This Week’s Product Pick

Bixolon America (Torrance, CA) shipped its new SRP-350PlusII three-inch thermal receipt printer with speed of 250 mm/second--25% faster than its predecessor and suitable for high-volume environments. In small form factor (approximately 5.7 in. wide x 7.7 in. long x 5.7 in. high), the device carries the full complement of connectivity (Serial, Parallel, Ethernet, and USB 2.0), 32-bit CPU, 16-Kbyte memory, 64-Mbit SDRAM, and support for Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. Standard resolution comes at 180 dpi, with 203 dpi optional. It supports two-colors, barcodes, and customizable images (through an accompanying software package), with sensors for paper near end, paper end, and cover open. Its long-lasting auto-cutter handles up to 1.8 million cuts with easy paper-jam removal. In addition to receipts and coupons, the SRP-350PlusII suits lottery, parking, and ticketing, according to the manufacturer. “The SRP-350PlusII’s powerful combination of superior speed and market-proven reliability reinforces Bixolon’s stature as the benchmark to reach for point-of-purchase printing technologies,” stated David Roberts, Sr., VP of Bixolon America.

Bixolon SRP-350PlusII

COMPANY BUSINESS

RJS Rides Again

Printronix (Irvine, CA) has sold its off-line handheld verifier business to RJS Technologies (Minneapolis, MN). Printronix officials indicated that the move was made in order to concentrate on development and investment in its core thermal printing, online validation, RFID, and line-matrix products. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but all sales, service, and support of the designated hardware will begin immediately by RJS, as well as recognition of existing warranties.

Specific product lines which will now be owned and operated by RJS Technologies include the Inspector D4000, Inspector 4000, and Laser Inspector 1000 models. As part of the transaction, RJS Technologies will acquire the RJS and Inspector trademarks, as well as all intellectual property, inventory, and related manufacturing assets exclusive to these products. All online data verification (ODV) and RJS SV series scanner/verifier product lines will remain with Printronix.

“RJS Technologies approached us with a very compelling opportunity and desire to acquire the off-line handheld verifier product line based on their strong commitment to and interest in this space,” related Randy Eisenbach, CEO of Printronix. “We are very confident in their ability to serve the customer base we have established and see this as win-win for both organizations and our customers. These products and the customers that use them have been an important part of Printronix’s history of leadership in the business printer industry and we wish RJS Technologies the best in continuing to evolve this important technology.”

“We are extremely excited to be part of the next chapter in the success of the RJS brand and look forward to continuing the tradition of high-quality, accurate, and effective barcode inspection tools,” announced Christopher French, Managing Director of RJS Technologies. “The current handheld barcode verifier is a mature product line, so high priority for RJS Technologies will be the development of new models that address the changes in the industry, particularly the explosive growth in the two-dimensional barcode market. We will be working with our RJS reseller and end-user base to lock down the product features and begin development by the third quarter of 2011.”

Inspector 4000 Off-Line Barcode Verifier

BlueStar’s Ramp to the Speedway

BlueStar (Hebron, KY) now distributes RFID Revolution Express, an enterprise-caliber, RFID middleware platform designed specifically for the popular Impinj Speedway Revolution and Speedway xPortal RFID readers. Marketed by RFID Solutions (Delray Beach, FL), RFID Revolution Express builds on the previous technological breakthrough of RFID Revolution, according to the two parties, which removed the need for RF engineering through its “AutoPilot” system that adjusts the settings of RFID readers while in operation. In its new configuration, Revolution Express allows users to manage and control multiple Impinj readers and transmit data to business-level systems simply by downloading an installation program. As such, it promises quicker benefits from RFID investments.

“We are extremely pleased about partnering with BlueStar to provide an easy-to-use, feature-rich RFID platform that enhances the product offerings of BlueStar’s reseller partners by enabling the sale of additional hardware, software, and support services,” declared James Snyder, President of RFID Solutions. “The Speedway Revolution RFID reader is the first device that makes RFID technology available to the masses, not just the RFID experts. RFID Revolution Express is the software platform that brings it to life.”

“RFID Revolution Express software enables BlueStar’s VARs of all calibers to realize unprecedented time savings in reader programming,” emphasized Dan Miller, RFID Program Manager at BlueStar. “With this product, an Impinj reader is capable of reading tags just minutes out of the box. It also provides an invaluable tool to speed up the development of that VAR’s application.”

