf. Threat #3: Exploited Vulnerabilities (Weakening Threat) Hackers find weaknesses in commonly used systems or software products and exploit them for their gain. Resolution: Implement Comprehensive Patch Management. Make certain you cover all operating systems and vendors—not just Microsoft, but Linux, Unix, and Macintosh. Also consider Host-Based Intrusion Prevention (HIPS), which monitors your systems for anomalous behavior, applications attempting to be installed, user escalation, and other non-standard events. Threat #4: Social Engineering (Rising Threat) Hacking compromises the computer, but social engineering compromises the human by tricking him/her into supplying personal information and passwords. Any method of communication can be used to perpetrate this fraud, including telephone, text messaging, impersonation of support/vendor staff, and social networking sites. Resolution: Social Engineering Testing, conducted by an outside party, with mock scenarios to assess your vulnerability. Threat #5: Careless Employees (Rising Threat) Mistakes made by careless or untrained employees may lead to serious security compromises. Further, the current difficult economic climate may put strain on employees to cut corners or skip important duties. Resolution: Employee Security Awareness Training. Threat #6: Reduced Budgets (Rising Threat) A weak economy leads companies to tighten their budgets, which results in less headcount and less money for upgrades and new systems. Resolution: End-Users Should Consider Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Solutions, in an attempt to cut costs. And third-party solution providers should consider offering this delivery model. Threat #7: Remote Workers & Road Warriors (Steady Threat) Without question, the number of telecommuting and mobile workers will continue to grow. Resolution: Use the Same Systems for Telecommuters as for On-Site Employees. Don’t forget to install security on your remote VPNs. Make sure remote workers use company-issued systems with updated security patches and Web content filtering. Provide easily accessible on-call tech support so employees don’t resort to fixing things themselves. Isolate work computers at home from the kids, who can download threats along with their games. Threat #8: Unstable Third-Party Providers (Rising Threat) As we all know, sadly, the current economic climate has caused some providers to go out of business or to cut corners that could lead to security compromises. Resolution: End-Users Should Consider Streamlining Their Third-Party Providers. Prince advises providers to be ready to demonstrate long track records of success, financial stability, and certifications by independent firms where appropriate. Threat #9: Downloaded Software, Including Open Source and P2P Files (Steady Threat) IT administrators may download and install open source software or freeware in an attempt to save money, which can lead to “a huge waste of time” in software configuration, as well as data breaches. Resolution: Limit Download and System Update Administration to Trained IT Staff. Don’t allow users to download and install software on their desktops. Consider HIPS to monitor systems and non-standard events, but make sure that only IT managers have access to this information.
|
|
Worth Your While
NRF Annual Convention & Expo
National Retail Federation
January 11-14
New York
ProMat 2009
Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA)
January 12-15
Chicago
Inspire 2009
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
January 18-21
Aruba Marriott Resort
AIM Technology Leadership Summit
Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility
April 20-22
Chicago
NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 16-19
Chicago
NACStech
National Association of Convenience Stores
May 18-20
Grapevine, TX
ALL IN THE FAMILY
“Anywhere” Mobility Addressed by CipherLab
CipherLab (Plano, TX) introduced its 1660 Pocket-Size Scanner with Bluetooth wireless communications, designed to increase employee productivity and data-capture accuracy in the field by leveraging common communications platforms. Weighing less than two ounces, the CipherLab 1660 is one of the smallest and lightest wireless barcode scanners on the market. When paired with PCs, PDAs, or smart phones, it provides remote workers with “anywhere” mobility for applications such as healthcare, public utilities, and field-service environments.
“CipherLab has built its global reputation for economical, reliable, and rugged handheld scanners,” declared Sherman Chuang, President of CipherLab. “With the debut of the CipherLab 1660, we’re continuing that momentum with this unique and innovative product that solves real-world logistical products for our customers. The 1660 empowers employees by enabling them to collect and input critical data wherever it’s most needed, where that’s a remote utility site installation or at a hospital’s bedside.”
Expected to be widely available in early 2009, the CipherLab 1660 Pocket-Size Scanner can be used in tandem with many standard mobile devices on the market today, such as the Microsoft Windows Mobile Pocket PC and, of course, the BlackBerry. The new scanner offers 256 KB of data memory, working range of up to 10 meters (32.8 feet), and performance of 100 scans per second. For more information, click here.
