Our Product Pick

Janam Technologies (Woodbury, NY) has debuted its new "trigger handle" for its XT2 rugged mobile computer. Constructed of ABS plastic, weighing about 10 oz., it furnishes the XT2 with easy, slide-on attachment and bright orange scanning trigger. It comes equipped with locking mechanism, charging via AC adapter, and list price of $150. In phablet format, the XT2 supports Android 5 Lollipop or Windows 10 IoT Mobile Enterprise. "It's difficult for organizations to find a one-size-fits-all device--both compact and lightweight for the field and built for scan-intensive environments in the warehouse," noted Janam. "With the new trigger handle accessory for the XT2, we meet the full range of needs of the mobile workforce."

Janam's Trigger Handle for the XT2

COMPANY BUSINESS

Aures: Tango With Sango

Aures Technologies (Tustin, CA) has presented its colorful, customizable all-in-one touchscreen terminal for POS, entitled "Sango." Instead of base or stand, it has an aluminum arm to hold its touchscreen, freeing up counterspace and room for peripherals. A polycarbonate finish comes in choice of colors--white, black, red, blue, orange, gray, and purple--to further deliver "the cool factor." With 15" edgeless projected-capacitive touchscreen, and retail-hardened fanless construction, Sango supports Windows, including 10 IoT.

In standard configuration, Sango has Intel Bay Trail J1900 CPU at 2.0 GHz, 2-GB/4-GB RAM, and 2.5" Solid-State Drive (SSD). A full suite of ports is provided--USB 2.0, Serial RJ-45, Ethernet 10/100/1000, and Cash Drawer RJ-11--with clutter-free cable placement. As expected, it also may be customized with upgraded processor and memory, resistive or non-touch screens, and customer-facing displays. Weighing 19.2 lbs. (without power supply), and measuring 16.1 in. (W) x 15.7 in. (H) x 10.2 in. (D)--in working position tilted at 45 degrees--Sango has won several international awards for industrial design, including the Red Dot.

"Sango is a new POS concept that marries rugged touch technology and unique, one-of-a-kind aesthetics at an affordable price," Jeff Burroughs, VP of Sales and Marketing for Aures Technologies, told RRN.Com. "Aures customers can choose any Sango color they want--even two colors on the same terminal--and we build it with no minimum order quantity or added cost. It gives resellers an edge: they can order three orange, four blue, and one white and they'll all ship immediately. They don't have to order 300 units and face the typical 90-day lead time."

Sango POS Terminal by Aures Technologies

Hitting His Mark at Epson America

Epson America (Long Beach, CA) has engaged Mark Mathews as its VP of North America Commercial Marketing. In this role, he drives product and marketing strategies for the company's Projector, Point-of-Sale, Business Inkjet Printer, and Robotics Divisions. Mathews brings more than 25 years of marketing, sales, and operations experience in the technology industry. Before joining Epson, he served as President of Airwolf 3D (2014 to 2016). Previously, he was President and CEO of Toshiba America Business Solutions (2012 to 2013).

"Mark Mathews brings an essential set of skills to the Epson management team. He has first-hand experience with the opportunities and challenges facing both the company and its customers today," remarked Keith Kratzberg, President and CEO of Epson America. "Mark's forward-thinking approach, range of knowledge in the commercial industry, and his extensive business-to-business expertise enable him to advance Epson's leadership in the commercial technology market."

"I believe that Epson's technology innovation, coupled with its reputation as a trusted partner, make Epson one of the most reputable brands in the commercial imaging industry today," observed Mathews. "I'm thrilled to be a part of an organization that not only develops solutions that answer customers' needs, but helps put businesses in a position to expand and exceed their business goals now and in the future." Mathews received an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, MS in Civil Engineering from Columbia University, and BS in Engineering Mechanics from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Mark Mathews, VP of North America Commercial Marketing, Epson America

Worth Your While

WERC
Warehousing Education and Research Council
April 30 - May 3
Fort Worth, TX

Transact
Electronic Transactions Association
May 10-12
Las Vegas, NV

NRA
National Restaurant Association
May 20-23
Chicago, IL

RetailNOW
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
August 6-9
Las Vegas, NV

