This Week’s Product Pick

AML (Euless, TX) introduced its M7225 handheld computer for retail, manufacturing, and warehousing. Weighing 17.6 ounces and measuring 8.9 in. x 3.5 in. x 2.3 in., the M7225 is light enough to be used all day without fatigue, but durable enough to be put to work in demanding environments, according to the company. Powered by Microsoft Windows CE 6.0, the M7225 comes with 128 MB RAM/128 MB ROM/Micro-SD Card, 802.11b/g plus Bluetooth radio or batch configuration, laser or two-dimensional imager barcode scanner, 3.5-inch high-color LCD with touch panel, and audio support. Its full alphanumeric keypad boosts productivity and an on-screen verification system makes it easy for workers to identify good scans. “A unique feature of the M7225 is that it uses the same charging cradles and battery system as other AML products,” commented Mike Kearby, President of AML. “This feature allows existing AML users to upgrade to the M7225 without having to buy new charging cradles, saving a substantial amount of upfront investment.”

M7225 From AML

COMPANY BUSINESS

NRA and RSPA Put POS on Front Burner

The National Restaurant Association (Washington, DC) has published its “8 Essential Elements of POS System Ownership” and its companion “POS Tool Kit,” in an effort to help its members make smarter buying decisions. Moreover, as part of the process, NRA has specifically endorsed the Retail Solutions Providers Association’s Certification Program for POS system providers, and has directed restaurant owners to the RSPA website for the list. Both NRA and RSPA will distribute the NRA’s “8 Essential Elements” POS information packet to their members as well as posting it on their websites. It includes POS checklist, definition of terms, and sample purchase agreement to document the exact services expected from vendors.

“Point-of-sale systems are one of the critical tools for restaurant owners, and a fast, secure, and reliable system is crucial for a restaurant to conduct business,” stated David Gilbert, COO of NRA. “But POS systems are extremely complex and can include costly solutions for payment processing and complex vendor contracts and fee structures that adversely affect a restaurant’s bottom line.”

“We saw the need for education in our industry and to help bring to light the issues that can lead to costly mistakes,” Gilbert continued. “This is a continuation of the NRA’s ‘8 Essential Elements’ series and offers must-have information all restaurateurs need to know to avoid POS pitfalls and hidden fees often wrapped into POS contracts. POS technology is a required tool for today’s restaurant operator, but the technology must be acquired carefully to protect and increase restaurant profitability.”

The NRA endorsement follows on the heels of an enhanced RSPA Certification Program that includes not only company certification but individual certificate programs for support and sales specialists, noted Joseph Finizio, CEO/President of RSPA (Charlotte, NC). These new certificate programs set baseline technical performance and professional standards for reseller staff, and include RSPA’s “PCIwise” courses in payment card security compliance. “The RSPA Certification Program affords our members the opportunity to differentiate themselves in today’s marketplace,” emphasized Finizio, who drove its formation in 2009.

David Gilbert, COO of the National Restaurant Association

Call Me Psion

No more “Teklogix.” Psion has officially shortened its company name, which expanded in 2000, RRN.Com readers will recall, when U.K-based Psion Enterprise merged with Canadian-based Teklogix International. Psion has been particularly active over the past year--in building partner relations, introducing new products, and leveraging social media--and this latest announcement marks the next significant step in its efforts to transform the company and simultaneously strengthen its global brand. Based in London, Psion maintains facilities in Hebron, KY, and Mississauga, ON, Canada.

“Our research showed that we had to remove the word ‘Teklogix’ from our name, to unite the business around one, clear global identity,” related John Conoley, CEO of Psion. “We found that the complexity of the dual company name was impacting our business by confusing our customers, resellers, and other key stakeholders, especially in new markets for Psion. We also took the opportunity to refresh the brand to make it properly mirror our business strategy and to work better in the digital world.”

“The new corporate identity now brings to life the company’s focus on open innovation, modularity, and customization, and correctly positions Psion in the era of Web 2.0,” observed Nick Eades, Chief Marketing Officer of Psion. “Work began on the new corporate identity in 2009 and the full program will be completed by the end of the third quarter of 2011. We’re primarily executing this brand refresh in the digital domain, which is far more efficient and manageable than traditional methods.”

