This Week’s Product Pick

A newcomer, Powa Technologies, has unboxed its PowaPOS T-Series, which integrates all major tablet platforms with high-speed printer, two-dimensional scanner, cash drawer, EMV payment terminal (dubbed PowaPIN), and multiple expansion ports. A PowaPOS SDK, and API, supports developers, while the PowaPOS Server enables enterprise payment processing and remote system management. Based in the U.K., Powa Technologies exhibited at this week's ETA Annual Meeting & Expo in Las Vegas, and announced market plans for North America through The Phoenix Group (O'Fallon, MO). "The PowaPOS platform is a ground-up redefinition of how POS and payments should be delivered today," commented Jeffrey Dumbrell, CEO of Powa, which also has its e-commerce app, PowaTag.

PowaPOS T-Series

COMPANY BUSINESS

A Simple Case of Mobile POS, Says Epson

With an eye towards surging sales of Mobile POS, Epson America (Long Beach, CA) has enhanced "out-of-the-box" capability for its receipt printers with default setting for the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). As RRN.Com readers know, this setting allows the printer to automatically obtain an IP address once powered and connected to the POS. In the main, it allows easy self-installation and ready integration with either iOS, Android, and Windows 8.

"This is a great move from Epson," testified Rafael Tigay, VP of Operations for Lavu (Albuquerque, NM), one of the leading purveyors of iPad POS. "As developers, anything that makes it easier to talk to mobile devices is preferred. Now that the industry's most reliable printers are easy to set up right out of the box, it's a better fit for our small business customers."

According to Epson America, this new faculty applies to four stationary printers, TM-T20II, TM-T70II, TM-T88V, and TM-U220, as well as two mobile printers, Mobilink P60II and Mobilink P80. "In the past, VARs would either pre-configure the network setting at their facilities or be present at the customer site to set, test, and hone," Dave Murphy, Strategic Alliances Manager for Epson America, told RRN.Com. "With the advent of iOS and Android tablet solutions, simplicity is key and self-installation is the norm. In this new environment, the VAR's 'secret sauce' must shift to now include mobile device management, in-store networking solutions, and hardware maintenance ."

Epson America's Receipt Printer Family

Accucode HaaS Seen the Future

For some time now, Accucode, and its Founder/CEO Kevin Price, has preached the merits of so-called Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS). Now the well-known reseller has launched its own Managed Service Provider (MSP), entitled InDemand Technologies LLC, and based in Austin, Texas. It will draw upon the firm's experienced team of technicians and well-established service depot center in Louisville, Kentucky, first opened in 2008 to address the needs of Auto ID, Mobility, and POS.

A wide spectrum of functionality will be addressed, such as spare pool, next day replacement, staging and configuration, field deployment, help-desk support, remote device management, and even financing and recurring billing. All of these services, which can be bundled into individual customized packages, are sold on the monthly subscription basis, helping the customer reduce risk and avoid large upfront capital expenditures, two of the main selling points of SaaS. As prospective participants, InDemand Technologies cites VARs, ISVs, Distributors, and OEMs.

"At the end of the day, we just want companies to get the most out of their IT investments," relayed A.J. Love, President of InDemand Technologies and former COO of Accucode. "That's really what it's all about. If a customer can have peace of mind knowing that the device their job depends on everyday is going to be fully functional when they show up to work, that's a huge value." Among customers, Accucode lists Kroger, Discount Tire, Miller-Coors, Samsonite, DHL, British Airways.

A.J. Love, President, InDemand Technologies, an MSP Spun Out of Accucode

Worth Your While

WERC
Warehousing Education and Research Council
April 27-30
Chicago

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 17-20
Chicago

FMI Connect
Food Marketing Institute
June 10-13
Chicago

RetailNOW
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
August 3-6
Orlando

NACS Show
Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing
October 7-10
Las Vegas

Pack Expo
PMMI
November 2-5
Chicago

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Code Hits the Mark

Code Corporation (Salt Lake City) has extended its new CR3600 barcode reader to handle Direct Part Mark (DPM), in addition to one and two-dimensional symbologies. Designed for applications that require process controls, component tracking, work-in-progress, and assembly-line monitoring, the new CR3600 DPM fulfills markets such as aerospace, automotive, pharmaceutical, defense contracting, and semiconductor fabrication, according to the vendor. As DPM, it includes barcodes applied by laser etching, chemical etching, or inkjet, as well as Data Matrix with dot peen.

