This Week’s Product Pick

AVE Investments (Osage Beach, MO) unveiled iRegister, which integrates POS peripherals and portable tablet computer into one system for greater functionality and cost savings. Priced at $999, iRegister is stationary and AC powered when docked to the cash drawer, keyboard, MSR, receipt printer, and scanner for checkout. By removing the tablet, which features 12-inch LCD and multi-touch capability, end-users may perform line-busting, inventory management, or sales floor customer service. This new system runs Intel’s Atom processor and comes loaded with Microsoft Windows 7. Communications includes Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR with the full complement of USB I/O ports and card slots. “No longer will retailers need to purchase All-in-One POS systems for checkout and handheld terminals for mobile applications,” recounted Ted AveLallement, President of AVE. “The $999 iRegister can fulfill both functions.”

iRegister From AVE

COMPANY BUSINESS

D-O Hits the Mark

Datamax-O’Neil (Orlando) has unveiled its E-Class Mark III thermal desktop printer series, designed to meet the labeling needs of the broadest range of customers while delivering on “three dimensions of value” (defined by the company as “affordable to own, easy to use, and economical to operate”). In order to simplify things for users, the family of printers has been offered in four distinct models: Basic, Advanced, Professional, and Professional Plus. Each model carries features suitable for its target market, RRN.Com was told by Raul Palacios, Senior Product Manager for Datamax-O’Neil, “all at a price lower than other printers in this category.”

For the entry-level model, or Basic, this means MSRP of $495, with USB and Serial ports, maximum print width of 4.25 inches, 4 inch/second print speed, and resolution of 203 dpi. As the customer steps up the product family, naturally, features are added to address higher performance, more sophisticated networking, and special media handling. Significantly, no features are taken away in this laddered approach, with thermal transfer printing and 300 dpi offered as options.

“Datamax-O’Neil conducted extensive market research and interviewed partners and end-users around the world, and our efforts paid off with the introduction of the E-Class Mark III,” Palacios emphasized. For instance, ease of use has been addressed with popular language emulations, an LCD screen, clear wrap-around window, better accuracy guide technology, and quick loading, non-proprietary, media/ribbon capability. Durable and rugged, the E-Class Mark III reduces daily operational costs by minimizing power consumption with its stationary print head design. Interestingly, it also uses larger, more economical, 300-meter ribbons that lower materials costs. According to Palacios, this switch from 110-meter to 300-meter ribbons will pay for the printer in two years for someone printing 400 labels per day.

“In addition to our traditional thermal printer customers, the E-Class Mark III should strongly appeal to users of laser and ink-jet printers,” Palacios explained. “Those printers are prone to constant cleaning and servicing because they are not designed to handle the adhesive applied to labels. Therefore, you can significantly lower maintenance costs, and by printing only the labels you need, there’s virtually no waste. These are both important factors to consider, particularly with many of us focusing on ‘green’ initiatives.”

Datamax-O’Neil’s E-Class Mark III Printer

[Editor’s Note:  Datamax-O’Neil has assembled an extensive launch package for the E-Class Mark III, which includes 3-D video, marketing and sales support, special pricing, and next week’s webinar series. For more information, contact your Datamax-O’Neil representative.]

BlueStar’s Box of 3PL

BlueStar (Hebron, KY) has teamed with IntelliTrack, Motorola Solutions, and Datamax-O’Neil to offer an all-inclusive, stand-alone Third Party Logistics (3PL) solution. Available exclusively to the distributor’s resellers, and ordered as one SKU, this 3PL bundle falls under BlueStar’s “In-a-Box” Software Solution Series. The package includes all necessary software, data collection and printing hardware, web-based implementation and training services, as well as configuration and support.

“BlueStar established the IntelliTrack 3PL In-a-Box Series to provide a jump start for partners that provide warehouse and distribution solutions,” stated Mark Fraker, BlueStar’s VP of Marketing. “These solutions are designed to help our resellers compete effectively in the data collection software market.” In all, BlueStar targets eight vertical markets with such integrated “boxes”: government, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, warehouse and distribution, field service, healthcare, education, and retail and hospitality.