CipherLab’s 1660 Pocket-Size Scanner
SonicWall to SMBs: “We Feel Your Pain Points”
SonicWall, Inc. (Sunnyvale, CA) has launched its Continuous Data Protection (CDP) Series, which targets the data backup and recovery needs of small and medium size businesses. The CDP Series provides flexible disaster recovery options, automatic transparent backups, and simple installation and management requirements, according to the company. It maintains file availability in multiple historic versions such that all servers and their applications—including Exchange, SQL, and Active Directory—are protected with multiple-point-in-time versions for disaster recovery.
Designed to replace tape-based systems, which are susceptible to human error, CDP appliances feature capacity up to 9 TB at typical compression, Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) connectivity, RAID 5, and field-replaceable components, making them optimized for today’s requirements for performance and reliability. In addition to automatic transparent backup and flexible disaster recovery, key features include low-touch administration, user self-directed restore, and real-time data protection across laptops, desktops, and servers. Options for disaster recovery include off-site or site-to-site data backup, local archiving, or bare metal recovery. The CDP Series includes the CDP 110, 210, 5040, and 6080, with list prices ranging from $1,999 to $10,999.
“SonicWall understands the very real pain-points SMBs have when it comes to backing up, and more importantly, restoring data,” shared Chris Winter, Director of CDP Product Management. “Based on customer feedback, we have worked hard to design an affordable, easy to use backup and recovery solution that doesn’t compromise on performance or reliability. With features like policy-driven backup and self-directed restore, the CDP Series does an amazing job of automating tedious tasks and requiring fewer dedicated IT resources to manage.”
Join the Party at No Charge
 |
 |
 |
|
||
 |
|
 |
|
||
Do you need to reach the POS & Auto ID resellers who really drive business—in the most targeted editorial environment, and on the most cost-effective basis?
E-mail Michael
Kachmar for advertising information,
or call 973-270-3284
Did you miss one of our issues and suddenly realize your competitors know more than you do?
Hurry ! Use the links below to catch up :
ALLIANCES
One SKU for Touch POS from InfoTouch, HP, and BlueStar
InfoTouch Corporation (Atlanta) has announced immediate availability of Touch POS Plug & Play Bundles from BlueStar (Florence, KY). The bundles consist of Hewlett-Packard’s HP rp3000 POS system, HP peripherals, and InfoTouch’s Store Keeper POS software. The software is pre-configured to work with the complete set of HP peripherals. The bundles come in versions for 12 different retail markets, including general merchandise, liquor stores, beauty salons, gift stores, and garden centers.
“The Touch POS Plug & Play Bundles represent the next step in our deepening partnership with HP, BlueStar, and Mercury Payment Systems,” explained Keith Neerman, President of InfoTouch Corporation. “A dealer can order a single SKU from BlueStar and get a system ready to work out-of-the-box with HP rp3000 and peripherals. The software is customized in advance for one of a dozen popular retail markets and is ready to immediately process payments through Mercury Payment Systems. By greatly reducing the work required to get the POS system ready to install, dealers can get retailers up and running more quickly and sell more customers with less effort. Best of all, the price point on these bundles from BlueStar is absolutely phenomenal.”
Store Keeper POS provides touchscreen-based POS functionality and includes integrated payment processing software that works out-of-the-box with Mercury Payment Systems for credit, debit, and gift card processing as well as check verification and Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT). The software provides inventory management, barcode scanning, purchase order creation, physical inventory, and employee and customer relationship management. In addition, InfoTouch has developed its QuickBooks interface module for Store Keeper POS. For more information, click here.
Aldata Dresses Apollo in “G.O.L.D.”
Aldata Solution (Atlanta), the retail and wholesale industries software provider, and Information Resources Inc. (Chicago), which provides market intelligence for retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, have entered into a definitive agreement under which Aldata will acquire all of the assets of IRI’s Apollo Retail Space and Assortment Planning business unit. The offer is valued at approximately $10.5 million. Aldata thus adds space planning and optimization to its G.O.L.D. Retail Suite while simultaneously increasing its U.S. footprint.
Apollo Space Planning software is used by more than 300 retail and CPG companies with over 8,000 individual users worldwide and contains over 20 years of accumulated retail planning and optimization domain knowledge. It dramatically improves the retail space planning process by utilizing advanced merchandizing rules, category assortments, performance criteria, and space constraints, according to its developer. Recent major investments in ease-of-use, speed of deployment, and Web publishing further confirm Apollo’s leadership position in this category.