John Conoley, CEO of Psion

An Example of Refreshed Corporate Identity

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

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

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Datalogic’s Snappy Scanner

Datalogic Scanning (Eugene, OR) unboxed its Gryphon GBT4400 general-purpose imager, designed to be particularly user-friendly. Lightweight and compact, the Gryphon GBT4400 reads all common symbologies, including one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and postal codes, stacked and composite codes such as PDF-417 and GS1 DataBar, as well as small, condensed codes. Featuring Bluetooth Version 2.0, this cordless reader can transmit data to the host through its base station as well as to any commercial or embedded Bluetooth device, with working range of 100 feet/30 meters. High-speed imaging and advanced motion tolerance (60 frames per second) handle fast-moving codes.

Utilizing steady, dim, deep red light, this reader’s illumination system is easier on human eyes than competitive products with flicker illumination, according to the vendor. Its highly visible “4-Dot” aimer clearly defines the reading zone for simple presentation scanning and the cross center provides the locator for targeted handheld scanning. When “pick mode” is enabled, the Gryphon GBT4400 scans the desired code using the aiming system for maximum control in multiple barcode environments. Further, Datalogic’s “Green Spot” technology offers the operator additional good-read confirmation.

Gryphon GBT4400 has been armed with Datalogic’s “Motionix” motion-sensing technology, which enables the scanner to intuitively switch into handheld mode when the device is picked up. When placed back in the stand, it automatically returns to stand mode, eliminating the need to scan barcodes or to rely on mechanical switches to make this change. The two-position base station also provides the flexibility to use the scanner in presentation or stand mode while it’s charging.

Gryphon GBT4400 2D Reader by Datalogic Scanning

Ranger 3 Tackles the Great Outdoors

Trimble (Sunnyvale, CA) shipped its next-generation rugged handheld computer, the Ranger 3, for heavy-duty outdoor applications such as surveying, construction, forestry, public safety, and utilities. Ranger 3 features the Cortex-A8 superscalar processor, 8 GB of Flash Memory, Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional, and Software Development Kit (SDK). In keeping with its mission, it carries large, sunlight-readable VGA display, long-life battery, MIL-STD-810F certification for temperature, drops, and vibration, and an IP-67 environmental rating for water and dust.

Ranger 3 comes equipped with data collection capabilities such as integrated GPS receiver, five-megapixel camera, and one-dimensional barcode scanner. Notably, the GPS receiver combines with electronic compass and accelerometer to provide location, direction, and motion, meaning asset data may be “geo-tagged.” Additional technical characteristics include QWERTY alphanumeric keypad, touchscreen, and integrated 3G GSM WWAN, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth communications.

“The Ranger 3 is the most highly integrated, full-featured, and reliable generation of Ranger we have built,” testified Bill Martin, GM of Trimble’s Mobile Computing Solutions Division. “A great deal of experience and teamwork created the Ranger 3. Not only is it the ultimate device for mobile worker productivity, our SDK makes it easy for software developers to quickly take a solution to market.”

Trimble’s Ranger 3 Mobile Computer

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Week of January 24

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INTEGRATION

PPI Puts Charge in New West, Microsoft RMS

Payment Processing, Inc. (Newark, CA) has released PayMover SecurePlus for Microsoft Dynamics RMS. Developed with and for New West Technologies (Portland, OR), the 2010 Microsoft RMS Partner of the Year for POS, this new build provides an integrated package that supports credit, debit, gift, and hand-keyed transactions, according to the two parties. For merchants, encryption via Magtek’s IPAD terminal combines with PayMover’s tokenization to strengthen payment security while also eliminating the need to store card data locally for follow-on transactions. Additional benefits include reduced PCI validation costs, free gift processing, and an improved user interface for handling split-tender types.

“PPI, in conjunction with our strategic partner, New West, is delivering the most secure solution on the market today for Microsoft Dynamics RMS customers,” remarked Eddie Myers, President of PPI. “Retail customers are demanding advanced security solutions to protect their businesses. Advanced levels of security using encryption are paramount to meet this demand and will provide resellers with a significantly differentiated offering.” Now, PPI looks to work with other developers tied to RMS, RRN.Com was told.

