Our Product Pick

An upgrade puts Intel's Quad-Core N-Series CPU, specifically the N97, into the Sapphire-700N All-in-One POS Terminal by SAM4S. In future production runs, this new Sapphire-700N Series may also use Intel's N95 CPU. Each, N97 and N95, delivers significant performance improvements over the previously employed Intel Celeron J6412 (by 20-35%). This includes faster boot times, quicker app launches, smoother touchscreen performance, and better handling of browser-based and graphics-heavy POS. With 15" projected-capacitive touchscreen, the Sapphire-700N furnishes the same cabinet, mounting, and peripherals as the SAM4S Sapphire Series. Available from CRS, Inc. (Saint Paul, MN).

Sapphire-700N by SAM4S

COMPANY BUSINESS

A Good Call for Restaurants

A pair of technology firms have joined forces to further the role of "Voice AI" in hospitality. A combined solution has the voice technology by Goodcall (Cupertino, CA)--already powering smart answering, customer relationship management (CRM), and automated booking for thousands of small businesses--added to the multi-modal restaurant operations platform by Palona AI (Palo Alto, CA). As phone-based, and purpose-built, and entitled "Goodcall for Restaurants"--available in both English and Spanish--it will elevate restaurant service and the customer experience across functions such as ordering/payment, reservations, delivery, and gift/loyalty, according to the two partners.

"Restaurants still rely heavily on the phone, yet service expectations have changed," relayed Maria Zhang, CEO of Palona AI. "By partnering with Goodcall, we're combining their proven expertise in AI-driven voice systems with Palona's restaurant domain intelligence to create something the industry has been waiting for--a Voice AI that actually understands hospitality." As credentials, Zhang was VP of Engineering at Google, VP/GM of AI for Products at Meta, and CTO at Tinder.

"This partnership is about focus," related Bob Summers, CEO of Goodcall. "For five years, we've seen the power of AI Voice agents in everyday business. Together with Palona, we're dedicating that power entirely to restaurants--bringing them the most sophisticated, reliable, and brand-authentic Voice AI service in the industry." On his part, Summers previously served as Senior Product Manager, Speech, at Google.

A Joint Solution of Voice Technology and AI

A Spin With Mad Mobile

A platform for "direct-to-brand acquiring" in payment processing has been showcased at Mad Mobile (Tampa, FL). As suitable for all card brands, and designated Mad Mobile's Premier Acquirer Services, it draws upon three partners: Visa's Cybersource (Foster City, CA), SouthState Bank (Winter Haven, FL), and RS2 (Denver, CO and Frankfurt, Germany). It eliminates the need for third-party processors.

"This milestone is nothing sort of remarkable for our industry," suggested Bruce Bennett, CEO of Mad Mobile. "Few vertical SaaS [Software-as-a-Service] companies make the leap to this level of acquirer services. By collaborating with Visa, Mad Mobile now manages the payments experience end-to-end for its customers. That means faster access to funds, stronger economics, and a future-ready platform to help restaurants and retailers thrive."

"We're proud to collaborate with Mad Mobile to help restaurants and retailers modernize payments and deliver better experiences for their customers," remarked Mike Sullivan, VP of Partnerships, Visa Acceptance Solutions. "By integrating Cybersource with the capabilities of Mad Mobile's Payment Facilitator, Mad Mobile is bringing greater speed, transparency, and security to merchants while building the foundation for next-generation commerce." (With its Cake POS, Mad Mobile includes distribution through Sysco and installation by Best Buy.)

Mad Mobile Launches Premier Acquirer Services

Worth Your While

2026

NRF Big Show
National Retail Federation
January 11-13
New York, NY

NGA Show
National Grocers Association
February 1-3
Las Vegas, NV

RSPA Inspire
Retail Solutions Providers Association
February 1-4
Kaua'i, HI

ETA Transact
Electronic Transactions Association
March 18-20
Atlanta, GA

MODEX
Material Handling Institute - MHI
April 13-16
Atlanta, GA

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 16-19
Chicago, IL

RSPA RetailNOW
Retail Solutions Providers Association
July 26-28
Las Vegas, NV

FS/TEC
Informa
September 23-25
Grapevine, TX

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Joya to the World

A debut of the Joya Smart family at Datalogic (Eugene, OR) addresses customer and retailer enthusiasm for self-shopping. A 5" high-resolution projected-capacitive display, housed in ergonomic smartphone design of 8.4"/214 mm in length and weight of 10.7 oz./303 g, fits naturally in the shopper's hand. A full suite of wireless for mobility, including charging, has Bluetooth 5/BLE, Wi-Fi 6E, and NFC.

