This Week’s Product Pick

Hypercom Corporation (Scottsdale, AZ) debuted its next-generation product family of customer-facing, multipurpose payment terminals, the L5000. The new terminals feature the broadest range of functional and communication capabilities for the widest spectrum of multilane retailers, according to the vendor. This includes full VGA color display and hardened glass capacitive touchscreen for multimedia and signature capture, 400-MHz processing, Linux O/S, and an integrated ADA-compliant keyboard with side lighting. To meet the evolving needs of retailers, the L5000 employs modular communication interfaces, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Contactless, and Power-over-Ethernet, while Braille characters and headset jacks are provided to assist the visually impaired. In addition, the L5000 meets PCI PTS 2.x security compliance with Hypercom’s HyperSafe Remote Key System embedded in each terminal. Four models will be offered, including the L5350 cordless for jewelry, cosmetic, and other high-end counters and the L5400 with integrated barcode scanner for price checking and product location. “The L5000 is a revolutionary technological advance that gives retailers in all tiers the ability to use these products for more than just payments,” declared Lloyd Baylard, VP, Multilane Products, Hypercom Corporation. “For the first time, retailers may match the specific needs of each department with one of the value-added products in the L5000 family.”

L5000 Terminal from Hypercom

Worth Your While

WERC Annual Conference
Warehousing Education and Research Council
May 16-19
Anaheim, CA

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 22-25
Chicago

POS Partner Invitational
Ingram Micro Data Capture/POS Division
May 26-28
Chicago

U Connect Supply Chain Conference
GS1 US & VICS
June 7-10
San Antonio, TX

CTIA Enterprise & Applications
CTIA-The Wireless Association
October 6-8
San Francisco

AIM Expo
Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility
November 1-3
Chicago

ALL IN THE FAMILY

This Star Shines Green

Star Micronics (Edison, NJ) has unveiled its TSP100ECO POS printer, which builds upon the success of its TSP100 futurePRNT series by significantly reducing environmental impact. The new printer carries several innovative features that reduce paper and power consumption, while providing high-speed, software-enriched, economical operation for end-users, according to the company. Key technical specifications include direct line thermal printing at 203-dpi resolution, 150 mm/second paper feed speed, and 28 receipts per minute throughput (up from 22). The device integrates power supply, USB interface, and standard auto-cutter.

Befitting its name, the TSP100ECO practices all shades of green. Paper-saving functions include an automatic default top paper margin of 1/8 inch, in comparison to the industry average of 1/2 to 3/4 inches. The printer also features horizontal and vertical receipt compression, allowing users to reformat the receipt from 80 mm to 58 mm, or to crop blank spaces out of the receipt to further reduce length. On-demand receipt printing completes this picture, with transactions stored in the host memory for later use. Overall, paper savings can reach 40%, Star has calculated.

In the area of energy consumption, the TSP100ECO comes equipped with advanced power management circuitry, instant “wake up” from sleep mode, and Energy Star certification (drawing less than 0.05 watts in idle state). Further, the printer’s monitoring tools, part of futurePRNT software, allows users to continually examine both paper and energy savings throughout the year. Finally, Star Micronics has addressed its own environmental impact in the production of the printer. The housing is composed of halogen-free material, and packaging is recyclable. Even further, the company has purchased carbon offsets for each printer equal to the manufacturing process and five years of operations. That’s 33.9 kg per unit, according to the certificate awarded to buyers.

“Star has truly answered the public’s cry to provide an eco-friendly solution for point of service printing,” summarized Michael Hanson, VP of Star Micronics. “Our unique futurePRNT software brings massive paper consumption savings for end-users--which not only supports the environment but their bottom-line as well,” he added. For more information on the TSP100ECO, click here.

TSP100ECO POS Printer from Star Micronics

Walking Small at Pioneer POS

Pioneer POS (City of Industry, CA) has addressed the needs of space-restricted environments with its new StealthTouch-M2 and M2 S-Line terminals, both of which feature 12-inch LCD touchscreen and compact footprint. The M2 joins the company’s flagship All-in-One product line, powered by Intel’s Atom processor and providing fanless operation. Connectivity consists of Intel’s 10/100/1000 Base-T network and the full complement of ports: 6 USB, 4 Serial, and Powered USB for peripheral devices. Moreover, the M2 may run as thin client utilizing solid-state disk or compact flash with Windows XP Embedded and processing power may be upgraded to Core 2 Duo at 2.5 GHz.

