Our Product Pick

Honeywell Safety and Productivity (Ft. Mill, SC) has shipped its Xenon 1902g-bf Wireless Scanner. It has no battery. Rather, it carries "super-capacitor" capability, which delivers 450 scans on UPC/EAN, and fully charges in less than two minutes via USB (under 30 seconds via Powered USB). Without batteries, it weighs 6.9 oz., measures 6.3 in. (L) x 2.8 in. (W) x 4.1 in. (D), meets IP-42, and withstands 6-ft./1.8-m drops. A two-dimensional imager, with scan pattern of 838x640 pixels, and standard range of 0.4 in. to 17.3 in./10 mm to 440 mm, the Xenon 1902g-bf has Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Version 4. A pair of charge alerts occur after 300 scans (30%) and 400 scans (10%). "As the secondary scanner to an in-counter scanner or in support of shipping and receiving functions at warehouses, it's ideal," promoted Honeywell.

Honeywell's Xenon 1902g-bf Scanner

COMPANY BUSINESS

Cayan Gets Handy

Cayan (Boston, MA) has launched its mobile version of the Genius Customer Engagement Platform, called, appropriately enough, Genius Handheld. Rolled out in 2012, with foresight, Cayan's Genius Customer Engagement Platform accommodates the many forms of electronic payments--MSR, EMV, NFC, and Mobile Wallets. With tokenization and Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE), it complies with benchmarks such as the Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS). Over the past half-decade, it has garnered support by ISVs and VARs in POS.

Genius Handheld may be used in conjunction with the countertop version of Genius, or in stand-alone configuration. It offers the same security, mobile payment options, and check-out functionality (i.e., line-item display, digital signature capture, etc.), according to Cayan. For retailers already using Cayan's Genius Platform, there's no additional work to enable Genius Handheld; it leverages the same Application Programming Interface (API). Cayan supplies the mobile terminal for Genius Handheld.

"Customer expectations of what a good retail experience is are changing and many retailers are finding they need to evolve how they relate to customers in the store," confirmed Henry Helgeson, CEO of Cayan. "Genius Handheld gives retailers an easy way to have a more personalized and consultative interaction between the sales associate and the customer." As use cases, in addition to consultative selling on the store floor, Cayan listed line busting, sidewalk sales, and drive-through.

Cayan Launches Genius Handheld

Oh, It's Here! Square for Retail!

With its own figures showing one-fifth of its business in retail, not hospitality, in 2016, Square (San Francisco, CA) has solidified and launched "Square for Retail." It comprises four segments of functionality: App for iOS POS, Customer Directory, Advanced Inventory, and Employee Management. It's priced at $60 per month per register, with Square taking its 2.75% fee for each credit-card transaction. That's not including hardware.

In the case of the Square Retail App, an enhanced search-based interface enables faster checkout, with barcode scanning for building the cart, according to Square. As for the Customer Directory (for CRM), profiles are automatically generated, with associated sales history. Also, notes may be added for customers. In Inventory, there's real-time updates, purchase orders, vendor management, and cost and margin of goods sold. Finally, Employee Management includes clock-in and dashboard, as well as lock-down features for access. [Editor's Note: Matthew O'Connor serves as Point-of-Sale Lead for Square.]

"I love how when you open the app, it drops you right into the cart to let you quickly search and scan through the more than 800 wines and spirits in our collection," commented Henry Meer, Co-Owner of Pure Liquid Wine & Spirits in the Westfield World Trade Center in Manhattan. "We can keep our inventory up-to-date from the point-of-sale, and it makes it easy for us to check out busy New Yorkers quickly, which is important since the shop is in such a heavily trafficked area." Small retailers contributed feedback in the design of Square for Retail.

A Suite Built Around the "Square for Retail App"

Worth Your While

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

RetailNOW
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
August 6-9
Las Vegas, NV

ALL IN THE FAMILY

More ION-ization at POS-X

POS-X, Inc. (Bellingham, WA) has unwrapped its new one-dimensional barcode scanner, the ION Linear 2. Intended for light to medium duty environments, in gun format, ION Linear 2 employs red LED 660-nm CCD. With resolution of 3 mil, it reads 270 scans per second, with depth of field of 0.4 to 15.5 in./10 to 390 mm. (Minimum 45% contrast.)