Impinj Speedway Revolution RFID Reader

[Editor’s Note:  Busy times at BlueStar, which also has added electronic payment devices from Hypercom (Scottsdale, AZ) to its line card. “BlueStar’s selection of Hypercom gives thousands of U.S. merchants access to truly revolutionary products with future-proof features that will protect their investments, as well as reinforces Hypercom’s footprint in North America,” commented David Cronin, President and Managing Director, North America, Hypercom Corporation. Last month, Hypercom’s stockholders approved the merger agreement providing for the acquisition of the company by its rival, VeriFone.]

Worth Your While

WERC 2011
Warehousing Education and Research Council
May 15-18
Orlando

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

Most Durable Dolphin

Honeywell Scanning & Mobility (Fort Mill, SC) released its Dolphin 99EX, which incorporates Microsoft Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 and on-the-fly switching among cellular carriers--between GSM and CDMA carriers or between two GSM or two CDMA carriers--for uninterrupted wireless connectivity. This new mobile computer also carries GPS technology for faster data acquisition and better tracking while on the road. Notably, the battery life of the 99EX lasts upwards of 16 hours, supporting long shifts and overtime without the need to carry extra batteries or outfit delivery vehicles with chargers.

As the first product in the Honeywell mobility line to furnish next-generation Adaptus Imaging Technology 6.0, the 99EX offers state-of-the-art capabilities for reading high-density linear barcodes, two-dimensional symbologies, and coupons on mobile device screens. Adaptus 6.0 has been designed for faster decoding, enhanced motion tolerance, and longer reading distance, as well as the flexibility to work in various settings, including direct sunlight, darkness, and under fluorescent lighting. By running Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5, Microsoft’s latest OS, the 99EX has been positioned to satisfy the emerging needs of multiple segments such as field mobility, transportation, logistics, and healthcare, according to the vendor.

With an IP-67 environmental rating against dust and water, the 99EX withstands multiple drops to concrete from as high as six feet. It supports Honeywell’s Remote MasterMind device management software, allowing users to perform tasks ranging from diagnostics to software upgrades to asset tracking. An iteration of the 99EX has been developed for use by UPS. Dubbed DIAD V (Delivery Information Acquisition Device V), it has been approved for operation in more than 100 countries and UPS will begin deployment of 100,000 units this year.

Honeywell Scanning & Mobility’s Dolphin 99EX

Thor, God of Forklifts

LXE, now part of EMS Technologies’ Global Resource Management business unit, has crowned Thor, its new vehicle-mount computer. Thor wields Intel’s Atom processor and the dual operating system of either Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard or Windows Compact Embedded and bears the half-screen, full keypad form factor that LXE pioneered over three decades ago, the company said. Moreover, it offers three unprecedented patent-pending features: field-replaceable front panel, quick-mount smart-dock, and an ignition control. The terminal has been deployed at beta sites throughout North America and Europe, with shipping to customers starting this month.

Inclusion of the field-replaceable front panel eliminates the need to ship damaged computers back to the manufacturer for repairs or replacement according to LXE. The new front panel may be installed within minutes with screwdriver and maintains consistent IP-66 protection against water and dust; in addition, the computer automatically recognizes any changes to keyboard configuration. With the quick-mount smart-dock, end-users may rapidly detach the device from its vehicle-mount hardware for transfer between forklifts or for service or software upgrades. Battery back-up powers the computer for up to 30 minutes in such cases. Finally, ignition control starts up the computer simultaneously with the forklift, saving the operator an extra step, and allows preferences to be set to sleep, shut down, or stay powered up when the forklift powers down.

“Our Thor vehicle-mount computer is capable of providing unprecedented gains in ROI,” declared Dino Koutrouki, VP and GM, EMS Global Resource Management (Atlanta). “Technology delivers ROI when it allows resources--both human and capital--to be invested in profit-generating areas, instead of in the maintenance or usage of the technology itself. Thor is purpose-built for businesses to achieve immediate, measurable ROI results.”

New Vehicle-Mount Computer From LXE

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ALLIANCES

A Bundle of Biometrics--Cherry, Synnex, and Softex

A triumvirate of vendors--hardware supplier, two-tier distributor, and software developer--have joined forces to offer an integrated keyboard and software package to further the cause of biometric fingerprint identification. Specifically, Cherry Electrical Products (Pleasant Prairie, WI) and Softex (Austin, TX) have worked together to validate Softex OmniPass on Cherry’s SPOS Biometric Keyboards and M-4200 Biometric Mouse. This bundled package will now be brought to market exclusively through Synnex Corporation (Greenville, SC), RRN.Com was told by Craig Kaliebe, Marketing Manager at Cherry.

Synnex will offer six individual SKUs to its resellers, integrating the designated Cherry products with either Softex Client Edition (for single sign-on) or Softex Enterprise Edition (with network-wide access). In order to stimulate business, the combo package discounts the solution by about 10%, Kaliebe shared, while “making life much easier for both resellers and end-users.” Initial target markets are retail POS and healthcare, according to the vendor.

