Our Product Pick

Two Technologies (Horsham, PA) has showcased its newest rugged handheld configuration, based on the Samsung Galaxy S5, and called the N5Z1. Adding 3" thermal printer and MSR, the N5Z1 features 5.7" color capacitive touchscreen (1440x2560), 3000-mAh Lithium-Ion battery, and Exynos Octa-Core CPU at 2 GHz, 4-GB RAM, and 32-GB ROM. It runs Android 7 Nougat. A pair of cameras (8-megapixel front and 16-megapixel rear) accompany embedded one- and two-dimensional barcode reading (Honeywell's N6603 and Adaptus 6.0) as well as fingerprint reader (FIPS-201). As communications, it has 802.11 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Version 4, and Global GSM Radio. A housing is rated to IP-65 and MIL-STD-810G.

N5Z1 From Two Technologies

COMPANY BUSINESS

Casio's CHAPP Stick

Casio America (Dover, NJ) has revamped and rebranded its QSR Software for its V-R7000 Android POS Terminal. A new designation, CHAPP (for Casio Hospitality Application), accompanies Version 4.1.0. Enhancements are designed around the needs of the table service segment, according to Larry Sampey, GM of Casio's Systems Products Division. It supports Casio's new V-R7000 and V-R7100 (with Bluetooth Version 2 and 802.11 Wi-Fi).

As part of CHAPP, Casio has fashioned its Casio Mobile Order, or CMO, which allows tableside service. It runs on tablets with at least Android 5 Lollipop, and routes orders to kitchen printers through the V-R7000. Additional features of CHAPP include multiple graphical table maps, splitting checks and items, transferring checks, employee management, and fingerprint recognition biometrics. "We aim to provide reliable and innovative hardware and software solutions to ensure we maintain our position as an industry leader," stated Sampey.

A follow-up to the V-R100, one of the very first terminals for POS with Android, introduced in 2012, the V-R7000 has solid-state fanless configuration with 15" color capacitive touchscreen (1366x768). It furnishes OMAP CPU at 1.5 GHz, 2-GB RAM, and 16-GB ROM. A variety of communication ports are offered: Serial x 3, USB x 4, LAN x 1, Cash Drawer x 2, and SD Card x 2. With sleek design, the V-R7000/R7100 weighs 15.4 lbs. in dimensions of 15.7 in. (W) x 12 in. (D) x 13.2 in. (H).

Casio Hospitality Application (CHAPP) on V-R7000

On the Ball at APG

APG Cash Drawer (Minneapolis, MN) has enlisted Nigel Ball as its new VP of Sales for North America. He joins APG from CognitiveTPG, where he served as VP of Sales and Marketing (2013 to 2018). Earlier, he was Executive Director of Desko (2010 to 2013), VP of Sales and Marketing at Cherry Electrical Products (2005 to 2009), and Managing Director of Cherry UK (2001 to 2005). He will be based in Kenosha, WI.

"I am very excited to be joining APG Cash Drawer, a recognized global brand leader in the POS industry," enthused Ball. "SMARTtill technology is a great example of APG's ability to differentiate and deliver innovative cash management solutions, reducing cash loss and the cost of handling while improving store productivity. It's a great time to be part of a revolution in cash management and to join the APG team." (Via weighable coin and note tray, details of each transaction are logged by APG's SMARTtill.)

"We are pleased to have Nigel as a member of the APG global family as we strive to continuously develop POS solutions and create opportunities for our customers, partners, and affiliates in the marketplace," expressed Mark Olson, President and CEO of APG. "Nigel's expertise and experience in global sales will help APG's team continue to create and deliver innovative solutions for our customers who have both domestic and global footprints." Earlier, in January, John Meilahn, former VP of Global Sales, left APG Cash Drawer.

Nigel Ball, VP of Sales for North America, APG Cash Drawer

Worth Your While

Transact
Electronic Transactions Association
April 17-19
Las Vegas, NV

WERC
Warehousing Education and Research Council
May 6-9
Charlotte, NC

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 19-22
Chicago, IL

RetailNOW
Retail Solutions Providers Association
August 5-8
Nashville, TN

NACS
National Association of Convenience Stores
October 7-10
Las Vegas, NV

ALL IN THE FAMILY

A Leap for Dolphin

Honeywell (Fort Mill, SC) has unveiled its newest rugged handheld, the Dolphin CN80. At the "higher end" of the product series, according to William Roeder, Product Marketing Manager, the CN80 furnishes both keypad (Numeric or Qwerty) and 4" capacitive color touchscreen (854x480). In addition, it carries 4G LTE WWAN, near/far long-range scanning (with optional Honeywell EX20), and cold storage capability (at -22 to +122 Degrees F). Further, it represents the second handheld computer based on Honeywell's Mobility Edge Platform (after the Dolphin CN60, rolled out in October 2017) and has Android 7 Nougat, upgradeable through Android Q.

