This Week’s Product Pick

Hewlett-Packard (Palo Alto, CA) unwrapped its much-awaited HP TouchPad tablet, featuring the webOS operating system and 9.7-inch-diagonal flush capacitive multi-touch display. Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 1.2-GHz CPU, and weighing 1.6 lbs., the TouchPad furnishes virtual keyboard, instant-on status, support for Adobe Flash Player 10.1 beta in the browser and, of course, access to emerging webOS applications. Communication capabilities include Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n with WPA, WPA2, WEP, 802.1X authentication, VPN support, and Bluetooth. The new device has been designed to maximize the benefits of integrated messaging, common business programs, and social networking sites, with easy linking and toggling between them. Its 1.3-megapixel front-facing webcam offers video calling capacity, and HP’s popular print solutions are fully supported. “Today we’re embarking on a new era of webOS with the goal of linking a wide family of HP products through the best mobile experience available,” declared Jon Rubinstein, SVP and GM, Palm Global Business Unit, HP.

HP TouchPad Tablet

COMPANY BUSINESS

Rounding Up ISVs at Zebra

Zebra Technologies Corporation (Lincolnshire, IL) has rolled out its new Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Partner Program in an effort to develop stronger and more innovative relationships with this critical channel segment. The effort falls under Zebra’s PartnersFirst Program, which last year was revamped to make it easier to do business with the printer vendor as well as to expand opportunities for all parties, RRN.Com was told during an interview with Dan Mouhot, Global ISV Director and Tim Dreyer, Manager, Public Relations and Social Media. In this first round of development for the ISV Partner Program, Zebra will set the groundwork for an “ISV community where we can engage in dialogue,” Mouhot explained, “with focus on taking both of us into new markets, both geographically and by vertical segment.”

At the outset, Zebra has concentrated on two areas: marketing and technical. In the case of marketing, its new, 12-member ISV Partner Management Team will consult with ISVs worldwide, plan business processes, and provide access to resources such as co-branded marketing materials and joint trade show appearances. On the technical side of the equation, Zebra has launched its ISV Developer Zone, which features SDKs, sample source code, and interactive forums. “We want to work together on roadmaps that provide differentiation for the ISV as well as Zebra,” Mouhot said, pointing to the promotion of launch partners to “first-class citizens.”

While the program will develop over the next year or so, Mouhot noted that it currently includes validation for ISV software as well as possible discounting of Zebra products. ISVs are not divided by levels, although this may be addressed further down the road. In addition, once the peer-to-peer ISV community has taken hold, look for Zebra to push even further into e-commerce and perhaps an app store concept for delivery of solutions. “The launch of the Global ISV Partner Program is a key part of Zebra’s strategy for long-term growth and builds on the company’s 40 years of experience working with partners,” emphasized Mike Terzich, SVP, Global Sales & Marketing.

Dan Mouhot, Global ISV Director, Zebra Technologies Corporation

BlueStar and Flypaper Stick Together

BlueStar (Hebron, KY) now stocks user-friendly content creation software for digital signage from Flypaper Studio, Inc. (Phoenix). Notably, Flypaper’s Flash Content Creation Platform allows end-users to create, edit, share, and track high-quality graphics and video in real-time, with no special design skills necessary and no manipulation of programming code, thanks to its SDK that readily converts elements. BlueStar will distribute Flypaper in standalone mode, in addition to bundling it with other digital signage products into complete solutions.

“We’re excited about the channel partnership with Flypaper Studio because this software solution fills the void with many of our networking and POS dealers about how to easily create and manage dynamic digital content,” stated Gary Childress, Digital Signage Director for BlueStar. “It also brings a ‘wow’ factor to simple screen promotions and presentations. Flypaper is the type of company that fits into our value-added distribution model, with bundled solutions, backed up with ongoing education and support services.”

“Most digital signage distributors don’t offer a robust content creation tool as part of their packages; they just offer hardware,” suggested Don Pierson, President of Flypaper. “BlueStar acknowledges that this tool needs to be part of the total solution. Top-notch screens and fast networks are still vital, but BlueStar understands that value-added resellers are looking to present a full range of solutions to their customers, and therefore, content creation capability is a crucial component of the puzzle.”

