This Week’s Product Pick

3M’s Optical Systems Division (St. Paul, MN) rolled out the industry’s first multifunction film for monitors, Vikuiti Brightness Enhancement File - Reflective Polarizer (MNT BEF-RP-230). Delivering superior performance that’s similar to that of two separate prismatic enhancement and reflective polarizer films, Vikuiti Monitor BEF-RP-230 combines angular light management with polarization recycling in a single package only 230 microns thick. It provides uncompromised visual quality, while achieving maximum power efficiency and high display brightness, according to 3M. By combining the films, energy consumption in monitors can be reduced by up to 30% compared to prism-only solutions, without sacrificing performance. Moreover, Vikuiti Monitor BEF-RP-230 provides additional assembly efficiencies and waste reduction in monitors that are already using separate prismatic and reflective polarizer solutions. “Today’s monitor manufacturers continue to face the challenge of increasing energy efficiency and ergonomics for monitors, while at the same time decreasing the number of components and minimizing costs,” explained Jim Bauman, VP of 3M’s Optical Systems Division. “Our Vikuiti Monitor BEF-RP-230 tackles these challenges head on.”

Vikuiti Monitor BEF-RP-230 Film from 3M’s Optical Systems Division

Worth Your While

U Connect Supply Chain Conference
GS1 US
June 2-5
Orlando

HITEC 2009
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals
June 22-25
Anaheim, CA

RetailNow 2009
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
July 11-16
Las Vegas

VARTECH 2009
BlueStar
August 13-15         
Nashville, TN

2009 APICS International Conference & Expo
Association for Operations Management
October 4-6
Toronto

BAI Retail Delivery Conference & Expo
Bank Administration Institute
November 3-5
Boston

Synergy 2009 Customer Conference
Retalix
November 8-11
Dallas

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Not Easy Rider, EasyReader

Datastrip (Wayne, PA) has outfitted its next-generation EasyRead “one-step” handheld biometric reader for the secure verification of travel documents. The device reads and inspects first and second-generation e-passports and other documents in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s 9303 standard and extended access control specifications. It also reads border-crossing credentials and government-issued documents supporting US-VISIT and NEXUS Border Crossing programs. Non-travel applications in corrections, law enforcement, and emergency first response may also be addressed.

EasyRead’s optical camera-based scanner can handle two or three lines of machine-readable data from passports, ID cards, and visas, in addition to barcode symbologies. The 508-dpi NIST-approved capacitive fingerprint sensor captures high-quality scans for fingerprint authentication of biometric data stored in these credentials. EasyRead supports cryptography, certificate, and key management, and its communications capabilities may be expanded to include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular network connectivity to remote databases.

“Datastrip’s EasyRead travel document reader has been developed to provide airport and immigration officers with one-step, on-the-spot ID verification where product reliability is essential for security,” emphasized Joe Delaney, VP of Sales and Marketing at Datastrip. “This advance in ID management will help ensure the safety of thousands of travelers that cross international borders each day.”

Datastrip’s Next-Generation ID Verification Biometric Reader

VeriFone:  Plug-and-Play for Touch-and-Go

VeriFone (San Jose, CA) unveiled its QX1000 plug-and-play solution for adding contactless card payment acceptance to existing POS terminals and ECRs. Coming in June, the QX1000 handles EMV and MSR contactless cards from Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express, as well as non-payment applications such as MiFare. Installation involves quick connections via factory-installed USB or serial options, according to the vendor, and multiple LEDs and buzzer communicate transaction status to both the consumer and the merchant, allowing for an easy payment experience.

VeriFone’s advanced contactless architecture employs its “single contactless interface,” or SingleCI, which enables acquirers to leverage their existing investments through full compatibility. In addition, it future-proofs new investments by providing development tools that enable acquirers to add new features and applications, and to adapt to future technologies such as near-field communications (NFC). The architecture also supports software-based security access modules (SoftSAMs) for multiple payment and non-payment applications, including transit. SoftSAMs can eliminate the need for hardware-based SAMs and offer the flexibility of remote updates.

