This Week’s Product Pick

Fujitsu Components America (Sunnyvale, CA) has shipped its semi-rugged two-inch portable printer, the FTP-628WSL212, with USB 2.0 interface and IP-54 rating for water and dust. This fully programmable printer measures 5.4 in. (L) x 3.3 in. (W) x 1.2 in. (H) and weighs less than 10 oz., including battery. It delivers thermal print speed of 50 mm/second (two inch/second) at 203 dpi with easy drop-in paper loading and modest power consumption for continuous use. A variety of characters, two-dimensional barcodes, and stacked barcodes are accommodated with support for Windows 7, Vista, 2000/XP, CE 6.0, and Linux drivers. Available immediately, Fujitsu's FTP-628WSL212 printer has been priced at $286 in 100 piece quantities.

Fujitsu Portable Printer

COMPANY BUSINESS

Synnex Scores NCR (for Canada)

Boosting its emphasis on the channel, NCR (Duluth, GA) has entered into distribution with Synnex Canada, Ltd. (Toronto). Under this agreement, Synnex Canada will handle all of NCR's offerings in our market, including POS, kiosks, digital signage, peripherals, and services. Synnex Canada will stock these products in one of its four warehouses (Vancouver, Halifax, Guelph, and Calgary), thereby reducing cross-border shipping and associated costs for its resellers in Canada. In the U.S., of course, NCR distributes exclusively through ScanSource.

"POS is one of Synnex Canada's strategic priorities," confirmed Mitchell Martin, President of Synnex Canada. "Our relationship with NCR further solidifies our position and strengthens our portfolio. By collaborating with one of the top manufacturers in the POS space, resellers have access to leading products in a more efficient manner, allowing exciting opportunities for new growth in the channel for all partners involved."

"We are thrilled to announce our relationship with Synnex Canada," proclaimed Matt Andrews, Director of North America Channel Sales for NCR. "Leveraging Synnex's longstanding reach in the Canadian channel and experience in POS allows us to reinforce our commitment to this strategic and growing Canadian market." Relatively new to NCR, Andrews previously worked in the channel for Motorola Solutions and Cisco.

Matt Andrews, Director of North America Channel Sales, NCR

Welcoming Harbor for Epson

Harbortouch (Allentown, PA) has settled upon Epson America (Long Beach, CA) as the supplier of kitchen and receipt printers for its All-in-One POS systems. Under this non-exclusive agreement, Epson's TM-T20 thermal receipt printer will be bundled with each restaurant POS system, with Epson's TM-U220 impact printer as an optional accessory for other remote printing needs. Harbortouch, which markets through our channel, supports its hardware platforms with five dedicated software packages: Retail, Hospitality, QSR & Delivery, C-Store, and Spirits. It offers Harbortouch POS, POS Elite, and ECR.

"Our customer base in retail and hospitality has taken off, and we're looking for even more aggressive growth in 2013," commented Jared Isaacman, CEO and Founder of Harbortouch. "With our expansion into these markets, we needed the best-of-breed components, and we think Epson is the best-of-breed when it comes to printers. Reliability, industry recognition, and on-time delivery were key factors in our selection."

"We are looking forward to working with Harbortouch to support its growing customer base," stated Tom Kettell, Senior Manager for Business Development for Epson America's Business Systems Division. "We appreciate the commitment to standardize with our products, and we're looking forward to a strong, ongoing relationship." From its roots in payment processing, as United Bank Card, Harbortouch has become prominent in full-featured POS. Its model of providing the terminal at no cost to merchants in exchange for monthly service fee and processing business has been widely imitated.

Epson America Printer Bundled With Harbortouch POS

Worth Your While

ETA Annual Meeting & Expo
Electronic Transactions Association
April 30 - May 1
New Orleans

THE Tech EVENT
(Formerly NACStech, National Association of Convenience Stores)
May 6-10
Dallas

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 18-21
Chicago

HITEC 2013
Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals
June 24-27
Minneapolis

RetailNow 2013
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
August 4-7
Las Vegas

Pack Expo 2013
Packaging Manufacturers Machinery Institute
September 23-25
Las Vegas

ALL IN THE FAMILY

AZT Shows Off Its 3-Pack

AZT POS (Irvine, CA) has unveiled its "3-Pack" mobile POS system, consisting of Android tablet, rugged stand, and Bluetooth-enabled receipt printer. This bundle sells for $699 MSRP and AZT expects to market the units through its existing reseller channel in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. At the focal point of the package lies the AZT-9707MT tablet, which measures 9.7 in. (L) x 7 in. (W) x 0.3 in. (H) and weighs 1.6 lbs. Features include IMAPX820 Dual-Core CPU at 1.2 GHz, Android Jelly Bean O/S, 1 GB DDR3, 8 GB storage memory, capacitive touchscreen, and USB.

