Our Product Pick

KOAMTAC (Princeton, NJ) has shipped its new KDC270 Bluetooth barcode scanner. In pocket-sized format, with 1" display, the KDC270 offers choice of CCD, Laser or Imager and Bluetooth HID, SPP, and MFi (as well as USB HID). With vibration setting to enhance silent mode, it has five power stages for extended operating time. It comes with 8-MB RAM, allowing 400,000 UPCs in data collection or 60,000 records in database format. Its ruggedness has been increased to an IP-65 rating for water and dust and drop specification of 5-ft./1.5-m. "Based on partnerships with leading cell carriers, we recognized a need for a more rugged, yet compact, Bluetooth barcode scanner that will allow any business to increase productivity, improve efficiency, and eliminate waste," commented Hanjin Lee, President and CEO of KOAMTAC.

KOAMTAC's KDC270 Bluetooth Barcode Scanner

COMPANY BUSINESS

AML Raises Scepter

AML (Euless, TX) has unveiled its new, purpose-built, rugged mobile computer, the Scepter. It features an oversized 5" LCD with projected-capacitive touchscreen, 47-key backlit alphanumeric keypad, and integrated dual-beam flashlight with secondary trigger. It runs Android 6 (Marshmallow), with Quad-Core CPU at 1 GHz, 1-GB RAM, and 4-GB Storage. As durability, there's hardened, tempered glass, an IP-64 rating for water and dust, and 5-ft./1.5-m drop resistance. Also, 550-nit sunlight readability for indoor or outdoor use.

Weighing 24 oz., with dimensions of 9.5 in. (L) x 4 in. (W) x 6.9 in. (H), the Scepter offers choice of one- or two-dimensional barcode scanners. As communications, there's Bluetooth BLE 4.0 and 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi. As sensors, it has ambient light, accelerometer, and haptic feedback (with optional five-megapixel camera). It carries 19.2 Watt-Hour Li-Ion main battery and 3 Watt-Hour Li-Ion backup.

"The Scepter fills the need for a rugged mobile computer built specifically for industrial applications and built specifically for Android," indicated Mike Kearby, President of AML. "We have opted to keep our keypad and offer the largest display in its class, while still keeping the weight and cost down. With an MSRP of $1,995 it's a very affordable device for industrial applications. The fact that it is American-Made is icing on the cake."

AML's Scepter Mobile Computer

A Lock on P2PE at ScanSource

ScanSource POS and Barcode (Greenville, SC) has received additional certification for Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE) Version 2 Key Injection by the Payment Card Industry's Security Standards Council (PCI-SSC). This allows resellers, processors, and other providers to purchase fully configured electronic payment solutions, and have them shipped directly to their end-users, thereby simplifying logistics, eliminating costs, and speeding up delivery, according to the distributor. A P2PE solution, as readers will remember, comprises an entire set of hardware, software, gateway, and device handling to securely encrypt and decrypt customer data from the POS.

"Very few companies in the U.S. are standalone key-injection facilities for P2PE, and we are excited to hold this certification," shared Paul Constantine, President of ScanSource POS and Barcode, U.S. and Canada. "We are proud to be able to supply complete product offerings and additional resources to our customers--furthering our commitment to be their total solutions provider." An immense presence in our channel, ScanSource entered the area of key injection, and electronic payments, in 2010, and gained the status of Encryption Services Organization (ESO) in 2012.

As partners in payment processing, ScanSource lists vendors such as ID Tech (Cypress, CA), Ingenico (Alpharetta, GA), MagTek (Seal Beach, CA), and Verifone (San Jose, CA), as well as the roster of major gateways and processors in the U.S. It has its Custom Configuration Center and Key Injection Facility in Southaven, MS. A dedicated team for the so-called Payment Solutions Suite is led by Brenda McCurry, VP of Merchandising for ScanSource POS and Barcode. It includes Beatta McInerney as Business Development Manager of Payments. As assessor for PCI-SSC, ScanSource employed Coalfire (New York, NY).