VARTECH
BlueStar
September 18-19
Orlando, FL

ALL IN THE FAMILY

CipherLab Awards "A"

CipherLab USA (Plano, TX) has shipped its mobile computer with Android 6.0, designated the 9700A. Measuring 8.4 in. (L) x 3.5 in. (W) x 1.8 in. (D), and weighing about 1 lb., CipherLab's 9700A carries 3.5" resistive touchscreen, dual-band 802.11ac WLAN, and Bluetooth Version 2.1+EDR. As an example of versatility, it provides multiple keypads (30-key or 38-key numeric and 53-key alphanumeric with LED backlight) and multiple choices of scanner (one-dimensional laser, two-dimensional imager, one-dimensional extended range laser, and near/mid-range/far two-dimensional imager). It complements the 9700 with Windows CE 6.0 or Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5.

As technical specifications, CipherLab's 9700A has ARM Cortex A53 Octa-Core CPU at 2 GHz, 16-GB eMMC, and 32-GB Micro-SD. Addressing warehousing, distribution, and manufacturing--the supply chain--it meets IP-65 ratings for water and dust and has 6-ft./1.8-m drop resistance with 3600- or 5400-mAh Li-Ion battery (3.7-V). Indicators include vibrator, speaker, and three LEDs (RF, Charge, and Read). As supporting software, there's application development, device management, and browser/terminal emulation through CipherLab.

"The 9700 Series has impressed many users in global projects through its ruggedness and capabilities in data collection and mobility," reported Steven Liau, Chairman and President of CipherLab (Taipei, Taiwan). "The new 9700A with Android 6.0 operating system is therefore developed to respond to user requests and help minimize the hassle of software migration and development. This new alternative also makes 9700A unique in its target segment." Pricing starts at $1,475.

CipherLab 9700A Mobile Computer With Android

Citizen Goes Wide (the CMP-40L)

Citizen Systems America (Torrance, CA) has unwrapped its new mobile thermal printer, at 4", assigned the CMP-40L. With dimensions of 6.5 in. (W) x 6.8 in. (D) x 3.1 in. (H), and weighing 2.2 lbs. (with battery), the CMP-40L prints receipts, labels, and tickets, with maximum speed of 3 in./76 mm per second at 203 dpi. As expected, it supports iOS, Android, and Windows 7, 8, 10 (and, should anyone care, Linux).

As end-user features, the CMP-40L has drop-in paper loading, paper out indicator, maximum roll diameter of 2 in./50 mm, and color 128x64 LCD. As connectivity, the CMP-40L furnishes USB, Serial RS-232, Bluetooth with Apple MFi, and 802.11 WLAN. It holds common "out-of-the-box" emulations for ZPL, CPCL, and ESC/POS. A label-gap sensor, label peeler, and tear bar are integrated in the CMP-40L, along with an adapter for battery-charging AC.

In terms of durability, the CMP-40L, with plastic construction and impact resistance edge moldings, has an IP-54 rating for water and dust and 6-ft./1.8-m drop resistance. "The need for a truly rugged four-inch mobile label printer with a full range of connectivity options at the right price became very apparent as we penetrated the mobility market even deeper," reflected Vic Barczyk, EVP of Citizen Systems America. The new 4" CMP-40L joins Citizen's 2" CMP-20 and 3" CMP-30.

Citizen's 4" CMP-40L Mobile Printer

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ALLIANCES

A Bite into B2B by Vantiv

Vantiv (Cincinnati, OH) has advanced in the business-to-business payments space with its acquisition of Paymetric (Atlanta, GA). A leader in automation of payment workflows within enterprise systems, such as Hybris, Oracle, SAP, and Saleforce, Paymetric was owned by private equity firm, Francisco Partners. This transaction is expected to close during Q2 2017, subject to required U.S. antitrust clearance and other customary closing conditions. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"Acquiring Paymetric builds upon our strategy to expand into high-growth channels and verticals," commented Charles Drucker, President and CEO of Vantiv. "Paymetric's deep system integration and workflow automation expertise will enhance our already leading e-commerce technology capabilities. Paymetric's B2B focus will also enable us to enter this fast-growing vertical in a unique and differentiated way. I am pleased to welcome Paymetric's employees to the Vantiv team."