“Working in partnership with BlueStar, Motorola and Datamax-O’Neil are delivering a complete out-of-box solution through the channel that effectively competes with similar services at a price point that was previously only provided by SaaS providers into the 3PL space,” said Will Daniel, IntelliTrack’s Product Manager. IntelliTrack 3PL is ideal for end-users with small to medium-sized warehouses, as well as manufacturers, distributors, and freight forwarders who would like to convert vacant space into revenue, according to its developer. Functions include customer billing, material handling, and warehouse space allocation.

A “Jump Start” for Warehouse and Distribution

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

Testing Your Payment Processing Prowess

The Electronic Transactions Association (Washington, DC) plans to launch the payment industry’s first professional certification program before the end of this year. The program, to be called the Certified Payments Professional, or CPP, will focus on the knowledge and skills required for those involved in the sales and distribution of electronic payment products and services to merchants and businesses. ETA is developing CPP with assistance from Castle Worldwide (Morrisville, NC), one of the leading certification and licensure testing companies.

“The launch of the CPP program will be an important milestone for the payment industry and for ETA,” declared Carla Balakgie, the ETA’s CEO. “We’ve invested significant time and effort to establish the highest level of professional standards through this endeavor. We tapped all available resources, from a wide variety of industry experts to certification program specialists, in order to ensure that those who earn the CPP credential are truly qualified to receive the designation.”

As its objectives, ETA cited the need to: establish uniform, defined standards of practice and knowledge for resellers and sales personnel in the payment industry; quantify the expertise and potential performance of those who work in the payment industry for the benefit of both employers and customers; encourage ethical business practices; and enhance the productivity and reputation of payment companies and the credibility of the industry. In addition to meeting minimum eligibility requirements, those who aspire to earn the CPP designation must pass an examination “that rigorously assesses their industry knowledge.” More details on the CPP program will be released soon, according to the trade group.

Carla Balakgie, CEO of the Electronic Transactions Association

Face Time With IP

ScanSource Security (Greenville, SC) has announced the schedule for its 2011 IP Workshops. These one-day events for resellers focus on the fundamentals of IP network infrastructure and video surveillance during classroom sessions, vendor presentations, and an evening reception and expo. In addition, dealers who attend all training segments will earn up to six continuing education credits from BICSI (Tampa, FL), one of the longstanding professional associations supporting the IT systems industry.

The 2011 IP Workshops kicked off successfully in Charlotte, NC, according to the distributor. Remaining dates include: Thursday, March 23, Dallas, TX; Tuesday, May 3, Jersey City, NJ; Wednesday, August 10, Minneapolis, MN; Wednesday, October 5, Irvine, CA; and Tuesday, November 15, Tampa, FL. Presenting sponsors include Axis Communications and Cisco. For more information, or to register, visit www.scansourcesecurity.com/ipworkshops.

"We have had an incredible response to our IP Workshops since their inception in 2007,” related Tony Sorrentino, VP of Sales for ScanSource Security. “Over the years, we have continued to evolve the event so that it best meets the changing needs of the industry, providing the most up-to-date information on IP security, while also offering insight into the cutting-edge solutions available in the market today. Our dealers have seen great value in these events and walk away with the knowledge they need to be successful in today’s security industry.”

Video Surveillance IP Camera by Cisco

[Editor’s Note: ScanSource Security also added power systems from LifeSafety Power (Windham, NH) to its line card. LifeSafety’s products, named FlexPower, offer modular design and single, dual, or multi-voltage outputs.]

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ALLIANCES

Janam Crosses the Pond With Ingram Micro

Janam Technologies (Woodbury, NY) has joined forces with Ingram Micro. Under the new agreement, Ingram Micro EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) will distribute the full line of Janam’s rugged mobile computers, accessories, and services to channel partners throughout its territory overseas. This includes the XG100 gun-shaped mobile computer, the XM Series PDA-style handhelds, and the XP Series of Palm OS-based devices.

“Demand for Janam products in Europe continues to grow rapidly,” observed Dwight Ogletree, VP of Sales at Janam. “Ingram Micro EMEA has the market reach needed to support Janam’s broad network of partners and the industry expertise to expand recognition of Janam products’ value and quality. We are proud to add Ingram Micro EMEA to our best-of-breed distribution line-up and look forward to providing their customers with rugged mobile computing products that have the right features and the right price.”