Paul Constantine, President, ScanSource POS and Barcode, U.S. and Canada

Worth Your While

NGA
National Grocers Association
February 12-15
Las Vegas, NV

WERC
Warehousing Education and Research Council
April 30 - May 3
Fort Worth, TX

Transact
Electronic Transactions Association
May 10-12
Las Vegas, NV

NRA
National Restaurant Association
May 20-23
Chicago, IL

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Epson Embraces Ethernet (Plus)

Epson America (Long Beach, CA) has unwrapped its new single-station thermal receipt printer, the TM-T20II Ethernet Plus. A replacement for the popular TM-T20II, which addresses small-to-medium retail and hospitality, the 3" TM-T20II Ethernet Plus also includes standard USB, which provides customers the ability to add 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi via an Epson Wireless Adapter (OT-WL02). It incorporates Epson's "ePOS" Print Service technology, which allows printing from mobile devices and web-based apps--iOS, Android, Windows, and Bluetooth.

With print speed of 6 in./200 mm per second, the TM-T20II Ethernet Plus measures 5.5 in. (W) x 7.8 in. (D) x 5.7 in. (H) and weighs 3.75 lbs. As additional benefits, Epson cited low power consumption (with standby reduced by 80%, and Energy Star), reduced paper usage (by up to 30%), and the capacity to add coupons and promotional messages to receipts (only in Windows). As print fonts, the TM-T20II Ethernet Plus has 9 x 17 and 12 x 24 dots/character (W x H). A wall-hanging bracket comes in the box.

"Ethernet is quickly becoming one of the most popular connectivity options," observed Gregg Brunnick, Director of Product Management for POS Printers and Robotics at Epson America. "As this standard is now incorporated into our new TM-T20II Ethernet Plus with the option of adding wireless connectivity, customers in a variety of industries can enjoy all the benefits, including efficiency, low cost, convenience, and enhanced mobility that are so important for a successful POS environment." As always, more news for Epson America: Transaction Tree (Dunwoody, GA) will bring its digital receipts to Epson's OmniLink Merchant Services; ISV Teamwork Retail (Clearwater, FL) has certified Epson's TM-m30; and repositioning labels from StickyPOS (Santa Ana, CL) have been approved for Epson's TM-L90 Plus

Epson's TM-T20II Ethernet Plus POS Printer

Zebra Lights Two Lamps

Zebra Technologies (Lincolnshire, IL) has presented two new scanners: the high-performance DS8100, and the cost-effective DS2200. "Our new 2D scanners enable retailers to quickly and easily scan virtually any barcode on merchandise, coupons, and [even] experience," promoted Zebra. In addition to price ("comparable to 1D scanners"), the DS2200 emphasizes ease-of use ("out-of-the-box") and simplicity ("point-and-shoot"). Available in corded DS2208 or cordless DS2278, it features read range of 0.5 in. to 14.5 in./1.2 cm to 37 cm, 14-hour 2400-mAh Li-Ion Battery, Bluetooth BLE 4.0, and weight of approximately 6 oz.

Upmarket, the DS8100 carries 800-MHz CPU, high-resolution megapixel sensor, and the company's decoding technology, PRZM (also in the DS2200). With read range of up to 24 in./61 cm, enabling cashiers to scan items in customers' shopping carts without leaving the register, the DS8100 supports digital watermark technology by Digimarc (Beaverton, OR), and captures multiple barcodes--or full-page documents--with one press of the scan trigger. In corded DS8108 and cordless DS8178, it weighs about 8 oz., and has Bluetooth BLE 4.0.

Additional benefits have been put into the DS8100--in particular, the capacity to gauge battery health, along with full-charge capability via Zebra's PowerPrecision+. Available in Nova White or Twilight Black, both the DS2200 or DS8100 furnish Zebra's proprietary "Wi-Fi Friendly Mode," wizard-driven configuration by "123Scan," and Software Development Kits (SDKs) for iOS, Android, and Windows. They hold IP-42 ratings for water and dust, with 5-ft./1.5-m drop resistance. As accessories: presentation cradle, spare battery, and Micro USB cable.

Zebra's New 2D Scanners: the DS8100 and DS2200

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Week of January 23

Week of January 16

Week of January 2

ALLIANCES

An Energetic e-Nabler

-Announced support for the "mPOS flip stand" from Elo (Milpitas, CA) and Star Micronics America (Somerset, NJ). It includes Elo's I-Series tablet for Android running e-Nabler's eMobilePOS with Star's TSP100III and TSP650II thermal printers for POS. "Elo's new mPOS printer stand with a unique flip design effortlessly converts the employee-facing cash register into a customer-facing display or a self-service kiosk," stated Sonal Apte, Senior Director of Product Management at Elo. A nifty package, it may house an optional expansion module with I/O ports.