With out-of-the-box plug-and-play, ION Linear 2 features improved ABS housing, trigger durability, and withstands 5-ft./1.5-m multiple drops. It weighs 3.5 oz., and employs USB. A blue LED indicates successful reads. An optional presentation mode enables hands-free scanning. With introduction of ION Linear 2, POS-X has discontinued its ION Linear.

"Entry-level barcode scanners of today don't need to be limited to just CCD contact scanners," suggested Oscar Alvidrez, Director of Channel for POS-X. "We are delighted to bring to market an extremely capable scanner which offers class-leading performance and warranty service." A three-year warranty, so-called "Two-Day Advanced Replacement Protection Program," and Depot Repair, are offered free of charge by POS-X.

ION Linear 2 Scanner by POS-X

Datalogic IDs RFID

Datalogic (Eugene, OR) has introduced several new products in RFID. A trio of new devices includes: Pocket Reader, DLR-BT001; Temperature Logger, DLR-TL001; and Desktop Reader, DLR-DK001. All address Ultra-High Frequency (868-to-928 MHz) RFID. As target markets, Datalogic cited inventory, delivery, loss prevention, and healthcare.

As features, the "small, lightweight, ergonomic" DLR-BT001 Pocket Reader has Bluetooth, linear-polarized antenna, read and write capacity, LCD display, vibration feedback, compatibility with iOS, and USB. Affording "low cost," the DLR-TL001 Temperature Logger has fast inspection via button and LED, with extended monitoring time span, according to Datalogic. In low profile, which "easily fits in small spaces at the POS," the DLR-DK001 Desktop Reader has circular polarized antenna and powered USB (so no external power supply).

"Datalogic has long been a proponent and developer of RFID technology and continues to elevate its implementation within our target industries," emphasized Pietro Todescato, CTO of Datalogic. "Our innovative RFID offerings and industry-leading automation and data capture solutions deliver our clients a wide and deep pool of technology for every application." A portfolio of patents and solid products in scanning and mobile computing continue to propel Datalogic.

A Trio of RFID Readers From Datalogic

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ALLIANCES

A "Selfie" for Restaurants

A new self-ordering system for coffee shops, cafes, bars, and quick-service restaurants has emerged from MoZONE (Livermore, CA) and Star Micronics America (Somerset, NJ). For use in the store, it allows customers to place their orders from their smartphones via customer engagement and proximity marketing technology by MoZONE. As its primary hardware station, it employs one of the popular thermal receipt printers from Star Micronics, the TSP100ECO.

Significantly, no app needs to be downloaded; the system works off the restaurant's Wi-Fi. Agnostic of the point-of-sale--even legacy, on-premise software--it will recognize returning customers, preload past orders, make suggestions, offer specials, and provide real-time discounts. It also reveals customer purchasing patterns for restaurant management. And, if desired, customer "selfies" can be added, making it easier for wait-staff to deliver their orders quickly and efficiently.

"We're very excited to be empowering our customers and our channel with solutions to grow their business. MoZONE's best-in-class technology, coupled with its focus on self-ordering, is a perfect fit for Star's state-of-the-art printers," reflected Jon Levin, Product Integration Manager at Star Micronics America. "We will be introducing the solution to our partners immediately." An exclusive arrangement for the two companies, according to Kash Johal, Founder and CEO of MoZONE.

Self-Order System Debuted by MoZONE and Star Micronics

ShopKeep Rolls in the Clover

ShopKeep (New York City), one of the leading purveyors of iPad POS, has strengthened its ties to payment processor First Data (Atlanta, GA). As the latest software developer to join the recently announced Integrated Solutions Group at First Data, ShopKeep will support First Data's Clover POS Platform. Significantly, ShopKeep will be offered via First Data's wide distribution network of banks, ISOs, and VARs.