“The addition of the Apollo business is a natural fit for Aldata,” commented Bertrand Sciard, President/CEO of Aldata. “First, the combination of products provides best-of-breed integrated planning, optimization, delivery, and replenishment of retail merchandizing operations. Secondly, Apollo’s substantial U.S. customer base fits Aldata’s stated strategy to build a larger presence in the U.S. market. And thirdly, both companies have shared heritage, experience, and customers in the high-volume food, grocery, and CPG market sectors.”
[Editor’s Note: Aldata has also completed several benchmark tests on Oracle Fusion Middleware for J2EE and Oracle Real Application Clusters, demonstrating high levels of integration between the G.O.L.D. Retail Suite and Oracle’s technology. The two companies have long worked together and support 250 customers at over 20,000 sites.]
Code
Corner
IDAutomation (Tampa, FL) has released its GS1 DataBar Barcode Font. DataBar, as our readers should know, may be used in all POS systems after January 1, 2010. It encodes GTIN, UPC, and EAN data and may carry additional product information such as weight, expiration date, and serial numbers in one compact barcode. The IDAutomation GS1 DataBar Barcode Font Package includes TrueType, OpenType, PostScript, and PCL fonts that support all DataBar variants including Omni-Directional, Limited, Stacked, and Expanded types. The download includes encoders in VB, Java, C+ + and .NET for Windows, MAC, Linux, and Unix operating systems. The Windows set-up application provided in the download includes examples for Excel, Word, Access, and Crystal Reports. An online encoder is also available to generate barcodes one at a time for desktop publishing applications (such as PhotoShop) and is compatible with the MAC. Licenses for the font package start at $249, according to the company.
HELLO GOODBYE
New VP of Marketing Clocks In at Accu-Time
Accu-Time Systems, Inc. (Ellington, CT), one of the leading manufacturers of workforce management, time and attendance, and security access products, has appointed Larry Dawson as its VP of Marketing. Dawson will oversee domestic as well as international marketing for the entire company, including EMEA and Latin America. He brings extensive marketing experience to his new role, having recently held positions at Precision Dynamics and IDEX Health and Science.
“Larry brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role and, with our continuing global expansion, we are pleased to have him on board to help support and develop our marketing initiatives,” observed Peter DiMaria, Founder and CEO of Accu-Time Systems. “With the addition of Larry to our team, we will be streamlining and improving our product line as ATS continues to be the leading supplier of Human Capital Management equipment.”
Larry Dawson, VP of Marketing, Accu-Time Systems
BlueStar Taps CipherLab BDM
BlueStar (Florence, KY) has named Robert Urben as its Business Development Manager for CipherLab, where he will lead new channel efforts for the brand through the distributor. Urben joined BlueStar earlier this year with two decades of experience in project management and business development within the IT industry. Previously, he served as Business Development Specialist for WorkflowOne, where he provided systems consulting and project management in Auto ID and RFID solutions. Prior to that, he worked for Peak Technologies and Wavebend Solutions
“Robert Urben has the experience and industry knowledge to help lead CipherLab on the path to increase its channel sales,” stated Mark Fraker, BlueStar’s VP of Marketing. “We’re glad to have him on the BlueStar team.”
“We are very excited about the potential to grow the CipherLab product line within BlueStar,” Urben said. “The team put in place by CipherLab, coupled with the marketing and sales tools that BlueStar brings to the table, will create the collaboration and teamwork necessary to be successful.”
Robert Urben, Business Development Manager, BlueStar
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
Logic Controls
pcKeyboard
POS-X
Barcode Printers
Wasp Barcode Technologies
Cash Drawers
MMF Cash Drawer
Data Collection Terminals
CipherLab
Datalogic
Mobile
Honeywell Scanning & Mobility
Honeywell Scanning & Mobility/Metrologic
Janam Technologies
Keyboards
Cherry Corp.
Receipt
Printers
Citizen Systems America
Star Micronics
Retail Software
InfoTouch
Toshiba TEC
Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA
STARTS & STOPS
TransNet Payment Engine Shines at Emerald
Emerald Business Systems (Eugene and Medford, OR) has integrated the TransNet payment engine from Precidia Technologies (Ottawa, Canada) into its POS solutions for retail and hospitality, which include Micros, Toshiba TEC, and Sams4s hardware platforms. TransNet has been designed as neutral middleware to meet the needs of any end-user. Transactions are removed from the POS system and housed instead on Precidia’s POSLynx220 payment router, offering more secure, flexible, and cost-effective processing, according to the company.