In the future, Kaliebe foresees even wider application of such biometric solutions. “You need different passwords for everything you do, and each website now tries to beef up security by making things more complicated,” he pointed out. “Try remembering all of those when they all have unique rules. With biometrics, your fingerprint serves as all those signs of authentication. It’s much easier and much more secure as well. Nobody’s going to flip over your keyboard and see your list of passwords taped to the bottom.”

Cherry’s SPOS Biometric Keyboard

EDI on the Island

Island Pacific (Irvine, CA) has called upon DiCentral (Houston) to bring EDI to its retail customers. Under the partnership, retailers will be offered DiCentral’s business-to-business collaboration tools for “vendor community management,” thereby shortening the time and reducing the risks associated with moving to an industry-standard EDI environment. Founded in 2000, DiCentral employs the SaaS model to address data exchange throughout supply chain networks, in order to reduce the cost and complexity of product procurement and fulfillment.

“DiCentral is thrilled to partner with Island Pacific and their long tradition of bringing innovative solutions to the retail industry,” stated Kevin Swantkowski, Senior Director of Global Channels at DiCentral. “I believe our EDI and vendor community management solutions nicely complement Island Pacific’s suite of merchandising and store operations software.”

Sun and Ski Sports, one of Island Pacific’s retail customers, has already experienced the benefits of the partnering, according to the two parties. “Without DiCentral, communication with vendors, for implementing EDI, would have been more than a full-time job,” relayed Shelly Nixon, VP of IT for Sun and Ski Sports. “Now we have more timely and accurate communication from our vendors through ASN’s, therefore enabling Sun and Ski Sports to provide the merchandise that our customers want in a more efficient manner.”

Kevin Swantkowski, Senior Director of Global Channels, DiCentral

Code Corner

Heartland Payment Systems (Princeton, NJ) introduced Freshtxt, its new wait management and SMS marketing solution for hospitality. This new hosted service eliminates the traditional restaurant pager, alerting patrons with text messages or automated calls to their cell phones when their tables are ready. Thus, customers are no longer restricted to defined physical ranges while waiting and restaurant staff can more efficiently manage their queues, according to the payment processor. In addition, Freshtxt’s online portal enables restaurateurs to access real-time analytics to manage table turn times as well as an interactive seating chart to change floor plans. The system provides an opportunity to promote and market through text messaging, and an online reservation module allows customers to place reservations directly on the restaurant’s website without being re-directed to third-party sites. This empowers staff to manage all reservations in one place, with no additional fees per reservation or guest. “As we continue to invest in new technologies, we remain focused on offering unique, value-added products and services that help improve business’ bottom lines,” indicated Steve Elefant, CIO at Heartland. “With Freshtxt, we are enhancing a critical aspect of the restaurant business. This cutting-edge solution not only reduces operational costs, but also improves customer service.”

STARTS & STOPS

Public "TransPortation" at Merchant Warehouse

Merchant Warehouse (Boston) has launched mobile and web versions of its MerchantWARE TransPort payment processing platform. Both TransPort Mobile and TransPort Web offer the same versatility as the original TransPort, according to the developer, while enhancing functionality and security features. This hosted solution eliminates the need for Payment Card Industry PA-DSS audit for POS, shopping carts, websites, and mobile payments through its hierarchy of secure transaction portal, coded data transmission, and certified servers.

In the case of mobile payments, and POS developers, this is especially important since the PCI Council has officially opted to not certify mobile applications in the near future. For e-commerce, the issue becomes one of open-source software architecture, for which no one in particular takes responsibility. As specific security measures, the TransPort platform (including TransPort Mobile and TransPort Web) leverages encrypted PIN debit, tokenization, and end-to-end encryption. Additional detection is available through MagTek’s MagnePrint MSR-based card recognition service, which also offers merchants and developers the chance to brand their solutions with customizable layouts and color schemes.

“During the past holiday shopping period, consumers spent $30 billion, both over the web and through their mobile devices,” observed Henry Helgeson, Co-CEO of Merchant Warehouse. “As consumers gravitate toward mobile payments and e-commerce shopping, the need for a secure and certified online payment solution becomes more obvious. We are excited that the new functionality in the MerchantWARE TransPort platform addresses this need today. Not only do developers have a secure, feature-rich payment platform that protects card data, it is also customizable so their merchants can extend their brand right to their client. We think TransPort Web and TransPort Mobile are great additions to our hosted payment solution.”

