This Week’s Product Pick

Accu-Sort Systems (Philadelphia) shipped its new AccuLazr AL5010 mid-range laser barcode scanner for distribution and industrial environments. Designed for the widest range of use, the AL5010 achieves read rates of up to 99.9% accuracy for Grade A labels, large depth of field without focusing, and full capacity to read small and damaged barcodes. Its capabilities extend to difficult barcode orientations, allowing side-read scanning and multi-sided scanning on conveyors moving at up to 500 feet/minute--without pre-alignment of the barcoded item. In addition, the AL5010 installs easily because of its compact size, multiplexor-free design, and optional interface modules that make wiring convenient. Estimated reliability of 50,000 hours MTBF, fanless and filter-less operation, and modularity for repair in the field reduce maintenance costs, according to Accu-Sort, and the scanner includes high-density, 15-pin connector and built-in Ethernet-EtherNet/IP. The AL5010 is the recommended replacement product for Accu-Sort's discontinued Model 22 and Adaptascan laser barcode scanners.

AccuLazr AL5010 by Accu-Sort

COMPANY BUSINESS

Digital Receipts 2.0

The National Retail Federation's Association for Retail Technology Standards, or ARTS, has released Version 2 of its Digital Receipts recommendation. Version 2 offers substantial improvements to the schema, according to NRF, including full alignment with the widely adopted retail transaction log standard, support for multiple recipients, delivery types, and receipt formats, and the proposed unique receipt identifier to address data integrity across multiple applications and mobile devices. Several POS providers have already committed to supporting the new standard and plan to make digital receipts available to their retail clients in upcoming versions of their POS software.

"Our team goal in developing Version 2 was to meet the consumers' demand to have all of their receipts stored in one place and in the same format for easy access regardless of the issuing retailer or retail channel," remarked Birame Sock, CEO of Third Solutions and Chair of the ARTS Digital Receipts Committee for NRF (Washington, DC). "Implementing Version 2 will enable all companies offering digital receipt applications to provide retailers, consumers, and POS providers with the complete solution for storing and accessing receipts for various purposes in the most secure and private." Sock's company, based in Miami, developed MyReceipts, one of the first multi-merchant digital receipt services.

The ARTS Digital Receipts Committee was formed last year and draws upon retail technology experts from various NRF members such as Third Solutions, ViVOtech, CellPoint Mobile, Escalate Retail, Sasktel Labs, IBM, Lowe's, Verizon Business, and Wincor-Nixdorf. Now ARTS plans to continue to work on adapting its standards to forthcoming retail developments in digital couponing, mobile payments, and social commerce. Version 2 of the Digital Receipt XML Standard specification and related documents, including the opportunity to provide the committee with comments and suggestions for additional enhancements, may be downloaded free of charge on the ARTS website.

Birame Sock, CEO of Third Solutions and Chair of the ARTS Digital Receipts Committee for NRF

Sabre Rattles Web Buy

Sabre Holdings (Southlake, TX) has purchased SoftHotel (Chandler, AZ), one of the major players in web-based property management solutions for the hospitality industry with over 4,500 installations. SoftHotel will become part of Sabre Hospitality Solutions, and moves Sabre closer to its goal of an overarching Hotel Enterprise Solution, or HES, which ties together distribution, marketing, and operations into one hosted platform for customers. This strategic convergence combines the functionality of the Property Management System (PMS), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Revenue Management System (RMS), and Central Reservation System (CRS). Terms of the recent transaction were not disclosed.

"Our customers want a single provider with a complete solution to manage everything from hotel bookings through to marketing campaigns," observed Felix Laboy, President of Sabre Hospitality Solutions. "Sabre will lead this industry trend, with a web-based solution that reduces IT costs while providing the latest in hotel management technology. The acquisition of this web-based PMS platform gives Sabre Hospitality Solutions the final component necessary in our pursuit to offer our fully integrated Hotel Enterprise Solution."

"Sabre and SoftHotel share a common belief in the game-changing impact of an integrated platform for property and distribution systems which delivers untapped customer and revenue management capabilities," added Michael Kennedy, President of SoftHotel. "We believe the time is now--this acquisition will significantly accelerate this anticipated industry innovation."  The two parties cited improvements in all major areas from HES: reservation and revenue management, pricing and inventory control, and customer profile handling across multiple channels.

