Our Product Pick

An introduction for Kitchen Armor (Irvine, CA) has Windows 11 Iot Enterprise LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel) coupled with its All-in-One, Power-over-Ethernet Plus (PoE+) Kitchen Display System (KDS). A single cable in PoE+ delivers power and data, simplifying installation, reducing clutter, and minimizing complexity. A commercial-grade, stainless-steel enclosure as well as hardened-glass, optically bonded, projected-capacitive touchscreen further reliability. Also, optimized performance addresses high-volume kitchen workflows, says Kitchen Armor. "This launch reflects everything we strive for at Kitchen Armor and our focus on delivering technology that belongs in the kitchen," reflected Paul Amestoy, Co-Founder and Chief Strategist at Kitchen Armor. "By combining PoE+ with Windows 11 IoT, we are delivering a solution that is simpler to deploy, easier to manage, and built to last."

Kitchen Armor's Touch PoE+ Display

COMPANY BUSINESS

A Wink at Android

A trio of players--Wink (Plano, TX), Sunmi (Atlanta, GA), and Qualcomm Technologies (San Diego, CA)--have joined forces to further identity-driven payments at checkout. A platform runs biometric technology by Wink, on payment devices with Android by Sunmi, supported by AI-based edge computing of Qualcomm's Dragonwing CPU.

As authentication for this solution, Wink includes face- and palm-based checkout via camera across the family of mobile, desktop, and kiosk terminals of Sunmi. "Great consumer experiences in payments feel effortless, even as powerful technology works underneath," expressed Shannon Ethridge, SVP of Sales at Sunmi. "This collaboration reflects our focus on designing merchant-ready payment platforms for our wide array of partners that support advanced innovation while keeping checkout intuitive, consistent, and security-rich across use cases."

"Biometric identity is no longer an experiment--it's becoming the foundation of modern commerce," indicated Amitaabh Malhotra, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Wink. "By combining Sunmi's global payment device footprint with Qualcomm Technologies' edge AI leadership, we're bringing production-ready, identity-native checkout to scale. This isn't an incremental upgrade to payments--it's a structural shift in how transactions are authenticated, concluded, and experienced across the industry."

A New Platform for Biometric Checkout: Wink, Sunmi, and Qualcomm

A Voice in the Sky

An integration between Maple (New York, NY) and Shift4 (Center Valley, PA) brings Voice AI to SkyTab POS. Orders placed through Maple flow into Shift4's SkyTab--24/7--syncing menus, printing to the kitchen, and processing payments. (With over 40% of phone calls going unanswered during peak hours, an average restaurant loses more than $30,000 annually in unrealized phone orders, estimates research by Shift4.)

According to its developers, the solution of Maple/SkyTab enables simple deployment. It draws from all menu data, including items, modifiers, pricing, and availability. Customers may pay over the phone, via SkyTab, or upon pick-up. Also, with multi-location support, restaurant groups may deploy Maple across all SkyTab locations with centralized management as well as location-specific customization.

"Restaurant owners constantly tell us that they can't afford to hire dedicated phone staff, but they also can't afford to miss calls," reported Aidan Chau, CEO and Founder of Maple. "Partnering with Shift4 allows us to bring AI phone ordering to thousands of SkyTab restaurants with an integration that just works: orders flow straight to the kitchen without extra tablets, duplicate entries, or friction." Since launching in December 2023, Maple has answered over one million restaurant calls.

Bringing Voice AI to Shift4's SkyTab

[Editor's Note: At Shift4, Timothy Goodwin, former SVP of Product, has been named as Chief Payments Officer.]