A notable market differentiation, as identified by the manufacturer, has the scan engine and camera sharing the same point-of-view. A matching front-facing configuration means shoppers can view their aimed item via the rear camera as they scan, ensuring high first-time read success. In addition, embedded algorithms--with computer vision empowered by AI--enhance scanning for item identification for both shoppers and store associates. As O/S, Joya Smart supports Android.

In loss prevention, an AI-driven "Shop Guard" system verifies non-scanned items, preventing errors. "Our new Joya Smart family represents a fundamental transformation in how we approach self-shopping technology," indicated Rosario Casillo, EVP of Product and Solutions, Data Capture Division, Datalogic. "We provide unparalleled value with devices that redefine the in-store journey, delivering speed and convenience for shoppers while helping retailers." As accompanying software, there's Datalogic's "Shopevolution" and "EasyShop."

Joya Smart Self-Shopping Device by Datalogic

It Winks at PAX

A biometric-enabled payment solution has been unboxed by PAX Technology (Jacksonville, FL) in conjunction with Wink Inc. (Plano, TX). It allows merchants to offer customers multimodal authentication--face, palm, or voice--on the family of payment terminals by PAX Technology. An innovative solution by Wink handles payment processing as well as the biometric authentication. It links through PAX's BroadPOS App.

A combined solution is powered by NIST top-ranking algorithms, PCI DSS-compliant infrastructure (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), tokenized identity, and real-time "liveness detection" to ensure privacy, safety, and fraud protection, according to the two new partners. In addition, sub-second verification and 1:N matching enable enterprise-grade performance. Consumers who enroll once with participating merchant or provider will be recognized at any Wink-enabled PAX Terminal. No additional hardware is required.

"By working with Wink to bring their functionality to our payment devices with Android, the point-of-sale becomes more than a payment terminal--it becomes an identity-enabled commerce platform," emphasized Clint Jones, Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at PAX Technology. "This isn't just a feature, it's a fundamental shift representing the future of checkout, one that prioritizes security, speed, and personalization." (A part of Phoenix Managed Networks, Wink was founded in 2021 by current CEO, Deepak Jain.)

A New Biometric-Enabled Payment Solution

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A Message From the Editor

As we enjoy another year--our 20th!--our mission remains constant: to fill the need for timely, focused, non-biased news in the channel for POS & Auto ID (and now Mobility). If anything, that need grows more pressing in the face of new technologies, go-to-market strategies, business models, and consumer expectations. We look forward to continuing our mission, and welcome your suggestions and thoughts on improvements.

Michael Kachmar, Editor

Short Takes

-SUNMI (Atlanta, GA and Singapore) has been named as Principal Participating Organization (PPO) within the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC, Wakefield, MA).

-24Seven Commerce (San Jose, CA) has provided its middleware, Octopus Bridge, as the link to major e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces for furniture ISV, STORIS POS (Mount Arlington, NJ).

-Toast (Boston, MA) will supply its Toast POS and Toast Go Handhelds for "superfood" chain, everbowl, with 100 locations across the U.S. Also, Toast's New AI Assistant will power restaurant sales of Coca-Cola.

ALLIANCES

SSI - Betting on Yellow Dog

A capacity for inventory management, via Yellow Dog Software (Norfolk, VA), has been added to the PDQ POS by Signature Systems, Inc. (Warminster, PA). With focus on the gaming market, this integration recently went live for Osage Casinos in Oklahoma. It supports both retail and food and beverage outlets. Privately-held, Yellow Dog Software was founded by CEO Jay Livingood in 2006. (His yellow dog, by the way, was named "Sola.")

In retail, stock-keeping units (SKUs) created in Yellow Dog automatically synch to PDQ POS, while sales data flows back to Yellow Dog to update inventory in real-time. In food and beverage, menu items and modifiers from the PDQ POS are categorized into cost-of-goods departments for accurate reporting. In addition, operators may link menu items to recipes, enabling ingredient-level depletion tracking (versus projection).