In addition to hardware, ShopKeep will incorporate First Data's payment processing and security tools, as well as the "Clover Go" Software Development Kit (SDK). All payment types, MSR, EMV, and NFC, fall under Clover's Platform-as-a-Service, or PaaS. At present, ShopKeep has 23,000 customers; by comparison, First Data has six million business locations and 4,000 financial institutions.

"Having worked closely with First Data for many years, we recognize that they have set the gold standard for payments," indicated Etie Hertz, Chief Revenue Officer for ShopKeep. "This partnership allows us to extend our relationship with First Data and ensures that the expansive universe of independent retail and restaurant merchants they touch will now all have access to ShopKeep's best-in-class solution for POS." {Editor's Note: E.J. Jackson serves as SVP of the Integrated Solutions Group at First Data.]

Deeper Ties Between ShopKeep and First Data

Code Corner

Bluefin Payment Systems (Atlanta, GA) and Delego (Ontario, CA), one of the leading providers of payment solutions for SAP, have partnered to offer Bluefin's PCI-validated Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE) through Delego. Already utilizing tokenization, Delego's cloud-based, processor-agnostic solution seamlessly integrates SAP. Benefits of this solution for merchants include savings on time and money in annual audits, and the assurance that the technology has been vetted and approved by the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI-SSC). No changes to the processing or transaction flow are required for Bluefin's Decryption-as-a-Service (DaaS), dubbed Decryptx. "Bluefin is delighted to welcome this Decryptx partner catering to the market for SAP," emphasized Greg Cornwell, SVP of Security Solutions for Bluefin. As verticals, the two new partners cited retail, healthcare, and enterprise.

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

Unitech Stays Linked

Unitech America (Cypress, CA) has embraced Terminal Emulation (TE) for its mobile computers--including the Unitech PA692A and the Unitech PA700 for Android--from StayLinked Corporation (Tustin, CA). So-called "SmartTE" helps connect smartphones and industrial terminal devices to host-based applications such as WMS (Warehouse Management System) and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). As expected, it transforms "green screen" applications into user-friendly graphical presentation, and supports iOS, Android, and Windows.

"Because of StayLinked's reputation for session persistence and unparalleled support, we are very pleased to include StayLinked's Terminal Emulation on our ruggedized devices," relayed Brian Silence, Director of Business Development at Unitech America. "StayLinked has a strong history of high performance. And with the integrated business analytics that comes with SmartTE [called StayLinkedIQ], StayLinked will be a crucial part of our Terminal Emulation strategy moving forward." Earlier this year, StayLinked hired Kevin Hoostal, formerly of Psion-Teklogix (now part of Zebra) and LXE (now part of Honeywell) as its Channel Development Director.

In what it claims to be an industry first, in January, StayLinked released its Terminal Emulation for Windows 10. In support of the Universal Windows Platform--which spans Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile--StayLinked TE appears in the Windows App Store. It will be accompanied by StayLinked SmartTE for Windows, bringing transformation of "green screens," and scheduled for Q1 2017. A roster of vendors for the channel in Auto ID utilize Mobile Device Management (MDM) from StayLinked.

SmartTE Transforms Green Screens to User-Friendly Graphics

Cradlepoint Unlocks MainGate

Cradlepoint (Boise, ID) has supplied its wireless technology for event merchandiser, MainGate (Indianapolis, IN). Implementation of 4G LTE WAN takes place through Cradlepoint's AER1600 routers. A leader in its field, MainGate operates trailers, kiosks, and mobile retail stores at major venues throughout the U.S. Its customers include such big names as the NFL, NBA, and National Hot Rod Association.

As benefits, MainGate cited easy set-up and deployment, constant connectivity for credit-card transactions, and secure access to the corporate network. It estimates its data costs have been reduced by 50%. In addition to WAN, Cradlepoint's AER1600 furnishes dual SIM, active GPS, and dual-band 802.11a/c Wi-Fi. Also offered by Cradlepoint, an Enterprise Cloud Manager Application Programming Interface (API).