Flypaper Flash Content Creation Platform

Worth Your While

ProMat 2011
Material Handling Industry of America
March 21-24
Chicago

Global Supply Chain Summit
National Retail Federation
April 10-12
Columbus, OH

WERC 2011
Warehousing Education and Research Council
May 15-18
Orlando

NRA Show 2011
National Restaurant Association
May 21-24
Chicago

UConnect 2011
Voluntary Inter-Industry Commerce Solutions (VICS)
May 31-June 3
Orlando

HITEC 2011
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP)
June 20-23
Austin, TX

RetailNOW 2011
Retail Solution Providers Association
July 24-27
Orlando

PARTNER PROGRAMS

Apple in Star’s Orbit

With considerable buzz around Apple’s iPhone and iPad, and their respective roles in POS, one factor often overlooked is the impact on peripheral vendors who must accommodate such systems. RRN.Com was reminded of this during last month’s National Retail Federation Show in New York, where Star Micronics America (Edison, NJ) showcased its relationship with POSLavu (Albuquerque, NM). Rising to prominence in 2009, POSLavu has placed its Apple POS platform in hospitality environments such as Sushi King.

Star and POSLavu came together in mid-2010, under Star’s Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Program, RRN.Com was told by Christophe Naasz, Director of Marketing for Star Micronics America. Software programmers and product managers from the two companies worked together to define the best receipt printing scheme for iPhone and iPad using POSLavu’s app, featured on the Apple website. Two popular Star printers, TSP650 and TSP100, were chosen for integration, and the bundled solution now goes to market through Star’s channel partners, with considerable interest on the part of end-users.

“Mobile technology has emerged very rapidly into all aspects of many industries, and new software applications using tablets such as the iPad has opened new avenues for many companies looking to Star Micronics for support and products,” Naasz indicated. “In response, Star Micronics has embraced the mobile technology movement by offering new products, such as portable printers, while also improving software drivers for legacy products to enhance and support this emerging technology request.”

Christophe Naasz, Director of Marketing, Star Micronics America

Born Free at Intuit

Citing “overwhelming demand,” Intuit (Mountain View, CA) will continue to offer GoPayment, its mobile application for processing credit cards, with free swipe hardware and no monthly fee. As target users, Intuit identifies “the smallest of small businesses, such as dog walkers, nannies, and jewelry makers” who want to accept non-cash payment over their mobile phones. Since first making the offer, Intuit said it has more than tripled the number of customers signing up for the service each day.

“With our original announcement of GoPayment’s free credit card reader and no monthly fee, we hoped to make it more affordable for any person in business no matter how small,” commented Chris Hylen, VP and GM of Intuit’s Payment Solutions Division. “The strong demand we’ve seen confirmed our beliefs. We are therefore continuing the offer as we now know for certain that it’s meeting the mobile payment needs of both the person who makes an occasional sale to the hundreds of thousands of small businesses that have relied on us for years to get paid.”

GoPayment was introduced two years ago as one of the first mobile payment services on the market. Two payment plans are offered. For lower or intermittent credit card processing volume this includes free credit card reader, no monthly fee, and rates of 2.7% for card swiped, 3.7% for both key entered and non-qualified transactions, and $0.15 per transaction. For higher processing volumes of $1,000 or more this includes free credit card reader, $12.95 monthly fee, and rates of 1.7% for card swiped, 2.7% for key entered, 3.7% for non-qualified transactions, and $0.30 per transaction. GoPayment has no long-term contracts, cancellation, gateway or set-up fees, and up to 50 users can run off one account.

GoPayment Mobile POS by Intuit

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ALL IN THE FAMILY

Code Spells Out CR4100

Code Corporation (Bluffdale, UT) has unveiled its newest mobile handheld computer, the Code Reader 4100, running Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 and featuring two-dimensional scanning capability with 1.2-megapixel camera. The CR4100 carries the company’s patented dual-field optics handing both wide and high density fields in the same unit, along with reflection and glare reducing technology for reading barcodes on shiny surfaces. Technical horsepower includes 806-MHz CPU, 256 MB Flash ROM/256 MB RAM, and Micro-SD card slot. Various wireless options are offered, including Bluetooth, WWAN, and 802.11a/b/g.

“This lightweight, rugged device redefines mobile productivity,” declared George Powell, CEO/President of Code Corporation, which recently moved into larger facilities. “The CR4100 combines the exceptional barcode reading performance that people have come to depend on from Code, with wireless communication and mobile computer, in the same device, giving users true mobility. Its combination of technologies gives the user unmatched read performance in healthcare, material handling, patrol vehicle, and other challenging barcode reading applications.”