"Our newest partnership with Yellow Dog Software gives our customers access to another premium, fully integrated solution within PDQ POS," enthused John White, EVP/CTO at Signature Systems, Inc. "In just the past five years, we've added more than 40 casinos to our customer base, showing the industry's strong demand for flexible, high-quality technology." (Another integration includes Casino Cash Trac in Tulsa, OK.)

Signature Systems, Inc. Adds Yellow Dog Inventory

Quilting for Charity

A new feature encouraging charitable giving by shoppers has been introduced by Quilt Software (Charlotte, NC). Working in conjunction with the company's multiple brands of solutions in POS, it prompts shoppers to round up their credit or debit card purchases at time of checkout, with funds donated to participating charities. As examples of current recipients, Quilt Software cites Meals on Wheels, National Association for Music Education, Quilts of Valor, Habitat for Humanity, and Jewelry for Children.

"Specialty retailers have always been the backbone of their local communities," maintained Andrew Stern, CEO of Quilt Software. "Now they can support causes that matter to them and their customers--from feeding seniors to helping families rebuild their homes--in a way that reflects the heart of 'main street' giving. You don't have to be one of the Fortune 500 retailers to make an impact. Collectively, thousands of 'main street' shops are extending their impact across the U.S."

"We're grateful that Quilt Software has helped us participate in this giving effort for our charity partners, especially for this year's Small Business Saturday [11/29] and Giving Tuesday [12/2]," expressed Mircea Prejbeanu, Owner of Paul's Jewelers (West Allis, WI), and user of Quilt's Jewel360. A portfolio of software brands assembled by Quilt Software addresses micro-vertical segments in specialty retail--"from pet supplies to musical instruments." It supports over 20,000 stores.

Quilt Software Facilitates "Round-Up" Charitable Giving

Code Corner

AI in the Field

A framework designed to bring "intelligence and automation," via AI, for field-service workers has been fashioned by FieldEquip (Houston, TX). An initial offering of this suite of AI, subtitled FieldNote AI, enables field technicians to generate professional notes--written or spoken--and augmented by an organization's internal knowledge base and industry-specific benchmarks. As target markets: oil and gas, energy, equipment rental, utilities, and industrial maintenance. "Our vision with FieldEquip AI is to create an ecosystem of intelligent assistants that support every role--technicians, dispatchers, and managers," shared John Tarascio, Consulting Partner at FieldEquip. "FieldNote AI is just the beginning of a powerful evolution toward smarter, data-driven field-service."

Intelligence by FieldNote AI

A Closet Count

A solution for accurate inventory counting in hospitality settings has been unwrapped by Folio (Durham, NC). Assigned, simply, as Folio Inventory, it achieves faster ordering, faster financials, and instant visibility into what's on-hand, on-order, and on-budget, according to the ISV. It joins the family of Folio Buy (marketplace), Folio Bills (AR/AP), and Folio Pay (Virtual Card and ACH). "Items across an operation, across every storage closet and every walk-in-freezer, need to be counted regularly. It's a chronic headache," reflected Kate Adamson, CEO and Co-Founder of Folio. "Folio Inventory makes that process faster and simpler, giving folks on the ground more time and more information."

Hospitality Inventory by Folio

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

PAR - Catering to the Market

A catering solution for restaurant brands has been rolled out by PAR Technology Corporation (New Hartford, NY). As purpose-built features, included in the new PAR Catering, are the following: centralized order desk, pre-authorization and prioritization of booking, automated billing, real-time prep and scheduling visibility, head-count-based recommendations with "smart bundles," and customer relationship management (CRM). A first-party solution, it runs catering as seamlessly as standard daily restaurant operations, says PAR.

"We didn't just add catering--we rethought it entirely," declared Savneet Singh, CEO of PAR Technology. "With PAR Catering, we're empowering operators to scale their catering programs with confidence, backed by the reliability and innovation that define PAR. Our platform streamlines every step, helping brands deliver exceptional guest experiences and realize measurable growth from day one."

In other news, PAR Technology has announced contract wins with several regional restaurant chains. In the first two, PAR will deploy its full PAR POS Suite for Erbert & Gerbert's Sandwich Shop, with 80 locations, and Abelardo's Mexican Fresh, with 50 locations (both in Midwest U.S.) Also, Mr. Pickle's Sandwich Shop, with 60 locations in Arizona and California, has added PAR Engagement to its PAR POS Suite.