"By becoming part of Vantiv, we will be able to accelerate the development of our advanced payments integration and security solutions," relayed Asif Ramji, President and CEO of Paymetric. "Together, Paymetric and Vantiv will now both be able to offer an expanded suite of services to our clients and partners. We are excited to become part of Vantiv." Card-based transactions are the fastest-growing segment of the $30 trillion B2B payments vertical, according to study by the Federal Reserve Bank.

Asif Ramji, President and CEO, Paymetric

Cayan Dines With Aldelo

A key hospitality ISV has embraced the Genius Customer Engagement Platform from Cayan: Aldelo. Introduced in 2012, Cayan's Genius employs tokenization and point-to-point encryption (P2PE) and supports the range of electronic payments--MSR, EMV, NFC, and Mobile Wallets. As part of this relationship, resellers of Aldelo POS, Aldelo Touch (for iPad), and Aldelo's Xera POS will sell both Genius Countertop and Genius Handheld.

"Integrating with Aldelo is a mutually beneficial partnership, as it's providing an opportunity for us to gain a strong foothold in the hospitality industry," enthused Ken Paull, CRO of Cayan (Boston, MA). "Simultaneously, Aldelo's integration with the Genius Platform sets their resellers and restaurant customers up for success now and in the future, allowing one-swipe bar tabs and EMV capabilities." Additional benefits include four-second transaction speed, customized tip suggestions, and on-screen digital signature capture and online digital storage and retrieval of data.

"The Aldelo interface to the Genius Platform from Cayan takes advantage of some truly advanced technology between the companies," related Harry Tu, President of Aldelo (Pleasanton, CA). "This advanced EMV technology allows us to maintain our industry leading feature set along with secure payment processing for our customers." A longtime leader in its segment, Aldelo has more than 400 resellers and 120,000 installations worldwide.

Cayan's Genius Customer Engagement Platform

Code Corner

A new gift card platform, dubbed RewardOS, by Factor4 (Broomall, PA), has popped up in First Data's Clover App Market. It brings full integration with Clover POS. It features low monthly program fees and provides unlimited gift card transactions, access to reports, and technical support. There are no transaction fees, and Factor4 has offered free 30-day trials. "Factor4 is delighted to be one of the first gift card providers to integrate with Clover," expressed Dan Battista, CEO at Factor4. "This is an excellent opportunity for merchants who are processing with Clover to have access to the industry's premier gift card solution. Our white label program enables reseller customers to further customize our solution. [As another benefit], Factor4 has integrations with all of the leading providers of POS."

Gift Cards for Clover POS

CERTIFICATION

A Pillow for Apollo

Equinox Payments (Scottsdale, AZ) has received endorsement for EMV from First Data for its payment terminal, Apollo. With its focus on independent hotels, inns, and bed-and-breakfasts, an accompanying "Voyager Lodging" solution by Equinox Payments can manage folios and track charges throughout the guest's stay: from reservation deposits, to check-in, onsite property charges, and post checkout adjustments. Also, it ties to the property management system (PMS). With this latest announcement, it has support from three of the largest payment processors: First Data (and the Omaha Platform), Global Payments, and TSYS.

"Achieving end-to-end certification from First Data signifies an important milestone for our Apollo terminal, and the inclusion of lodging in our certification truly sets us apart," suggested Ron Hayhow, VP of Business Development for Equinox Payments. "Resellers of First Data can now capitalize on the opportunity of confidently marketing an EMV-certified solution to the underserved segment of stand-alone lodging merchants that are feeling the financial impacts of the EMV liability shift." In particular, he points to the large number of chargebacks experienced in the lodging sector.

An all-in-one countertop device, Apollo supports MSR, EMV, and NFC in stand-alone and semi-integrated configurations. An integrated PIN Pad, receipt printer, and full-color signature capture touchscreen display eliminate the need for extra peripherals and cables. It meets the latest security standards of the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC), with point-to-point encryption (P2PE), according to Equinox Payments (part of NBS Payment Solutions in Toronto).