-Announced partnership with Vantiv Integrated Payments (Durango, CO) to offer EMV-certified tablet-based and mobile POS. It includes end-to-end encryption, tokenization, and contactless payments (NFC). "Vantiv's strong channel presence and powerful payment services coupled with various hardware incentive programs will help ‘massify' our POS," stated Joel Vazquez, CEO and President at e-Nabler (Fort Lauderdale, FL). In support: the iPP350 and iCMP terminals by Ingenico (Alpharetta, GA).

-Announced its software was deployed to sell NFL team gear at Super Bowl LI in Houston, TX. In this install, VAR International Micro System (Sunrise, FL), employed iPads featuring the TSP650II thermal printer by Star Micronics America (Somerset, NJ) and the Genius Customer Engagement Platform by Cayan (Boston, MA). iPOS Touch devices with the Captuvo Sled by Honeywell (Ft. Mill, SC) are used to process mobile payments. Here, eMobilePOS was integrated into Retail Pro.

Sales of NFL Gear at Super Bowl LI

Checkpoint RFID: Blowing in the "Wind"

Checkpoint Systems (Thorofare, NJ) has fashioned its Wind RFID label. Aimed at cosmetics and specialty merchandise, it incorporates the popular Monza R6-P RAIN RFID tag from Impinj (Seattle, WA). Compatible with common handheld readers, fixed readers, and tunnels for RFID, Wind features an inlay size of 2 in. x 1.2 in./50 mm x 30 mm, is ISO-18000-6C compliant, and can be encoded and printed to carry EPC data in several formats--air protocol, printed barcode, and text.

"We are thrilled to see Checkpoint driving always-on inventory management solutions using its Wind label with our Monza R6-P featuring ‘Auto-Tune' [automatic performance adjustments]," relayed Craig Cotton, VP of Marketing and Product Management at Impinj. "Our strong, ongoing partnership with Checkpoint enables new solutions and tagging of new categories of items. The Monza R6-P chip includes ‘Integra' [encoding diagnostics] technology that enables RAIN RFID labels to deliver higher data reliability and accuracy, which is much-needed for retail deployments." It has 128 bits of EPC Memory.

According to Umesh Cooduvalli, Senior Director of Checkpoint Systems, "Several large retailers have expressed a strong interest in expanding use of RAIN RFID to include health/beauty/cosmetics categories. The new Wind RFID tags designed for these products will help them achieve their goals of auto replenishment and inventory management." A recent study by Auburn University, entitled "2016 State of RFID Adoption Among U.S. Apparel Retailers," found 96% had such plans.

Checkpoint Releases Wind RFID Tag

Code Corner

Star Cloud Services, a subsidiary of Star Micronics America (Somerset, NJ) has rolled out its "Micro Receipt." Used in combination with the company's cloud-based AllReceipts or Itemize Apps, Micro Receipt prints only the store name, time stamp, and the AllReceipts QR Code. Customers scan the QR Code to capture the digital copy of the receipt in their mobile device. It may then be stored, shared with friends, or used for electronic expense management (via the Itemize App). In turn, it allows retailers to reduce the paper size of the receipt by up to 80%. Along with purchase information, retailers can leverage the reverse side of the digital receipt by adding coupons, promotions, or terms and conditions. Star Cloud Services is compatible with all printers from Star Micronics America, including the mPOP Terminal. A StarPRNT Software Development Kit (SDK) supports iOS, Android, and Windows.

Micro Receipt by Star Cloud Services

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

A Market Day with Sionic

Sionic Mobile (Atlanta, GA), which addresses payments and customer loyalty, has launched its Mobile Rewards Marketplace. A cloud-based web solution, it encompasses new programs for small merchants as well as existing programs for larger merchants. "With no upfront cost, complex integrations, or technology upgrades," it's powered by Sionic's ION Commerce Engine (ICE). Already, many major brands appear.

In the case of small merchants, sales are entered as usual, through any point-of-sale. An associated Marketplace App employs numbers or QR Code from the customer's smartphone. After mobile checkout, with any bank-issued credit or debit card, and Sionic ICE, the customer receives instant rewards (points, miles, etc.) in their Marketplace App. A small fee (typically 1%), along with the reward (typically 2% to 10%), is charged the small merchant. Either iOS or Android may be supported.

In the case of larger merchants, the Mobile Rewards Marketplace offers automated data analysis and data-driven dashboards powered by IBM's Watson. "In reality, most retailers lack the resources required to perform intricate analysis of often cryptic, inaccessible data, and instead of ‘artificial intelligence,' are left with ‘artificial ignorance,'" according to Ronald Herman, CEO and Founder of Sionic Mobile. "Incorporating IBM Watson Analytics with our proven loyalty and payments commerce engine will be a game changer for retailers." As well as ICE, Sionic also has its proprietary "GeoSense" iBeacon Network.