“With PayMover SecurePlus for Microsoft Dynamics RMS, card transactions are easier, faster, and--most importantly--safer for our customers,” said Dan King, President of New West. “We believe this product to be a substantial new offering for Microsoft Dynamics RMS resellers and customers.” This month, New West also unveiled its new POS and inventory extension, dubbed Mobile X, which utilizes cloud computing (in the form of real-time web portal) and handheld devices.

Eddie Myers, President of Payment Processing, Inc.

Pure RedPrairie Fire

RedPrairie Corporation (Atlanta) keeps buying everything in sight. In January, the productivity solution provider purchased SofTechnics (Akron, OH), one of the long-time enterprise software suppliers in grocery and general retail. Now it has snapped up Shippers Commonwealth, or ShipComm (Charleston, SC), the SaaS-based deliverer of Transportation Management Systems (TMS). In January this latest acquisition creates the only software company with an all-encompassing hosted suite for TMS, Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), and Workforce Management (WFM)--bridging all shipping and distribution needs, in other words--for end-users of all sizes and levels of complexity, according to the new owner.

ShipComm and RedPrairie have partnered closely for more than 10 years, primarily for large and mid-market companies. With the rising interest in hosted, on-demand solutions, RedPrairie increased its presence in this area with last year’s purchase of SmartTurn (San Francisco), the SaaS-based WMS provider of the E2e platform. Going forward, RedPrairie said it plans to group the former ShipComm and SmartTurn teams into its new On-Demand business unit. In the near-term, RedPrairie will continue to support the suite of add-on modules developed by ShipComm and will honor and service all existing customer agreements.

“I am pleased to see ShipComm and RedPrairie formally joining forces,” indicated Mark Albright, VP of Logistics for The Sports Authority. “This combination allows us to expand our successful program with ShipComm to a new level of integrated solutions that respond to future needs.” His comments were echoed by other ShipComm customers.

ShipComm Adds Transportation Management Systems to RedPrairie’s Portfolio

Code Corner

Opterus Inc. (Toronto) offered Store Ops-Center Version 3.0, which includes the company’s new Store Scheduling feature. Opterus Store-Ops-Center is an on-demand, web-based retail portal designed to measure and increase operational compliance, communicate corporate policy, manage day-to-day objectives and tasks, and handle issues between corporate office and store locations. Store Scheduling allows retailers to create and manage employee schedules, change shifts, and set breaks online. Schedules and total hours by employee, day, and store location can be viewed within Store Ops-Center by store employees, district managers, or anyone at the head office. Past weeks may be copied so that schedules need not be started from scratch, and the daily shift chart helps ensure adequate sales floor coverage at all times. Upon confirmation and finalization at the end of the work period, employee hours may be easily downloaded for payroll data collection and processing. “Opterus is committed to providing the most feature-rich store communications, task management, and store execution management solution in the retail industry,” said Rick Peters, Chief Product Officer, Opterus. “Our development strategy relies heavily on input from our clients on the features and functionality that are most important to them.”

STARTS & STOPS

WMS Gets an App Store

HighJump Software (Eden Prairie, MN) has jumped on the “App Store” bandwagon with the launch of its HighJump App Station, which seeks to bring similar ease of use and customer control to Warehouse Management Systems (WMS). Using the new delivery platform, customers may browse and add “workflows,” or modular functionality, for the supply chain at their own need, pace, and budget--similar to adding new apps to their smart phone. Customers install these workflows themselves, with many downloadable in minutes.

HighJump App Station helps solve some of the common problems of traditional WMS, according to its developer, such as the need for difficult and costly upgrades, so-called “application bloat,” innumerable interdependent configuration switches, and unsafe source code modifications. Additional benefits include easier access to the steady stream of supply chain innovations, better maintenance and planning, and reduced disruption to existing supply chain procedures. All workflows are fully tested and backed by HighJump Support.

“The HighJump App Station is the natural evolution in HighJump’s long history of providing adaptable supply chain solutions,” declared Russell Fleischer, CEO of HighJump Software. “It provides our customers even greater control over their systems and continuous access to supply chain innovations. We architect our solutions according to customer and market feedback, and the HighJump App Station empowers our customers to rapidly add new functionality while minimizing risk and cost to their businesses.”