In palm reader, without handle, the Code CR3600 Series measures 5.1 in. (L) x 2 in. (W) x 1.4 in. (D), and weighs 5.5 oz. Supporting Windows, iOS, and Android, CR3600 furnishes 128 MB ROM and 32 MB RAM, Bluetooth Class II, with RS-232 and USB 2.0. Additional benefits include large color display, multiple programming buttons, quick-release rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery cartridges, battery status LED indicators with fuel gauge, user feedback via vibration, audible tones, and LEDs, rating of IP-54 for water and dust, and paging button to assist in reader location. It ships with JavaScript license.

"The CR3600 DPM provides an exciting evolution to our product line," proclaimed John Deal, Director of Product Development at Code Corporation. "This device demonstrates our dedication to developing advanced barcode reading technology and solutions to meet the industry-specific needs of our customers." In previous conversation with RRN.Com, Kerri Brand, Director of Marketing, emphasized the CR3600's ability to direct the same set of collected data to multiple applications.

CR3600 Direct Part Mark Reader From Code

R12 Put in Motion

Motion Computing (Austin, TX) has unveiled its latest offering for the mobile worker: the Motion R12 Rugged Platform. It combines 12-inch, Windows 7 or 8-based tablet with accessories such as the SlateMate data acquisition module, EasyPair wireless keyboard, and Secure Mobile vehicle dock. As features, the tablet carries high-definition capacitive touchscreen, front and rear cameras, 4G LTE Broadband and Intel Dual-Band Wi-Fi, USB 3.0, integrated fingerprint reader, and beveled shape with rounded edges. It weighs less than three pounds, employs fourth-generation Intel Core CPUs (i5 or i7), 4 GB/8 GB RAM, and SSD of 64, 128, and 256 GB, and meets MIL-STD-810G and IP-54.

Cleverly, the keyboard stows away on the back of the tablet, using magnetic attachment, with the EasyPair communications technology providing automatic linking. Motion's SlateMate module can be configured with up to three I/O schemes, including serial port, one and two-dimensional barcode reader, and HF RFID, as well as legacy serial port, if desired. All R12 products are designed and produced by Motion Computing, eliminating the need for customers to rely on third-party products for mobility.

"Over the past decade, we have accumulated a wealth of knowledge about what the mobile worker wants as well as what the companies they work for need," elaborated Cathy Thompson, CEO of Motion. "Every R12 product and feature was created with a specific worker need in mind." A final note: Garry Harper has joined Motion Computing as Eastern Region Channel Manager. Harper previously worked at Synnex as Director of Sales for Auto ID/POS.

Motion R12 Rugged Tablet

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ALLIANCES

PAX Americana

PAX Technology (Jacksonville, FL) has entered an OEM agreement for North America with NewNet Communication Technologies (Arlington Heights, IL). Relatively unknown in our channel, NewNet focuses on mobility, fixed line networks, messaging, and transaction processing. Under this new partnership, PAX will deploy NewNet's Secure Transaction Transport AccessGuard 1000 as well as the Total Control Secure Transaction Gateway. Benefits to users include PCI-DSS.

"NewNet's extensive network product portfolio provides the same security and reliability that PAX values in its products," noted Andy Chau, CEO/President of PAX Technology. "Keeping payment transactions secure is the top priority for both PAX and NewNet, making our companies the perfect fit to be working together." Making significant headway of late, PAX Technology supplies an expansive product family of countertop, mobile, and multi-lane credit card readers, with advanced features such as contactless technology, ARM 11 processors, and color screen displays. Its Software Development Kit (SDK), PAX PayPro, operates on Microsoft Visual C++, with user-friendly interfaces to shorten the learning curve, according to the company.

"NewNet is pleased to be a partner of PAX Technology in providing secure transaction networking products to PAX's expanding portfolio in North America," confirmed T.K. Cheung, President of NewNet Secure Transactions. "This will enables PAX's customers to deploy a complete end-to-end and secure payment solution." Cheung, RRN.Com readers may recall, served for many years in executive positions in engineering, product development, and business management at Hypercom, prior to its acquisition and divestiture by VeriFone.

S80 Payment Terminal by PAX Technology

Noble Effort by Casio

Casio America (Dover, NJ) has drawn upon Noble Payment Technologies (Chicago) for payment processing for its V-R100 ECR, which brings Android to the SMB. Developed in concert, Noble's software calculates the cost of using any given credit card, then creates incentives, such as discounts and rewards, for the customer to choose the less expensive form of payment. This solution is easy to integrate for retailers, according to the two parties, and can lower their transaction costs "even to zero."