Taking Hosted Payments Outward to Mobility and the Web

Waffles in Many Shapes and Sizes

KICTeam (Auburn, ME) has produced two new sizes for its “Waffletechnology” cleaning cards for thermal receipt printers: two-inch/50.8 mm and three-inch/76 mm. These products will help maintain the clarity of the printed receipt or label while, in many cases, prolonging the life of the thermal printer, according to the vendor. They remove paper flash, dirt, oils, adhesive build-up, and other contaminants that will cause thermal printer receipts or labels to appear faded and illegible.

“We produce Waffletechnology products for some of the largest thermal printer manufacturers in the world, such as Bixolon, TransAct Technologies, VidTroniX, and Seiko Instruments, just to name a few,” recounted Jimmy Timmins, Marketing Communications at KICTeam. “It became apparent that we needed to round out our product offering by adding two new sizes for a more comprehensive product line. The new two-inch and three-inch wide cleaning cards will cover a number of printers in the marketplace that print on a range of similar-sized media.”

In addition, KICTeam Canada has been formed to supply the company’s technical cleaning cards to all Canadian provinces. Based in Surrey, British Columbia, KICTeam Canada will ship from its centralized warehouse in Ontario. “Due to a substantial increase in demand and awareness for this cleaning card product, we have identified a need to serve Canadian partners from a state-of-the-art distribution and support center,” said Andrew McGowan, Managing Director of KICTeam Canada.

KICTeam’s Two-Inch Thermal Printer Cleaning Card

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
POS-X
Touch Dynamic

POS Systems - Hospitality
PAR

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Datamax-O'Neil
SATO America
Zebra Technologies

Cash Drawers
APG Cash Drawer
MMF POS

Data Collection Terminals
CipherLab
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

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

INSTALLATIONS

Championship Season for Citizen

Forget the games. Events such as the Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Weekend, and March Madness put equal or greater pressure on retailers dedicated to specialty merchandise and their POS providers, since the opportunities for sales are fast and fleeting. Take the case of Super Bowl XLV in Dallas in February, where RetailCloud (Concord, CA) installed 120 POS terminals from Touch Dynamic (Irvington, NJ) at retail outlets sprinkled across Cowboy Stadium, the NFL Experience, and hotels in the surrounding area.

As its name would suggest, RetailCloud (the former Inventrak) makes its PosiTrak software available on demand for this trio of leading sporting events and meets the needs of its customers for both stationary and mobile POS. Enter Metropolitan Sales (Lynbrook, NY), which met RetailCloud at the 2010 Electronic Transaction Association (ETA) Meeting & Expo in Las Vegas, and supplied the necessary hardware. According to Navik Prakash, Director of Specialty Retail Events for RetailCloud, one particularly troublesome problem lay in receipt printing. As the solution, RetailCloud selected the Model CMP-30 from Citizen Systems America (Torrance, CA), which was introduced in March 2010. Weighing 1.4 lbs., with high-impact ABS plastic case, the CMP-30 prints at 100 mm/second, with paper width of three inches and 203-dpi resolution.

“It’s light, easy-to-handle, easy to integrate, and it has a battery that lasts through the day, with a quick recharge turnaround,” Prakash noted. “End-users can adapt it with minimal training and it’s a very scalable solution. The product lends itself to these environments.”

“We’re very impressed by the support at Citizen,” Prakash continued. “Anyone can make a printer, but it’s the commitment to support and integration, making support resources available to us, that is so impressive. We need to pick up the phone when we have questions and reach someone. We have to create a solution in a short period of time, and our support guy is in there with us, trying to act quickly to solve any problems.”

CMP-30 Mobile Printer by Citizen Systems America

An Entrée for Socket Mobile

Socket Mobile (Newark, CA) has placed its SoMo 650 handheld computers into the popular Legends Sports Bar in Long Beach, CA, for tableside ordering of food and drinks. Established in 1979 by former NFL Rams offensive lineman Dennis Harrah, Legends Sports Bar boasts the largest commercial, non-theatrical HD projection screen in the U.S. at 310 inches. The SoMo 650 device was recommended by Hospitality Technology Systems (Beaumont, CA), one of the major providers of Digital Dining POS software. Digital Dining/MenuSoft and Socket Mobile formalized their relationship last fall. Other ISV partners in hospitality for Socket Mobile include Agilysys and ASI, with Point One and Cratos in the U.K. and RedCat in Australia, according to the company’s website.