Worth Your While

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

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

SEAA
Southeast Acquirers Association
June 8-10
Miami, FL

MWAA
Midwest Acquirers Association
July 22-23
Chicago, IL

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

Partner First Conference
ScanSource
Aug. 31- Sept. 1
Arlington, TX

Loupe Americas
Labels & Outer Packaging/Label Expo
September 15-17
Chicago, IL

WSAA
Western States Acquirers Association
September 15-17
Palm Springs, CA

VARTECH
Bluestar
September 21-22
Mohegan Sun (CT)

FS/TEC
Informa
September 23-25
Grapevine, TX

MJBizCon
MJBizDaily
December 1-4
Las Vegas, NV

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Ion-ization at Touch Dynamic

A design refresh at Touch Dynamic (South Plainfield, NJ) has presented the new terminal, Pulse Ion POS. As successor to the company's Pulse Ultra Widescreen, it delivers enhanced performance, more immersive experience for employees and customers, and modernized form factor. A widescreen display, at 15.6" (1920x1080), with true-flat projected-capacitive technology, and symmetrical bezel, extends clarity and interaction "from virtually any angle."

As computing, Pulse Ion has next-generation Intel N150 and Intel Core i3-N305 CPUs, up to 32 GB Memory, and high-speed NVMe M.2 SSD Storage. It supports Windows 10 Iot, Windows 11 Iot, Windows 11 Pro, Android 13, and Linux. A wide range of connectivity options, customized display outputs, and backward compatibility with peripherals ensures ease of integration "into any ecosystem of POS."

A "sleek, contemporary design" with new full-flat base improves durability, simplifies cleaning, and enhances overall stability. A streamlined profile and reduced eco footprint of Pulse Ion allows for easier shipping and faster deployment, according to Touch Dynamic, and mounting choices include Vesa 75x75 and 100x100. As target markets: "high-traffic retail, hospitality, or gaming environments."

Touch Dynamic's Pulse Ion POS

Socket Mobile Shopifies

A pair of newly released handheld scanners at Socket Mobile (Fremont, CA)--Models SocketScan S721 and SocketScan S741--meet certification with the latest Version 11.0 of Shopify. With ergonomic design, and compact dimensions of 5.2"/132 mm (L) x 1.4"/36 mm (W) x 1.6"/41 mm (D), weighing approximately 2 oz./55 g, Models SocketScan S721/S741 now feature Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). A set of simple indicators and support for iOS, Android, and Windows facilitate use.

As suitable for retail counters, warehouses, and mobile work environments, the Model SocketScan S721 reads printed and digital 1D/2D symbologies, including PDF-417, QR Codes, and Data Matrix, at distances of 1.1"/28 mm to 36.1"/917 mm. As companion, Model SocketScan S741 enhances performance for small, dense, and damaged symbologies, as well aa formats for passports and driver's licenses in OCR (Optical Character Recognition). As application development, Models SocketScan S721/S741 include SocketMobile's CaptureSDK.

"Expanding support within the Shopify ecosystem is an important step for our customers and partners," shared Dave Holmes, Chief Business Officer at Socket Mobile. "With the addition of the S721 and S741, Shopify merchants can take advantage of our latest Bluetooth Low Energy scanning technology to improve reliability, maintain consistent wireless performance throughout the day, and support a broader range of scanning applications, including ID Verification."As MSRP: $199 for S721 and $249 for S741.

SocketScan S721/S741 From Socket Mobile

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A Message From the Editor

As we enter 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

-SpotOn (San Francisco, CA) has embraced Voice AI for its restaurant order/reservation platform, courtesy of Loman AI (Austin, TX).

-Square (Oakland, CA), the payments platform of Block, has begun rolling out payments via Bitcoin for eligible sellers in the U.S.

-Jack's Family Restaurants, with roughly 300 locations, has selected PAR Technology (New Hartford, NY) for all POS, Loyalty, and Payments.

-Fello (Butler, NJ), prominent player in event technology rentals, has chosen preconfigured payment terminals by Verifone (San Jose, CA).

-Ike's Love & Sandwiches, with 100 locations, has selected Toast (San Francisco, CA) for its POS and Self-Service Kiosks.

ALLIANCES

Ordr's Atomic Energy

Adoption of Cy4Secure from Cy4Data Labs (San Jose, CA) now gives "Atomic-Level Encryption" for payment processing by Ordr (Salt Lake City, UT). It seeks to secure cardholder data beyond conformance to the PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard). With customers such as the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers, Ordr, established in 2021, focuses on sports, entertainment, and hospitality.