“We’ve been impressed with the interest we’ve already seen in Janam’s products,” shared Ernesto Schmutter, Senior Director for Data Capture and Point-of-Sale (DC/POS) in Ingram Micro EMEA. “We are pleased to offer our European business partners access to Janam’s value-driven mobile solutions and welcome the opportunity to work with Janam, extending the company’s reach throughout EMEA.”

Janam’s XG100 Rugged Mobile Computer

Menusoft Dishes Up Mocapay

Menusoft Systems (Springfield, VA) has linked with Mocapay (Denver) to help its end-users in hospitality enjoy the benefits of advanced customer loyalty and communication practices. Specifically, Mocapay’s mobile marketing platform has been integrated into Digital Dining Version 7.4 software and offered through Menusoft’s partner network. It allows participating merchants to send promotions and rewards directly to smart phones both in and out of the restaurant.

“Digital Dining continues to offer easy to use and feature rich point-of-sale software solutions to merchants looking to integrate cost-effective and innovative payment and loyalty solutions,” indicated Graham Granger, CEO of Menusoft Systems. “Mocapay provides Digital Dining merchants an additional channel to reach and engage those consumers using something as simple as a mobile phone.” In addition to Menusoft Systems, Mocapay has forged relationships with POS providers such as MICROS, Radiant, VeriFone, Positouch, Postec, and FireFly.

“Partnering with Digital Dining signifies another point-of-sale milestone for Mocapay that allows us to reach out to merchants looking to mobilize their brand,” added Doug Dwyre, President of Mocapay. “With a strong line-up of secure stationary and handheld solutions, Digital Dining understands that a secure mobile solution is critical to providing a rich customer experience.” Dwyre was elevated from Chief Product Officer to President of Mocapay following the recent career move by Kevin Grieve, former CEO, who has become Operating Partner, Financial Services, for Arsenal Capital Partners. Grieve retains his title of Chairman of the Board at Mocapay.

Mocapay Headquarters in Denver

Code Corner

DecisionPoint Systems (Shelton, CT and Foothill Ranch, CA) has introduced Grapevine Push-to-Talk cloud-based software for voice communication over Microsoft Windows Mobile PCs, phones, and devices. Offered in the SaaS model, with “always-on” architecture, Grapevine keeps workforces connected no matter how widely dispersed, enabling users to improve response while reducing costs, according to the mobility and RFID solution provider. Ideal for immediate discourse between dispatch and field workers, Grapevine is described as highly scalable and capable of handling up to 5,000 individuals and 100 participants at once in a group. Key features include high-quality voice with audio alerts, private and secure network with voice encryption, and sub-second transmission. Notably, Grapevine has been certified for use on a variety of rugged mobile devices and is currently in pilot with several customers. “We are very excited about the upcoming launch of Grapevine Push-to-Talk and the ability to offer our customers better communication between field employees and increased productivity regardless of where they may be located,” said Brent Felker, VP of Field Mobility Solutions for DecisionPoint Systems.

STARTS & STOPS

LXE “In Transit” at EMS

EMS Technologies (Atlanta) has tapped Constandino “Dino” Koutrouki to lead its new Global Resource Management entity, which combines the former LXE and EMS Global Tracking Divisions. LXE’s technology portfolio, including wide-area radios and rugged computers, will complement the satellite-based location capabilities of EMS Global Tracking, according to the company, and address the growing market for “in-transit visibility”--whether at land, on the sea, or in the air. Perhaps most importantly, it also better positions the company for sales of integrated solutions.

“I believe that tighter strategic alignment between our divisions will drive collaboration and innovation, and open up new opportunities,” stated Neil Mackay, CEO/President of EMS Technologies. “The combination of LXE and EMS Global Tracking will enhance our leadership position in an emerging worldwide market. We are delighted that Dino is taking on this new role and look forward to his contributions.”