“The QX1000 is a brilliantly simple contactless solution for seamlessly upgrading payment systems to accept contactless cards today and, in the future, NFC payments from mobile devices,” maintained Paul Rasori, EVP, Global Marketing, at VeriFone. “One contactless solution, with global certifications, satisfies multiple markets and standards.”

VeriFone’s QX1000 Contactless Payment Solution

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ALLIANCES

Itron Utilizes LXE

LXE (Atlanta) has been chosen to supply Itron’s next-generation ultra-rugged wireless handheld computer. Under terms of the agreement, Itron (Liberty Lake, WA) will have exclusive rights to sell the LXE-developed wireless handheld in the water, gas, and electric utility markets, where it serves as one of the leading technology providers. “Outsourcing the development and manufacturing of the new generation of Itron handheld computers to an experienced and innovative partner like LXE makes perfect sense for Itron and for our customers,” said Philip Mezey, COO of Itron North America.

The unit developed for Itron fully integrates Itron’s automated meter reading (AMR) radio technology. Several configurations will be developed for a variety of meter installation, reading, and service applications. The first products are scheduled to ship at the end of 2009, and LXE expects the ongoing agreement to contribute more than $5.5 million to its product and service revenue annually over the next several years.

“The Itron partnership signifies a new component to LXE’s channel strategy, to sell products to markets and applications beyond traditional warehousing, intermodal, and manufacturing,” shared Stephen Newell, GM of LXE. “This agreement is part of our ongoing effort to unlock more value from LXE’s 40 years of leadership in combining rugged mobile computers with wireless connectivity.”

Philip Mezey, COO, Itron North America

Retalix (Plano, TX) will resell electronic cash management systems from Tidel (Carrollton, TX) to its convenience-store customer base. Under the agreement, Retalix plans to integrate its StorePoint POS package with Tidel’s Sentinel product family to offer turn-key cash management and robbery prevention solutions. Benefits to users will include stronger security, reduced cash handling costs, and improved operating efficiencies, according to the two parties.

“Our agreement with Tidel allows us to expand our offerings to c-store operators with this rapid ROI solution to an industry problem,” offered Ray Carlin, EVP of Retalix USA. “Retailers will be able to quickly deploy these systems due in part to the flexibility and ease-of-integration with Retalix StorePoint.”

Tidel’s Sentinel installs as another node on the retailer’s network and its proprietary Windows-based software provides secure, two-way communications between the Sentinel assembly, the POS terminal, and the back-office reporting system, according to Ed Grondahl, EVP, Global Sales, at Tidel. Tidel’s software also provides the unique ability to electronically “command and control” operation of the Sentinel through the POS terminal, thereby providing full accountability and effectively closing the cash management loop. Tidel, incidentally, started life in 1978 as part of the Southland Corporation, now known as 7-Eleven.

Tidel’s Sentinel SCD Cash Management and Robbery Prevention System

Code Corner

RFID Global Solution (Eldersburg, MD) released Visi-Trac, an enterprise platform that captures an impressive range of RFID and sensor technologies, including ultra-wide band, GPS, barcode, and temperature sensors. With its scalable Web services architecture built upon Microsoft BizTalk for RFID, Visi-Trac provides integration to existing key business systems, aggregation of data capture technologies, flexible dashboards (server and client-based) for key decision making, geo-fencing, alert notifications, and real-time location mapping. The platform offers customers the ability to “dial-in” the granularity of real-time visibility that they need from capturing identity, location, and condition across its broad range of data capture technologies, according to the developer. RFID Global Solution has deployed Visi-Trac at five enterprise customers for real-time location solutions in aerospace, manufacturing, defense, and commercial applications. It currently delivers visibility into operations for security, safety, high-value asset tracking, work-in-process, and inventory management. In addition, Visi-Trac seamlessly integrates RFID Global Solution’s RFID and sensor-based SmartTrac products (including SmartTable and SmartFreezer) to supply customers with out-of-the-box solutions. “Our goal is to make the technology decision easier for customers,” said Joe White, COO at RFID Global Solution. “By allowing for the aggregation of RFID data from both active and passive technologies, customers can use the wide range of data capture technologies to solve their business needs. Visi-Trac provides operational efficiencies and enhances safety by ensuring awareness of the location and condition of mission-critical assets.”