Rolled out at RSPA in 2012, Casio's V-R100 combines 10-inch touchscreen, high-speed thermal printer, Ethernet and Serial Ports, and built-in swivel 2x20 customer display. As benefits from Android, Casio cites increased security, flexibility, and reliability (no hard drive, no cooling fan, and running off Flash ROM). Significantly, the V-R100 offers both an "embedded" application and an open platform for ISVs, with accompanying Software Development Kit (SDK). In its application package, Casio includes features such as customer loyalty management, reservations, and e-mail reporting for mobile devices, as well as the vendor's standard table-service and quick-service.

"Noble's partnership with Casio offers an elegant solution both for businesses that shoulder the burden of high transaction costs and for businesses that want to have customers pay fees for payment processing," suggested Patrick Albright, CEO of Noble. Added Larry Sampey, GM, Systems Products Division at Casio America, "At Casio, we aim to provide our customers with comprehensive point-of-sale solutions that not only drive efficiency, but also streamline costs. Our partnership with Noble Payment Technologies is testament to that goal and we look forward to strengthening our relationship."

New Payment Processing for Casio's Android ECR, the V-R100

Code Corner

Two leading restaurant ISVs, Granbury Solutions (Grapevine, TX) and pcAmerica (Pearl River, NY), have renewed and refined their relationship for online and mobile ordering. Via integration of pcAmerica's Restaurant Pro Express and Granbury's LetsGet Online Ordering, customers may expand their capabilities to include customized websites and branded mobile apps. No major changes to daily operations are required as digital orders flow seamlessly into the Restaurant Pro Express POS and automatically print in the kitchen. In addition to suggestive selling features, LetsGet produces customer information for marketing purposes, detailed performance reports, customizable discount options, and integrated credit card processing. LetsGet Online Ordering is now available as an option for pcAmerica customers on the subscription basis, with an accompanying referral program for resellers. "We are delighted to bring our online and mobile offerings to pcAmerica clients," remarked Tom Bronson, CEO of Granbury Solutions. "LetsGet online and mobile ordering helps to level the digital playing field for small chains and independent restaurants in today's competitive market."

Dominos and Pizza Hut Now Get 40% of Total Sales From Online Ordering

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

WMS Deep Dive for DiCentral

DiCentral, Inc. (Houston) has bought the cloud-based On-Demand Warehouse Management System (formerly known as SmartTurn) from the JDA Software Group (Scottsdale, AZ). Perhaps best known for providing its software and services for Electronic Data Interchange, or EDI, DiCentral has approximately 6,000 customers across vertical markets that include retail, food and beverage, and consumer packaged goods. Terms of the recent transaction were not disclosed.

"DiCentral is always seeking to improve the customer experience and return on investment. On-Demand WMS, SmartTurn, will be brought to market as a strong value-add to DiCentral's comprehensive supply chain integration suite and it will help our customers achieve end-to-end supply chain visibility," exclaimed Thuy Mai, CEO at DiCentral. "Our customers want scalable tools to manage their businesses. This acquisition of a cloud-based WMS should make it clear just how serious DiCentral is about helping our customers, regardless of size, achieve an unique and lasting supply chain advantage."

"The On-Demand Warehouse Management System contains functionality that is redundant with JDA's core warehouse management solution and does not fit into our go-forward product portfolio," explained Jean-Francois Gagne, Chief Product Officer for JDA. "We are confident that active customers will continue to enjoy a safe and contiguous roadmap under DiCentral's leadership." About this time last year, "JDA Eight" debuted, drawing together more than thirty different products, from supply chain planning, to optimization, to business analytics, on one cloud platform from JDA.

DiCentral Buys JDA's On-Demand Warehouse Management System

Radio Days at Barcoding VAR

Another market move for Barcoding, Inc. (Baltimore), which has now established "Two-Way Radios by Barcoding." This new division will resell and support such products from Motorola Solutions and Vertex Standard, two of the leading suppliers for business customers. In making its announcement, Barcoding, Inc. stressed the need for two-way radio communication in warehousing and retail--between the loading dock and store room, for example, or between the checkout and store floor.

"As a systems integrator, we saw that many of our customers were already using two-way radios to communicate within the four walls," recounted Jeff Gillis, CFO of Barcoding, Inc. "Because we supply these customers with Auto ID and RFID technology, it made sense to expand our portfolio to include such two-way radios. Creating this new division gives us the opportunity to provide customers with the convenience of turning to one, single mobility expert."

Support will be provided by Barcoding's Professional Services Division, with GoLive Services for deployment and StayLive Services for maintenance. As part of GoLive Services, Barcoding performs hardware inspection, battery charging, staging and programming, testing, and kitting. As StayLive Services, it extends its Barcoding Online Services (BOS) portal, help-desk, and spare pool management. As expected, the full range of accessories, such as antennas, holsters, batteries, and chargers, will be stocked.