Under deployment of Cy4Secure, each individual data field gets encrypted with its own unique, constantly changing key. (No two keys are ever the same.) In eliminating the value of stolen data, Cy4Secure cites three advantages for customers of Ordr: instant insider-threat detection, zero performance impact, and quantum-proof protection.

"Choosing Cy4Secure was a simple decision," explained Ryan Bott, CEO at Ordr. "The scale of what we process demands security that doesn't crack under pressure, doesn't slow us down, and doesn't fail quietly in the background. Cy4Data Labs gives us confidence that no matter what happens--breach, insider misuse, or even future quantum attacks--our customers' data is safe, worthless to attackers, and protected by design." (As CEO and Co-Founder of Cy4Data Labs: Lance Smith.)

A New Cardholder Data Security Partner for Ordr: Cy4Data Labs

[Editor's Note: At press time, Ordr expanded its footprint in Las Vegas, NV, with new contract to supply payment processing for Resorts World.]

Selling on the "Edge"

An addition to the line-card at IW Technologies (Elgin, IL) sees Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) by Solum America (Ridgefield Park, NJ). A reseller and deployment agreement for IW covers the package of hardware, software, and centralized management in ESL from Solum America. Overall, IW will execute procurement, roll-out, and lifecycle support.

"The shelf edge is where retail execution breaks down most often and where those breakdowns quietly add up to real cost," stressed Justin Lockefeer, VP of Domestic and International Sales at IW Technologies. "Solum's ESL platform gives operators greater control by keeping shelf and system pricing aligned, reducing manual workload, and maintaining consistent pricing execution across locations. For our customers, that translates into measurable ROI, unlocking store labor capacity, and improving margin control, with many enterprises seeing payback within 12 to 24 months depending on scope."

"For nearly 50 years, IW has evolved from the first checkout counter to supporting the modern mobile enterprise and from hardware experts to full-lifecycle service partners," continued Lockefeer. "ESL technology fits naturally into that progression, extending our role beyond POS." Worldwide, Solum has supplied more than 350 million Electronic Shelf Labels deployed across more than 50,000 stores.

IW Technologies Adds Electronic Shelf Labels by Solum America

[Editor's Note: Another sign of ESL: Walmart plans digital price labels in all stores in the U.S. by end of 2026.]

Code Corner

A Window on Receipt Design

A solution for designing receipt layouts with its thermal printers, via Windows O/S, has been provided by Bixolon America (Torrance, CA). Designated as Bixolon's POS Artist, it encompasses basic print settings, database integration, image and text placement, and barcode insertion. A variety of formats support use in retail, restaurants, self-service kiosks, and ticketing. Additionally, Bixolon's updated Windows Driver now includes Status Monitor. It provides notification on the desktop when abnormal conditions are detected. Alerts in e-mail may be sent via SMTP server configuration for remote printer status management.

Bixolon SRP-330III Receipt Printer

A Full Tank at PayEngine

A boost for PayEngine (Burbank, CA), an embedded payments infrastructure built for vertical SaaS (Software as a Service), with its listing in the "WorksWith" Marketplace at Elavon (Atlanta, GA). It gives providers the tools to deliver customized payment experiences without the overhead of building and maintaining their own infrastructure, according to PayEngine, via APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) and SDKs (Software Development Kits). It automates onboarding, risk management, and reporting, with compliance to Payment Card Industry (PCI) Standards, while monetizing payments by share of processing revenue. "We built PayEngine to give vertical SaaS platforms control, transparency, and scalability," remarked Shobhit Kumar, Head of Sales for PayEngine. "Being part of Elavon's WorksWith ecosystem allows us to accelerate that vision."

PayEngine Listed on Elavon's Marketplace

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

Accompanying the Simphony

An embedded, generative AI Smart Assistant now accompanies Simphony Cloud Point-of-Sale by Oracle (Austin, TX). Currently in early adoption, it supports restaurant teams with suggestions resolving common technical and operational issues. With so-called real-time intelligence, it allows personalization to guidelines of individual brands.