STOPS & STARTS

Solidcore Secured by McAfee

McAfee (Santa Clara, CA), the world’s largest dedicated security technology company, will snap up privately-owned Solidcore Systems (Cupertino, CA), which provides dynamic whitelisting technology, for $33 million in cash up front and with an earn-out of up to an additional $14 million if certain performance targets are met. Following the closing, expected in Q2, the Solidcore team will be incorporated into the McAfee Risk and Compliance business unit, headed by George Kurtz, SVP and GM. McAfee expects to couple Solidcore’s dynamic whitelisting and compliance enforcement technology with McAfee compliance mapping and policy auditing to deliver the industry’s first end-to-end compliance solution. Centralized management and reporting of the integrated technologies will be provided through the McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) console.

“Solidcore’s industry-leading compliance and protection solutions will extend the current McAfee security portfolio beyond signature-based anti-malware with the addition of dynamic whitelisting and application trust technology,” declared Dave DeWalt, President/CEO of McAfee. “Combined with leading McAfee anti-virus, anti-spyware, host intrusion prevention, policy auditing, and firewall technologies, we will help customers more easily mitigate the risks associated with vulnerable or malicious applications downloaded by employees. Through this acquisition, we believe McAfee can expand its reach into new markets, secure new platforms, and strengthen its hold as the leader in the $6 billion endpoint security market.”

Solidcore currently protects more than 200,000 endpoints from malware and unauthorized changes, including POS systems, ATMs, mobile devices, multifunction printers, servers, and workstations. Its market base is geographically diverse, with customers in more than 40 countries, at more than 100 financial institutions, and across 15,000 retail stores. “Today’s complex threat landscape and evolving compliance standards require customers to go beyond the reactive, ‘check-the-box’ model for security,” suggested Anne Bonaparte, Solidcore’s President/CEO.

Dave DeWalt, President/CEO, McAfee

I:DEAL Bundle for Heartland Payment

Heartland Payment Systems (Princeton, NJ) has bundled Panini’s I:DEAL check scanner with its Express Funds solution for remote deposit capture (RDC), powered by Transmodus. Heartland began processing live deposits by clients through the partnership last month. Heartland Express Funds was designed to accelerate cash flow for business owners by digitizing the check deposit process. In addition, they benefit from Heartland AutoRecovery, an automated program that efficiently recovers funds from returned checks.

“We began looking for an easy-to-use, reliable, and cost-effective check scanner when we expanded our Express Funds solution,” related Tony Capucille, Director of Check Management at Heartland. “The Panini I:DEAL supports our strategy to provide state-of-the-art solutions to business owners receiving paper payments.”

“We are very excited that Heartland selected the Panini I:DEAL for its Express Funds solution,” confirmed Doug Roberts, President of Panini North America (Dayton, OH). “The bank-neutral component, as well as Heartland’s national sales and servicing force of more than 1,700 professionals, provides a wonderful opportunity to facilitate downstream adoption of remote deposit capture.”

[Editor’s Note:  Following completion of its annual Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard assessment, Heartland Payment Systems has returned to Visa’s list of PCI DSS Validated Service Providers.]