Bearing HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and front and rear cameras, AZT's tablet extends six hours of normal usage off one battery charge. Designed by an outside vendor, the heavy-duty cast iron stand gets powder sprayed with choice of colors such as red, green, white, yellow, and black. This stand includes 360-degree rotatable base and two Kensington lock slots for security. Rounding out the package, AZT will supply its AB-320M two-inch mobile receipt printer with speed of 60 mm/second at 203 dpi, easy paper loading, magnetic-stripe reader (MSR), and Serial, USB, and Bluetooth. AZT also offers its three-inch printer, the AB-330M.

"This package really puts functional mobile POS systems within reach of the masses," suggested Keddy Chen, GM of AZT POS. "With iPad systems on the market right now, we're seeing POS brand names asking users to spend $1,000 to $1,500 per tablet system. We feel this AZT mobile solution trumps them all." Chen said AZT will soon announce its complete list of software partners for this product.

AZT's Android Tablet POS Will Be Outfitted With Stand and Mobile Printer

"Tablet Gun" Unholstered by RTC

RTC Quaterion Group (Orlando) has targeted both sides of mobility--point-of-sale and inventory management--with the launch of its StoreMobile Cloud and Tablet Gun. Developed for JDA's Merchandise Management System, which RTC resells, this combined platform also supports other leading ERP systems such as SAP and Oracle, as well as JDA's WinDSS POS and Java Point-of-Sale (JPOS). "Mobile store systems represents the technology future of retail," counseled Bruce Hicks, CEO/President of the RTC Quaterion Group. "As mobile tablet devices mature and harden, the need for POS register stations, terminals, and smart RF scan guns with cryptic processes will continue to dwindle."

RTC's StoreMobile Cloud presents twin platforms needed for the mobilization of store operations. StoreMobileRF accesses JDA's MMS to view, collect, and process back-office inventory management functions. A full range of features have been included:  item look-up, physical inventory, cycle counting, inventory receiving, store-to-store transfers, return to vendor, and product re-ticketing. The second half of the software suite, StoreMS Mobile, delivers transaction processing, with PCI compliance and customer relationship management (CRM).

On the hardware side, RTC's patent-pending Tablet Gun combines mobile computer, two-dimensional barcode reader, and magnetic-stripe swipe mounted on the typical pistol grip base. "This PCI-compliant, Wi-Fi/cellular device matches the exceptional 'work flow' performance of an RF data terminal and the transaction speed of a typical POS terminal, all engineered into one retail hardened, handheld mobile device," maintained Hicks. Last year, RRN.Com readers may recall, RTC merged with Quaterion Systems, the largest independent consulting company specializing in store system products licensed by JDA Software Group.

POS/Scanner Configuration by Leading JDA VAR

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PARTNER PROGRAMS

Accessorizing at ScanSource

ScanSource POS & Barcode (Greenville, SC) has expanded its accessories offering with the addition of products from RAM Mounting Systems (Seattle). Through this partnership, ScanSource's resellers can provide mounting solutions for their handheld and vehicle-fixed terminals as well as enclosures for consumer devices they may offer. Notably, RAM Mounting supports many of ScanSource's best-of-breed manufacturer partners, including Honeywell, Intermec, Motorola Solutions, and Zebra.

"It's important that resellers are able to deliver complementary solutions to help their end-user customers mount and protect their equipment investments for rugged and everyday environments," remarked Yvette McKenzie, VP of Merchandising for ScanSource POS & Barcode. "We are committed to adding product lines that support mobility platforms, such as RAM Mounting Systems. Their solutions are a great addition to our line card, as they provide the security, flexibility, and support necessary for the many vertical markets that our resellers serve."