For healthcare, Code offers the CR4100 in white, disinfectant-ready IP-65-rated housing with full QWERTY keypad. In addition, its 3300 mA Li-ion battery provides up to eight hours of uninterrupted operation before recharging. By running Windows Mobile 6.5, the device supports the wide range of Healthcare Information System (HIS) software being made available today, the manufacturer noted.

Code Reader 4100 With Windows Mobile 6.5

Elo: Twice the IDS

Tyco Electronics (Menlo Park, CA) has expanded its Elo TouchSystems Interactive Digital Signage portfolio of large-frame touch computers to include IntelliTouch and IntelliTouch Plus surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) technologies. The Elo TouchSystems IDS family now features six models: the 32-inch 3200L, in zero-bezel Acoustic Pulse Recognition (APR) or IntelliTouch Plus (multi-touch with standard bezel); the 42-inch 4200L, in zero-bezel APR or IntelliTouch SAW (single touch with standard bezel); and the 46-inch 4600L, in zero-bezel APR or IntelliTouch SAW (single touch with standard bezel). In addition to offering developers and customers greater flexibility, the addition of IntelliTouch leverages the latest Microsoft platform features, according to the vendor.

Introduced in June 2010, Elo TouchSystems IDS screens target heavy use in high-traffic, public-access venues, with scratch-resistant panels, durable steel chassis, and industrial-grade components. Integrated computer modules were introduced for APR units last year and extend compatibility with the new IntelliTouch displays. These computer modules are easily installed in the field, since they slide into the dedicated bay behind the touch display and are locked into place with two thumb screws.

“Customers who need interactive signage can now select between different touch technologies and multi-touch performance to help increase their share of the expanding digital signage market,” relayed Neeraj Pendse, Business Development Manager at Elo TouchSystems. “Tyco Electronics’ IntelliTouch products provide proven surface-acoustic-wave touch capability with over 20 years of reliable performance. Our multi-touch solution--IntelliTouch Plus--is based on that stable technology and represents a significant competitive and economic advantage for customers who wish to incorporate multi-touch interactivity into their out-of-home digital signage solutions.”

IntelliTouch SAW Technology Added to Interactive Digital Signage Portfolio

Code Corner

Retalix (Plano, TX) has launched the Retalix 10 Store Suite for retailers with high-volume, highly complex environments. The new build, based on advanced Microsoft technologies, has been designed to unify management and deployment of in-store systems, online storefronts, and mobile commerce, and to provide seamless customer experience across multiple touch points and channels, including POS, self-checkout, self-scanning, customer kiosks, and scale terminals, as well as portable devices such as smart phones and tablet computers. The suite also delivers personalized, targeted promotions and loyalty programs through integration with Retalix’s Customer Management and Marketing Suite, and includes store and inventory management functionality. It features compatibility with all standard retail hardware platforms as well as legacy and third-party systems, according to the developer, and may be deployed in thin, thick, and hybrid configurations. “Retalix 10’s unique, innovative architecture features a single software ‘engine’ which encapsulates all business logic and services of the Retalix 10 applications,” commented Shuky Sheffer, CEO of Retalix. “It drives all store functions and thus offers an unmatched level of business and operational flexibility, fast time-to-market, and reduced costs.”

ALLIANCES

Medical Records Earn Their Swipes

VeriFone Systems (San Jose, CA) and LifeNexus, Inc. (Broomfield, CO) have partnered to directly link payment processing and prescriptions. The LifeNexus Personal Health Card, which incorporates so-called “iChip” technology, represents one of the first multi-purpose cards to carry both individual healthcare records and payment capabilities, including co-pay. Under the new agreement between the two parties, it will be accepted on VeriFone systems at pharmacies, hospitals, and physician offices, making it easier to securely exchange private healthcare information with providers, including prescriptions, medical history, allergies, insurance coverage, emergency contacts, and physician notes.

In this case, iChip has been designated as “Individually Controlled Health Information Platform,” with data encryption, password protection, and perhaps most importantly, off-the-web, consumer-authorized entrance. “The wallet has long been the mobile platform to store and grant access to private information such as payment, membership, reward, and insurance cards,” observed Christopher Maus, CEO of LifeNexus. “These cards securely transfer information through cardholder authorization. With the VeriFone relationship, individuals now have the same control, security, and rich experience with their health records.”

“This is an innovation that consumers have long been waiting for--control and portability of their own health records,” said Douglas C. Bergeron, CEO of VeriFone. “Extending the convenience of payment cards to health records provides greater security and usability, but more importantly ties into the extensive infrastructure of VeriFone solutions deployed throughout North America.”