In speaking with RRN.Com, Michael Flores, Director of Business Development for Pioneer POS, emphasized the small form factor of the new 12-inch models. StealthTouch-M2 measures only 12.2 in. x 11.7 in. x 9.8 in. with base, while the M2 S-Line measures slightly larger at 12.2 in. x 13.7 in. x 12.75 in. due to its integrated receipt printer. “By taking up less counter space, the M2 allows retailers to display more ‘impulse buy’ merchandise that boosts revenue,” said Flores, who will be demonstrating the new terminal at the upcoming National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago later this month.

“We offer All-in-Ones and All-in-Ones with built-in printers--two different formats--and we offer them in 12, 15, and 17-inch sizes, and with any touch technology and in any peripheral configuration the customer may need,” Flores noted of Pioneer POS. “We’ve focused on expanding the versatility and flexibility of the product so that it’s not only perfect for POS VARs and ISVs, but also for a broad number of non-traditional vertical markets, such as kiosks, healthcare, and shop-floor manufacturing.” For more information on the StealthTouch-M2 and M2 S-Line, click here.

M2 S-Line Terminal From Pioneer POS, With 12-Inch Screen and Receipt Printer

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INTEGRATION

More M-Commerce, Magellan from Datalogic

Datalogic Scanning (Eugene, OR) took opportunity of this week’s Food Marketing Institute Show in Las Vegas to unveil its joint marketing agreement with RocketBux (Bend, OR), the white-label mobile marketing services provider. The two companies began working together in 2008 in several pilot programs utilizing Datalogic’s imaging-based POS barcode scanners and RocketBux’s suite of mobile commerce tools. Datalogic reportedly selected RocketBux because its solutions are simple to use and require no special downloads or applications. In particular, RocketBux’s products work well with Datalogic’s exclusive Illumix Intelligent Illumination Technology, allowing retailers to read barcodes from mobile phones without any cashier or user intervention at the POS.

Also at FMI, Datalogic Scanning previewed the industry’s first single-plane scanners with imaging technology, the Magellan 3200VSi and 3300HSi. Both devices feature expanded two-dimensional reading capabilities and aggressive reading performance of difficult codes (i.e., truncated, out of specification, or poorly printed). The new imaging scanners preserve the performance of laser scanners as well as the renowned quality of the Magellan brand, according to the manufacturer.

“The Magellan 3200VSi and 3300HSi are extremely reliable,” stated Matt Schler, GM of Fixed Retail Scanning. “The new design eliminates the need for laser modules or spinning motors. Since most of the features of the Magellan 3200SVi and 3300HSi are software-based, the scanners can be upgraded to add more capabilities after the initial installation, protecting the user’s investment and lengthening the useful life of the scanner.”

One Millionth Magellan Bi-Optic Scanner Rolled Off Production Line on April 30, 2010

ZigBee for Retail?

Wincor Nixdorf (Austin, TX) has enrolled in the ZigBee Alliance as one of the founding members of the ZigBee Retail Services working group, which will attempt to exploit the low-power wireless specification in our corner of the world. Once completed, ZigBee Retail Services will drive new product and revenue opportunities from point of manufacture to POS, suggests the joint statement from the two parties. Wincor Nixdorf functions as the third largest global provider of POS and second largest supplier of ATMs for banking, RRN.Com readers may have forgotten, since the company has been quiet in the channel.

“Our role as founding member of the ZigBee Alliance Retail Services group reinforces our market leadership position and supports Wincor Nixdorf’s commitment to creating environmentally friendly and energy-efficient systems,” declared Doug Wallace, VP of the Retail Division at Wincor Nixdorf. “We look forward to collaborating with other leading innovators in the Alliance to advance services and technologies that will result in higher industry standards, increased efficiency, and an improved customer experience.”

