This Week’s Product Pick

MMF POS (Wheeling, IL) will present its new Swiv-L 7-inch tablet locking case with attached stand and exclusive spring-loaded mechanism at next week's NRF Show in New York City. Swiv-L carries an aluminum shell, durable steel base, and tubular lock, and pivots left-right and up-down in either portrait or landscape format. Additional features include openings for ventilation, power cable access for constant battery charge, VESA mounting pattern, cable lock integration, and security seal tag placement. Made in the U.S. with 80% recycled materials, Swiv-L comes standard in black or silver, with additional colors and custom logo stamping available with volume-based pricing. Next for MMF POS: Swiv-L 10-inch tablet locking case with credit card swipe reader opening for POS.

Swiv-L Tablet Case by MMF POS

COMPANY BUSINESS

Epson Expecting

Epson America (Long Beach, CA) will use next week's NRF Show in New York City to unveil its next-generation family of products for POS, designated OmniLink, RRN.Com has learned. OmniLink integrates retail-hardened PC, POS printer, and built-in intelligence, according to sources at Epson. Varying levels of computing power and printer models will be offered for both fixed lane and mobile POS configurations. At NRF, for example, Epson will showcase four early models of OmniLink.

With these products, Epson said it plans to furnish retailers with an innovative combination of mobility, web-based printing, and peripheral connectivity--in one compact footprint, without upgrades to existing systems. OmniLink also provides the gateway to value-added, cloud-based services without need of POS software integration. At NRF, Epson ISVs such as AppCard, Livelenz, Proximiant, RewardLoop, SmartReceipt, and Third Solutions will demonstrate their respective capabilities in areas such as data analytics, digital receipts, couponing, and loyalty programs for retail environments through OmniLink.

"We look forward to working with our VARs to help them embrace OmniLink solutions," Gregg Brunnick, Director of Marketing for Epson's Business Systems Division, told RRN.Com. "We hope to discuss how we can best support them as they introduce these offerings to new and existing customers. We're confident that OmniLink will help them expand their value, grow their businesses, and deliver the solutions today's retailers want."

New OmniLink Product Family to Debut at NRF Show

Checkout Beckons Motorola

Always big news when major vendors enter new markets. Such will be the case at the NRF Show in New York City next week when Motorola Solutions (Schaumburg, IL) unwraps its new bioptic scanner/scale. Dubbed MP6000 (for "multi-plane"), this subsystem seeks to leverage the company's advanced imaging technology and thereby fill an omission in the market, RRN.Com was told by John Britts, Senior Director, Product Management, for Data Capture. With fresh scan engine, lens, and algorithms, MP6000 provides full six-sided coverage for enhanced reading of damaged barcodes, advanced symbologies, and not coincidentally, mobile coupons on customer smartphones.

Along such lines, several clever design elements have been incorporated, Britts pointed out, such as an optional embedded side scanner, left or right, which operates simultaneously with the primary cashier function and allows the customer to keep possession of his or her smartphone. While working within the confines of the standard physical dimensions for bioptic models, which must fit the furniture, Motorola was able to lower the tower to five inches to help remove the barrier between cashier and customer. Similarly, the MP6000 carries up to seven USB ports to accommodate peripherals, support maintenance, and anticipate additional systems such as bottom-of-basket cameras, and perhaps, RFID.

Interestingly, with pure imaging rather than laser or hybrid, Britts feels the MP6000 opens up new opportunities for VARs and ISVs above and beyond service. Motorola will stock the new bioptic scanner/scale subsystem through its three main distributors, BlueStar, Ingram Micro Data Capture/POS, and ScanSource, with shipping of the product scheduled for June, 2013. "We've been working with major retailers, POS makers, and large ISVs very diligently over the past year," indicated Britts, adding that "many of them came to us and asked for this technology."

