Our Product Pick

A Digivue Mini PC has been unboxed at Touch Dynamic (South Plainfield, NJ). In compact dimensions of 4.7"/120 mm (L) x 4.7"/120 mm (W) x 0.9"/23 mm (D), weighing 0.85 lbs./386 g, it carries Intel Celeron Elkhart Lake J6412 CPU, 8 GB Memory, and 128 GB Storage. As O/S, it supports Windows 10 IoT, Windows 11, Android 13, and Linux. An additional NVMe SSD Slot expands Storage. Multiple video ports connect up to three displays, and wireless includes 802.11 Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2/BLE. Also, VESA Mount (75x75 mm and 100x100 mm).

Digivue Mini PC From Touch Dynamic

COMPANY BUSINESS

A Path to Financing at EPI

A partnership between Electronic Payments, Inc. (Calverton, NY) and YouLend (Atlanta, GA and London, U.K.) addresses capital needs for the SMB. With it, small businesses may apply for "flexible, revenue-based financing" ranging from $1,000 to $1,000,000. It will be offered to the more than 50,000 eligible merchant customers of Electronic Payments.

With AI (Artificial Intelligence), YouLend's decision-making model assesses the merchant's credit worthiness. A quick application and approval process delivers approved funds within 24 to 48 hours. YouLend is the preferred embedded financing platform for many of the world's leading e-commerce and payments platforms, such as Amazon, eBay, Shopify, Dojo, Mastercard, and Google. (At YouLend, Ted Kirk serves as Country Head and Strategic Partnerships for the U.S.)

"We're constantly looking for new ways to support the financial growth of our customers," relayed Michael Nardy, Founder and CEO of Electronic Payments, Inc. "Our partnership with YouLend addresses a critical pain point for merchants--lack of access to capital. Through this new program, we're empowering thousands of small businesses to invest in their growth with revenue-based financing, whenever and wherever they need it."

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Michael Nardy, Founder and CEO, Electronic Payments, Inc.

Band of Brothers

An eye towards "enhanced synergy and growth," Brother International Corporation has integrated its wholly-owned subsidiary, Brother Mobile Solutions, into its corporate operations. A longtime player in our channel, Brother Mobile Solutions supplies mobile and desktop thermal printers for warehousing, retail, public sector, and safety. It complements the wide product portfolio of business and consumer printing, labeling, and fastening at Brother International Corporation.

"Brother Mobile Solutions is a shining star in our Auto ID printing solutions strategy, and we are excited to bring the organization under the BIC umbrella to support its continued growth goals," declared Don Cummins, President of Brother International Corporation (Bridgewater, NJ). "By combining our strengths and resources, we are well-positioned to drive innovation, enhance collaboration, and further align goals across the organization." In addition to its headquarters, Brother has facilities in California, Illinois, and Tennessee, as well as subsidiaries in Canada, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Mexico.

"We are tremendously proud of our growth and the continued demand for our solutions," reflected Ravi Panjwani, President of Brother Mobile Solutions (Westminster, CO). "By combining the unique strengths and capabilities of Brother Mobile Solutions with the resources and experiences of Brother International Corporation, we are positioning ourselves for even greater success in the marketplace." According to the announcement, headquarters of Brother Mobile Solutions will stay in place, with engineering, support, product management, and marketing.

Ravi Panjwani, President of Brother Mobile Solutions (At left), Celebrates With Don Cummins, President of Brother International Corporation (At Right)

Worth Your While

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

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 18-21
Chicago, IL

RetailNOW
Retail Solutions Providers Association
July 28-30
Las Vegas, NV

VARTECH
BlueStar
September 16-17
Orlando, FL

FSTEC
Foodservice Tech/Winsight
September 16-18
Grapevine, TX

Pack Expo
PMMI-Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies
November 3-6
Chicago, IL

MJBizCon
MJBizDaily
December 3-6
Las Vegas, NV

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Sunmi Sports HaLow

A new product line at Sunmi (Alpharetta, GA and Shanghai, China) employs so-called "Hyper" Wi-Fi HaLow. Initial offerings include the V3 MIX Smart Mobile POS Terminal and MINI AP (Access Point). With Wi-Fi HaLow, the V3 MIX has extended range of up to 3,280 ft./1 km (10x greater than conventional Wi-Fi). Corresponding benefits of the technology include superior wall penetration, reduced roaming time, maximum connectivity, and enhanced network security.

In pursuing Wi-Fi HaLow, Sunmi has partnered with chip maker NEWRACOM (Irvine, CA). In its two new products, Sunmi incorporates the NRC7394 Wi-Fi HaLow, an integrated SoC (System-on-a-Chip). It includes Baseband, Sub 1 GHz Radio Transceiver, and ADC/DAC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) in package of 0.2"/6 mm x 0.2"/6 mm (48-QFN).

In compliance with the IEEE 802.11ah standard, it supports channel bandwidths of 1/2/4 MHz. It offers data rate of 150 Kbps to 15 Mbps, accommodating myriad applications, from low-rate sensors to high-rate surveillance cameras. According to CEO Lin Jack, Sunmi intends to expand the use of Hyper Wi-Fi to millions of devices in different industries, such as wearables, smart manufacturing, and logistics, in addition to POS.

Sunmi's Hyper Wi-Fi HaLow Mobile POS: V3 MIX

Mach 10 Reached at MicroTouch

Adding to its Mach Touch All-in-One Computer Series, MicroTouch (Holland, MI) has unveiled the 10" Mach M1-101IC-AA3. With projected-capacitive touchscreen, optical bonding, and etched anti-glare surface, the Mach M1-101IC-AA3 A-i-O has resolution of 1280x800, brightness of 400 Nits (No Touch)/360 Nits (PCAP), contrast ratio of 900:1, aspect ratio of 16:10, and view angle of 170 Degrees. It runs Android 13 O/S, with Google's EDLA/GMS (Enterprise Devices Licensing Agreement/Google Mobile Services), 8 GB Memory, and 64 GB Storage.