Answers may be given to common questions such as "Why isn't my printer working?" or "Why can't I log into Simphony?" cites Oracle. Accessible with one click, Smart Assistant can also be triggered by on-screen error messages. Staff have an option to share feedback to improve the accuracy of responses and strengthen system efficiency.

"Oracle Simphony Cloud Smart Assistant is a game-changer for restaurant operators, offering immediate, in-context support that reduces workloads for IT teams and empowers staff to resolve common issues on the spot," declared Etienne Piat, VP, Service Excellence and Innovations, Oracle Consumer Industries. "This innovation will enable restaurants to maintain peak performance while focusing on what matters most: exceptional guest service." (FYI: Also new to the market: Oracle NetSuite Restaurant Operations, powered by AI.)

Oracle Engages Smart Assistant for Simphony POS

Bluefin Spawns BluePOS

As its next-generation payment application, Bluefin (Atlanta, GA) has unwrapped its BluePOS. A touch-friendly solution, it runs through Bluefin's PayConex Gateway, and leverages its PCI (Payment Card Industry)-validated P2PE (Point-to-Point Encryption). It supports the Android-based family of payment terminals from PAX (Jacksonville, FL).

"BluePOS represents a major step forward in how we deliver and evolve payment applications for our customers," suggested Tim Barnett, Chief Technology Officer at Bluefin. "By bringing development fully in-house, we're able to move faster, respond directly to client needs, and continuously enhance the payment experience without relying on third-party release cycles. At the same time, we're maintaining the highest standards of security by leveraging our PCI-validated P2PE PayConex."

App BluePOS supports common transaction workflows including sales, refunds, voids, authorizations, and automatic, "forced" sales. All necessary functions are included, such as tipping, receipts, contactless settings, and manual entry. As flexible connectivity options, it presents stand-alone, "SaaSConex," and integrations based through WebSocket.

Bluefin Debuts Proprietary BluePOS

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Peripherals
Bixolon America
Epson America
FEC POS
HiStone
HP
MagTek
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Sam4s/Shin Heung Precision
Star Micronics
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
Datacap Systems
MagTek

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

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

INSTALLATIONS

Qu's Shack Attack

A major effort by fast-casual restaurant chain Shake Shack (New York, NY)--entitled Project Catalyst--encompasses core technology, digital processes, as well as AI. As in-store systems, it will draw upon the POS and KDS (Kitchen Display Systems) of Qu (Arlington, VA). It will support Shake Shack's expansion to 1,500 sites (from 659 at the end of 2025).

As part of this rollout, Shake Shack will develop its first loyalty program (somewhat surprisingly). A "new generation" of proprietary capabilities in AI, embedded into daily workflow, will form an intelligent operating layer, furnishing proactive insights, alerts, and recommendations for each location, according to Shake Shack. Altogether, operational data, guest behavior, and advanced analytics will be combined and practiced.

"Shake Shack is entering a significant phase of growth, and building the right foundation to support that scale is a top priority," relayed Rob Lynch, CEO of Shake Shack. "Project Catalyst strengthens the technology and digital capabilities that power our restaurants and connect us more meaningfully with our guests. These investments will help our teams operate more efficiently, enhance the guest experience, and position Shake Shack to scale successfully toward 1,500 Shacks."

Qu Drives the Shake Shack's Project Catalyst

[Editor's Note: Also, Qu has been selected as the technology partner for POS and KDS by Roy Rodgers Restaurants, with 38 sites.]

A Brijj to Vertical Markets

A commerce platform purpose-built for the vertical specialty market of second-hand, "thrift" retailers, christened Brijjworks (think "Bridge"), has been fashioned at Retail Control Systems (Lebanon, NH). It covers the entire thrift lifecycle, from donation intake to handling and listing of items, and in-store and online POS. It supports single-location thrift stores and multi-region nonprofits, according to the VAR/ISV.

In support of the combined need for transparency, community engagement, and financial sustainability on the part of such second-hand retailers, Brijjworks has four core products: Donation, Thrift Production Manager, Lister, and POS. Early implementations of Brijjworks have demonstrated the capacity to minimize manual tasks, improve pricing consistency, enhance inventory visibility, and increase profit margins. In making its announcement, Retail Control Systems pointed to increasing consumer participation in the "circular economy."