Distributor Adds RAM Mounting Systems

A Clean, Well Lighted Place for IPC

Infinite Peripherals, Inc. (IPC), which supplies its Linea Pro and Infinea Tab swipe-and-scan sleds for Apple's mobile devices, has established its new mobility headquarters in Irvine, California. Owned by the company and located at 1641 McGaw Avenue, the 14,000-square-foot facility triples the space that IPC previously occupied in Irvine. Housing the company's sales, marketing, and engineering teams, the mobility headquarters supplements IPC's Chicago office, which is the hub for administration, operations, and warehousing.

IPC's new building features all-glass offices, high ceilings, exposed beams, dry-erase walls, and sizeable natural lighting. Among the amenities are executive conference rooms, full kitchen, and fitness center and locker rooms with showers for the more than two dozen employees. Expanded technical services and repair work are now conducted on-site as well, with limited warehousing capabilities.

"Our new mobility center positions us to capitalize on the many opportunities in the market," declared Jeffrey Scott, CEO at IPC. "This long-term investment reflects our history in, leadership of, and commitment to this rapidly evolving category." Reporting more than 250,000 devices deployed, IPC was the first to market with mobile POS functionality for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

New IPC Mobility Headquarters

Code Corner

Ekahau (Reston, VA) has completed Cisco AssureWave testing of its Ekahau Vision software. This ensures quality real-time location system (RTLS) application performance over the Cisco Wireless infrastructure, according to the developer. Cisco AssureWave calls for the staging of large-scale networks which stimulate real-world environments in healthcare, retail, higher education, and enterprise markets, as well as interoperability testing on those networks in combination with various Wi-Fi devices including laptops and VoIP phones. With Ekahau, customers of Cisco may now confidently employ their LANs for: location-based safety alerting with two-way messaging; asset tracking, utilization reporting, and par level management; patient safety, bed, and throughput management; automated work order reminders based on location-triggered events; and wireless temperature monitoring and reporting. In addition to passing Cisco AssureWave testing, Ekahau is a longtime member of the Cisco Developer Network, and its Wi-Fi tags are Cisco CCX certified. "Putting Ekahau Vision software through Cisco's rigorous AssureWave testing further validates our commitment to customers looking to introduce completely wireless networks," relayed Mark Norris, CEO/President of Ekahau.

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

Bematech Bumps Off Older KDS

Bematech (Bethpage, NY) has announced the end of stock for its first generation of kitchen display controllers. Technology for the LM3000 and LS3000 was developed over 25 years ago by Logic Controls, RRN.Com readers will recall, which Bematech bought in 2009. As replacements, Bematech now recommends its LS6000 and LS9000 kitchen display controllers, citing easier installation and additional functionality.

Significantly, these newer controllers are connected to the network via standard Ethernet. With small form factor of approximately 6 in. (L) x 5 in. (W) x 1 in. (H), rugged metal casing, and no internal moving parts, LS6000 and LS9000 offer lower total cost of ownership compared to PC-based solutions because they do not require an operating system to run. Moreover, they securely transfer data via an xml file from the point-of-sale system to the kitchen monitors.

As part of this evolution, Bematech has completed certification of the LS6000 and LS9000 from leading ISVs in hospitality, such as Aldelo, Aloha Data Systems, pcAmerica, BistroTech, and PayFirst Solutions. All of Bematech's controllers seamlessly integrate with its KB1700 bump bar, offering an entire kitchen display system suitable for small, independent operators as well as large chains, according to the vendor. In addition, the LS9000 supports video training and graphic recipes for kitchen staff.

Bematech LS6000 Kitchen Controller With Bump Bar and Display

Coming Color of Codes?

Forget RFID replacing barcode, says Colorbit, since our system beats them both. Developed by B-Core Inc. of Tokyo, this color-based Auto ID scheme has been brought to North America by Colorbit USA, LLC (Longmont, CO). Basically, it employs colored cells (red, green, and blue) arranged as contiguous elements. Using camera-based image processing, the company's decoding software interprets the codes by tracing the transition from one color to the next, generating either "1" or "0" bit, in other words. Shape and configuration of the code is very flexible, the company notes, with successful reading even if the line of elements is curved, uneven, or otherwise distorted.