With standard one- and two-dimensional imager (Honeywell's N6603), the Dolphin CN80 measures 8 in. (L) x 3 in. (W) x 1.3 in. (D) and weighs 17.6 oz. with 5800-mAh Lithium-Ion battery. It holds Qualcomm Octa-Core Snapdragon CPU at 2 GHz, 4-GB RAM, 32-GB ROM, and 512-GB Micro-SD. With 13-megapixel camera, full 802.11 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Version 5, NFC, Zigbee 3.0, and VoIP, the Dolphin CN80 has an IP-65/IP-67 rating, MIL-STD-810G, and 8-ft./2.4-m drop resistance to concrete.

"Our customers need to minimize the cost and time associated with deploying and maintaining mobile solutions to keep their workers connected," reflected Lisa London, VP of Marketing and Offering Management-Productivity Products. "With the Mobility Edge Platform, we help simplify software deployment to our customers' fleet of devices and provide them with much longer lifecycles for their mobile technology investments." Added Roeder, "With this new device, we're expanding the Mobility Edge Platform into ultra-rugged environments, such as distribution centers and transportation and logistics."

Honeywell's Dolphin CN80, With Keypad, Full Features, and Mobility Edge Platform

TouchBistro: Now, "WePay"

A leading purveyor of iPad POS, TouchBistro (Toronto, ON, Canada), has showcased new capability--appropriately entitled TouchBistro Payments--supplied by WePay (Redwood City, CA). In addition to processing, this solution will extend pay-at-the table. At the end of 2017, some readers may recall, WePay was acquired by J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., and now operates within Chase Merchant Services. (Keep in mind that Chase has four million small business customers.)

"TouchBistro shares our mission to take pain out of payments for business owners, and we're super excited to help make life easier for restaurants and their guests every day," exclaimed Bill Clerico, CEO and Co-Founder of WePay. "And with the scale of Chase behind us, TouchBistro Payments has amazing potential for long-term growth." Expected in the spring, the package of TouchBistro Payments will include the payments hardware, most likely from Ingenico.

"With TouchBistro Payments, powered by WePay, our restaurants will onboard instantly, so they can start taking payments the moment they unbox TouchBistro," elaborated Alex Barrotti, CEO and Founder of TouchBistro. "Both restaurant owners and customers will experience easier payment processing with the new mobile EMV-compliant payment device for digital, credit card, and debit card transactions." At present, 12,000 restaurants utilize TouchBistro.

TouchBistro Adds Out-of-the-Box Payments Via WePay

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Week of March 5

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ALLIANCES

QIR Gets Quick

The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) has made changes to its Qualified Integrators and Resellers (QIR) program. As many readers know, the PCI SSC QIR program furnishes specialized data security training and certification for the configuration, installation, and support of payment systems and integrated POS. Started in 2012, it lists PCI QIRs on its website for merchants to use in identifying and selecting partners in IT.

"Based on industry feedback and data breach reports, we are evolving the QIR program to make it more accessible to integrators and resellers and to address the specific risk areas that are leading to the majority of merchant payment data breaches," reported Mauro Lance, COO at the PCI SSC (Wakefield, MA). As the three most common causes of data breaches, he identified: insecure remote access, weak password practices, and outdated and unpatched software. All three will be addressed by new training course content.

"So many breaches are caused by entirely preventable attacks," observed John Kirk, President and CEO of the Retail Solutions Providers Association (Charlotte, NC). "With greater access to training, the PCI SSC is empowering smaller integrators and resellers to join the program, which will greatly benefit the merchant community. We applaud the PCI SSC." Additional changes, intended for such smaller integrators and resellers, include: reducing the cost of the program to $100 per person, making the certification for QIR based on an individual (not company), and simplifying the implementation statement for QIR.