MP6000 Bioptic Scanner From Motorola

Worth Your While

NRF 102nd Annual Convention & Expo
National Retail Federation
January 13-16
New York City

INSPIRE
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
January 20-23
Curacao, Lesser Antilles

ETA Annual Meeting & Expo
Electronic Transactions Association
April 30 - May 1
New Orleans

THE Tech EVENT
(Formerly NACStech, National Association of Convenience Stores)
May 6-10
Dallas

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 18-21
Chicago

ALL IN THE FAMILY

A Pocketful of Imaging

CipherLab (Plano, TX) has launched its Model 1663 enhanced-performance barcode scanner for iOS and Android. An upgrade to the 1661, this one-dimensional imager-based device decodes printed symbologies as well as those on the screens of smartphones. Pocket-sized at 4.4 in. (L) x 1.8 in. (W) x 1.2 in. (H) and less than 4 oz., the 1663 incorporates many of the advanced features of the 1662/1664, RRN.Com was told by Luis Wu, GM of CipherLab USA.

This includes Bluetooth Class 2, Version 2.1+EDR for easy pairing with smart devices. In addition to enhanced reading performance, 1662 increases memory from 512 K to 4 MB and carries built-in real-time clock. Finally, protection against water and dust has been rated to IP-42 and drop resistance increased to 1.5 m/4.9 ft. onto concrete. CipherLab equips its 1662 with laser reader and its 1664 with two-dimensional imager, incidentally.

"Most of our customers only need to scan one-dimensional barcodes for sales force automation or field service but they requested an enhanced decoding capability on our current 1660/1661, thus the new 1663," Wu explained to RRN.Com. CipherLab's 1600 series is compatible with iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows and comes with functional utilities and accessories to outfit the mobile workforce. CipherLab ScanMaster software supports custom configuration and CipherConnect, with the 3610 transponder, links smart devices and simplifies the pairing process, according to the vendor.

CipherLab 1663 Bluetooth Scanner

A La "Cart" Thermal Printing

Brother Mobile Solutions (Broomfield, CO) has debuted its TD-2000 thermal printer for receipts and labels, designed for hybrid functionality on desktops and push carts in retail environments. Measuring  6.8 in. (L) x 4.3 in. (W) x 8.5 in. (H), with two-inch print width and six inches/second print speed, TD-2000 offers 203 dpi or 300 dpi resolution with or without powered network design within its three versions. Applications include shelf labeling, price marking, customer receipts, and even date-time-stamp freshness levels, according to the manufacturer.

Feature benefits include Wi-Fi network or Bluetooth wireless connectivity, spindle-less roll media loading that accepts virtually any core size, optional built-in touch panel LCD display for PC operation, and two-year limited warranty. TD-2000 supports Windows 8, iOS, and Android, while Windows Mobile SDKs allow integration with tablets and mobile devices. Store employees may also transfer information from an existing database with pre-established templates to the TD-2000.

"Retailers battle every day to increase efficiencies across every operational aspect of the store, and we purpose-built the TD-2000 to be as flexible and accommodating as possible for them to help maximize efficiency, accuracy, and the bottom line," commented Ravi Panjwani, VP of Marketing and Product Management for Brother Mobile Solutions. "Brother has long been recognized for its focus on value and durability, and this next-generation printer continues this tradition by not only filling an important void in retail printing, but remaining viable as new technologies around the printer continue to change." Production units of the TD-2000 are expected to begin shipping in late March, 2013.

TD-2000 Portable Printer From Brother Mobile Solutions

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Week of December 31

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Week of December 3

ALLIANCES

A European Union for POS (Aures Buys J2)

Word from overseas has the Aures Group, based in France, completing its sudden purchase of J2 Retail Systems, based in the U.K. Terms of this transaction, which took place over the holidays, have not been announced, although the deal will double revenue for the new entity. Both firms, of course, have offices here in the U.S., with efforts of late to increase their footprint among POS resellers.

"J2 Systems has always been our toughest competitor in Britain," noted Patrick Cathala, CEO and Founder of the Aures Group. "The quality of its products together with sound management and efficient customer service made this great company an expansion opportunity that entirely matched our group's ambitions. Its reputation in the U.S. and its expansion ambitions in this country, which represents the largest market in the world, are essential assets. This acquisition will make the Aures Group one of the major international players in the electronic point-of-sale market."

In the U.S., J2 Retail Systems, led by Alex Nelson, Director and CEO, has reportedly recorded an increase of sales of 16% of late. RRN.Com readers may remember Nelson as one of the players behind Javelin Systems in the late 1990s. In turn, Kevin Egyed, formerly of Posiflex, serves as Managing Director of Aures Technologies USA. By press time, RRN.Com was unable to contact either party.