Building an End-to-End Hotel Enterprise Solution

Worth Your While

RetailNOW 2011
Retail Solutions Providers Association
July 24-27
Orlando

VARTECH 2011
BlueStar
August 15-17
Miami

AIM Expo
Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility
September 26-28
Las Vegas

NACS 2011
National Association of Convenience Stores
October 1-4
Chicago

ALL IN THE FAMILY

No Cable Worries at MMF POS

MMF POS (Wheeling, IL) unveiled its ADV-INABOX, which packages its Advantage Cash Drawer with its new Epson/Star Interface "Kwick Kable" at no extra charge. Two models of Advantage Cash Drawer are offered in the new configuration: 18 in. x 16.7 in. (B1 body size), printer-driven, black only, with choice of U.S. cash till (ADV-INABOXUS-04) or Canadian cash till (ADV-INABOXCN-04). The new product saves on shipping costs by bundling cash drawer and cable, and also frees resellers from uncertainties about cabling needs for Epson and Star receipt printers, according to the vendor.

"We are very gratified to be able to present this noteworthy addition to our cash drawer product line," Abe Salalac, Director of Sales and Marketing for MMF POS, told RRN.Com. "This is a feature-rich cash drawer made in the U.S. with 50% recycled steel and available with our Lifetime Limited Warranty. ADV-INABOX is further evidence that MMF POS takes the leading edge and implements the plans to create value for resellers, saving them time and money."

Introduced in 2009, Advantage represents the flagship cash drawer line at MMF POS. It features an increase in capacity and improvements in access to media and coin roll storage, as well as the full range of upgradeable interfaces. Notably, Advantage comes standard with the patented "LockIt" secure cash drop compartment. This allows clerks to secure cash quickly, even within the transaction, while boosting loss prevention efforts.

Advantage Cash Drawer Comes Complete With Epson/Star Kwick Kable

Wasp Flies With RF

Wasp Barcode Technologies (Plano, TX) launched Wasp Inventory Control V6, which brings real-time inventory tracking and control to its target SMB audience. Customers may use their existing 802.11b/g/n wireless network or the Wasp "Unifi" Access Point to support this new software. By ensuring current and accurate inventory data and eliminating the need for frequent batch transfer, Wasp Inventory Control V6 helps small businesses achieve necessary efficiency and cost control, according to the vendor. In addition, V6 includes free, unlimited technical support for the life of the product as well as free training on getting started.

In addition to RF, which is included in the core capability at no cost, Wasp Inventory Control V6 carries several new features. Users now have the ability to attach images and files to inventory records for easy access, and can utilize multiple inventory valuation methods, including LIFO, FIFO, and Moving Average, allowing for more accurate tracking of inventory cost. Further, users can import an unlimited number of inventory items from an external source, making it simple to get started with the product. Finally, V6 also offers enhanced reporting, allowing users to view more detailed inventory data.

"Real-time access to inventory numbers adds another critical dimension to an SMB's business capabilities," relayed Tom O'Shea, GM of Wasp Barcode Technologies, which pushes its business through the channel. "All of the new features of Inventory Control V6 are direct result of feedback from our customers and reseller partners. These new features--combined with Wasp's free, unlimited technical support and getting started training--will position our customers for success."

Wasp Inventory Control V6 comes in three editions: Standard, RF Professional, and RF Enterprise. Standard Edition ($795) offers one PC license and one mobile license. RF Professional Edition ($2,195) features five PC licenses and one mobile license. RF Enterprise Edition ($3,695) includes the same features as RF Pro, but with unlimited PC user licenses and five mobile licenses.

Inventory Control V6 From Wasp Barcode Technologies

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ALLIANCES

Fujitsu's Biometric Lunch Lady

Fujitsu Frontech North America (Foothill Ranch, CA) and MCS Software (Mandeville, LA) have joined forces to bring biometrics to the education arena. Specifically, Fujitsu's PalmSecure technology, which reads the pattern of palm veins, has been linked with MCS's POS system to identify and authenticate students in line for foodservice. Integration took place through Fujitsu PalmSecure's Software Development Kit (SDK), reducing the entire deployment cycle to less than one month, according to the two parties.

PalmSecure employs near-infrared light to capture each student's palm vein pattern, generating the biometric template that gets matched against the records of pre-registered users. Unlike some technologies, the PalmSecure device does not come into contact with the skin, making it extremely hygienic, non-intrusive, and unrestricted by external factors such as skin types and conditions, according to the vendor. Further, PalmSecure also ties into Time Keeper, MCS's solution for employee time and attendance, which was designed specifically for the school foodservice environment.