Upgrades to PCI SSC Qualified Integrators and Resellers (QIR) Program

Share Your Apptizer

A new partnership has been formed between First American Payment Systems (Fort Worth, TX) and Apptizer (Palo Alto, CA). Under this, the Apptizer Order Ahead Mobile App will now carry payment processing by First American. "Apptizer is an ideal platform for our integrated payment solutions," enthused Bill Lodes, EVP of Business Development and Strategy at First American, "bringing both ease and security to every transaction that runs through Order Ahead Mobile."

"First American's tech savvy and easy-to-integrate payment solutions enhance both the flexibility and performance of Apptizer," remarked Dinesh Saparamadu, CEO and Founder of Apptizer. "This partnership brings immediate and significant returns to our SMB retail and restaurant clients, who can now give their customers a true frictionless payment experience." Established in 2016, Apptizer is offered as native application, or add-on for e-commerce and POS.

With an interest in VARs and ISVs in POS, First American debuted its cloud- and tablet-based "1stPayPOSPro" terminal in January. A white-labeled solution, running Android, 1stPayPOSPro bundles peripherals and software (point-of-sale, inventory, employee management, back office) with 24/7 customer support. In addition, First American will launch its accompanying app marketplace for third-parties in customer loyalty. At present, it serves approximately 210,000 merchants in the U.S., Europe, and Australia.

First American Payment Systems Supports Apptizer Order Ahead Mobile App. Above, the 1stPayPOSPro by First American

Code Corner

SignaPay (Irving, TX) has released its PayLo Mynt POS System. A suite of software packages--with point-of-sale, transaction processing, inventory tracking, and report generation--addresses segments such as restaurants, bars, retail, and personal services (e.g., salons/spas). A comprehensive list of tools includes custom menu configuration, multi-location capability, remote installation, training and support, and lifetime warranty. A merchant services and payment solutions provider, SignaPay also announced its PayHub Plus Gateway. It includes merchant dashboard, virtual terminal, and recurring billing. A PayLo Cash Discount Software from SignaPay has been integrated with both the PayHub Plus Gateway and PayLo Mynt POS System. It "allows merchants to instantly reduce processing fees and begin saving money with every charge," emphasized Matt Nern, VP of Sales at SignaPay.

News From SignaPay

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

Across A2B at Zebra

A leader for asset-handling in commercial and military markets, A2B Tracking (Portsmouth, RI), has completed the Software Validation Program by Zebra Technology Corporation (Lincolnshire, IL). A member of Zebra's PartnerConnect for ISVs, A2B Tracking supplies its Pro-Locate Software. In this certification, it has addressed computing, networking, barcode, and RFID via Zebra's TC51 Touch Computer and Zebra's RFD8500 Sled.

"Our software has been optimized to perform mobile RFID asset tracking while being backward compatible with 1D/2D barcode asset tracking using touch computers connected to the cloud," commented Peter Collins, CEO of A2B Tracking. "We're proud to have achieved the Zebra Validated designation with Zebra's TC51. The combination of the Zebra RFD8500 with the TC51 now enables powerful RFID tracking to provide increased mobility and functionality."

Introduced in 2015, Zebra's RFD8500 Series furnishes read/write of EPC Class, Gen 2 UHF tags (as well as barcodes with optional Zebra SE4710). Mobile devices, such as the TC51, may be attached via quad-lock mounts or custom-tailored guides. A button allows end-users to toggle between barcode and RFID. Zebra's RFD8500 measures 5.1 in. (H) x 3.1 in. (W) x 7.3 in. (L), weighs 15.3 oz., and features Bluetooth Version 2.

A2B Tracking Certified for Zebra's RFD8500/TC51 Combination

Cracking the Books

A merger between two of the leading providers of technology for college bookstores, the Nebraska Book Company and Ratex Business Solutions, has resulted in the new POS and ERP VAR: Prism RBS (for Prism Retail Business Solutions). Owned by the Collegiate Retail Alliance, Ratex had earlier adopted, as part of the path to modernization for its partnering schools, the Prism POS Software by Nebraska Book Company. A cloud-based system for purchase, inventory, and back-office, Prism POS runs on Elo's PayPoint Terminal.

"The companies were on similar developmental paths and joining forces to achieve faster results made great sense," indicated Rick Bunka, CEO of Nebraska Book Company. "This combined effort will accelerate the delivery of new tools and technology with a greater focus on customer involvement in the developmental process." At present, Nebraska Book Company has 2,000 college retailers in the U.S.