"Colorbit allows users to read hundreds of codes very quickly," reported Jim Kast, Colorbit USA Managing Partner. "Using webcam, smartphone, or digital video camera, you can take an image of the pallet-load or even room full of marked items and generate an accurate inventory list in seconds. And you can do so without worrying about barcode line spacing, label orientation, or print quality, and without the upfront costs and engineering challenges associated with RFID."

"Unlike barcodes, several hundred Colorbit codes can be scanned and read simultaneously with one imager," added Chris Anderson, Colorbit USA Partner. "And unlike RFID, the Colorbit solution can pinpoint the location of specific items in the group by identifying its presence in the captured image." Several major companies in Japan have deployed the technology, including 3M, Sato, and Hitachi. Now the company seeks distribution and integration partners in North America.

Colorbit Uses Line of Multi-Colored Cells for Labeling

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Auto ID Distribution
Metropolitan Sales
Synnex
Wasp Barcode Technologies

POS & Peripherals
Harbortouch
Partner Tech
Pioneer POS
Posiflex
POS-X
Touch Dynamic

POS Systems - Hospitality
PAR

POS Systems - Apple Based
LightSpeed Retail
ShopKeep POS

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Zebra Technologies

Cash Drawers
MMF POS

Data Collection Terminals
CipherLab
Datalogic ADC
Trimble

Data Collection Software
Wavelink

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Merchant Warehouse
Mercury

Keyboards
PrehKeyTec USA

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
Citizen Systems America
Epson America
Star Micronics

Scanners
Code Corporation
Honeywell

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

Touchscreens & Monitors
Elo TouchSystems

INSTALLATIONS

Riding the RAIL at Tableside

Customers in Ethan Stowell's newest restaurants, Bar Cotto and Rione XIII, will get their bill presented on RAIL, the digital bill folder from Viableware. Traditional in appearance, with leather casing, the RAIL tablet utilizes wireless base station, integration to POS (in this case, Dinerware), and hosted services to allow guests to split the check, calculate their tip, and e-mail receipts. Most importantly, guests swipe their own credit card, reducing any chance of information theft. All three parties, Ethan Stowell, Viableware, and Dinerware, reside in Seattle, not coincidentally.

"Dinerware's open architecture makes it extremely easy for full-service restaurants to incorporate the RAIL devices into their everyday service," explained Joe Snell, CEO of Viableware. "Bar Cotto and Rione XIII are perfect examples of how quickly the RAIL can be implemented, and how the platform can be used to improve customer service and security." For his part, Jeff Riley, CEO of Dinerware, cited significant interest from his customers for this new technology.

Bar Cotto and Rione XIII represent the latest in a series of restaurants to implement the RAIL payment platform. Last year, Viableware announced that select establishments operated by some of the leading hospitality organizations--including Anthony's Restaurants, Dickie Brennan & Co., P.F. Chang's, and Restaurants Unlimited--were piloting RAIL. This particular implementation with Ethan Stowell Restaurants marks the first time that one of the major credit card brands, unidentified by Viableware, also will pilot the technology.

Electronic Bill Presentation Folder by Viableware

LightSpeed Brings It Home

LightSpeed Retail (Montreal) has partnered with Moneris Solutions Corporation (Toronto) to expand the footprint of its mobile POS based upon Apple iOS. Under terms of this agreement, Moneris will deliver secure payment processing that integrates with LightSpeed's point-of-sale and retail management tools. With this enhanced offering, LightSpeed's customer base throughout its home country, Canada, can take advantage of the platform's ability to increase operating efficiencies, according to the two parties. This includes integration of the payment solution with back-office features such as inventory management and sales and order workflows.

"Our partnership with Moneris represents an important milestone in Canadian retail, which has been newly empowered by mobile, iPad, and Mac solutions," commented Dax Dasilva, CEO of LightSpeed Retail. "This is a great opportunity for our expanding Canadian client base to combine our powerful retail management platform with Moneris' card processing solutions, creating an e-commerce enhanced, in-store, environment that engages today's connected consumer." Just last month, LightSpeed announced its first U.S. headquarters, located in New York City's SoHo, with an education and training center and product demonstration showroom.