Apollo Payment Terminal by Equinox Payments, Now With EMV Certification by First Data

Some I&R for CAM

Another well-known ISV, CAM Commerce, a subsidiary of Celerant Technology, has now been certified as Payment Card Industry (PCI) Qualified Integrator & Reseller (QIR). As such, CAM is endorsed by PCI to implement guidelines for its Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS). As of January 31, merchants categorized as Level 4 must use PCI-certified QIR solution providers for their POS systems (which should come as no surprise to readers of RRN.Com).

Some of the guidelines include: ensuring that authentication data (i.e., PIN numbers, CAV2, CID, CVC2, CVV2) is never stored after authorization; providing guidance to retailers regarding secure deletion of expired cardholder data; and implementing protection for payment applications using wireless technology. In addition, CAM is required to complete a Quality Assurance (QA) program and log a detailed record of every installation and configuration. Several employees of CAM completed the training course and passed the examination for PCI QIR.

"For many SMB retailers, maintaining PCI compliance can be a challenge. As their trusted software partner, our goal is to assist in the process however we can," indicated Ian Goldman, CEO of CAM Commerce (Fountain Valley, CA) and Celerant (Staten Island, NY). "Our client's data security is our top priority and our efforts to become QIR-certified helps protect that." Founded in 1983, CAM Commerce focuses on specialty retailers in the SMB. It was purchased by Celerant in 2012.

CAM Commerce Gains Status as PCI Qualified Integrator & Reseller (QIR)

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
Tailwind Solutions

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Brother Mobile
CognitiveTPG
Godex Americas
Honeywell

Cash Drawers
MMF POS

Data Collection
AML
CipherLab
Code Corporation
Denso ADC
Honeywell
Janam Technologies

Distribution
Ingram Micro

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
iPayment
Sterling Payment

Keyboards & Mobile POS
Cherry Americas, LLC
TG3 Electronics

Mounts for POS
Innovative
SpacePole

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
CognitiveTPG
Epson America
Star Micronics

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

INSTALLATIONS

Code Hits the Gas

Addressing utilities, Code (Salt Lake City, UT) has partnered with ISV CartoPac International (Fort Collins, CO). In this solution, Code's handheld two-dimensional scanner, the CR2600, serves as the front end for the CartoPac Software Suite. It fulfills federal requirements for utilities to ensure their asset database is "traceable, verifiable, and complete"--in this case, when it comes to their physical pipelines for carrying natural gas. It puts barcodes on every plastic pipe and fitting.

"The problem is the PVC barcodes are difficult to read with standard scanners," explained Glenn Vlass, VP of Marketing and Product Management for CartoPac. Surfaces are typically yellow, providing low contrast, and dirt and shadows are common in construction trenches. As a result, workers in the field often stop and manually key in the barcode, slowing data collection and potentially introducing errors.

Code solved this problem "by fine-tuning our patented optical system and proprietary decoding software," according to Ming Lei, VP of Technology for Code. After reading by the CR2600, information contained in the barcode--including 18 data points for traceability--is transmitted via Bluetooth to the Geo 7 Mobile Computer with Windows and GPS from Trimble (Sunnyvale, CA). Inclusion in the enterprise Geographic Information System (GIS) follows. If any recall of pipe should happen, the utility may query its GIS and pinpoint the locations of buried assets that need replacement. With weight of 4.5 oz., intuitive operation, and an IP-65 rating for water and dust, the Code CR2600 fits the environment.

Traceability for Pipelines by Code's CR2600 and CartoPac Software

In ShopKeep's Basket: E-Commerce

ShopKeep (New York, NY), one of the growing purveyors of cloud- and iPad-based POS, has drawn upon BigCommerce (Austin, TX) to provide seamless e-commerce for its customers in the SMB. At present, ShopKeep serves approximately 23,000 independent businesses, while BigCommerce has 50,000 in the SMB. As more proof of its ambition, ShopKeep also has purchased the online ordering solution, ChowBOT, from so-called Meerchant (San Francisco, CA).