PAR Adds Catering for Restaurant Brands

NRS "Tap" Dances

A combination of retail, healthcare, and fintech has been offered by National Retail Solutions (NRS, Newark, NJ), with acceptance of the Over-the-Counter (OTC) Flex Card of NationsBenefits (Plantation, FL). It enables "one tap" processing of the NationsBenefits Flex Card, as native payment option, through the NRS POS. As eligible products, it covers fresh foods and produce, vitamins and minerals, first aid and medical supplies, non-prescription medications, and personal care items.

"Local convenience stores and bodegas are the heartbeat of their neighborhoods, but they often face stiff competition from brick-and-mortar corporate chains," observed Elie Y. Katz, President and CEO of NRS. "By partnering with NationsBenefits, we are giving our independent merchants the power to compete. This integration drives foot traffic by making our merchants' stores a go-to destination for health plan members. It ensures that local shoppers can easily access the products they need, while our store owners gain a powerful new revenue stream to help them thrive."

In another area, NRS has announced its integration with GrubHub. "We are eliminating the friction points that make it harder for small businesses to compete successfully in the delivery marketplace," vouched Ari B. Korman, SVP of E-Commerce at NRS. "Based on our results to date, on average, our retailers with integration with GrubHub are achieving significantly increased profitability with very strong ROIs." (FYI: It adds to previous third-party delivery agreement with DoorDash.)

National Retail Solutions Partners With NationsBenefits to Enable "Over-the-Counter" Flex Cards

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Peripherals
Advantech-Aures
Bixolon America
Custom America
Electronic Payments
Epson America
FEC POS
HiStone
HP
Ingenico
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Sam4s/Shin Heung Precision
Star Micronics
Touch Dynamic
Washburn Computer Group

Barcode Printers
Bixolon America
Brother Mobile
Epson America
Woosim Systems

Cash Drawers/Cash Handling
apg/APG Cash Drawer

Data Collection
Star Micronics

Integrated Payment Solutions
Aurora Payments
Charge Anywhere
Datacap Systems
Electronic Payments
Ingenico

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
Brother Mobile
Epson America
Star Micronics
Woosim Systems

Remote Device Management
42Gears
Canopy

Stands, Mounts, Cradles
apg/APG Cash Drawer
Star Micronics

INSTALLATIONS

Another Slice of the Pie - NCR

A choice of NCR Voyix (Atlanta, GA) has been made for international locations planned by Marco's Pizza. Marco's now runs 66 stores in Mexico and the Caribbean, with more coming in both Latin America and Canada. It will deploy NCR Voyix Aloha Essentials, which adds capacity for off-premise and restaurant management to NCR Voyix Aloha Cloud for POS. (In the U.S., Marco's Pizza has more than 1,200 stores.)

"As we expand beyond the U.S., we looked for a technology company that can match our pace and ambition," reported Tony Libardi, President and Co-CEO of Marco's Pizza. "NCR Voyix brings the innovation, reliability, and global infrastructure we need to scale efficiently while maintaining the high standards our customers expect. This is a key step in our journey to further expand beyond the U.S."

Also, NCR Voyix has signed an exclusive six-year technology supplier agreement with Chipotle for its software- and payments-led Voyix Commerce Platform. It renews the long-standing relationship between the two companies. It adds to recent contract wins on the part of NCR Voyix for Buffalo Wild Wings, Raising Cain, and Ziggy's Coffee.

Pizza Chain Picks NCR Voyix for Global Growth

Always Sunny in Manhattan

A rollout of Manhattan Active POS, bringing unified commerce between brick-and-mortar and web-based worlds, has been completed for youth fashion retailer, Pacsun (Pacific Sunwear of California). After successful pilot, the solution has been deployed across 300 stores throughout the U.S. A part of the Active Omni Suite by Manhattan Associates (Atlanta, GA), it includes mobile checkout, inventory management with RFID, "endless aisle functionality" that converts out-of-stocks to digital orders, and integration across social channels such as Instagram, Amazon, and TikTok.

"A game-changer," testified Shirley Gao, Chief Digital and Information Officer for Pacsun. "Store associates adapted instantly, turning challenges like oversold items into opportunities. During peak demand time, real-time analytics helped us resolve unified orders 50% faster, safeguarding our customer relationships and securing our strongest holiday season yet." A full 40% of online orders were fulfilled via stores.