ZigBee Alliance includes more than 350 member companies seeking to develop the wireless standard, designated IEEE 802.15.4, and serving wireless personal-area networks, or WPANs. Such RF will be simpler and less expensive than Bluetooth, proponents claim. It targets applications with low data rate, long battery life, and secure networking requirements across segments such as energy management, residential, commercial, and consumer electronics applications.

Retail Services Working Group Now Includes Wincor Nixdorf''s Large Footprint

Code Corner

GFI Software (Cary, NC) released GFI Backup 2010-Business Edition, expressly targeted for the needs of SMB end-users. This new solution creates comprehensive backup, restore, and synchronization of all data across the network, saving an IT administrator valuable time in configuring multiple tasks as well as maintaining them when policy changes occur. Featuring an intuitive, wizard-driven, point-and-click configuration, it handles all files, web content, and Microsoft SQL servers and supports common storage devices such as hard disks, LANs, tape drives, and NAS, as well as remote locations using FTP with upload auto-resume. GFI Backup 2010-Business Edition utilizes standard ZIP64 file format when instructed to compress and archive, allowing for data to be easily restored should the software not be installed on the machine or device required for recovery. This offers significant advantage over competing backup solutions which employ proprietary compression formats, according to the developer. Additional benefits include: military-strength 256-bit AES encryption, e-mail and event log notifications on task success/failure, HTTPS access out-of-the-box, and ease of use in Workgroup or Active Directory environments. “GFI Backup 2010-Business Edition has been designed from the ground up with the busy administrator in mind, allowing them to create, assign, manage, analyze, and run backup/restore tasks even remotely,” explained Walter Scott, GFI’s CEO. “Further, it addresses many of the concerns that IT administrators voice when looking at backup solutions, such as vendor lock-in, complex licensing, and the inability to create a single backup or restore that can be applied network-wide. We are redefining the market--do you really need to spend $2,000 per server? I think not and that is why GFI Backup 2010-Business Edition retails at only $288 for one server and five workstations.”

STARTS & STOPS

Pizza Topping AM/PM

AM/PM Service, one of North America’s largest POS companies, will expand its reach into pizza and delivery restaurants as an authorized reseller of SpeedLine Solutions across Canada and in several U.S. markets. The SpeedLine POS software suite covers functions such as order entry, delivery dispatch, employee scheduling and time tracking, cash management, database marketing, and inventory. It also provides enterprise capabilities such as multi-unit reporting, data warehousing and administration, as well as technology integrations for Web and mobile ordering, self-service kiosks, and video surveillance. Pizza now joins grocery, hospitality, retail, and convenience and gas as targets of opportunity for AM/PM.

“Delivery and carry-out is an emerging growth segment,” commented Dale Hrbachek, VP of Sales for AM/PM Service, which handles IBM, NCR, and Fujitsu POS hardware. “SpeedLine’s pizza and delivery-specific software will open doors for AM/PM in a segment of the restaurant industry that we weren’t serving before.”

“This new partnership with AM/PM Service will provide broader exposure for the SpeedLine product line, and will also give us new latitude to provide local representation for customers in new areas,” said John de Wolde, President of SpeedLine Solutions (based in Vancouver, BC, Canada, like AM/PM Service). “We are honored that AM/PM has chosen to represent SpeedLine, and very pleased to introduce them to our user community.”

John de Wolde, President of SpeedLine Solutions

Zebra Dishes R&D in China

Zebra Technologies Corporation (Lincolnshire, IL) has opened its new research and development center in Guangzhou, China, to focus on thermal printer accessories and the needs of emerging markets. The new center is Zebra’s fourth design facility, and the first to be located outside the U.S. It’s housed inside Zebra’s Guangzhou Technical Support Center, which opened last year.

Zebra expects to hire eight engineers at the new center for product development and to provide engineering and production support for Jabil Circuit, Inc., Zebra’s third-party manufacturer of its thermal printers. In making the announcement, the company cited the “solid engineering capabilities, rich talent, and diverse skills” to be found in the country. Zebra’s other printer engineering and design centers are located in California, Illinois, and Rhode Island, RRN.Com readers will recall.