Koutrouki previously headed EMS Global Tracking. He joined EMS in February 2009, following the company’s acquisition of telematics solutions provider, Satamatics Global Ltd. While at Satamatics, Koutrouki held various executive level positions of increasing responsibility, culminating in CEO. LXE will continue to operate as LXE for the time being, RRN.Com was told by an EMS spokesperson, and no other organizational changes have been made.

Dino Koutrouki, GM, Global Resource Management, EMS Technologies

Taken to TaaS by NuBridges

NuBridges (Atlanta) has debuted so-called Tokenization-as-a-Service, dubbed Protect TaaS, with greater data handling capabilities than typical outsourced tokenization programs. Hosted by Verizon Business on its Computing-as-a-Service, or CaaS, platform, the new architecture protects Personally Identifiable Information (PII) as well as Electronic Health Records (EHR) for companies looking to improve security, reduce risk, ease compliance, and minimize associated costs. As expected, it also helps merchants protect cardholder information as required by the Payment Card Industry’s Data Security Standard, PCI DSS.

According to NuBridges, Protect TaaS guarantees customers ownership of their tokenized data, including the token/data relationship, should the service contract be cancelled. Moreover, companies may use their payment gateway and payment processors of choice. Administration, configuration, key management, and operations all get handled by NuBridges under the managed service model. Finally, NuBridges will stow data for customers for as long as desired, not just the typical 24 months.

“Securing sensitive data such as PII, EHR, and cardholder information is difficult and expensive for many organizations,” observed Gary Palgon, VP of Product Management for NuBridges. “Compliance with privacy laws and data security mandates such as PCI DSS can be burdensome. Many organizations are seeking relief from the day-to-day operations associated with tokenization, but are wary of vendor lock-in with payment processor and payment gateway tokenization service providers. NuBridges’ TaaS provides relief at a low entry cost without vendor lock-in; yet it provides the same quality of ‘on-premise’ Format Preserving Tokenization as NuBridges Protect Token Manager.”

Gary Palgon, VP of Product Management, NuBridges

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
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

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

INSTALLATIONS

An OLO Topping for Five Guys

OLO (New York) has added another major POS provider to its list of customers for its mobile and online ordering service. All of Five Guys Burgers and Fries stores that run MICROS Restaurant Enterprise Solution (RES) will now be plugged into the popular restaurant chain’s dedicated web portal powered by OLO. This two-way integration allows orders and payments to transmit to the POS in real-time and menu, pricing, and tax information to be transmitted on mobile apps and popular websites for foodservice, as well as social networks. Previously, OLO created similar capabilities for Radiant POS.

“One of the things we value most about OLO as a third-party online ordering provider is that OLO creates a unified consumer experience and a powerful, online management platform that ties into each of our point-of-sale platforms at the store level,” reported Steve Teller, OLO Project Manager at Five Guys Burgers and Fries. From its base in Washington, DC, Five Guys has grown to 750 locations in the U.S. and Canada, with another 200 planned for this year. It designated MICROS RES as an approved solution for its corporate stores and franchisees in February 2010 and deployed mymicros.net as its enterprise back-office solution.

“We are honored to work with blue chip brands like Five Guys Burgers and Fries and MICROS,” commented Noah Glass, CEO of OLO. “Now the Five Guys point-of-sale is truly everywhere: at customers’ desks and in their pockets. This is the next major stage of evolution in self-service ordering.” Founded in 2005, OLO lists customers such as Boloco, Cold Stone Creamery, Dallas BBQ, Quiznos, and thousands of independent restaurants, in addition to Five Guys Burgers and Fries.

Online Ordering System Ties to MICROS POS

MonkeyMedia Gets S.M.A.R.T.

MonkeyMedia Software (Vancouver, BC, Canada) will deploy its MonkeyCatering to 11 franchised Which Wich stores in Texas run by the S.M.A.R.T. Restaurant Group. “MonkeyMedia considers it an honor to have been chosen by Which Wich’s ‘2010 Franchisee of the Year’ to help manage their catering business,” remarked Erie Dardick, CEO of MonkeyMedia Software, which sells through the channel. “We will work closely with S.M.A.R.T. Restaurant Group to ensure the implementation of MonkeyCatering is as seamless as possible.”