Also, an industry veteran in network technology, Greg Betz, has been enlisted as COO of Manhattan Associates. He most recently served as VP and GM of Worldwide FastTrack at Microsoft, which helps migrate customers to Microsoft Cloud. Additional credentials include time with NTT Data Services, DXC Technology, and Hewlett-Packard Enterprises.

Apparel Retailer Pacsun Embraces Manhattan Active Point-of-Sale

Channel Factoid

Weekend at Retailers

(Sales - Thanksgiving
to Cyber Monday 2025)

-A record 202.9 million consumers shopped, surpassing 197 million shoppers in 2024 and the previous record of 200.4 million in 2023.

-A total of 129.5 million consumers shopped in-store, up 3% from 126 million in 2024.

-A total of 134.9 million consumers shopped online, up 9% from 124.3 million in 2024.

-Top five shopping destinations were ranked: supermarkets (47%), online (45%), department stores (40%), clothing stores (37%), and discount stores (30%).

-Top four gift categories were ranked: clothing and accessories (51%), toys (32%), books and media (28%), and gift cards (26%).

-During the holiday season (November 1 - December 31), holiday shopping is expected to surpass $1 trillion for the first time, with growth between 3.7% and 4.2% over 2024.

Source: "Annual Holiday Weekend Consumer Survey" by Prosper Insights & Analytics for the National Retail Federation.

Total Holiday Sales Projected to Pass $1 Trillion

Scorecard at BlueStar

-Manel Baranera to COO (former COO EU)

-Rob Dorsey to SVP of Sales and Business Development (former VP of Sales)

-Dean Reverman to CMO (former VP of Marketing)

-Jim Walsh to VP of Supply Chain (former VP of Purchasing)

-Steve Becker to VP of Purchasing (former Director of Purchasing)

-Missie Bolen to CPO (former VP of Human Resources)

HELLO GOODBYE

Ingenico's Next-Generation

A transition to new leadership at Ingenico (Alpharetta, GA and Paris, France) has Floris de Kort as new CEO and Autumn Flora as CMO (Chief Marketing Officer). In his resume, Floris de Kort includes CEO at Thunes, CEO of Xplor technologies, and CEO of Worldpay U.S. With experience in payments, Autumn Flora most recently served as CMO of Transact Campus, preceded by VP of Customer Marketing at ACI Worldwide.

"I am honored to join Ingenico at a time of great opportunity," stated Floris de Kort. "The company has a unique position in the payments ecosystem, trusted by merchants, banks, and partners around the world. I look forward to working with the team to further expand our global offering, accelerate growth and execution, and deliver world-class solutions to our customers."

"Joining Ingenico truly feels like coming home," stated Autumn Flora. "My career has always been rooted in payments and technology, and I'm extremely passionate about how marketing can connect innovation to the customer's needs. As Ingenico continues to lead the payments space, I'm excited to help tell that story. One that positions the company for growth while keeping our customers at the center of everything we do."

In the C-Suite at Ingenico: Floris de Kort, CEO, and Autumn Flora, CMO

PCI Pal's New Pal

A new CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) has been hired at PCI Pal (Charlotte, NC and London, UK), provider of secure payment solutions: Kathy Varney. She brings two decades of leadership in global marketing, notes PCI Pal, with experience in SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) and AI. Previous roles include CMO at Holon Solutions (healthcare), VP of Global Brand Marketing at LogMeIn (now GoTo), and SVP of Marketing at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts (on the Executive Management Team).

"As our CMO, Kathy will spearhead PCI Pal's increasing investment in marketing to expand our marketing engine and go-to-market strategy, with a sharp focus on enterprise customer expansion and deeper marketing engagement with our key partners," commented James Barham, CEO of PCI Pal. "Based in the U.S., Kathy will use her clear regional expertise to drive continued material growth of PCI Pal's North American Operations. Following an extensive search, we're thrilled to have Kathy on board at this exciting time for the business."

"As organizations globally prioritize data protection and experience-driven solutions, PCI Pal's cloud-native, partner-centric platform is more relevant than ever," proposed Varney. "I look forward to working with our teams and partners to elevate our brand and support customer success across all regions." Also, PCI Pal has recruited Royston Ballard as its new Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) based in London, UK.

Kathy Varney, Chief Marketing Officer, PCI Pal