"We only have a window of days or even hours to sell our event-specific merchandise," explained Dan O'Reilly, IT Support Supervisor at MainGate. "If we have any service interruption, it could be devastating for our business." Added Mark Higdon, Marketing Director at MainGate, "Cradlepoint's solutions have been even more reliable than we imagined." As customers, Cradlepoint has 75% of the world's top retailers, 50% of the Fortune 100, and 25 of the largest cities in the U.S.

Events Retailer Deploys Cradlepoint's AER1600

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Peripherals
Aures
Bematech
Harbortouch
Hewlett-Packard
Pioneer POS
Poindus
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
Denso ADC
Honeywell
Janam Technologies

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
iPayment
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

NOTES FROM THE FIELD

A Bluebird With Bright Plumes

Bluebird (Seoul, South Korea) has announced its new configuration for tablet POS, designated as PT100, has won an iF Design Award from the iF International Forum. A major competition, born of the Hanover Fair in the 1950's, iF Design Award draws more than 5,500 entries from 60 countries. This marks the fifth consecutive year that Bluebird has been chosen. It exhibited the PT100, in design concept, at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Show in January.

Basically, the PT100 combines 10" tablet and 3" thermal receipt printer. As tablet, Bluebird identified its Model ST100, which has multi-touch display, full suite of features (Bluetooth Low Energy Version 4, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Gorilla Glass, 6000-mAh Li-Ion Battery, etc.), and support for Android 4.4, Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Pro, or Windows 10 IoT. With full suite of ports for peripherals, it also may be delivered in custom colors. Official launch will take place in March 2017.

"With an attractive design and reliable performance, while taking less counter space within the stores, the PT100 Series helps merchants of all sizes deliver maximized operational efficiency and better customer experience," declared Jangwon Lee, President and CEO at Bluebird. In the U.S., Bluebird distributes via ScanSource POS and Barcode (Greenville, SC). At the recent National Retail Federation (NRF) Show in January, it announced partnerships with software providers Reflexis (Dedham, MA), which addresses store execution and workforce management, and Stratix Corporation (Norcross, GA), which addresses Mobility-as-a-Service, or MaaS.

Bluebird's PT100 Tablet POS Wins International Design Award

POS: The Beat Goes On

-VAR Dallas POS Systems (Dallas, TX) has been certified to resell technology from Harbortouch (Allentown, PA). "Cash registers and traditional 'old school' systems are coming to an end of life cycle," stated Jason Feemster, Owner. "Most merchants find it painstakingly hard to manage these systems, and that is where we come in. We have partnered with Harbortouch to provide user-friendly point-of-sale systems that are affordable for all merchants." A proponent of "POS-as-a-Service," Harbortouch charges monthly for software, hardware, installation, and support. Also required, payment processing.

-VAR SalePoint (Columbus, OH) has bolstered its product offerings with iVend Retail Software by CitiXsys (New York City). It includes iVend Terminal Point of Sale, Mobile POS, Loyalty, Digital Passes, and eCommerce. Taking note of SalePoint's 30 years, Paula Da Silva, SVP of Sales for CitiXsys, stated, "Their expertise in retail, experience with mid-sized retailers, and technology skill-set will add significant value as retailers implement iVend." SalePoint has offices in Sacramento, CA; Austin, TX; Cary, NC; and San Diego, CA.

-Distributor Ingram Micro (Irvine, CA) has added NCR Silver and NCR Silver Pro Restaurant Edition to its Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace. Aimed at resellers, Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace enables purchase, provision, management, and invoicing. "With Ingram Micro's cloud-based technology and NCR's innovation and history, it's a match that just makes sense," stated Chris Poelma, President and GM of NCR Silver (Duluth, GA). In his remarks, Tarik Faouzi, VP, Global Cloud Partners and Solutions, Ingram Micro, noted the "major transformation" to tablets in the SMB POS.

