This Week’s Product Pick

DAP Technologies (Phoenix) has debuted its M9000 Series 4G/LTE-enabled ultra-rugged tablet with QWERTY keyboard and RFID. Powered by an Intel Atom N2600 CPU at 1.6 GHz, 4 GB RAM, and Windows 7, this new M9020 includes active and passive RFID reader capability, with barcode, front and rear cameras, and seven-inch sunlight-viewable touchscreen. Additional features include Gobi 5000, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Designed with multiple comfort grips, for right or left-handed use, and operational with gloved or bare hands, M9020 weighs 2.5 lbs. and meets IP-67 and MIL-STD-810G ratings. "In today's industrial markets, increasing mobility and automation are particularly in demand," observed Eric Miller, VP of DAP Technologies. "The M9000 Series delivers a product that can multi-task, superseding legacy handheld devices with limited functionality."

DAP M9020 Tablet

COMPANY BUSINESS

Zebra's Hart Transplant

Zebra Technologies Corporation (Lincolnshire, IL) has snapped up Hart Systems (Hauppauge, NY), one of the leading practitioners of cloud-based physical inventory management. As target markets, Hart focuses on retail segments such as apparel, grocery, consumer electronics, convenience, and automobile. For this property, Zebra will pay approximately $94 million, subject to post-closing adjustments, to the private-equity firm, Topspin Partners LBO.

"As the recognized leader in self-managed inventory solutions, Hart gives retailers better tools to optimize in-store inventories in an environment of increasingly complex global supply chains," professed Anders Gustafsson, CEO of Zebra Technologies Corporation. "It is an excellent strategic fit for Zebra. Hart's solutions add high-value software and data analytics capabilities to Zebra, and increase our presence within the 'Internet of Things' ecosystem. The business expands the portfolio of products, solutions, and services Zebra provides to current customers, and gives us important relationships with new ones."

"We are thrilled to be entering into an exciting new era with Zebra Technologies," relayed Edward Tonkon, CEO of Hart Systems. "From the outset of our involvement with Zebra, we recognized several opportunities to create value for our customers. Being part of Zebra Technologies will enable us to accelerate the realization of our long-term growth opportunities through building on Zebra's industry-leading solutions and global reach."

Hart's Inventory System, Now Part of Zebra, Utilizes Honeywell's Mobile Computers and CradlePoint's Wireless Network

New Path for POS Pioneer

Michael Mauerer, developer of the first Retail Pro, as well as QuickBooks POS, has partnered with Chad Willis, Chairman and CEO of Texas Energy Holdings, in order to launch Retail Cloud Technologies, LLC. Based on capabilities purchased from Teamwork Retail, which Mauerer founded in 2006, Retail Cloud Technologies will supply mobile and cloud-based POS. Software will retain the name of Teamwork Retail, according to the two new partners, with Mauerer overseeing all day-to-day operations. Mauerer is based in Clearwater, Florida, with Willis based in Dallas.

"Retail Cloud Technologies software is not only the most innovative retail system of its kind, it is also the market's only retail solution architected for and upon current technology," suggested Willis. "With Mr. Mauerer's proven success in the retail management software sector, this partnership creates an exciting opportunity for us to expand Teamwork Retail's existing user base and become the market leader for mid-size retailers." In addition to Texas Energy, Willis holds ownership in more than one dozen entities ranging from restaurants, sports management, transportation, and real estate.

"Mr. Willis brings a tenacious vision for strategically building successful companies," reflected Mauerer. "His experience in asset management and risk diversification strategies along with my background in designing and building retail software should allow Retail Cloud to maximize value while minimizing risk." Based on Microsoft Dynamics, Teamwork Retail encompasses the full suite of functionality in POS, such as inventory, merchandising, customer management, stored value services, and payment processing.

Michael Mauerer, CEO, Retail Cloud Technologies

Worth Your While

NRF 103rd Annual Conference & Expo
National Retail Federation
January 12-15
New York City

INSPIRE 2014
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
February 2-5
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

ETA Annual Meeting & Expo
Electronic Transactions Association
April 8-10
Las Vegas

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 17-20
Chicago

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

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Gryphon Stands Up

Datalogic ADC (Eugene, OR) has unveiled its new presentation scanner, the Gryphon GPS4490, with all the capabilities of the popular handheld Gryphon GD4400. With compact footprint of 4.2 in. (H) x 2.9 in. (W) x 4.8 in. (D), and weighing 10.4 oz., Gryphon GPS4490 features an ergonomic design and curved, multi-positioned stand particularly suited for confined retail spaces. (Scanner may be detached from stand for bulky items.) All popular codes may be read--linear, two-dimensional, postal, and stacked--with omni-directional capability, wide angle field of view, and high motion tolerance.