HighJump Software’s New Delivery Platform, App Station

Making Waves at Fishbowl

Fishbowl (Orem, UT), perhaps the leading supplier of inventory management software for Intuit QuickBooks, has set an aggressive agenda for 2011. Effective January 1, Fishbowl has appointed experienced tech executive Mary Scott as President. She will partner with CEO David Williams to launch several new products and initiatives, including the new CAM (“Courage Above Mountains”) business incubation center for small firms. All of this follows the release of Fishbowl Inventory 2011 three months ago, which streamlined the user interface and added enhancements to its manufacturing and mobile warehouse modules, as well as the company’s reported three-year growth of 120%.

“As we take Fishbowl to its next level, Mary Scott is a true philosophical ally,” shared Williams. “She is a driving influence in the new arms of revenue that are spurring our continuing growth. We are forging new territory, and Mary’s innovation will be a major factor in our current and future success. She carries a tremendous track record; however, I believe Mary Scott’s strongest influence as a leader is still to come in 2011 and beyond.” Prior to Fishbowl, Scott worked as VP of Grant Administration for Certiport and Director of Business for Center7. During her tenure, Certiport grew from start-up to an organization providing more than 9 million certifications for Microsoft, Adobe, and other companies.

Fishbowl’s CAM Center brings together partners such as Utah Valley University, Think Atomic/Voonami, Kelly Services, Certiport, and Snapp Conner PR to provide incubation, collaboration, and business services for the SMB. Inspiration for the CAM Center is celebration of the enduring spirit of David William’s son, Cameron (the original “CAM”), a former Fishbowl employee who passed away in 2008 at age 25.

New Build for QuickBooks Released in November 2010

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Auto ID Distribution
BlueStar
ScanSource

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

POS Systems - Hospitality
PAR

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Datamax-O'Neil
Zebra Technologies

Cash Drawers
APG Cash Drawer
MMF POS

Data Collection Terminals
Datalogic Mobile
Janam Technologies

Data Collection Software
Wavelink

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems

Keyboards
Cherry, ZF Electronics Corp.

Pay at Table
Bellatrix Systems

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
Citizen Systems America
Epson America
Star Micronics

Retail Systems
Zebra/Motorola

INSTALLATIONS

A First for WorldPay US

WorldPay US (Atlanta), formed last year from RBS WorldPay, has announced that McKeever’s Price Chopper will become the first merchant to implement its WorldPay End-to-End Encryption (E2EE) solution. Following pilot testing, McKeever’s Enterprises, Inc. will roll out the payment processing architecture to its nine stores in and around Kansas City. Significantly, WorldPay E2EE incorporates VeriFone’s VeriShield Protect (VSP) technology, which employs multiple layers of encryption all the way from the PIN Pad to the acquiring host.

Unlike traditional software-only encryption schemes, WorldPay E2EE stores and encrypts within Tamper Resistant Security Modules (TRSM) at the point of card swipe or keyed entry. This feature blocks attempts at hardware tampering, prevents access to the encryption keys, and ensures that all sensitive cardholder data gets handled in the most secure environment. A further advantage is that WorldPay E2EE is easy to install, with little change to the merchant’s POS system, according to its developer.

“We are pleased McKeever’s partnered with WorldPay on our industry-leading solution to protect their customers and help reduce the cost and complexity of complying with PCI requirements,” commented Ian Stuttard, CEO/President of WorldPay US. “Demand for WorldPay E2EE is high and we look forward to rolling out to grocers and other key client segments nationally.”

McKeever’s Price Chopper Rolls Out WorldPay E2EE

Eataly Toured by Radiant Systems

Radiant Systems (Atlanta) has placed its POS in Eataly, perhaps the hottest attraction in New York City. Encompassing more than 50,000 square feet, Eataly opened in September 2010 as the joint venture between prominent restaurant, retail, and business partners, including celebrity chief Mario Batali. The food and wine marketplace sells groceries, specialty foods, coffee, and wine imported directly from Italy. It also runs seven restaurant concepts based around areas of the store, focusing on cheeses, produce, pizza, pasta, seafood, meats, and desserts, respectively.

The POS network was installed by two of Radiant’s local New York resellers: Retail Business Management Systems, which supported the retail operations of the business, and Retail Automation Products, which handled the software and handheld ordering devices within the casual and fine dining restaurants. Overall, Eataly’s 500 employees operate Radiant technology on 44 of the company’s POS terminals and six handheld terminals located throughout the store.