"Our work with Nebraska Book Company to bring Prism POS to our customers showed tremendous synergy," confirmed Jeffrey Zayicek, Interim CEO/Chief Financial Officer for Ratex Business Solutions. "Our merger will further the mission of the Collegiate Retail Alliance of improving the ability of independent college stores to prosper, using cutting-edge technology." In its new form, Prism RBS will be based in Lincoln, NE, with secondary location in Plymouth, PA (sites of the former two entities).

A New VAR for College Bookstores: Prism RBS

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
POSBANK USA
Posiflex

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Brother Mobile
CognitiveTPG
Godex Americas

Cash Drawers
APG Cash Drawer
MMF POS

Data Collection
CipherLab
Code Corporation
Denso ADC
Janam Technologies

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Cayan
iPayment
Monetary LLC
Sterling Payment

Keyboards & Mobile POS
Cherry Americas, LLC
TG3 Electronics

Mounts for POS
SpacePole

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
CognitiveTPG
Epson America
Star Micronics

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

INSTALLATIONS

Ingenico Takes Comfort

Ingenico Group (Atlanta, GA) will deploy its iSC Touch 480 "smart" payment terminal for Choice Hotels. With more than 5,000 franchised sites in the U.S., Choice Hotels runs Cambria Hotels, the Ascend Hotel Collection, Comfort Inn and Comfort Suites, Quality Inn, and Sleep Inn. "We're delighted to partner with Choice Hotels to bring this new, enhanced experience to their guests across the U.S., which further strengthens our position as the industry leader in hotel and lodging payment solutions," related Scott Tubbs, Chief Revenue Officer for Ingenico Group U.S.

Security was the driving force behind this choice, according to the two parties, as Ingenico's iSC Touch 480 meets software and hardware certification levels to Payment Card Industry (PCI) PTS 3.x/4.x. Additionally, it supports point-to-point encryption (P2PE), tokenization, and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). An optional physical shield protects the PIN.

In order to enable "an efficient and seamless checkout experience for guests," Ingenico's iSC Touch 480 accepts the range of payment forms--MSR, EMV Chip & PIN, EMV Chip & Sign, Signature Capture, and NFC/Contactless. Also, for services such as waivers, receipt storage, and loyalty programs, Ingenico's iSC Touch 480 furnishes 7" 16/9 capacitive color touchscreen. In February, Ingenico Group debuted its next-generation payment/business platform built upon its Telium Tetra O/S and Android, dubbed "Axium." It ties to an e-commerce gateway, named Ingenico Connect, and offers application programming interfaces (APIs).

Choice Hotels Selects Ingenico's iSC Touch 480 Payment Terminal

A "Well"-Worth Spend With TSYS

And now for healthcare. "Advanced AuthControl" by TSYS, which rewards qualified purchases set by the consumer's healthcare plan, will be implemented at Walmart and Sam's Clubs throughout the U.S. This solution, combined with "Directed Spend" at the POS at Walmart, enables healthcare partners of TSYS to provide incentive dollars in line with the wellness provisions of their plan. A major benefit of Advanced AuthControl is program customization by considerations such as product level and merchant category, according to TSYS.

"Addition of Walmart and Sam's Club to our growing network of retail providers is a huge testament to the capabilities and benefits of Advanced AuthControl," declared Trey Jinks, Group Executive of Loyalty, Healthcare, and Emerging Markets at TSYS (Columbus, GA). "Geographic coverage and breadth of merchandise these retailers offer, combined with TSYS' innovative payment solution, creates tremendous opportunities to be healthy and reduce the growth in healthcare expenses by supporting preventative behaviors versus expensive treatments." (In our space, of course, the critical subject of integrated payments is addressed by Cayan, now part of TSYS.)

"We care about our customers' well-being," contributed Mike Cook, SVP and Assistant Treasurer of Walmart. "Through this strategic relationship with TSYS, we're able to leverage our extensive network of stores and our Directed Spend Platform to deliver enriched wellness incentive programs conveniently, right in our customers' neighborhoods--something only Walmart can do." As part of this agreement, naturally, TSYS will promote Walmart and Sam's Club.