As expected, Gryphon GPS4490 employs the company's "Green Spot" technology for good read feedback, even in crowded or noisy spaces. Other key features include multi-interface capabilities (RS-232/USB), external trigger button for testing and alignment, LED lights for power and reading indications, and beeper for audible confirmation. Easy set-up is enhanced through use of Datalogic's Aladdin software configuration program, with operational modes such as standard, auto-sense, and continuous reading. Black and white versions are offered.

"Market studies have shown the presentation scanner segment to be strong, and projected to show steady growth over the next few years," reported Giulio Berzuini, GM and VP for Handheld Scanners at Datalogic ADC. "We have designed the Gryphon GPS4490 presentation scanner with this in mind, as well as the need to offer the ability to aggressively read both 1D and 2D codes while maintaining one of the smallest footprints in the field." An IP-52 environmental rating and three-year factory warranty helps protect the customer's investment, the company added.

Gryphon GPS4490 Presentation Scanner by Datalogic ADC

Flashes of Lightning at ID TECH

ID TECH (Cypress, CA) has shipped its iMag Pro II mobile magnetic-stripe reader (MSR) for the Apple 8-pin "Lightning." This new device allows acceptance of credit, debit, gift, and loyalty cards, as well as driver's licenses and ID badges, on the iPhone 5, iPad Mini, and iPad 4. It provides bi-directional reading of three tracks of card data and supports TDES and AES encryption using DUKPT Key Management.

Measuring 2.3 in. (L) x 0.5 in. (W) x 1.3 in. (H), and weighing two-thirds of an ounce, iMag Pro II features an operating lifetime of at least 100,000 card swipes as well as one-year warranty. A Micro-USB port provides pass-through charging, with cable not included. Finally, an optional clip for iPad 4 extends additional physical support.

"ID TECH is committed to technological advancement and to offering our customers the newest card reading technologies across all possible platforms," declared Yvonne Yong, Project Manager. "With growing consumer demand for fast and efficient payments and the decline of cash usage, the iMag Pro II allows merchants to accept credit card payments wherever they go. The iMag Pro II's low battery consumption, no need for external power supply, and durable design helps merchants to keep their business running smoothly while improving the customer experience."

ID TECH's iMag Pro II Credit Card Reader

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Week of December 16

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Week of November 18

ALLIANCES

A Silver Mine for Sterling

Endorsement by Aldelo continues to bear results for Sterling Payment Technologies (Tampa, FL), which has been chosen as the preferred payment processor by three new VARs. Notably, this includes Plug-and-Play POS (Whippany, NJ), itself designated as Aldelo's Distributor of the Year each time from 2006 to 2012. Two others, Saber-Toothed Computing and MDCA Computers, prominently serve the Midwestern U.S. from their bases in Ohio. All three will now recommend payment processing services from Sterling with their Aldelo POS.

"We soon realized why Aldelo chose Sterling," stated Anthony Zito, President of Saber-Toothed Computing. "Working with Sterling has been so easy. I feel like I have a partner, not a vendor. My customers receive fast and easy merchant service set-up and they save money in the process."

At the outset of 2013, RRN.Com readers may recall, Aldelo recommended Sterling Payment Technologies for its POS VARs, while sustaining its relationships with Discover, Merchant Warehouse, Mercury, and PayPros. Another note of interest: Sterling supplies website packages as part of Aldelo Tier Points. Such micro-sites carry the reseller's logo, product information, and lead capture form, in order to drive business. On its part, Aldelo has announced its 2014 Dealer Conference on October 6-7 at Harrah's Hotel & Casino in Tunica, Mississippi.

Gary Staub, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Sterling Payment Technologies

xTablet Marks the Spot

MobileDemand (Hiawatha, IA) will supply its rugged mobile computers to Peak-Ryzex (Bellingham, WA) for use by the system integrator's customers in supply chain and field-based businesses. Peak-Ryzex will offer the MobileDemand xTablet T1200, xTablet T7200, and xTablet C1300, with screen sizes in seven and twelve inches, advanced features and capabilities, and military-grade specifications. In addition, the xTablet T1200 and xTablet T7200 have specialized docks for mounting in forklifts or service vehicles, while xTablet C1300 features convertibility.