“When it comes to technology, we pride ourselves on being state-of-the-art and staying on top of whatever changes make economic sense,” remarked Gene Rotondo, Owner of Legends Sports Bar. “From a POS standpoint, I’m a big proponent of using the SoMo handhelds.  I’m very comfortable saying that if you’re doing high volume, then you have to have them. They do make a difference in your business--our wait staff has seen a 15% increase in their sales, and they’re able to focus more on fast, accurate delivery of food and beverages, which improves customer satisfaction and increases their tips.”

“What handhelds have done for restaurants is made the staff always available,” cited James Bacarella, President of Hospitality Technology Systems. “They’re always on the floor, and whenever a customer has a need, they’re right there. The SoMo has been a really good solution. It’s durable enough to withstand the restaurant environment and you can add a reliable, magnetic-stripe reader to the device to process credit card payments at the table.”

Handhelds Put in Play at Legends Sports Bar

Channel Factoid

Five key trends impacting the restaurant industry have been identified by ParTech and Research Now in their new white paper entitled, “The Dining Customer’s View on Emerging Technologies & Restaurant Operations.” These include: today’s shift to targeted restaurant promotions, the great effectiveness of technology among frequent diners, an ever-growing influence of social networks, real-time order influence, and the unique character of the “Millennials” demographic (16 to 24 year olds). Conducted among consumers in the U.S. and Canada in the fall of 2010, this new research highlights several key findings. 52% of dining customers have selected a restaurant solely because of an online advertisement or e-mail offer. 66% of frequent diners (five or more times per week) would like servers to use mobile ordering technology. 42% of consumers have eaten at a previously unvisited restaurant solely because of information gathered online from user-generated reviews at sites such as Epinions, OpenTable, Yelp, or Zagat. 62% of respondents said they “might consider” or “seriously consider” changing their order based on a specific discount, combo, or promotional offer made during the creation of a restaurant order (via either POS terminal or server). 72% of Millennials expressed serious interest in receiving location-based restaurant offers on their mobile phones. “The results of the restaurant consumer survey highlight just how early technology now becomes involved in the dining consumer’s thought process and how pervasive technology is in delivering an interactive restaurant experience,” commented Scott Langdoc, CTO at ParTech. “This validates the contention that focusing traditional investments in restaurant marketing, loyalty, and POS will simply not be enough to maintain competitive positioning and existing market share, and that those operators who broaden interactions with their consumers with advanced technologies are set up to win in a very big way.”

HELLO GOODBYE

Highest Star

Star Micronics America, Inc. (Edison, NJ) has announced that Hiroya “Hiro” Mochizuki has taken the reins from outgoing President, Takayuki Aoki, who returned to Star Micronics Japan in February. As President, Mochizuki will be leading the strategic direction, management, and growth of the Printer and Audio Component business units of Star Micronics America.

“As my tenure at Star Micronics America comes to an end, I confidently pass the torch to Mr. Mochizuki,” commented Aoki. “Star Japan looks forward to his and Star America’s continued success under his vision and leadership in this position.”

Mochizuki has been with Star Micronics for over 25 years. Beginning his Star career in the Accounting Department for Star Japan, he quickly rose to the position of Controller for Star Japan’s overseas subsidiaries, where he spent six years based in Germany. For the past 10 years, he has served as Systems Overseas Sales Manager, responsible for activities for Star Micronics America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, China, and South East Asia Divisions.

Hiroya “Hiro” Mochizuki, President of Star Micronics America

Owings Rejoins ScanSource Board

ScanSource, Inc. (Greenville, SC) has named Steven H. Owings to its Board of Directors. Owings, of course, was one of the original founders of ScanSource, and previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors from the distributor’s inception in 1992 until December 2005, when he reduced his workload due to medical reasons. Owings held the title of CEO of ScanSource from December 1992 until January 2000 and resigned his strategic advisor employee role and retired from employment with the company this month. He was elected to serve as Non-Employee Director on the Board.

“Steve has been an integral part of the success of ScanSource, and I am excited about his return to the Board of Directors,” said Mike Baur, CEO of ScanSource, Inc. “Steve’s experienced leadership and entrepreneurial perspective will be of great benefit to the company and its shareholders, as the company continues to expand its business.”

In making the announcement, ScanSource pointed in particular to Owings’ direct knowledge of operations, deep understanding of the wholesale distribution model, and specific experience within the specialty technology distribution industry. Further, Owings assisted in launching all three technology sectors that the company has established: ScanSource POS and Barcoding in North America, Latin America, and Europe; Catalyst Telecom in the U.S. and ScanSource Communications in North America and Europe, which provide voice, video, and converged communications equipment; and ScanSource Security in North America, which offers physical security solutions. His appointment expands the number of board members from five to six.

Steven Owings, Board of Directors, ScanSource, Inc.