“New business concepts that allow customers to dine and shop in one location is a trend that continues to grow, and Eataly recognized the unique ability of Radiant’s solutions to unify and support the needs of these emerging businesses,” relayed Andy Heyman, COO of Radiant Systems. “We congratulate both of our local resellers in the New York area on the outstanding work they’ve done with Eataly to build the best solution for its business, provide a smooth implementation, and deliver first-class support services.”

One Corner of New York City's Massive Italian Food Emporium

Channel Factoid

When will eBills be more widely used than traditional paper bills? A recent study suggests it might be five years down the road. Conducted by Blueflame Consulting for NACHA and PayITGreen, the study found that eBilling--or the electronic delivery of bills to customers--is gaining momentum across business industries with more billers expected to come online in 2011 and 2012. This follows the total of 5.1 billion eBills that were delivered in 2010, but reflects the fact that second and third tiers of consumers are moving to the technology more slowly than anticipated. Nine out of 10 companies surveyed rate eBill adoption to be an attractive opportunity for organizations. Cost serves as the major driver for companies, with projected savings falling between 40 and 50 cents per bill. As another motivating factor, billers also said eBill customers are more satisfied customers and are easier to retain. Of those surveyed, universities had the most successful eBilling programs by far, since they can mandate such payment for their students or use the customer opt-out approach rather than an opt-in approach. “Our study suggests that only 10% of customers who have Internet access would choose to opt-out once they experienced eBilling,” reported Ed Bachelder, Director of Research for Blueflame Consulting. “Study participants identified one obstacle to eBilling is that the sign-up process is often too time-consuming for customers. An opt-out program would simplify that step.”

HELLO GOODBYE

Healthy Hire for Pioneer POS

Pioneer POS (City of Industry, CA) has enlisted Ian Gelenter as its Executive Director for Healthcare. Gelenter will work to expand and strengthen the company’s efforts in healthcare through an initiative that incorporates strategic partnerships, key reseller relationships, and enhanced product offerings. He brings over 15 years of knowledge in sales, marketing, and channel development in his target area.

Most recently, Gelenter served as Business Development Executive at CDW Healthcare, where he led programs focused around end-user technologies and mobile point-of-care solutions. Before CDW, Gelenter was Senior Director of Global Business Development at InfoLogix, the $100-million provider of enterprise mobility solutions, including hardware, software, and services for the healthcare industry. His resume also features the title of Manager of Business Development for the Americas at Metrologic Instruments (now Honeywell), where he headed up the partner and channel efforts within healthcare.

“We are very delighted to have Ian on board,” said Gee Singgih, VP of Pioneer POS. “For the past two years, we have been successful in penetrating the healthcare market with our touch-based products. With Ian’s background and experience, we look forward to solidifying and growing our presence in this important vertical.”

Ian Gelenter, Executive Director for Healthcare, Pioneer POS

Ms. President at NCR Canada

NCR Corporation has named Linda Fitzgerald as the new President of NCR Canada Ltd. (Mississauga, ON, Canada). NCR’s first female leader of Canada comes with 25 years of experience in sales and relationship building in the IT industry. She replaces Luc Villeneuve, who recently moved into the role of President, NCR Europe.

“Canada is an important market for NCR with tremendous growth potential and a client base that includes global leaders,” stated Dale Grant, Regional VP of Sales, North America, at NCR. “Linda’s primary objective will be to work in partnership with businesses in the Canadian financial, retail, travel, and healthcare industries to help them achieve success and growth. Backed by NCR’s deep industry expertise, market knowledge, and consumer insight, Linda will work with these businesses to optimize and shape their self-service solutions to help them deliver better consumer experience, increase efficiency, open new channels of revenue, and become more competitive.”

Prior to joining NCR, Fitzgerald achieved sales and marketing success at Hewlett-Packard as Canadian Sales Manager in the Personal Systems Group. Earlier, while at Sun Microsystems, she was responsible for enterprise and mid-market sales teams and was chosen as the 2008 Sales Manager of the Year. In addition, she has held senior executive positions at GE Capital IT Solutions, Entourage Technology Solutions, and Compuware Corporation, where she oversaw channels and alliances.

Linda Fitzgerald, President of NCR Canada