"Tablet computing interest in our customer base is at an all-time high and our partnership with MobileDemand allows us to provide an innovative rugged tablet PC platform that enables productivity gains and a strong total cost of ownership proposition," remarked Tim Wills, VP of Marketing and Support for Peak-Ryzex. Added Matt Miller, President of MobileDemand, "Our tablets are built to outlast demanding work environments such as that of AIDC and WMS. Peak-Ryzex has proven time and time again that their mobile solutions and integration knowledge and experience may be described as top-notch."

Elsewhere, Peak-Ryzex has established its new Managed Services Center at the company's headquarters. A wide variety of mobile devices, operating systems, applications, and connectivity schemes are supported, with deployment, help-desk, depot management, mobile device management, and reporting and analytics provided for customers. For support outside of North America, Peak-Ryzex Europe also has its Managed Services Center in Chippenham, U.K.

xTablet C1300, by MobileDemand, Adopted by Peak-Ryzex

Code Corner

Infor (New York) has announced its new "micro-vertical" product program for members of the Infor Partner Network. This new effort allows developers to build their own industry-specific applications using Infor Mongoose, which has been configured to reduce the need for knowledge of complex source code or programming languages, reputedly. According to Infor, its new micro-vertical program will deliver direct benefits by helping partners to capitalize on existing market needs, providing them with the latest Infor 10x technology, and helping them to establish new revenue streams for their businesses. Partners will be given an opportunity to present their application idea to Infor, and then build and promote their envisioned product with the help of Infor's technical staff and global sales organization. "We're giving our partners unprecedented access to our global customer base by allowing them to identify niches where additional industry-specific functionality is needed, and then build or extend an application to address those challenges," testified Jeff Abbott, SVP of Global Alliances and Channels for Infor. "Infor Mongoose is flexible and easy to use, and will become an even more powerful tool in the hands of our partners by enabling them to enhance Infor's micro-vertical strategy while profiting from their own ingenuity."

NOTES FROM THE FIELD

KoamTac Accessorizes KDC

KoamTac (Princeton, NJ) has fashioned nifty new accessories for its "KDC" scanning family. First comes the pair of USB Bluetooth Dongles for PCs--with one optimized for use with the company's devices, and another, general-purpose version, with Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) and Hands Free Profile (HFP). "Compatibility, performance, and, perhaps most importantly, longer lifecycles than can be expected of commercial off-the-shelf products," represent advantages, according to Hanjin Lee, CEO/President of KoamTac.

Next, KoamTac has introduced the Finger Trigger Glove Adaptor and matching Finger Trigger Glove for its KDC200 and KDC300 miniature Bluetooth scanners. Glove Adaptor can be affixed permanently and has two USB connectors for simultaneously supporting the trigger cable and USB charging cable. It also carries charging pins for compatibility with the company's single-slot and four-slot charging cradles.

As the final accessory, KoamTac has provided its single-slot charging cradle for the KDC350 R2 data collector, to accompany an existing four-slot charger. This fulfills the needs of smaller scale installations or applications where charging is required at the point of activity, according to the company. Both cradles are also capable of charging individual KDC350 R2 batteries when used with the newly released battery adaptor.

In other news, KoamTac has added Honeywell's N5600 two-dimensional imager to the KDC350 R2. "Honeywell Adaptus N5600 scan engines are powerful and top-of-the-line, which means they will fully satisfy the needs of our customers who work in aggressive scanning environments and need high-performance reading of all barcode types," explained Lee. "For longer-range reading of linear barcodes, the KDC350 R2 will also be available with the high-performance SE960 laser engine from Motorola."

Trigger Glove From KoamTac

General Data Widens Its Spectrum

An historic barcode reseller has stormed ahead with the purchase of Spectrum Computer Products (Mason, OH) by General Data Company (Cincinnati, OH). As part of this deal, terms of which were not disclosed, Spectrum's employees and business operations will become part of General Data's Service Division, which provides printers, supplies, and related management products and services across the U.S. This transaction follows on the heels of General Data's purchase of Triangle Biomedical Services (Durham, NC) six months ago.

Spectrum Computer Products has been in business since 1974, focusing on Southwestern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeastern Indiana. In addition to expanding its reach in these markets, General Data will add Xerox, Brother, and Lexmark to its extensive line card and become an authorized printer service provider for all three brands. Headed by Peter Wenzel, CEO/President, General Data handles Citizen, CognitiveTPG, Datamax-O'Neil, Epson, OKI Data, Sato, and Zebra, as well as Datalogic ADC, Honeywell Scanning & Mobility, and Motorola Solutions.

"First and foremost, Spectrum has always been about serving our customers, and becoming part of General Data makes that commitment even stronger," commented Mike Holliday, President of Spectrum Computer Products. "It was important to me to leave Spectrum in the hands of a company such as General Data to continue my legacy. I am happy for Spectrum's employees, and I'm eager to see how our customers can take advantage of everything General Data has to offer."