“The new research and development center in Guangzhou is the latest milestone in Zebra’s commitment to developing innovative products that deliver superior value, function, and performance to our customers around the globe,” related Anders Gustafsson, CEO of Zebra Technologies. “The facility will help us optimize our product development approach and gain efficiencies that will allow Zebra to pursue additional growth opportunities in the future.”

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Auto ID Distribution
BlueStar

POS & Peripherals
FEC USA
Logic Controls
Posiflex Business Machines
POS-X

Barcode & Mobile Printers
Datamax-O'Neil

Barcode & Transaction Printers CognitiveTPG

Cash Drawers
APG Cash Drawer
MMF Cash Drawer

Data Collection Terminals
CipherLab
Datalogic Mobile
Datalogic Scanning
Janam Technologies

Data Collection Software
Wavelink

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Payment Processing, Inc.

Keyboards
Cherry Electrical Systems

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
Citizen Systems America
Epson America
Star Micronics

Screen Protection
3M Optical Filters

Self-Service Kiosks
Zebra/Motorola

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

Video Surveillance & Access Control
ScanSource Security

INSTALLATIONS

Fleet Week at Winn-Dixie

Winn-Dixie will subscribe to XATANET from XATA Corporation (Minneapolis) to better manage its delivery fleet, which serves the grocer’s 515 stores located throughout the Southeastern U.S. The hosted solution will help Winn-Dixie reduce costs while providing trending visibility, according to the two parties, and runs on the Motorola MC75 Enterprise Digital Assistant provided by Stratix Corporation. Just last week, Stratix (Norcross, GA) achieved Motorola’s highest channel partner recognition, the Pinnacle Award, for its sales success and customer performance.

“One key differentiator that made XATA stand out is its capability to run XATANET on various platforms and hardware devices,” reported Chris Scott, Group VP of Logistics and Distribution for Winn-Dixie (Jacksonville, FL). “The product’s functionality as well as the insight we will gain from our fleet were key factors in our decision-making process.”

“We think that actionable data and fleet performance management reporting is crucial for our customers, and we’re confident that Winn-Dixie will benefit from the applications and flexibility we’ve built into our technology,” added David Gagne, EVP, Field Operations, XATA Corporation. “Our increased presence in the retail food industry proves our commitment to providing the best technology to help customers get the job done.” XATA is now led by Jay Coughlan, former CEO of Lawson Software, incidentally.

450 Trucks Will Get Smarter With XATA

Another Meadow of MICROS

New Meadowlands Stadium, home to the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets, represents another touchdown for MICROS Systems (Columbia, MD). The new facility, located in East Rutherford, NJ, will run the company’s technology throughout, including the MICROS 9700 Hospitality Management System (HMS), mymicros.net, Mobile MICROS (with the Motorola MC55 Enterprise Digital Assistant), MICROS iCare, and, up front, the MICROS Workstation 5 (WS5). With 82,500 seats, including premium lounges that span over 130,000 square feet on four different levels, New Meadowlands required such an integrated, leading-edge solution specifically designed for large-scale operations, detailed reporting, and business intelligence, according to the two parties.  

“New Meadowlands Stadium (NMS) is twice as large as the former stadium and requires an innovative way to extend the service capabilities beyond the status quo to deliver an exceptional individual fan experience,” according to Peter Brickman, CTO of NMS. “The combination of integrated solutions, advanced technology, security, reliable hardware, robust reporting, and open source architecture made MICROS the only choice for our concession needs. We are very pleased to have them as our partner at the stadium.”

MICROS has also been chosen as the exclusive preferred POS provider by Quality Dining, Inc., one of the largest franchisee restaurant companies in the U.S. Reportedly, MICROS completed the deployment of its Restaurant Enterprise Solution (RES), along with its kitchen display system, to all 155 Quality Dining-operated Burger King sites in less than 30 days, and will now roll out to 48 Chili’s, nine Papa Vino’s, and one Blue2O seafood grill/bar. “We were so impressed with the amazing job MICROS did with our Burger King conversion, we made the easy decision to deploy MICROS at all our other restaurants,” said Steve Marquette, VP and CIO, Quality Dining, Inc. “We look forward to having one vendor, one platform, and one standard throughout our enterprise.”