"Moneris has always provided industry-leading payment solutions for retail customers across North America," volunteered Jeff Guthrie, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Moneris Solutions. "By collaborating in this way, we can connect the power of our payment platform with LightSpeed's innovative retail solutions to meet the emerging needs of a more dynamic, flexible marketplace." As the largest processor in Canada, Moneris offers credit, debit, wireless, and online payment services for merchants across industry segments.

LightSpeed Retail's POS Portfolio for Apple

Channel Factoid

A year of transition, VDC Research calls the rugged mobile computing market for 2012. Several trends stand out. First, rugged tablets represented the only form factor that did not contract last year, and they should continue in 2013 as one catalyst for growth. By contrast, rugged handheld computers suffered increasing pressure from smartphones and consumer tablets. While Windows is the dominant O/S for such devices, the transition from Windows Embedded 6.5 Handheld to Windows Embedded 8 Handheld has caused some confusion in the market and has opened up near-term opportunities for alternate platforms. Meanwhile, the rugged notebook segment has not been immune to broader industry trends, including some migration to more portable form factors such as tablets. In addition, this industry lost an iconic brand in 2012 with General Dynamics' decision to discontinue its Itronix line of rugged notebooks and tablets. Finally, the project-oriented nature of the rugged forklift market, when combined with end-users evaluating tablets and mounting solutions, has resulted in a single-digit drop in revenues for 2012. "While the need for rugged devices to support many business and mission critical processes remains strong, we feel there is a clear need for rugged vendors to reinstate their value proposition," advised David Krebs, VP of Enterprise Mobility for VDC. "Reinforcing key benefits and requirements around sustainable development, lifecycle management, and platform flexibility will be critical moving forward. We see modest improvements in market conditions in 2013."

HELLO GOODBYE

An Elefant Never Forgets

No stranger to our world, Steve Elefant has joined GoPago, Inc. (San Francisco) as its Chief Strategy Officer. With over 25 years of experience in business management and technology, Elefant founded companies such as ICVerify and Payment Processing Inc. (now PayPros). Most recently, he served as Senior Strategic Consultant in Google's Payments Group, preceded by CIO of Heartland Payment Systems. GoPago bills itself as an all-in-one "commerce in the cloud" platform delivered with tablet, point-of-sale peripherals, payment processing, 4G LTE data connectivity, and mobile interfacing.

"For more than two decades, Steve Elefant has been prominent in the payments industry," stressed Leo Rocco, GoPago Founder and CEO. "We are extremely pleased to have him leading our strategy and partner relationships as we build the best-in-class total cloud commerce solution. Steve's experience, knowledge, and vision are exactly in line with the future of GoPago."

Steve Elefant, Chief Strategy Officer, GoPago, Inc.

Midwest Outpost for Touch Dynamic

Touch Dynamic (Irvington, NJ) has strengthened its team with the hiring of Jeff Tutt as Midwest Sales Manager. Tutt comes to Touch Dynamic from Cash Register Sales and Service in Evansville, Indiana. His expertise includes certifications with many leading industry vendors, including Panasonic, Casio, Sharp, CRS, MicroSale, Comus, Omron, and Keystroke. He will be based in Indiana.

"With over 24 years of industry experience, Jeff not only brings his knowledge of point-of-sale solutions, but also his keen understanding of what channel partners need to be successful," remarked Craig Paritz, President of Touch Dynamic. "As a former Touch Dynamic reseller, his product expertise also includes in-depth knowledge of the complete line of Touch Dynamic products."

Touch Dynamic also has stocked its Saturn DC, an enhanced version of its Saturn PC computer. Featuring the same booksize form factor, fanless design, and wall-mountable casing, Saturn DC carries an Intel Atom Dual Core CPU at 1.86 GHz and 4 GB DDR3 RAM, for twice the speed. A Parallel port has been added to the four Serial, four USB, and LAN found on the Saturn PC. "We have greatly depended on the feedback from our partners to determine what kind of products they want or need," Paritz said. "The Saturn DC is a terrific example of that feedback. This updated version has a variety of features to improve its performance."

Jeff Tutt, Midwest Sales Manager, Touch Dynamic