MonkeyCatering will provide S.M.A.R.T. with enhanced capabilities for catering management, production and distribution oversight, integrated sales and marketing tools, and real-time reporting for better business intelligence, according to the two parties. Scalability of MonkeyCatering will allow for continuous integration into restaurant kitchen operations as the franchise chain grows and expands its catering business. Designed specifically for Which Wich’s unique sandwich building model, the program will feature an innovative “Sandwich Configurator” to allow for errorless production of each order.

“Catering exploded for us in 2010, and we realized the need to streamline communication, ease operations, and find ways to make our catering guests even better served,” relayed T.J. Schier, President of S.M.A.R.T. Restaurant Group. “We’re excited to have the back-end tools in place to allow us to focus on continuing to grow our catering business and meeting associated business challenges. MonkeyMedia Software’s ability to tailor MonkeyCatering specifically to our needs will be a key benefit during the implementation, and we’re looking forward to the roll out.”

A "Sandwich Configurator" Caters to Restaurant Chain

Channel Factoid

With manufacturing growing more complex, has Enterprise Resource Planning kept pace? Perhaps not, according to the new survey by IFS. Fully 83% of executives of mid to large-sized manufacturing companies said they run multiple business models or manufacturing modes, but only 15% indicated their ERP software adequately handles all the different modes they are engaged in. Specifically, 76% are making products to order, 55% are making products to stock, and 34% are assembling to order. Respondents said that ERP seems better suited to handle relatively simple modes like make to stock rather than more complex modes like engineer to order. If anything, the manufacturing business model appears to be growing more dynamic: 74% of respondents said they have added modes in the last five years. More than half (54%) have added modes at least twice in that time, and 28% have added modes three or more times. Contributing factors to this trend include acquisitions, new products, customer demand, and large-scale market forces. The survey was conducted in December 2010 among more than 200 executives at manufacturing companies with more than $100 million in revenue.

HELLO GOODBYE

Baracoda’s North American Brigade

Baracoda (Paris) has bolstered its North American presence by placing new team members on these shores--Calvin Le, Sales Manager, and Raphael Bulira, Technical Support Engineer. Le will be responsible for business development management as well as the company’s partner programs. With 10 years experience in high-tech, he headed similar functions at Open Text and Hewlett-Packard before joining Baracoda.

Bulira will extend technical support as well as customer care for both the American and Canadian markets. Before Baracoda, Bulira worked as technical control manager in charge of the production process for an unidentified company in the U.K. In the U.S., RRN.Com readers may know, Baracoda maintains offices in New York City (on Madison Avenue, no less).

“Reinforcing our team in the U.S. enables Baracoda to position itself not only as an automatic data capture manufacturer, but also as provider of complete solutions, including value-added services,” commented Matthieu Delporte, CEO of Baracoda. “This customer-oriented attitude is made of daily sales and technical assistance for our distribution networks, from enhanced helpline assistance to global end-to-end project management.”

Calvin Le, Sales Manager

Raphael Bulira, Technical Support Engineer

Vivonet Puts Halo on New VP

Vivonet Inc. (Vancouver, BC, Canada) has enlisted Fred Tummonds as its new VP of Product. In this role, Tummonds will focus on developing the product roadmap and market fulfillment for Halo, Vivonet’s SaaS-based POS and enterprise management platform for restaurants and foodservice. Established in 1999, Vivonet reportedly processes over one hundred million transactions per month for customers in Canada and the U.S., the majority in limited/quick-service outlets.

“With over 17 years of experience in the software industry, Fred has successfully managed and led product teams at both Fortune 500 and start-up companies,” noted Ryan Volberg, CEO/President of Vivonet. “He has a proven track record of defining, building, and delivering customer-driven products. His passion for software started at the young age of 10, when he designed and wrote his first software program--a video game for the TRS-80.”

Tummonds spent 11 years at Business Objects (formerly Crystal Decisions), where he was VP of Enterprise Reporting, overseeing three releases of Crystal Reports which generated over $80 million in annual revenue. Prior to joining Vivonet, he was co-founder and CTO at Indicee, the SaaS-based business intelligence company which won the 2010 “Most Promising Start-Up Award” from the British Columbia Technology Industry Association.

Fred Tummonds, VP of Product, Vivonet