Motorola's CLP Two-Way Radio

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Auto ID Distribution
Wasp Barcode Technologies

POS & Peripherals
Harbortouch
Pioneer POS
POS BANK USA
Posiflex
POStablets
POS-X
TEAMSable

POS Systems - Hospitality
PAR

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Brother Mobile
CognitiveTPG
Intermec by Honeywell
Zebra Technologies

Cash Drawers
MMF POS

Data Collection
CipherLab
Code Corporation
Datalogic
Honeywell Scanning
Intermec by Honeywell
Trimble MCS

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Merchant Warehouse
Mercury Payment Systems

Inventory Systems
New West Technologies

Keyboards
PrehKeyTec USA

Keyboards & Mobile POS
Cherry, ZF Electronics Corp

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
Citizen Systems America
CognitiveTPG
Epson America
Fujitsu Components
Star Micronics

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

Touchscreens & Monitors
Elo TouchSystems

INSTALLATIONS

Thrill of RFID in Hawaii

Thrill-seeking tourists riding the zip-line at Princeville Ranch Adventures in Kauai, Hawaii, have RFID to thank for the high quality of their souvenir photos. This new system, designed by Snapsportz, employs the SlimFlex UHF RFID tag from HID Global (Austin, TX), affixed in pairs on top of the rider's helmet. These tags triggers image capture and accurate assignment of photos for each individual guest.

"The current system is working extremely well, and with negligible additional cost, has more than doubled revenue for our entire zip-line operation," reported Patrick Nowak, GM of Princeville Ranch Adventures. "By ensuring high-quality image capture for our guests and making it effortless for them to find and share their images, we help ensure they get the most out of their zip-line experience. And, because approximately 85% of guests choose digital versions of their images--which appear with reviews on Trip Advisor, Facebook, and Instagram--we also promote our business."

Originally developed for industrial applications, HID Global SlimFlex RFID tags have unique thermoplastic elastomer housings and tolerate repeated bending or torsion while maintaining excellent performance characteristics, such as range of 30 ft., according to HID. The durable housing safeguards the tags' embedded electronics, and provides resistance to chemical exposure such as the bleach solution used to sanitize the helmets. A.C.C. Systems (Bohemia, NY), an integrator and distributor of RFID, provided guidance on the selection of SlimFlex. A field trip seems in order.

SlimFlex RFID Tags on Helmets Allow Photo Capture on Zip-Line

Smoke Signals From Agilysys

Agilysys (Alpharetta, GA) will provide its InfoGenesis POS system for The Comanche Nation of Oklahoma and its four properties throughout the state--Comanche Nation Casino, Comanche Red River Hotel Casino, Comanche Spur Casino, and Comanche Star Casino. In addition, Comanche Nation has chosen the Visual One Property Management System (PMS) for the new Comanche Red River Hotel. Deployment will include InfoGenesis Flex, which offers POS functionality on the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2.

"When selecting technology for our properties, we looked to Agilysys because of the company's experience and track record in tribal gaming," indicated David Kavaljian, IT Director for The Comanche Nation of Oklahoma. "They really understood our needs and the value we place on providing a guest-oriented experience. We especially appreciate the tight integration between the InfoGenesis POS and Visual One PMS and the fact that the systems communicate with each other. These solutions will enable us to streamline operations at each of our properties and take guest service to a higher level."

Agilysys also revealed its new strategy of addressing international sales through resellers. Along such lines, it has sold its U.K. business entity to Verteda Limited, led by Adrian Burns, former head of Agilysys Europe. In connection with the sale, Agilysys and Verteda have entered into a multi-year distribution agreement, whereby Verteda will handle Agilysys InfoGenesis, Agilysys Eatec, and Agilysys Workforce Management in the EMEA.