"Our collaboration with BigCommerce is a step forward for our customers who want to expand their presence digitally," affirmed Mike Sommers, SVP of Product Management for ShopKeep. "ShopKeep's mission is to democratize access to next-generation technology for independent retailers and business owners, enabling them to engage seamlessly with their customers across multiple channels, an advantage reinforced by our partnership with BigCommerce. We want to ensure business owners can preserve the customer experience, but with the opportunity to enhance loyalty and services with the omni-channel versatility often reserved for larger retailers."

"Historically, retailers selling both in-store and online have been forced to manage individual channel sales through disparate systems, often resulting in operational strain. By integrating two best-of-breed solutions, we're giving ShopKeep's customers the ability to manage inventory and their full product catalogue for both online and in-store channels through a single back-end office solution, which increases visibility and enables merchants to focus on growing their business," added Russell Klein, SVP of Corporate Development at BigCommerce. Expect to see more integrations with POS for BigCommerce in 2017.

ShopKeep Integrates With BigCommerce

Channel Factoid

Employment in the U.S. tech sector grew by nearly 3% in 2016, approaching 7 million workers, according to "Cyberstates 2017" by the CompTIA. Additional tech workers across all other industries--the second component of the technology workforce in the U.S.--increased by 2%, to an estimated 7.3 million workers, in 2016. The tech sector accounts for an estimated 8%--more than $1.3 trillion--of total activity of the economy in the U.S. Top 10 states for tech sector employment are California, Texas, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Virginia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Michigan. Top 5 states for 2016 job growth on a percentage basis were Utah (6%), North Carolina (5.9%), Michigan (5.1%), Washington (4.9%), and Montana (4.5%). U.S. tech business establishments grew for the fifth consecutive year, to 492,550 in 2016. Nearly every state (47) added to its base of tech businesses, with Texas (911 new companies) leading the way. Significantly, 60% of 2016 job gains occurred in IT services and custom software services. This category was also responsible for adding the most new tech business establishments in 2016--more than 5,000 companies. "Digital transformation continues to be the driving force," counseled Tim Herbert, SVP of Research and Market Intelligence for CompTIA. "Organizations of all sizes are embracing cloud-based technology solutions, expanding their mobile presence, fortifying cyber defenses, and driving decision-making through advanced data analysis."

HELLO GOODBYE

Mastercard's Ace

Mastercard (Purchase, NY) has elevated Ed McLaughlin, formerly CIO, to President of Operations and Technology. He joined Mastercard as Head of Bill Payment and Healthcare (2005), becoming Chief Franchise Development Officer (2008), then Chief Emerging Payments Officer (2010), and CIO (2015). Among his accomplishments: Masterpass, Mastercard Send, and the Mastercard Digital Enablement System (MDES). McLaughlin succeeds Rob Reeg.

"Ed's experience and know-how across our portfolio, combined with an entrepreneurial mindset, made him the ideal choice to continue the growth and advancement of our technology operations," shared Ajay Banga, President and CEO. "He's a proven entity to our teams, our customers, and industry stakeholders. It's this foundation of delivering meaningful products and the highest levels of security that will continue to differentiate us in this increasingly digital world."

Ed McLaughlin, President of Operations and Technology, Mastercard

Benseron's Young Turk

A shout-out for Onur Haytac, Founder and CEO of Benseron Hospitality, who has been named one of the "40 Under 40" most successful and influential Turkish-Americans. Conducted by TOA Consulting, the third annual TOA Awards were held in New York City in March. They honor individuals in fields from real estate to art, and finance to technology.

Haytac started Benseron (Naples, FL) in 2004, when he attended Florida Gulf Coast University, and serviced computers for Subway. Today, Benseron provides point-of-sale systems, payment technologies, online ordering, and related merchant services such as loyalty programs. Its platforms include Bevo (for "Benseron Evolution") POS 10 and Linga (iPad) POS. It has approximately 110 employees. "This appraisal and award not only makes me proud but also inspires me to work harder and achieve even further," declared Haytac.

Onur Haytac, Founder and CEO of Benseron Hospitality, Receives "40 Under 40" TOA Award