Elite III POS From Harbortouch

Channel Factoid

The National Retail Federation has issued its economic forecast for 2017, projecting that retail industry sales, which excludes automobiles, gasoline stations, and retailers, will grow between 3.7% and 4.2% in 2016. Online and other non-store sales, which are included in the overall number, are expected to increase between 8% and 12%. In light of comparison, here are results of growth in retail sales from 2008 to 2016: 0.5%; -3.6%, 3.1%, 5.0%, 3.7%, 3.2%, 4.2%, 3.4%, 3.8%. In terms of employment, the economy is expected to gain an average of approximately 160,000 jobs per month in the U.S. This number is slightly down from 2016. Still, unemployment is expected to drop to 4.6% by the end of 2017. Finally, overall economic growth is likely to be in the range of 1.9% to 2.4%. "The economy is on firm ground as we head into 2017 and is expected to build on the momentum we saw late last year," observed Matthew Shay, President and CEO of NRF. "With jobs and income growing and debt relatively low, the fundamentals are in place and the consumer is in the driver's seat. But this year is unlike any other--while consumers have strength they haven't had in the past, they will remain hesitant to spend until they have more certainty about policy changes on taxes, trade, and other issues being debated in Congress."

HELLO GOODBYE

Seiko Welcomes Yoshi

Seiko Instruments USA (Torrance, CA) has named Yoshi Murakami as General Manager of its Thermal Printer Division. Murakami has worked at Seiko Instruments' headquarters in Chiba, Japan, for the last 25 years, with 10 of those years as International Sales Manager. He will be based in the U.S.

"With this new opportunity, it will be my mission to continue Seiko Instruments' focus as a globally known supplier of thermal printer products, which includes our POS and mobile printer lines," commented Murakami, "Further, I will be focused on enhancing our market position and business operations within the U.S. based on the strategic axis of these products."

At this year's Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) Show in August, Seiko Instruments debuted its 4" mobile thermal printer, the MP-A40. Measuring approximately 6 in. (W) x 6 in. (D) x 3 in. (H), weighing 1.5 lbs., the MP-A40 has print speed of 3.9 in./100 mm per second at 203 dpi, an IP-54 rating, and 6.6-ft./2-m drop resistance. An ergonomic design adds to drop-in paper loading and easy access button, with roll diameter of 2.3 in./58 mm.

As O/S, the MP-A40 offers compatibility with Windows 7/8/10. A trio of Software Development Kits (SDKs) address iOS, Android, and Windows CE. As communications, it holds USB, Bluetooth Version 2, and 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi. As commands, there's ESC-POS/CPCL/Mark-Up Language (HTML). A full range of accessories (e.g., cables, battery chargers) complete the MP-A40.

Yoshi Murakami, GM, Thermal Printer Division, Seiko Instruments USA

Anovia: Not "Avers" to Channel

A relatively new acquirer, Anovia Payments (Irving, TX), has appointed Tommy Avers as Manager of the Strategic Partner Channel. He joined Anovia as Account Executive in 2015. Started in 2013, Anovia offers cloud- and tablet-based point-of-sale from Talech POS (Palo Alto, CA). Atop payment processing, its so-called "Trio" platform unifies sales, operations, and reporting.

"I'm excited to have the opportunity to lead our Strategic Partner Channel at Anovia," shared Avers. "We are executing on a plan that is changing the payments industry in ways that keep clients at the center of what we do, while constantly taking them into the future with our innovation. I'm proud to advance in a company that has integrity and is building many ways to make the business of payments easier and more profitable for all stakeholders while staying attuned to compliance demands with solid operations."

"Tommy Avers is exemplary of the kinds of payments industry leadership we are building at Anovia--a combination of intelligence, drive, and commitment," contributed Andy Meadows, EVP of Sales and Strategy for Anovia. "In this role he has a big task: to help growing software and technology companies monetize the payments functionality in their deliverables, while creating game-changing differentiation through customized user interfaces and reporting. Tommy's knowledge of Anovia's current portfolio of products and services--as well as our pipeline of potential--is unmatched, and our partners will benefit greatly from his counsel."

Tommy Avers, Manager of the Strategic Partner Channel, Anovia