"From the beginning, we've felt confident in developing a solution with Fujitsu's PalmSecure technology that meets the needs of the education market," stated Jay Meral, CFO at MCS. "The diversity of benefits we've enjoyed in working with Fujitsu's PalmSecure biometric technology has made all aspects of our solution easier to achieve, especially on the technical side of integrating with our Newton Point-Of-Sale system. We think the education market will embrace the solution as it is cost-effective and very easy to use."

PalmSecure by Fujitsu Applied to School Foodservice

Embedded RTLS From Two Finns

Two companies with foreign lineage, Ekahau (Reston, VA and Helsinki, Finland) and Nordic ID (Salo, Finland and Fayetteville, GA), have jointly developed an innovative scheme for adding location information to passive RFID and barcode systems. Targeted first at hospital campuses, this new solution utilizes Ekahau's Wi-Fi-based Real-Time Location System (RTLS) with Nordic ID's Merlin and Morphic mobile computers for inventory control and asset management. The PDT's location is determined via RTLS and then associated with RFID/barcode information on the target item. Next, Ekahau's Vision business logic and analytics software places items on the map for tracking, generates reports and audit trails, and alerts users if any items are low or in the wrong location.

"Previously, there were two primary ways to keep track of RFID and barcode assets," explained Arttu Huhtiniemi, VP of Product Management at Ekahau, which was spun off from Helsinki University in 2000. "The first was to manually input the location on a piece of paper or database, which is resource-intensive and prone to human error. The second alternative, only available for RFID, has been to install costly reader gates throughout the facility. The Ekahau-Nordic ID solution changes the game without installing any additional hardware. All you need is Ekahau software and Nordic ID handheld scanners. With those, you can walk into a room and press a button on the scanner to audit and put your assets in the database and on the map."

"We are excited to work with Ekahau to bring more convenience to tracking RFID and barcode assets," added Teemu Ainasoja, CEO at Nordic ID. "For example, our newest RFID scanner, the Nordic ID Morphic, is known for its extremely small size, light weight, ease of use, and affordable price point. When used in combination with Ekahau's RTLS, this makes it ideal for everyday use in hospitals, logistics, retail, manufacturing, and warehousing." Ekahau will market the Ekahau-Nordic ID solution directly and through its distribution partners.

Nordic ID's Morphic Carries Barcode Scanner, 2D Imager, or UHF RFID Reader

Code Corner

CustomerIn Systems (Vancouver, BC, Canada) presented SimpleNFC.com, an application development platform that provides third parties with all the tools they need--software, NFC tags, and starter kits--to build mobile Near-Field Communication solutions for many different industries. Targeted at the Google Nexus S NFC-enabled handset, each starter kit is comprised of an Application Programming Interface (API), an Android library, sample code, and 10 NFC tags powered with 1-Kbyte UPM RaceTrack inlays. With the starter kit, developers can change the behavior of each individual NFC tag by using the dashboard on SimpleNFC.com. Sample code, native library, and API all greatly simplify the development of NFC applications, according to the ISV. "SimpleNFC.com was created to be a one-stop shop for NFC developers," stressed Fred Rego, President of CustomerIn Systems. "Developers can find NFC tags and everything they need to quickly write apps with NFC technology. With our platform, developers will save many hours of research, testing, and coding, and consequently deliver NFC apps a lot earlier."

[Editor's Note:  Speaking of NFC, Eric Schmidt, Google's Executive Chairman, recently estimated that one-third of checkout terminals in retail stores and restaurants will be upgraded with "tap and pay" from smart-phones within the next year. "As Google and other companies focus their attention on handheld devices, Mr. Schmidt said that 'all the really clever stuff' would happen in mobile technology," reported the Financial Times. While addressing the Cannes Advertising Festival, Schmidt also called attention to the pending "trillion dollar" industry for mobile advertising and payments.]

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

An Elevated Elavon

Elavon (Atlanta) has certified Simphony POS from MICROS Systems (Columbia, MD) to work with its Fusebox transaction gateway. This furnishes hospitality providers with direct connection to multiple payment processors and simplifies updates and enhancements, according to the new partners, since both Simphony and Fusebox are centrally hosted in secure data centers. Simultaneously, Elavon has released its "SAFE-T Suite," named for Secure and Flexible Encryption and Tokenization, which seeks to protect data at every point in the transaction lifecycle--in use, in transit, and at rest--in conjunction with VeriFone hardware.