Walmart Adopts "Advanced AuthControl" by TSYS

Channel Factoid

A gender gap in shopping? According to the new survey on retail disruption by First Insight, men are not embracing online shopping as much as women and are more likely to shop in-store at full-price retailers. Only 22% of male respondents report frequent shopping on mobile devices compared to 40% of women, and only 48% of men frequently shop on Amazon, versus 60% of women. Almost half of male respondents (44%) cite being able to touch and feel a product as a main driver that takes them in-store, a sentiment shared by only 33% of women respondents. Further, according to the survey, men are much more likely to shop at full-price retailers (42%) over discount retailers (18%), while women are more likely to shop at discount retailers (38%) over full-price retailers (31%). Only 21% of men frequently use mobile devices to compare prices while in a physical store, versus 31% of women; before shopping, 54% of men, versus 67% of women, check on prices on Amazon. "The fact that men are less inclined to shop online overall and prefer to go in-store is significant, particularly as retailers consider how to align their in-store selection and pricing," suggested Greg Petro, CEO and Founder of First Insight (Warrendale, PA).

HELLO GOODBYE

A Cup of Campbell's at NCR

NCR Corporation has signed Daniel Campbell as its EVP of Global Sales, with responsibility for channel and direct efforts across Financial Services, Retail, and Hospitality. Prior to NCR, he was SVP and GM for Storage Cloud at Virtustream/EMC (2015 to 2018). A long career at Dell/EMC included SVP of Global Specialty Sales (2013 to 2015); COO and SVP, Worldwide Sales, Backup Recovery Systems (2011 to 2013); and Western Division VP (2005 to 2011).

"I am honored to join NCR at this exciting stage in the company's transformation," shared Campbell. "NCR's tradition of innovation and strategic focus on omnichannel enables it to deliver innovative, integrated solutions to help customers transform their businesses now and into the future. I look forward to working with our global sales team to continue to drive deep engagement with customers and help them effectively engage consumers at every touchpoint."

"Dan brings a great track record of sales leadership and performance to NCR," volunteered Mark Benjamin, President and COO. "His customer-centric approach and leadership in developing strong teams and driving sales operations, alliances, and strategy will be invaluable as we focus on execution and growth across the industries we serve." In January, NCR opened its new downtown campus in Atlanta, GA. When completed, it will occupy 750,000 square feet in two office towers, with 5,000 employees.

Daniel Campbell, EVP of Global Sales, NCR

An "Apt" Hire

Aptos (Atlanta, GA), one of the major retail ISVs, has enlisted Nikki Baird as its VP of Retail Innovation. A well-known industry analyst, Baird previously served as Partner at Retail Systems Research (2007 to 2018). Earlier roles included Principal Analyst-B2C Supply Chain at Forrester Research (2005 to 2007) and Director of Marketing at StorePerform (2004 to 2005). She will report to Nicole Crowe, Chief Marketing Officer at Aptos.

"You cannot succeed in retail today without a strategic view of technology," asserted Baird. "Aptos has taken a strong position in supporting retailers' strategic needs and connecting them to technology enablers--between investing in retail transformation capabilities, an agility platform to make that transformation, and innovation research. I am excited to join Aptos and partner with our customers to tackle the pace of the consumer head-on, preparing retailers to thrive today and long into the future."

"In the 15 years that I've known Nikki, I've been impressed with her ability to identify what solutions and strategies will work best for retailers--no matter how much noise and hype there is in the market," relayed Noel Goggin, Aptos CEO. "Nikki brings perspective from all sides of the retail technology equation. We are thrilled to offer Nikki's expertise to help retailers improve their competitive advantage, customer satisfaction, and business performance."

Nikki Baird, VP of Retail Innovation, Aptos

Agent of Sales at Mi9

Mi9 Retail (Miami, FL) has recruited Gregg Monastiero as its SVP of Worldwide Sales. He served most recently as President of Symphony Retail Al (2015 to 2018). His resume also includes VP of Worldwide Sales and Channels at Tata Consultancy Services (2013 to 2015), EVP of Worldwide Sales and Marketing at SumTotal Systems (2009 to 2012), VP of Sales at JDA Software (2007 to 2009), and EVP of Worldwide Sales and Strategic Solutions at Infor (2001 to 2007).

"Gregg Monastiero is the ideal addition to the executive team," testified Neil Moses, CEO of Mi9 Retail. "I have faith in his abilities to accelerate our business through this next stage of our growth plan." In January, Mi9 Retail formed its Specialty and Luxury Group Practice. A year before, in January 2016, Mi9 Retail snapped up jewelry specialist Applications Systems Corporation (Boston, MA). Earlier, in November 2015, Mi9 Retail purchased its rival, Raymark Xpert Business Systems (Montreal, QC, Canada). Its products include Mi9 Merchant and Intelligence, Mi9 Unified Store, and Mi9 e-Commerce.

Gregg Monastiero, SVP, Worldwide Sales, Mi9 Retail