J2 225 POS Terminal by J2 Retail Systems

Siren Call of RFID

Another step for retail RFID, as Truecount (Dover, NH) has enlisted J.D. Associates (Leonminster, MA) as the maiden member of its Channel First Program. Under the agreement, J.D. Associates will offer Truecount's RFID-based inventory management system for both new and existing customers, the latter of which currently number 1,500. One of the top resellers of Retail Pro, J.D. Associates brings particular strength in POS and ERP for Tier 2 and Tier 3 retailers, necessary markets of future RFID growth.

"Welcoming J.D. Associates into our Channel First Program underscores our commitment to continuously create new paradigms for retail," proclaimed Zander Livingston, CEO of Truecount. "With its demonstrated track record of delivering superior solutions and service, we feel that J.D. Associates provides the expertise to deliver our technology to retail customers looking for an integrated system as they move toward RFID." In his remarks, Livingston indicated interest in bringing more "quality partners" onboard.

J.D. Associates President Don Capman emphasized that his firm has been evaluating RFID for years. "Truecount is the only solution we have found that provides enterprise-class functionality for both the mid-sized retail market and larger retail brands," Capman stated. "Importantly, Truecount's cloud-based model presents the lowest cost and easiest deployment of any solution currently on the market." According to Capman, Truecount can be up and running within days, resulting in faster ROI. He pledged "full sales, support, and professional services."

J.D. Associates Joins Channel Program for RFID-Based Inventory Management

Code Corner

During next week's NRF Show in New York City, ECR Software (Boone, NC) will display RAPTOR (Retail Application Prototype Testing of Operational Robotics), its consumer checkout experience of the future, engineered to maximize transaction flow while simultaneously improving customer service. RAPTOR employs ECRS' next-generation software, Catapult Transaction Server, in conjunction with the Portal Scanner by Datalogic ADC. At NRF, it will be used to prove the possibility of "high-volume, real-world grocery transactions with extreme processing speeds, accuracy, and satisfaction." RAPTOR also will showcase previously unrevealed, patent-pending Catapult features that will challenge the current POS orthodoxy, according to the ISV. Such innovative technologies include: Projected Consumer Guidance, Hands-Free Attendant Control, Distributed POS Workload, Device-Aware Consumer Guidance, and Preemptive Exception Handling. Built on JAVA, Catapult supports traditional POS, self-checkout, and mobility schemes. "In retail, like all business, you don't excel by following others," reflected Pete Catoe, Founder and CEO of ECR Software. "RAPTOR has allowed ECRS to break away from the conventional and try new 'what if' scenarios. We are demonstrating that extreme productivity and customer service no longer have to be mutually exclusive."

NOTES FROM THE FIELD

ScanSource: Here Comes the Judge

Avanade, Inc., a joint venture between Accenture and Microsoft, has been sued by ScanSource, Inc. (Greenville, SC) for so-called "bait-and-switch" tactics relating to implementation of the distributor's Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP system. According to ScanSource, initial estimates for Microsoft Dynamics AX ballooned from $17 million to nearly $66 million and from 11 months to three years, with the system still not live. The lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, alleges, among other things, fraud, misrepresentation, and breach of contract, and seeks tens of millions of dollars in damages that ScanSource has incurred, and will reportedly continue to incur, as a result of Avanade's misconduct.

The lawsuit charges that Avanade knew it was not capable of performing the Microsoft Dynamics AX implementation, and misrepresented its skills and abilities to land the lucrative engagement, believed to be one of the largest for Microsoft Dynamics AX to date. Further, Avanade provided ScanSource with "a revolving door" of consultants who knew little or nothing about implementing Microsoft Dynamics AX or managing large-scale ERP projects, the lawsuit contends. The result was an incomplete and defectively designed system that suffered from numerous flaws and required extensive remedial work as well as "de-scoping" of business functionality, forcing ScanSource to retain some of its legacy applications, or else pay more.

At regular intervals throughout the project, Microsoft and Accenture provided quality assessment reports which indicated mismanagement and made recommendations for getting back on track, ScanSource states. For its part, Microsoft documented hundreds of "issues" with the Avanade-developed code, many of which were characterized as "must fix." Microsoft further criticized the manner by which Avanade changed the core Microsoft Dynamics AX code, thereby increasing the costs of future upgrades and maintainability of the system. On September 28, 2012, ScanSource filed its notice of termination with Avanade, followed by this month's lawsuit, and has subsequently contracted with another global implementation partner to complete its ERP system. Microsoft and Accenture were not named as defendants in the lawsuit.