Personal Health Card From LifeNexus Works With VeriFone

Common Sensing

GE Global Research (Niskayuna, NY) has licensed its Radio Frequency Sensing (RFS) technology to Avery Dennison’s RFID Division (Flowery Branch, GA), in an attempt to commercialize the market for passive, wireless sensing products capable of gauging chemical, physical, and biological conditions. Such sensors comprise HF RFID tags laminated with unique films and work in combination with proprietary readers that interrogate both RFID tag data and the complex RF waveforms associated with such factors as toxic industrial chemicals and volatile organic compounds. In upcoming months, GE and Avery Dennison expect to engage implementation partners in suitable industries such as pharmaceuticals, food assurance, pollution prevention, and agriculture.

“Through our technology development with GE, we have successfully demonstrated that RF sensors can be manufactured using the standard roll-to-roll process,” reported Jack Farrell, VP and GM at Avery Dennison RFID. “This achievement makes RF sensors commercially viable for low-cost, high-volume applications across our diverse base of customers.”

“This agreement marks an exciting milestone in the RF sensor program,” added William Kernick, VP of GE Technology Ventures. “Avery Dennison, one of the global leaders in RFID technology, has demonstrated its long-standing commitment to innovation and we are looking forward to working together to launch in-field customer trials.” GE Technology Ventures supports the protection, development, and marketing of GE's intellectual property worldwide, including such basic research.

GE’s Radio Frequency Sensing Technology

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Auto ID Distribution
BlueStar
ScanSource

POS & Peripherals
Logic Controls
Pioneer POS
POS-X
Touch Dynamic

POS Systems - Hospitality
PAR

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Datamax-O'Neil
SATO America
Zebra Technologies

Cash Drawers
MMF POS

Data Collection Terminals
CipherLab
Datalogic Mobile
Janam Technologies

Data Collection Software
Wavelink

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems

Keyboards
Cherry, ZF Electronics Corp.

Pay at Table
Bellatrix Systems

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
Citizen Systems America
Epson America
Star Micronics

Retail Systems
Zebra/Motorola

INSTALLATIONS

Two Cups of Simphony

MICROS Systems (Columbia, MD) has placed its Simphony POS with two major customers, Starbucks, the rather well-known retailer of specialty coffee, and Aramark Higher Education, one of the largest providers of professional food services to colleges and universities. Starbucks has completed deployment of MICROS Simphony to 6,700 sites in the U.S. and will follow with roll outs in Canada and the U.K. Aramark has implemented MICROS Simphony to 80 sites in North America, utilizing 475 MICROS WS5 terminals primarily in campus dining settings such as cafeterias and food courts. MICROS Simphony, as RRN.Com readers will recall, represents the company’s service-oriented architecture (SOA) for restaurant POS at the enterprise level.

Deployment to Starbucks was completed within 90 days, with 150 sites centrally activated with MICROS Simphony each business night, according to the participating parties. “We selected MICROS for its leadership in the market, advanced software solutions, and global infrastructure,” stated Curt Garner, SVP, Business Technology for Starbucks Coffee Company. “MICROS RES has served many of our international locations well. MICROS Simphony now provides the scalability we require for our enterprise and allows us to control and maintain brand consistency from a central location. We now have the ability to roll out promotional offerings and changes rapidly.”

For its part, Aramark Higher Education required an advanced centrally hosted system to facilitate installation as well as provide state-of-the-art security capabilities. “Centralized management and reporting along with the ease of self-installation and ease of end-user training are a few of the key features we love about Simphony,” shared Dominic Boffa, CIO and VP, Technology Solutions at Aramark Higher Education. “MICROS Simphony is a true enterprise POS solution that integrates easily with our ScanPlus Quantum enterprise stored value card solution and enhances the student dining experience at all of our food and beverage operations across our business.”

WS5 Simphony POS by MICROS

Clean Sheetz by HighJump

HighJump's Warehouse Management System has been selected by Sheetz to streamline its retail store replenishment. Family owned, Sheetz operates more than 370 convenience stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and North Carolina. All Sheetz stores are open 24 hours per day, seven days per week. “Our previous system was expensive to maintain and performing upgrades was cost-prohibitive,” explained Eric Foose, Software Services Manager for Sheetz, in describing the move to HighJump (Eden Prairie, MN). “By not staying current on the most recent version, we introduced unnecessary risk to business operations.”