"In this era of organizations looking to companies to provide Software-as-a-Service solutions, we are pleased that MICROS Simphony users can now connect their hosted POS to our hosted payment gateway," declared Amy Gutierrez, SVP of Enterprise Sales and Account Management at Elavon, the wholly-owned subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp. "SaaS alleviates the burden of software maintenance, ongoing operation, and support, while moving critical payment processing to a secure data center."

Speaking of the SAFE-T Suite, Marianne Johnson, Elavon's newly-named EVP of Global Product and Innovation, said, "Our comprehensive solution combines over 20 years of global processing and gateway experience with our stable, redundant Stratus systems and the industry's most knowledgeable, responsive people. SAFE-T Suite considers every requirement an enterprise may need to meet stringent security standards and protect the bottom line. From ROI analysis to PCI Audit Managed Services, our experts perform solution design and implementation support because we understand that security is a process, not a product."

Marianne Johnson, EVP, Global Product and Innovation, Elavon

ProfitStars Adds RDA to RDC

ProfitStars (Dallas) has debuted Remote Deposit Anywhere, an ASP-based platform that enables financial institutions to offer retail and small business customers the option to deposit checks from any compatible smart-phone, camera-enabled tablet device, or flat-bed document scanner. Remote Deposit Anywhere will help banks and credit unions retain and attract new customers and members by expanding popular deposit channels, according to its developer. Reportedly, it will also drive efficiencies for all participating parties, including reduced labor and operating costs.

Remote Deposit Anywhere can complement an existing ProfitStars Enterprise Payment Solution at the financial institution, or it can be implemented in stand-alone mode. It can be customized based on business-sized and personal-sized checks, velocity preferences, and limits for mobile-based transactions and traditional deposits. Moreover, this hosted technology features end-to-end security and compliance that will be maintained and updated with changing regulations.

"Smart-phone and tablet adoption has been more rapid than initially predicted and Remote Deposit Anywhere enables financial institutions of all asset sizes to meet the growing demand for enhanced consumer convenience which is inherent in these devices," stated David Foss, President of ProfitStars. "It offers small companies and on-the-go individuals the ability to scan deposits from any location with a variety of devices while enhancing the efficiency and performance of financial institutions." ProfitStars operates as part of Jack Henry & Associates, perhaps the leading provider of computer systems and electronic payment methodologies for the financial services industry.

v

Remote Deposit Anywhere Supports Smart-Phones, Tablets, and Document Scanners

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
Casio America
Logic Controls
Pioneer POS
POS-X
Touch Dynamic

POS Software - Retail
Tri-Technical Systems

POS Systems - Hospitality
PAR

POS Software - Hospitality
Aldelo Systems

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Datamax-O'Neil
Zebra Technologies

Cash Drawers
MMF POS

Data Collection Terminals
CipherLab
Datalogic Mobile
Janam Technologies

Data Collection Software
Wavelink

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Merchant Warehouse

Keyboards
Cherry, ZF Electronics Corp.

Mobile Marketing & Loyalty
Sundrop Mobile

Pay at Table
Bellatrix Systems

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
Citizen Systems America
Epson America
Star Micronics

INSTALLATIONS

Rubio's Refreshed by Radiant

Radiant Systems (Atlanta) has won the POS refresh for Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill and will roll out its Aloha software and Radiant hardware across many of its sites during the second half of the year. Rubio's will take advantage of the full breadth of the platform, including its back-office, kitchen, enterprise management, and marketing modules, in addition to POS. Based in California, Rubio's runs approximately 200 restaurants in the Western U.S.

"When we started our search for a new technology provider, it was important to find a solution that could reduce labor and food costs and also provide a platform to connect with customers through future marketing programs," said Marc Simon, CEO/President at Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill. "Aloha's back-office applications will help us drive operational, scheduling, and inventory efficiencies across our locations by providing immediate and actionable data for practical decision-making."

Rubio's will leverage Aloha's take-out application to increase customer convenience and drive additional sales by capturing and quickly processing call-ahead and catering orders. The company also plans to launch its new loyalty program, and Aloha's marketing capabilities will enable it to easily integrate this program into its core POS, according to the two parties. Further, an ability to extract and analyze customer loyalty information and purchase history will help the restaurant chain sharpen its focus on customer satisfaction.

New Loyalty Program Planned for the Fast Casual Chain

"RFID!" Cries Great Wolf

Great Wolf Resorts, the popular chain of indoor water parks, has implemented Facebook photo sharing through RFID technology for its guests. Called "Great Wolf Connect," the new feature allows guests to have their photos taken, which are then automatically posted onto their Facebook page during their visit. Great Wolf Lodge-Grand Mound, situated midway between Portland and Seattle in Washington State, has successfully debuted this system.