General Data Buys Spectrum Computer Products

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Auto ID Distribution
Synnex
Wasp Barcode Technologies

POS & Peripherals
Partner Tech
Pioneer POS
POS BANK USA
Posiflex
POS-X
TEAMSable
Touch Dynamic

POS Systems - Hospitality
PAR

POS Systems - Retail
Vend

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Brother Mobile
Printronix
Zebra Technologies

Cash Drawers
MMF POS

Data Collection Terminals
Bluebird/Pidion
CipherLab
Datalogic ADC

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Merchant Warehouse
Mercury

Keyboards
PrehKeyTec USA

Keyboards & Mobile POS
Cherry, ZF Electronics Corp

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

Scanners
Code Corporation
Ingenico

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

Touchscreens & Monitors
Elo TouchSystems

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

Getting Your Dose of GS1

GS1, the global standards group for supply chain, has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as an "issuing agency" for Unique Device Identifiers, or UDIs, for use in healthcare. The FDA published its UDI Rule in September 2013, RRN.Com readers will recall. Under this requirement, the UDI number generally must be applied to the medical device label, its packaging, and, in some cases, the device itself. It should appear in human readable format as well as symbology.

GS1 Standards, including the Global Trade Item Number, or GTIN, are already in use by leading manufacturers of medical and surgical products, with widespread acceptance, according to the two parties. As an added benefit to recognition of recall and counterfeit events, they enable documentation of device use in electronic health records and clinical information systems. A dedicated sub-group, GS1 Healthcare US (Lawrenceville, NJ), leads efforts across its namesake area.

"GS1 Standards support the FDA's vision for a harmonized global supply chain, which is increasingly important as healthcare products are manufactured, shipped, and sold across borders," indicated Siobhan O'Bara, SVP of Industry Engagement for GS1 US. "Using GS1 Standards, healthcare organizations around the world are able to uniquely identify and locate medical devices through every step of the product lifecycle, improving supply chain visibility and patient safety." Just recently, GS1 US added two new members to its Board of Governors: Amit Menipaz, GM of Structured Data for eBay, and John Inwright, CEO/President of Quality Supply Chain Co-op, Inc., which manages Wendy's restaurants in North America.

A Label of Unique Device Identifiers (UDIs) for Healthcare

Come Tally Me Banana, NiceLabel

NiceLabel (Brookfield, WI) has established an online label printing solution for suppliers faced with the onset of the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI). Starting on January 1, RRN.Com readers may know, all fresh produce delivered to Wal-Mart or Sam's Club distribution centers must be labeled to PTI Standards. "In order to support produce suppliers in their effort to meet the case label requirements now that time has run out, NiceLabel has developed its free and simple tool that allows quick PTI compliance online printing," relayed Lee Patty, VP and GM for NiceLabel Americas.

This new offering allows produce suppliers to print PTI-compliant labels by entering their variable data, such as GTIN, lot, packing date, item type, and description, into its web form. A pre-designed PTI label automatically generates the "voice pick" codes which permit warehouses to reach near-perfect traceability, according to the developer. Produce suppliers can print their labels locally, download information for offline use, and synchronize with their product database.

Earlier this winter, NiceLabel released new Software Maintenance Agreements (SMAs) and Version 6.2 of its label design programs. Software Maintenance Agreements offer premium support and free upgrades to users, while Version 6.2 delivers multi-lingual capability, in particular. Other enhancements to Version 6.2 include single user licenses over remote desktop, improved GS1-128 support for empty application identifiers, and enhanced compatibility for inkjet direct marking printers.

NiceLabel Supports Produce Traceability Initiative at Wal-Mart

Channel Factoid

When it comes to technology, it appears shoppers and store personnel get more satisfaction these days. Overall, happiness with the in-store experience has swelled 23% in the last six years, according to the Seventh Annual Holiday Shopping Study by Motorola Solutions, while contentment with the checkout process and the availability of store associates has jumped 32% and 23%, respectively, over the same period. Almost six in ten consumers (58%) report better shopping experiences when store associates use handheld mobile computers to provide pricing and product availability information, and two out of three store associates (65%) agree that they can better serve customers with these technologies. Further, retailers can recover 68% of Out-of-Stock (OOS) incidents if they are prepared to offer customers the option to order the items before leaving the store with shipping to their homes. Currently,61% of store associates offer so-called purchase and ship: online or mobile ordering with in-store pick up for OOS items (35%) and shipment of OOS items bought in-store to shopper's homes (30%). Likewise, Mobile POS has been perceived to enhance the experience by 48% of shoppers, while 52% of retail associates recognize its positive effect. Interestingly, 54% of store associates still report that shoppers are better connected to product information than they are, but retailers seem to be closing the gap, as this figure dropped 5% from last year. Finally, 45% of shoppers employ their mobile device for couponing, an increase of 7% over last year, while 60% of surveyed retail associates recognize the positive effect of mobile loyalty account access on the shopper experience. "Retailers have better equipped their stores and associates with technology in a meaningful way during the last six years, resulting in a better shopping experience and a significant leap in in-store shopper satisfaction," noted Eduardo Conrado, SVP of Marketing and IT at Motorola Solutions. "By enabling more associates with technology and offering self-service shopping options, retailers are not only increasing sales but also driving greater customer satisfaction."