"Bait-and-Switch" Alleged in Implementation of Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP System

Retail Pro's Pro Takes Over

Kerry Lemos has added "Owner" to his current title of CEO at Retail Pro International, LLC (Folsom, CA), the longstanding developer of POS and store management software. Under the management buyout from Laurus Funds, Lemos acquired all rights for assets and brand of Retail Pro International as of January 1, 2013. Silicon Valley Bank provided partial funding for the transaction, terms of which were not disclosed.

"Retail Pro products today reflect the extraordinary dedication and passion of engineering, development, support, and business staff, and with our new-found freedom to guide our own destiny, we can do more," declared Lemos. "The buyout is an exciting time for the company as the entire management team and employees of RPI share in the vision to take Retail Pro into the next generation of solutions and services." As RRN.Com readers may recall, Lemos became CEO of Retail Pro International in June 2009 after holding executive positions at Hotel Information Systems and Sage Software, and immediately set about reestablishing the firm's reputation and relationships following some rocky times for the company.

"The buyout is completely in sync with RPI's strategic priorities for ethical and sustainable long-term growth," Lemos professed. "It will enable us to continue investing in our international presence, allow us to expedite our time to market for new products, and extend the ability to care for our customers. I believe in the value of the business and its bright future as we lead the industry with our next generation of retail software." A renewed emphasis on the Asian market was cited in particular.

Kerry Lemos, CEO and Owner, Retail Pro International

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Auto ID Distribution
BlueStar
Metropolitan Sales
Wasp Barcode Technologies

POS & Peripherals
Pioneer POS
Posiflex
POS-X

POS Systems - Hospitality
PAR

POS & Processing
RedFin Network

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Datamax-O'Neil
Zebra Technologies

Cash Drawers
MMF POS

Data Collection Terminals
CipherLab
Datalogic ADC
Janam Technologies
Trimble

Data Collection Software
Wavelink

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Merchant Warehouse

Keyboards
Cherry, ZF Electronics Corp.

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
Citizen Systems America
Epson America
Star Micronics

Scanners
Code Corporation
Honeywell

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

Touchscreens & Monitors
Elo TouchSystems

INTEGRATION

Self Serialization at Sato

Sato (Charlotte, NC) has released new firmware for its CL4 series of industrial printers for producing smart labels with passive RFID tags. A major enhancement now offers automatic issuing of serial numbers, which can be written to the chips in addition to Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs). Previously, such serialization required special software and databases or manual administration using spreadsheets, as many RRN.Com readers can testify.

Sato's advancement employs the standard recently ratified by the major RFID chip manufacturers, which specifies the unique transponder identification numbers (TIDs) entered in the chips during the fabrication process. This standard, entitled "Multi-Vendor Chip-Based Serialization," or MCS, facilitates coding in accordance with the Serialized Global Trade Item Number format, or SGTIN96. This format appends 38-bit serial number to the 14-digit GTIN number (previously known as European Article Number, or EAN-13) so that every item bears its own unique designation.

With the new CL4 firmware, companies can automatically issue SGTIN numbers, administer them, and write them to RFID chips, through use of the embedded TIDs. This saves users time and money and gives them the benefit of significantly better data transparency, according to Sato. Further, duplicates are impossible with this method, which proves especially advantageous for companies with several production facilities worldwide. The CL4 series with the new firmware currently supports the following RFID chip types: Impinj Monza 4 and 5, Alien Higgs 3 and 4, and NXP G2iL.

Sato CL4 Series Industrial Label Printer

Agilysys in Motion

Agilysys (Alpharetta, GA) has partnered with Motion Computing (Austin, TX) to pursue mobile POS. Simultaneously, this takes Agilysys into the realm of Windows OS, while reducing cost of entry and speed of deployment by removing the need to rewrite or modify server-side systems. Under the agreement, Agilysys will be responsible for developing the tablet's software, integrating with legacy applications, building the mobile infrastructure, and staging and deployment, as well as ongoing management, support, and service.