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Auto ID Distribution
BlueStar
M-S Cash Drawer

POS & Peripherals
Aures Technologies
FEC USA
Pioneer POS
POS-X
Touch Dynamic

Barcode & Mobile Printers
Datamax-O'Neil

Cash Drawers
MMF Cash Drawer

Data Collection Software
Wavelink

Data Collection Terminals
CipherLab
Datalogic Mobile
Janam Technologies
Motorola

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems

Payment Engine Solutions
Precidia Technologies

Receipt Printers
Citizen Systems America
Star Micronics

Retail Software
Logivision

Screen Protection
3M Optical Filters

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

Video Surveillance & Access Control
ScanSource Security

INTEGRATION

Two More Openings for POS Video Surveillance

Two leading POS software providers, pcAmerica (Pearl River, NY) and SpeedLine POS (Lynden, WA) have furthered their integration efforts in the area of video surveillance security. Microsoft Certified Partner DIGIOP (Indianapolis, IN) has added new software integrations to its Data Transaction Manager for pcAmerica’s Cash Register Express 12.0 and Restaurant Pro Express 12.0. By adding DIGIOP, retailers and restaurant owners using pcAmerica’s latest programs can view video associated with both live and recorded transaction data.

Commented DIGIOP Director of Sales and Marketing, Scott Kemp:  “We are pleased to extend full software support to these Point of Sale systems from pcAmerica. Their focus on supplying the retail and restaurant markets with advanced, easy-to-use, and cost-effective Point of Sale systems fits naturally with DIGIOP’s strategic direction.”

For its part, SpeedLine POS released in beta its EventStream Software Developers Kit, which allows video security companies and other third-party solution providers open access to real-time data, including POS transactions, user information, and time clock and bank activity. At no cost, EventStream SDK provides well-documented API, demo application, and samples, according to the company, which focuses on the vast pizza market. In addition, the SDK supports real-time event notifications and alerts as well as network monitoring systems.

“Loss prevention at the Point of Sale is a concern for most restaurant owners,” said Terry Haan, VP of Development for SpeedLine, in somewhat of an understatement. “We are actively seeking new partnerships with video surveillance solution providers to give SpeedLine POS users the choice of integrated security camera solutions to deter theft and identity offenders.”

SAP Linked to Voice and Payments

Two gems for RRN.Com readers from the SAP Sapphire Show held last week in Orlando. First, Vocollect, Inc. (Pittsburgh) introduced VoiceWeaver, its native interface to SAP’s NetWeaver Warehouse Management and Extended Warehouse Management solutions. Now the SAP community can utilize Vocollect Voice for distribution center/warehouse applications such as picking, replenishment, put-away, and cycle-counting. Commercially available this fall, Vocollect VoiceWeaver brings real-time data synchronization for SAP enterprise resource planning (ERP) operations, according to the two parties, as well as simple configuration and user-directed administration tools for single or multiple installations.

“More than 250,000 workers use Vocollect Voice worldwide, every day moving over two billion dollars’ worth of products from DCs and warehouses to customer locations,” pointed out Tom Upshur, VP of Product Management and Marketing at Vocollect. “VoiceWeaver now gives SAP customers a choice--they can implement Vocollect Voice with their SAP WM or EWM module, or do so in collaboration with one of our many best-of-breed warehouse management system (WMS) and supply chain management (SCM) partners.”

Now to payments, where CyberSource (Mountain View, CA) has collaborated with Delego Software (Sugar Land, TX) to offer payment integration to SAP software-based customers through the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, in which CyberSource hosts the DelegoSRV SAP Certified Integration. Once connected to CyberSource, merchants gain on-demand access to the full spectrum of payment management services, including global payment processing, fraud management, and payment security services. Two forms are offered:  Standard and Security-Enhanced (which substitutes tokens for payment data).

“What we are now offering our SAP software-based customers is quicker, more cost-effective access to the payment capabilities they seek,” remarked David Glaser, VP, CyberSource Global Services. “It’s a simpler process for them. They can leave the challenges of integration and management to us within our PCI-compliant operation, and still utilize an SAP Certified Integration solution.”