Comanche Nation of Oklahoma Adopts InfoGenesis POS

Channel Factoid

A "2014 Big Data in Retail Study," conducted by 1010data, Inc., reveals mixed feelings about this key subject. Across all segments, including grocery, drug, specialty, discount, department store, restaurant, and hospitality, the majority of executives (62%) believe Big Data will yield significant competitive advantage within the next five years. This was followed by 18% of executives who believe retail is already there, and 15% who feel such potential will be reached by the end of 2014. Among limiting factors, respondents identified cost and complexity (42%), lack of relevance to business case (30%), insufficient reporting capacity (22%), and undemonstrated return on investment (17%). In terms of specific business functions, respondents foresaw potential benefits in merchandising (53%), marketing (48%), store operations (42%), e-commerce (42%), supply chain (27%), finance (23%), and loss prevention (21%). Executives also recognize that the benefits of Big Data may extend beyond internal business processes by sharing information, such as POS, inventory, and customer loyalty, with suppliers. As examples, suppliers may better forecast and meet consumer demand (cited by 67%), while merchandising strategies may benefit from supplier product and category knowledge (cited by 52%). Only 2% of respondents said there would not be any benefit to sharing data with their suppliers. "While the retail sector is being impacted by Big Data today, there are still many more opportunities," counseled Sandy Steier, Co-Founder and CEO of 1010data. "When retailers truly embrace data discovery, they quickly move beyond intuition and guesswork."

HELLO GOODBYE

Vaney Takes Reins at Zivelo

Zivelo, provider of self-service kiosks and digital signage, which has stayed somewhat under the radar despite major customers such as Coca-Cola, Hilton, CVS, and the U.S. Army, has enlisted Phil Vaney as its COO. Vaney will be posted at the company's new 13,000-square-foot operations headquarters in the Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale, Arizona. Founded in 2008, and frequently ranked as one of the fastest-growing technology entities in the U.S., Zivelo will maintain its 250,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Marion, Indiana.

"The success and growth of Zivelo has allowed us the opportunity to add talented leaders like Phil to our team," reflected Ziver Berg, Founder/CEO of Zivelo. "Phil has the natural ability to lead and inspire, and we are excited to have his guidance as the company enters this new chapter with the relocation of our operations headquarters." Zivelo currently has approximately 100 certified resellers and distributors globally, as well as boutique and showroom locations in Los Angeles, Denver, and Philadelphia, as well as Scottsdale.

Prior to his new role, Vaney served as Director of Operations for DAP Technologies, part of Roper Industries, where he managed the manufacturing and delivery of that firm's rugged computing products. Previous executive titles have included Operations Manager of Intel's Home Products Group and Global Startup Manager for Intel's Flip Chip Assembly/Test Factory. "Over the past few weeks, I've had the opportunity to gain a deep understanding of the company, Ziver, and the team, and it's clear Zivelo is the perfect fit," relayed Vaney.

Phil Vaney, COO, Zivelo

Liking Mike at First Data

First Data (Atlanta) has appointed Michael Manos as its Chief Technology Officer. Manos joins the transaction behemoth from AOL Inc., where he also served as CTO. Before joining AOL, he was VP of Nokia and SVP for Technical Services at Digital Realty Trust. Earlier employers include Microsoft and Walt Disney. Considered an IT heavy hitter, he holds multiple patents relating to cloud technologies, large-scale infrastructure, and software development.

"Mike is a key addition to our world-class leadership team and his knowledge and expertise enhances our ability to provide our clients with cutting-edge technology," volunteered Guy Chiarello, President of First Data. "He is a seasoned technology management executive with a proven track record of successful revenue generation. Mike's leadership will be invaluable as we continue to improve our financial position and seek to grow First Data's business as the global leader and most trusted, reliable, and secure network."

"I'm thrilled to join the new First Data," shared Manos. "First Data is the biggest player in the payments industry yet it also has an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. In my role as Chief Technology Officer, I will help First Data maintain and grow its market-leading position as a technology company, a payments company, a security company, and a solutions provider."

Michael Manos, CTO, First Data

OKI's Channel King

OKI Data Americas (Mount Laurel, NJ) has elevated Mark Hansinger to VP of U.S. Channel Sales. In this new office, he will lead the OKI Data U.S. Distribution Channel Account Managers, DMR/Etail Channel Account Managers, and the National Sales Director for Solution Provider Sales. Most recently, Hansinger served as OKI's Director of U.S. Channel Sales. In addition to OKI Data, his experience includes time as VP of Sales and Marketing for Paris Business Products and Global Director of Marketing for Avery Dennison. From 1991 to 2002, he also served as Director of U.S. Channels for OKI Data Americas.

"Mark's twenty-plus years of experience and dedication cultivating lasting relationships with channel partners and solution providers has expanded OKI's partner community and has generated measurable success," commented Greg Van Acker, VP of U.S. Sales for OKI Data Americas. "OKI Data is pleased to announce Mark's new role as Vice President of U.S. Channel Sales and looks forward to the success from his team leadership." Somewhat quietly in our channel, OKI Data Americas supplies an entire product family of thermal printers for labeling and POS.

Mark Hansinger, VP, U.S. Channel Sales, OKI Data Americas