"For the past two years, our company has been providing mobility that runs on Apple iOS and Motorola Android platforms," observed Aaron Hagler, VP of Solutions Delivery for the Agilysys Retail Solutions Group. "Now, through our partnership with Motion, we are excited to offer our customers cutting-edge mobile POS solutions running on the Windows platform as well. Motion's ruggedized mobile technology and breadth of accessories fit perfectly with our retail-hardened offerings."

"Motion is committed to aligning with industry-leading companies like Agilysys to develop and deliver solutions that continue to define mobile computing," relayed Grant Frederikson, Senior Director of Strategic Corporate Alliances at Motion Computing. "We are looking forward to working together to provide innovative systems for Agilysys' retail customers. Agilysys' ability to provide comprehensive one-stop shopping mobile solutions and services adds tremendous value for retailers and for us."

Motion Computing CL900 Tablet Computer

Channel Factoid

A new year dawns, and Coalfire has compiled its top predictions for IT security in 2013:

#1. The migration to mobile computing will accelerate and the features of mobile operating systems will become known as vulnerabilities by the IT security industry.

#2. Government will lead the way in the enterprise migration to "secure" cloud computing.

#3. Lawyers have found a new revenue source--suing negligent companies over data breaches.

#4. Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) will replace the Payment Card Industry (PCI) standard as the white-hot tip of the compliance security sword.

#5. Security technology will start to streamline compliance management.

INSTALLATIONS

A Longer Leash for Merchant Link

Merchant Link (Silver Spring, MD) had deployed its cloud-based payment processing gateway and tokenization system for Petsense, the specialty retailer for pet lovers. Launched in 2005 by Jim Dougherty, Founder of PetSmart, Petsense concentrates on rural markets across the U.S. Installation across 70 sites in two dozen states was completed in six weeks, reportedly, with customization collaboratively supplied by Quaterion Solutions (Phoenix), one of the prominent resellers of store system products licensed by the JDA Software Group.

As its name suggests, TransactionVault, Merchant Link's tokenization scheme, removes and stores credit card data from the merchant's POS, thus thwarting hackers. "We wanted to ensure we were doing all we could to ease PCI-DSS compliance efforts and protect customer data as we continue to grow," reported Ron Huisinga, IT Director for Petsense. "At the same time, we discovered the value of having this gateway in the middle to support changes we make in the future."

Elsewhere, Merchant Link has completed integration with popular card reading hardware platforms from ID Tech (Cypress, CA) in support of its TransactionShield point-to-point encryption, companion to TransactionVault. "Addition of ID Tech to Merchant Link's portfolio was based on customer demand," disclosed Geoff Krieg, VP of Product Management at Merchant Link. "We are pleased to support merchants using these products." In addition to its own products, such as SecureMag, SecurePIN, SecureKey, and Sign&Pay, ID Tech now offers ViVotech's MSR, NFC, and EMV terminals, the rights to which it purchased in July. Code from ViVotech went to Sequence Software (Redwood City, CA).

Specialty Retailer Adopts Processing Gateway and Tokenization Scheme

Perry Ellis Dons Mobile POS

Starmount (Austin, TX) announced the successful pilot of its mobile POS at 17 Perry Ellis stores in time for this holiday season, following up on the contract first announced in June 2012. Most of these locations went live before Black Friday, enabling Perry Ellis sales associates to provide higher levels of customer service during the busiest shopping days of the year, according to the two parties. Complete chain-wide rollout of the two platforms, Starmount Connect and Starmount Engage, has been scheduled for Q1 2013.  

When fully arrayed, the Starmount mobile POS and mobile selling schemes will help Perry Ellis increase the level of customer engagement throughout the store, enabling associates to use mobile devices for product and price look-up, descriptions and recommendations, targeted clienteling, and to provide access to customer loyalty information. One key function, for example, addresses out of stock items by allowing sales associates to check inventory and fulfill the order from other channels or store locations, without leaving the customer's side.

"Our success with Perry Ellis caps off a remarkable year for Starmount," indicated Joe Pisano, Starmount's President and COO. "We've gained tremendous market momentum, with greater numbers of top-tier retailers adopting our mobile selling solutions. We're looking forward to an even more successful year in 2013." [Something RRN.Com wishes all its readers!]

Joe Pisano, President and COO, Starmount