Sionic's Mobile Rewards Marketplace

HighJump: MWA (Millennials With Attitude)

With an eye towards millennial workers in the warehouse, HighJump (Minneapolis, MN) has released its new mobile application, entitled HighJump Supply Chain Advantage in Motion. As its name suggests, it enables workers to execute inventory and order fulfillment with support of smartphones or tablets running iOS, Android, or Windows 10. HighJump Supply Chain Advantage in Motion is included with the purchase of any HighJump Warehouse Advantage (WMS) or HighJump Retail Advantage (In-Store Fulfillment). A traditional scanner will be used for data collection in many cases, according to HighJump.

"At HighJump, we're always focused on reducing operational expenses and increasing efficiency for our customers. This new, adaptable mobile application is in line with that philosophy because it harnesses the power of all the latest handheld devices to help businesses succeed," suggested Ross Elliott, EVP and Chief Strategy Officer of HighJump. "We designed the application for ease of use on touchscreens in an effort to help employees--especially the growing millennial workforce--contribute to the larger business goals."

A pair of additional modules have been introduced: HighJump Inspection and HighJump Image. In shipping, HighJump Inspection automates routines for inbound and outbound products, trucks and containers, and material handling equipment and systems. By turn, HighJump Image converts and stores documents and photos in digital format. In making its announcement, HighJump cited the need for greater supply chain optimization, consistency, and compliance.

Screen of HighJump Supply Chain in Motion

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Peripherals
Bematech
CRS, Inc.
Harbortouch
Hewlett-Packard
Pioneer POS
Poindus America
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Tailwind Solutions

POS Software
Action Systems Inc.

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Brother Mobile
CognitiveTPG
Godex Americas
Honeywell

Cash Drawers
MMF POS

Data Collection
AML
CipherLab
Code Corporation
Honeywell
Janam Technologies

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Moneris
Sterling Payment

Keyboards & Mobile POS
Cherry Americas, LLC
TG3 Electronics

Mounts for POS
SpacePole

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
CognitiveTPG
Epson America
Star Micronics

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

INSTALLATIONS

Of Pineapple Pizza and Paytronix

Paytronix Systems (Newton, MA), another rewards program provider, has rolled out its pay-at-the-table solution for California Pizza Kitchen. Under "CPK Pizza Dough Rewards," it ties to NCR Aloha Cloud Connect, Aloha Table Service, and the Paytronix Rewards and CRM Platform. Initially developed as a white-label solution, the CPK App, now in Version 2.0, introduces "single sign-on" capability and mobile payments. It supports iOS and Android, has full menu of functions for customers, and includes e-mail, push, pull, and geo-fenced messages.

"In fact, 80% of our Pizza Dough Rewards loyalty members engage with us through their mobile device," reported Ashley Ceraolo, SVP of Marketing and Beverage at California Pizza Kitchen. "More than ever, our guests are looking for flexibility and an authentic experience that's customized to their needs, whether dining-in, grabbing a meal to go, or simply tracking their reward status for their next visit. By incorporating innovations in mobile pay, omnichannel messaging and more, all fully integrated with our loyalty program, we're putting more control of the dining experience in our guests' hands."

"It's been a pleasure working with CPK on this innovation," recounted Andrew Robbins, President of Paytronix Systems. "Research shows that pay-by-mobile could shave about 12 minutes off each casual dining experience. This is a huge win-win for brands and guests as it has the potential to help table service restaurants win back market share that's been moving towards fast casual concepts." At present, California Pizza Kitchens operates approximately 300 restaurants in 16 countries.

CPK Pizza Dough Rewards by Paytronix

56 Flavors at Aptos

An impressive 85% of its new deals include cloud-based Enterprise Order Management, disclosed Aptos (Atlanta, GA). In recent months, the retail software provider has added such functionality for customers such as Gymboree, Tilly's, Windsor, Yankee Candle, and Ron Jon Surf Shop. Intended as support of omnichannel shopping, Aptos Enterprise Order Management ties together all in-store and digital touch points—one view of customers, inventory, and orders--including complete integration with Aptos Store for POS. Aptos, many readers will recall, emerged from Epicor in 2015.