Tom Upshur, VP, Product Management and Marketing, Vocollect

[Editor’s Note:  Vocollect has also announced its VoiceWorld Suite of software products and resources for easier deployment of voice applications for multiple market segments. According to the company, the new solution includes advanced capabilities, middleware, and development tools, which should help resellers.]

Channel Factoid

Demand for “break-fix” services has increased significantly, according to OnForce, the North American online marketplace and network of technology service professionals. Services in this sector jumped from 59% of total work orders in Q4 2008 to 63% in Q1 2009. Interestingly, the call for POS services decreased by 50%--from 14% of total work orders in Q4 2008 to 7% for Q1 2009. OnForce attributes this drop to seasonality as well as the great numbers of retail stores that have recently closed. Typically, retailers invest in their POS in the fall timeframe in advance of the holiday shopping season, as RRN.Com readers can testify. Overall, total work order volume increased 10% year over year, with television and video services particularly hot. As always, location, location, location: California, Texas, Illinois, and Florida were among the largest onsite service economies; while Chicago, Houston, and New York were the top three busiest cities for onsite service. “As we predicted at the end of 2008, businesses and consumers are leveraging break-fix and repair services more than install, and many companies are continuing to look to outsourcing IT services to cut costs and improve their bottom lines,” reported Peter Cannone, CEO of OnForce.

MILESTONES

Helping the Supply Chain Get Healthy

One year after its launch, the GS1 Healthcare US industry group (Lawrenceville, NJ) has gained members from hospitals, associations, group purchasing organizations, and suppliers that, in aggregate, reach almost 90% of all U.S. hospitals, according to the organization. GS1 US, the not-for-profit organization promoting Auto ID in all its manifestations, formed GS1 Healthcare US in 2008 to counter the many disparate systems used for identifying locations and products, which result in enormous inefficiencies in this market, observers agree.

GS1 Healthcare US members have established five active workgroups to address supply chain issues as they seek to improve patient safety and healthcare system efficiency through global standards. Members are currently working on two primary goals with “sunrise dates” for widespread adoption:  Implement GS1’s Global Location Number (GLN) standard for location identification by 2010, and its Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) standard for product identification by 2012. These two standards will be made accessible through the GS1 Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN).

“Through their commitment and participation, our member companies are forging a dramatically stronger foundation for the U.S. healthcare supply chain,” pledged Dennis Harrison, President of GS1 Healthcare US. “They are bringing to healthcare the same standards that have saved consumers billions of dollars in retail. And in healthcare, these standards can improve patient safety as well.”

“While we are off to a powerful start,” continued Harrison, “we need more providers and suppliers to commit to data standards, since the greatest benefits will occur when everyone is participating. GS1 Healthcare US is committed to working with all supply-chain participants to reach higher levels of performance that will benefit all, especially patients.”

The Doctor Will See You Now, Mr. Barcode

BlueStar Counts on New VP

BlueStar (Hebron, KY) has announced the promotion of Ryan Girvin to the position of VP and Corporate Controller. In his new post, Girvin will oversee financial reporting activities worldwide, including accountability for the development of financial strategies to support the organizational goals in the Americas and Europe. Preceding this promotion, Girvin served as Corporate Controller, the post he occupied throughout the 2007 acquisition of BlueStar Europe. In 2004, while charged with leading the accounting department in the cooperative implementation of BlueStar’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, Girvin simultaneously supported BlueStar’s expansion into Latin America. He first joined the distributor in 2001.

“In recognition of Ryan’s contributions and his expanding role in this organization, I am pleased to announce this promotion,” said Doug Bivins, BlueStar VP of Finance. “Ryan plays a critical role in our global operations and his international experience is invaluable as we continue to focus on expanding BlueStar product offerings worldwide.”

“Ryan has been a key member of our senior management team and a chief contributor to the achievements of our global business,” added Steve Cuntz, BlueStar President/CEO. “His business acumen and financial expertise make him ideally suited for this expanded role.”