Sheetz began its search for the new supply chain methodology as part of its push to lower IT costs while simultaneously maintaining its best-practice business processes. The new warehouse management system will supply inventory to all retail locations from Sheetz’s distribution center, which incorporates product storage at frozen, refrigerated, and ambient temperatures. Additionally, the system will manage Sheetz’s food production facility, which creates ready-to-eat items such as sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and baked goods.

“We had a complex set of requirements to support our operation which includes retail replenishment and food production,” related Darrin Pohar, Director of Operations at Sheetz. “Through a detailed proof-of-concept, HighJump was able to show us exactly how they would support our operations. This attention to detail proved to us that HighJump really understood our objectives. I was surprised by how easy it was to configure their system to our needs, without having to make rigid customized coding changes.”

New WMS Supports Retail Replenishment and Food Production

Channel Factoid

The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index, or RPI, posted strong gains in December, launching the industry into 2011 on an optimistic note. The RPI stood at 101.0 in December, up fully 1.1% from its level in November. Further, December marked the third time in the last four months that the RPI stood above 100. RPI’s “Current Situation Index” component reached 99.7 in December, up 1.0% from November. Significantly, for the third time in the last four months, once again, restaurateurs reported net increase in same-store sales as well as net increase in customer traffic levels. RPI’s “Expectations Index” component stood at 102.4 in December, up 1.2% from November and its highest level since March 2007. More than half (55%) of restaurateurs expect to have higher sales in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year), up from 42% reporting in November and the strongest level in more than four years. Bolstered by an improving outlook, 50% of restaurant owners plan to make capital expenditures in the next six months for equipment, expansion, or remodeling, and 23% expect to increase staffing levels. Just 11% plan to reduce their staff.

HELLO GOODBYE

Microsoft’s Commander of Server, Tools, and the Cloud

Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, WA) has promoted Satya Nadella from SVP to President of its Server and Tools Business. In his new role, Nadella will head overall strategy, engineering, marketing, and product development for Microsoft’s server, tools, and cloud platform efforts, which represent $15 billion in business. “We’re already making strong traction across our Server and Tools Business by embracing cloud services,” commented Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “Satya has deep experience in both our server business and online services, which will help accelerate our momentum while setting the course to deliver the cloud computing scenarios of the future.”

“Our server and tools business is one of the fastest growing and most profitable businesses at Microsoft,” Nadella said. “I see great opportunity for Microsoft to grow the business and also lead the way in the transformation of enterprise IT. I’m excited to work with such a high-caliber team to chart the path for our continued success today and growth in the future.”

Nadella has been with Microsoft for 19 years, and most recently oversaw engineering efforts in the Online Services Division, which represents one of the largest cloud infrastructures in the world and spans the company’s Search, Portal, and Advertising platforms. Before joining the Online Services Division in 2007, he led Microsoft Business Solutions, which focuses on the Microsoft Dynamics line of enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) products. As President of Microsoft’s Server and Tools Business, Nadella replaces Bob Muglia, who will leave the company this summer.

Satya Nadella, President, Servers and Tools Business, Microsoft Corporation

Jay Steinmetz, the Commish

Jay Steinmetz, CEO/President of Barcoding Inc. (Baltimore) has been appointed to Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s Commission on Small Business, which will advise that state’s government on economic policy. The new group, which consists of small business leaders and entrepreneurs from throughout Maryland, will meet quarterly and supervise implementation of O’Malley’s “Maryland Made Easy” initiative for improving the business environment and strengthening relationships between government and industry. Steinmetz is one of 17 newly appointed members.

“It is a great honor to represent Maryland’s small business leaders as a member of the Commission on Small Business,” Steinmetz noted. “As a long-time business owner, I understand the value that entrepreneurs and small businesses bring to our state and the country’s economic development. As many are coming out of difficult economic times, it is more important than ever to work side-by-side with our government to overcome the difficulties faced by business owners, create jobs, and ensure the continued success of Maryland’s small businesses.”

Steinmetz founded Barcoding Inc. in 1998 from his apartment in Baltimore. Concentrating on data capture and RFID, the solution provider now has 75 employees and 2,800 business customers throughout North America. In addition to the Commission on Small Business, he is currently serving his second term as Chairman of the Maryland Technology Department Corporation (TEDCO), an organization that funds and supports private sector technology in the state of Maryland.

Jay Steinmetz, CEO/President of Barcoding Inc.