A "Singular Commerce Platform" at Aptos offers 56 integrated omnichannel customer scenarios out-of-the-box. In concert, Aptos has seen an enormous increase in the number of its customers deploying solutions in the cloud. At the end of Aptos' Fiscal Year 2016 (September 30, 2016) 75% of Aptos' solution revenue came from Software-as-a-Service, compared to 18% of revenue coming from SaaS in 2014.

"The Aptos cloud-first approach has been the siren song for retailers needing to integrate all aspects of their retail enterprises," declared Noel Goggin, CEO of Aptos. "Our cloud-first approach is the change the retail industry needed to see; it's been the answer to increasing industry fatigue around bulky, costly, and hard-to-integrate on-premise software." At present, Aptos POS has been deployed in over 130,000 stores, its Digital Commerce Platform powers over 100 websites, and its Aptos CRM engages over 250 million shoppers, according to Aptos.

Noel Goggin, CEO, Speaking at Aptos Engage 2016

Channel Factoid

A website, RestaurantOwner.Com, has published its "2017 POS Survey Report" of 1,200 independent owners worldwide. It finds that the average cost for restaurant POS systems has fallen to $13,344, versus $18,000 in 2012. The top seven solutions were NCR/Aloha, Oracle/Micros, Heartland/Digital Dining, First Data/Clover, Aldelo, Future POS, and POSitouch. They account for 47.5% of the total market. A shift towards solutions offered by credit-card processors was identified, with leading players such as First Data/Clover, Heartland/Dinerware, Harbortouch, and Square. Somewhat surprisingly, less than 10% of independent restaurant owners indicated they use pay-at-the-table devices. Moreover, only 31% of restaurants reported compliance with EMV. In terms of the channel, fully 74% confirmed using an authorized POS VAR.

HELLO GOODBYE

Carr Drives APG

APG Cash Drawer (Minneapolis, MN) has named Andrew Carr as its Managing Director for Europe. A veteran of IBM Retail Store Solutions, now part of Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, Carr most recently led Toshiba GCS' Retail Business in the U.K. and Ireland. As readers may recall, in 2015, APG Cash Drawer purchased cash drawer vendor Cash Bases in the U.K. and Europe. Its channel and OEM products will be branded as APG.

"I am excited about the opportunity that the APG product portfolio presents to retailers—specifically, the SMARTtill Solution throughout the United Kingdom and Europe," commented Carr. "I am honored to be part of this innovative and well-respected company." With the functionality of weighable coin and note departments, each time the SMARTtill Drawer is closed the cash value (by denomination and total), plus transaction details (transaction number, cashier, date, and time), are electronically reported to the SMARTtill Manager.

"After 16 years, Mr. Phil Stone has decided to retire from APG as Managing Director," reported Mark Olson, President and CEO of APG Cash Drawer. "Under Mr. Stone's leadership, the former Cash Bases company grew to become a recognized leader in ‘bespoke' [i.e., designed to individual customer specifications] cash drawer products, and he was instrumental in bringing the innovative SMARTtill Cash Management Solution to the POS marketplace. We wish him well in retirement." Added Olson of his new hire, "Mr. Carr brings a wide range of knowledge, experience, and relationship connections to APG for European POS." Its "bespoke" products will remain as Cash Bases.

Andrew Carr, Managing Director, Europe, APG Cash Drawer

TSYS' Ties to McHugh

TSYS (Columbus, GA), one of the largest payment processors, has enlisted Philip McHugh as its SVP and President of Merchant Solutions. He comes with more than 20 years of experience from Barclays and Citigroup. At Barclays, he rose from Finance Director (2006), to CFO of Barclaycard (2010), to CEO of Global Business Solutions of Barclaycard (2013). At Citigroup, he covered Latin America.

"We are delighted to have a visionary such as Philip join our executive leadership team at TSYS," remarked Pam Joseph, President and CEO. "His global experience, his work across the full spectrum of payments, and especially his extensive knowledge of the acquiring industry, will be tremendous assets as we continue the growth of our merchant business." In 2016, TSYS doubled the size of its merchant business by buying TransFirst (Hauppauge, NY).

"Anyone who has worked in payments knows TSYS as a true leader in the space with a reputation of always focusing on their customers. They have great people, a great culture, and exciting plans to grow," testified McHugh. "I feel very privileged to join Pam and the rest of the TSYS team in continuing to build an amazing business." Overall, TSYS reported revenue of $4.2 billion in 2016, up 50%.

Philip McHugh, President, Merchant Solutions, TSYS