Built by Fish Technology (Addison, TX), Great Wolf Connect leverages the RFID technology embedded in the facility's wristbands, which also serve as guest room keys and in-house charge accounts. After check-in, guests simply register their wristband at the Great Wolf Connect kiosk. Subsequently, at five "Paw Posts" located at major photo opportunities throughout the water park, guests scan their wristband and smile for the digital camera, whereupon the photo gets posted to their individual Facebook wall.

"Capturing this instant 'wish you were here' moment was a challenge in the past with guests not bringing the necessary camera equipment into the water park," noted Steve Shattuck, Corporate Director of Communications at Great Wolf Resorts. "With RFID technology we already had in place, we were able to make sharing one step easier. In Grand Mound, we've already seen guests embrace this new experience."

Resort Links Wristbands to Facebook Photo Sharing

Channel Factoid

A new report co-authored by GS1 and Capgemini cautions companies selling consumer products that much of the digital product information accessible via smart-phones and the web is incomplete or wrong. The report, entitled "Beyond the Label: Providing Digital Information Consumers Can Trust," addresses the "perfect storm" of three converging forces: consumer demand for more information, increased smart-phone usage, and widening variety of data sources, all leading to an explosion of data. Consumer interest in researching products is illustrated by the finding that more than two-thirds of consumers want nutrition and ingredient information, while more than 30% of smart-phone carriers have downloaded barcode scanning applications, with usage of such apps jumping 1,600% percent in 2010. But the results these consumers get frequently let them down, depending on where their searches take them and the type of product information often received. The report cites research by GS1 UK and the Cranford School of Management in which 91% of mobile barcode scans returned incorrect product descriptions and 75% returned no data. It also notes New York-based Scanbury's finding that 40% of requests processed through its ScanLife application cannot be authoritatively connected to products. "Brand owners--both retailers and manufacturers--and application providers need to understand the severity of this problem," advised Bob Carpenter, CEO/President of GS1 US. "We found that 38% of consumers will not purchase a product if they don't trust the information they get on a smart-phone, and 35% may stop using an app if they get the wrong information."

HELLO GOODBYE

BlueStar Gets New Voice

BlueStar (Hebron, KY) has named Dean Reverman as its new Global Marketing Communications Manager. Reverman brings more than 12 years of experience in marketing, digital signage, and POS as the former Director of Sales and Marketing for Hammond Communications Group. Prior to Hammond, he worked for IKON Office Solutions.

"I know Dean Reverman will be a real asset to BlueStar," commented Mark Fraker, VP of Marketing for BlueStar, which now distributes Auto ID, POS, RFID, digital signage, and ID/security technologies. "He's had a distinguished career in our industry and brings with him a strong background in working with both vendors and resellers to help achieve their revenue goals."

"I'm enthusiastic about putting my marketing expertise to work on behalf of BlueStar's network of vendors, ISVs, and VARs," Reverman said. "I had experience with BlueStar as a partner and appreciated all of their value-add programs, especially Fusion, which helps VARs market core competencies to their prospects, and the In-a-Box bundled series for industries. I'm eager to build on that success."

Dean Reverman, Global Marketing Communications Manager, BlueStar

Lowe Rides High at Shift4

Shift4 Corporation (Las Vegas) has elevated Bob Lowe to VP of Business Development. Previous to this promotion, Lowe was Shift4's Director of Strategic Relationships and dealt primarily with the payment processor's partner program. Now, in his new position, he will oversee both partner efforts and business development/sales programs. Shift4, as many RRN.Com readers know, supplies the "Dollars On The Net" transaction gateway for merchants, and was an early pioneer in tokenization technology back in 2005.

Prior to working with Shift4, Lowe spent nearly 25 years in the hotel software industry, where he managed POS, property management, and central reservation systems for vendors such as SoftBrands. With his interest in electronic reservation and payment system integration, Lowe supervised projects and partnerships in this area across North America, Europe, and Asia. He also served on the board of the Open Travel Alliance, with seats on the Hotel Technology Next Generation Work Groups for Self-Service and for Payments and Reservations, and now participates on the PCI Compliance Task Force of Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP).

"Bob is a fantastic employee and a passionate expert in his field," shared Dave Oder, CEO of Shift4. "In his two years at Shift4 he has done absolutely remarkable things with our partner program and we're very excited to see what growth will come as a result of this promotion."

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Bob Lowe, VP of Business Development, Shift4 Corporation