New Meadowlands Stadium Dwarfs Its Predecessor

Channel Factoid

Although SMBs remain concerned about the business climate, most will increase technology spending in 2010, according to the Microsoft SMB/Partner Insight Report. In this study, conducted among Microsoft Small Business Specialists, 63% of respondents predicted their SMB customers will spend more on IT in 2010, up from just 25% in 2009, with overall IT spending anticipated to rise by an average of 16% over 2009 levels. Results from more than 500 partners indicate that SMBs view virtualization, IT consolidation, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), customer relationship management (CRM), and support of remote workers as their most important technology investments. Overall, 41% of SMB customers view server virtualization or IT consolidation as the best cost-saving technology, while 19% can be expected to increase their implementation of SaaS. Almost three in four (74%) of Microsoft Small Business Specialists believe their customers will have more remote workers, up from 54% in 2009. Indeed, the projected 19% increase in remote work force should drive demand for mobile solutions. In the area of CRM, most Small Business Specialists expect their customers to be dynamic; just 6% of respondents predict no change. “The most competitive SMBs are investing in IT that will not only protect and strengthen their business, but prepare them for success when economic conditions improve,” concluded Birger Steen, VP of Small and Medium Business & Distribution for the Worldwide Small and Midmarket Solutions & Partners Group at Microsoft.

HELLO GOODBYE

Langdoc to ParTech as CTO

ParTech, Inc. (New Hartford, NY), the wholly-owned subsidiary of PAR Technology Corporation, has recruited industry veteran Scott Langdoc as its CTO. In this position, Langdoc will provide the technology vision for PAR, leading the software development and governance groups and working closely with PAR’s marketing, global product organization and strategic alliance groups on solution strategies. Langdoc brings more than two decades of IT experience, including roles as CIO at a large retailer (Raley’s), CTO at a major retail IT vendor (Fujitsu Transaction Solutions), and as global leader of two different retail analyst firms (AMR Research, now part of Gartner, and IDC).

“Scott’s extensive technology experience, retail industry vision, and pragmatic approach will be a tremendous asset to our leadership team,” commented Ed Soladay, President of ParTech, Inc. “Scott will be instrumental in driving innovative software solutions and process improvements to help PAR transform retailing and the consumer experience. We will also benefit from Scott’s compelling contributions to the continued rollout of our software-centric Boundless Hospitality vision and strategy.”

“The hospitality industry is experiencing dramatic shifts in customer expectations that are driving a new set of requirements for hospitality operations, and PAR is well-positioned to benefit from this changing environment,” said Langdoc. “PAR’s Boundless Hospitality initiative is delivering customer-facing and enterprise technology that improves both top-line and bottom-line performance. I look forward to building on the company’s momentum by continuing to develop innovative technologies that improve the customer experience and operator profitability.”

Scott Langdoc, Chief Technology Officer, ParTech

Tatung Uncorks Sherry

Tatung Company of America (Long Beach, CA) has elevated John Sherry to National Sales and Marketing Manager, U.S. and Canada, for the Point of Sale, Digital Signage, and CCVE (Closed-Circuit Video Equipment) Divisions. Sherry joined the company in February 2008 as Marketing Manager for the U.S. and Canada. In addition to supporting brand awareness for all of the company’s products, he created and implemented new programs with hardware/software bundles to increase its standing as “value-add manufacturer.”

Tatung also has promoted Conrad Yin to Western Regional Sales Manager for POS and Digital Signage. In 1998, Yin started working with Tatung as an OEM Sales Manager for the CCVE Department. He will maintain that responsibility in his new expanded role with the company.

Recently, Tatung announced two new software additions to its digital signage bundle. First, the FireCast integrated management platform from WireSpring Technologies (Fort Lauderdale, FL) has been offered to address enterprise-level installations. In the second, PowerFlashPoint from Digital Office Pro (New York) has been added to allow small business customers to create digital signage content in Adobe Flash format directly and easily from Microsoft PowerPoint.

John Sherry, National Sales and Marketing Manager, Tatung Company of America. To his left, Edward Chen, EVP of Tatung’s Commercial Division.