“We have a customer with several lanes using Toshiba cash registers, as well as telephone ordering capability,” reported Jim Janke, President of Emerald Business Systems. “With Precidia’s help, we are able to implement fully integrated payments at a lower cost than competing options, by using just one POSLynx220 payment router for all lanes, with low-cost adapters providing connectivity into the router. The customer is also using TransNet’s Virtual Terminal capability on a PC to facilitate secure, efficient telephone purchases.”
Precidia has also released its EtherCell product, which provides secure device access from outside the network. Intended to replace dial-in modems and PCs for this purpose, the EtherCell leverages protocol conversion technology, receiving or setting up the PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) connection via its RS-232 port, using cellular or analog modem. “The EtherCell’s primary advantage is to network administrators who require ‘emergency’ access to a mission-critical IP device or application from outside the network,” indicated Deepak Wanner, Precidia’s President. “Other applications include Ethernet-based utility meters, which can be accessed using an operator’s cell phone, to retrieve data or manage the device.”
DineBlast Mobile Goes Live
SoftTouch LLC (Margate, FL) has enhanced its DineBlast Mobile solution, which allows take-out, curb-side, quick-service restaurant and table-service patrons to use their mobile phones and PDAs to electronically place an order and pay for their meal while at the restaurant. Along with this new service upgrade, DineBlast announced its first national implementation of the technology, with Froots Smoothies rolling it out in 10 locations across the country with plans to deploy at over 40 locations in 2009.
Froots Smoothies is a national chain offering healthy alternatives to traditional fast food. It caters to young clientele (18 to 35 year olds), so online communication would seem to fit. DineBlast Mobile will enable Froots’ customers to connect their smart phone or laptop to the DineBlast Mobile Wi-Fi network and instantly route to an order selection/menu screen. After sending the order, the customer can remit payment via credit card. SoftTouch has been developing restaurant POS software since 1994 and distributes its products through its nationwide reseller network.
“The goal of DineBlast Mobile is to fully strengthen the diner experience and help restaurant owners keep up with customer demand,” emphasized Michael Paycher, President of SoftTouch. “We have evolved the concept of online ordering into a more practical utility where customers don’t have to preplan their orders. Diners simply show up at the restaurant and with a few clicks on their phone, they are empowered to place orders, pay for their meal, request drink refills, and even text message their server.”
Wi-Fi Provides Onsite, Online Ordering
Channel Factoid
The worldwide storage software market continues to shine with double-digit growth in Q3 of 2008—its twentieth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth—with revenues of $3.1 billion, an 11.6% increase over the same time period last year. EMC led the overall market with 24.7% revenue share in Q3 ($758 million). Symantec took the second position with 17.8% revenue share ($545 million), while IBM finished third with 12.9% ($396 million). NetApp finished in the fourth position with 8.5% revenue share ($261 million) and HP and CA rounded out the top five with 4.3% ($133 million) and 4.0% ($124 million), respectively. Factors driving the storage software market include widespread compliance projects, the spread of virtualization into the storage arena, and thin provisioning and Green IT efforts, according to James Baker, Research Manager, Storage Software for IDC.
STANDARDS
Holiday Warning About Barcodes
A viral e-mail spreading quickly across the U.S. could be misleading consumers and harming American businesses during this critical holiday season. According to GS1 US (Lawrenceville, NJ), which serves as the administrator and sole source of UPC barcode prefixes for the U.S., the e-mail erroneously states that “the first three digits” of a product’s barcode always indicate the product’s country of origin. Consumers are encouraged to make their buying decisions based on these numbers. The e-mail claims that barcode prefixes on American-made products will start with a zero or one, but in fact they might begin with any digit for a number of reasons, GS1 noted. As a result, consumers may well boycott businesses or products they would otherwise choose to support.
“Although the first few digits of a barcode—what we call a company prefix—can indicate the country in which the barcode was issued, it tells you nothing about where the product was made,” warned Bob Noe, Chief Customer Officer for GS1 US. “The claim is somewhat grounded in reality, but just enough to be dangerous, even if you’re reading it correctly, which is not a safe assumption.”
For instance, since the first digit in the UPC barcode format is separated from the others, consumers reading the number for clues of its origin might well ignore it, and once again, make the wrong buying decision. “As we head into the most important shopping season of the year for American businesses, we are concerned that some companies are going to lose sales as a result of this misguided e-mail,” said Noe.
So tell your customers, and their customers, to stop trying to read barcodes for hidden messages.
PinPoint Media
All Rights Reserved