"We had a 30-store enterprise-level retailer that produced over two million items of donated merchandise a month. We understood the challenges of labor and the systems required to grade those goods and get them ready for the sales floor," related Kevin Albert, President and CEO of Retail Control Systems. "Brijjworks uses AI during production to help standardize pricing, identify high-value items, and capture sustainability data automatically, so teams can process more goods with less manual effort and measure both revenue and landfill diversion."

Retail Control Systems Debuts Brijjworks Software

Channel Factoid

In the Driver's
Seat for Labeling

-Connected Networks

-Geopolitical Impact

-Smart Packaging

-Authenticity/Traceability

-Autonomous Supply Chains

Source: "Top 5 Trends - 2026" by Loftware

A Goal of End-to-End Supply-Chain Visibility

The Front End

At press time, Honeywell (Charlotte, NC) announced it will sell its Productivity Solutions and Services (PSS) Business to Brady Corporation (Milwaukee, WI). An all-cash transaction of $1.4 billion is expected to be complete in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. As part of Honeywell Industrial Automation, Honeywell PSS had revenue of approximately $1.1 billion in 2025. A walk down memory lane of its acquisitions in barcode scanning/printing includes Datamax-O'Neil (2015), Intermec (2013), Metrologic (2008), and Handheld Products (2007). It prepares for sale of Honeywell's Aerospace Business, according to Vimal Kapur, CEO.

Honeywell Joins the Brady Bunch

HELLO GOODBYE

In the Circle at Restaurant365

A veteran technology executive, Eric Cox, has joined Restaurant365 (Irvine, CA) as COO. He comes most recently from Dropbox, where he served as Chief Customer Officer. Previous roles have included COO at Vimeo and VP of Digital Media for Business at Adobe. A cloud-based, purpose-built platform, Restaurant365 has back-of-house accounting, inventory, workforce management, and payroll functionality.

"Eric is a fantastic addition to the team who brings a rare combination of scaled public company experience and entrepreneurial mindset," commented Tony Smith, CEO and Co-Founder of Restaurant365. "I was impressed that despite all of his past success, he still brings a helpful, hungry attitude that fits perfectly with our team as we work together to drive this next phase of growth."

"Restaurant365 has built an impressive platform that solves real, everyday challenges for restaurant operators while unlocking new opportunities through data, automation, and now AI," testified Cox. "I'm excited to join this leadership team and help build on our strong momentum in empowering customers to control and grow their profitability." In March, Restaurant365 was chosen system-wide for all 2,128 corporate and franchisee locations of QSR, Jack in the Box.

Eric Cox, COO, Restaurant365

An "R" for Revenue at ECRS

Aboard at grocery ISV ECRS (Boone, NC), developer of CATAPULT, as its Chief Revenue Officer: Merrick Rosner. Prior to ECRS, he served as National Retailer Advisory Board Member at the Independent Grocery Alliance (IGA). Other posts have included Head of Revenue and Solution Sales, Independent Grocery for Instacart, Chief Revenue Officer for KeyMe, and VP of Enterprise Accounts for AppCard.

Rosner stated, "Joining the ECRS executive team is an opportunity to help further a mission I deeply believe in--empowering independent grocers with the technology they need to compete, grow, and win for generations. ECRS reflects the very values of the retailers it serves, family-owned, community-driven, and built to last." He added, "That culture, combined with ECRS' unmatched innovation and retail expertise, made this a compelling opportunity to bring my experience to the CATAPULT community, and help independent retailers succeed."

"We're excited for the experience and know-how that Merrick brings to our executive leadership team. Merrick's incredibly impressive reputation for driving success for independent retailers fits our mission at ECRS and we are excited for the ways he will shape our organizational growth moving forward," stated Caroline Catoe, President at ECRS. Also, ECRS has released its updated Third-Party Integration and API Guidance.

Merrick Rosner, Chief Revenue Officer, ECRS