HELLO GOODBYE

Gone to Texas for CognitiveTPG

CognitiveTPG (Ithaca, NY) has engaged Fralia Company and Associates as its sales representative organization for the "Southwest Territories," consisting of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and the Mexican Border. Based near Fort Worth, Texas, Fralia fields its 10-person team of industry experts in electronic components and system solutions targeted at the industrial, military, geophysical, and computer industries. A significant value-add is embodied by dedicated applications engineer, according to CognitiveTPG.

"Expanding our reach in this geographic territory is one of my objectives for 2014," noted Nigel Ball, VP of Sales and Marketing for CognitiveTPG. "I am excited about this new partnership. Co-Owners, Rick Knight and Jim Moore, and their team, are professional and first rate, having served the market since 1959 and representing compatible product lines."

"Adding CognitiveTPG's thermal barcode label printers and point-of-sale printers to our product line allows us to deepen our relationship with our existing customers," predicted Moore. "We look forward to working closely with the CognitiveTPG team to uncover new opportunities." Fralia Company and Associates also includes Cherry Corp. in its line card.

A798 Receipt Printer by CognitiveTPG

Another "First" for Merchant Warehouse

Merchant Warehouse (Boston) has named Christopher Wuhrer as its SVP for Strategic Initiatives and Product Marketing. Wuhrer brings almost 20 years of experience in payments, e-commerce, and mobile technology. Most recently, he served as SVP of Product Strategy, Mobile and Emerging Technologies, at Bank of America Merchant Services, the joint venture between First Data and Bank of America.

"Merchant Warehouse is an impressive company that offers small and mid-sized merchants the opportunity to compete more effectively with big-box retailers through the use of mobile payment technology," proclaimed Wuhrer. "That's no small feat. I'm thrilled to be joining such a creative and collaborative team to continue to bring innovative products and services to the market."

"The world of payments is changing at a rapid pace. Transactions have become a point of interaction, allowing merchants to more deeply engage with customers. This is an opportunity SMB merchants, in particular, can't afford to miss out on," observed Greg Cohen, Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer for Merchant Warehouse. "We're pleased to bring Chris on board. His vast experience in the industry will provide a unique viewpoint as we continue to expand on our Genius Customer Engagement Platform, as well as explore other strategic digital and emerging growth opportunities."

Christopher Wuhrer, SVP, Strategic Initiatives and Product Marketing, Merchant Warehouse

A Big Daddy for Big Data

An interesting hire for 1010data, Inc. (New York), one of the prominent players in so-called "Big Data," as Richard Michalec joins the team as Associate VP of Retail Strategy and Strategic Accounts. With more than 25 years of retail experience, Michalec recently served as Global VP of Retail Industries at Oracle Corporation, where he was directly involved in helping the company grow into its position as the retail industry's largest software vendor. Prior to Oracle, Michalec spent 16 years at Unisys Corporation, where he held high-level positions in sales, pre-sales, marketing, product management, and business development.

"1010data is delighted to welcome such a highly respected and renowned retail expert as Michalec to its team," shared Sandy Steier, CEO of 1010data. "Richard understands how technology can propel retailers to increased success and greater customer loyalty. Richard's experience working with companies such as Nordstrom, Wal-Mart, Starbucks, and Gap will prove invaluable to the company as we work to help retailers realize the benefits cloud-based Big Data analytics offer up and down the retail value chain."

"I'm proud to be helping to drive the adoption of 1010data's capabilities and innovations that were first created for Wall Street and are now available for Main Street," contributed Michalec. "1010data has incredible technology and world-class data scientists. Their innovative use of both external and internal data sets are delivering the solutions and insights that are so badly needed by today's consumer industries."

Richard Michalec, Associate VP of Retail Strategy and Strategic Accounts, 1010data, Inc.