As support in AI (Artificial Intelligence), MicroTouch notes that the Mach M1-101IC-AA3 A-i-O features an ARM MediaTek Genio 700 CPU (with MediaTek NeuroPilot) and 802.11 Wi-Fi 6E Certification (along with Bluetooth 5.2/BLE). Overall, it measures 10"/256 mm (W) x 6.7"/169 mm (H) x 1.4"/35 mm (D), and weighs 2.2 lbs./1 kg with portrait, landscape, or tabletop orientation, black plastic casing, and front panel rating of IP-65. Additional features include stereo speaker, front-facing camera at 5 MP, and 75x75 mm VESA Mount.

An assembly of ports includes USB Type-C x 5, USB 3.0 Type-A x 1, RJ-45 Gigabit LAN x 1, Audio x 1, and Power-Over-Ethernet (POW+). A full range of peripherals for retail and hospitality are offered, as well as three-year warranty. "MicroTouch's Mach Touch Computers have received an exceptional response, highlighting our dedication to superior performance and modern design," expressed John Dixon, VP of Business Solutions at MicroTouch. "Our commitment to future-proofing ensures our customers' investments are safeguarded."

MicroTouch 10" All-in-One Android Touch Computer

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Week of March 25

Week of February 26

Week of January 29

2024 Fastest-Growing Franchises

1-Stratus Building & Cleaning

2-Crumbl Cookies

3-Jersey Mike's Subs

4-Dream Vacations

5-Jan-Pro Cleaning & Disinfecting

6-Corvus Janitorial Systems

7-Stroll Publications

8-Kona Ice

9-Taco Bell

10-Scooter's Coffee

11-Tropical Smoothie

12-Servpro Clean & Restore

Source: Entrepreneur Magazine

ALLIANCES

NetSuite Plays in Simphony

A link has been built between Oracle NetSuite and Oracle Micros Simphony. As "NetSuite Connector," it enables restaurant operators to tie their Oracle Micros Simphony POS into NetSuite's Integrated Cloud Business Suite. A daily import of core sales, inventory, and financial data helps to reduce costs, centralize data, and increase efficiency (by eliminating manual data integrations), reports Oracle.

With NetSuite Connector for Micros Simphony, each restaurant location can send separate data to NetSuite, with data segmented by tender name and carry-over amounts included. Imports of data are segmented by dayparts and include detailed transactional information such as totals, items sold, service charges, and discounts. Accurately tracking sales allows businesses to make more informed decisions about inventory management and demand planning, promotes Oracle.

"Restaurant and hospitality businesses are in a state of constant reinvention, and their technology stack should be making their lives easier, not harder," expounded Simon de Montford Walker, SVP and GM at Oracle Food and Beverage (Austin, TX). "With NetSuite Connector for Micros Simphony, our customers now have an integrated system that is tailored to their industry, removing the need for third-party platforms or expensive customizations. By seamlessly connecting financial and sales data, businesses can now access performance information to help them make faster, more informed decisions and better serve guests."

A NetSuite Connector for Oracle Micros Simphony

Charging and Chasing the Payments

A collaboration brings certification for payments player Charge Anywhere (Piscataway, NJ) with payments processor Chase Paymentech (Salem, NH). It covers the QuickSale Android Payment Terminals from Charge Anywhere, including Models Q1, Q2, and Q3, as well as QuickSale Mobile POS. As opportunities, QuickSale by Charge Anywhere has Contactless, EMV Chip-and-PIN, and Semi-Integration with POS.

A capability for Remote Key Injection (RKI), as part of its Software Terminal Encryption Maintenance, is furnished by Charge Anywhere. With it, VARs, ISVs, ISOs, OEMs, and Fintech simply board their merchant and select and configure their payment devices through the Charge Anywhere Partner Portal. It deploys at the merchant's physical location, not manually in the manufacturer's warehouse. Also, changes, new services, software updates, and compliance steps may be accommodated remotely via RKI.

"We are excited to complete this certification with Chase Paymentech and bring our advanced payment solutions to a wider audience," projected Paul Sabella, CEO of Charge Anywhere. "This certification is a testament to our commitment to quality and innovation, ensuring that our clients have access to the best payment technologies available." A longstanding player in our channel, established in 2004, Charge Anywhere is certified with all major processors in North America.

Certification for Charge Anywhere With Chase Paymentech

Code Corner

An advocate for Bitcoin, Byte Federal (Venice, FL), has launched its POS, dubbed ByteConnect. A new merchant product suite from this financial services provider includes handheld terminal, digital e-commerce solutions, and API (Application Programming Interface). After successful beta testing, this merchant POS has been made available throughout most of the U.S. Also, in states in which Byte Federal holds Money Transmitter License (MTL), additional merchant services are being provided. "There is a long line of people eager for new tools that enable them to transact without the strangleholds of the legacy financial systems, and those are the tools we are building," indicated Michelle Weekley, Director of Product Development at Byte Federal.

A Bitcoin-Based POS by Byte Federal

A launch of SheerID In-Store by SheerID (Portland, OR) addresses so-called "gated" offers and promotions. It serves to verify the eligibility for such programs for select communities such as students, teachers, healthcare workers, and military, and supports in-store, online, and mobile-based shopping. Consumers access the verification form by scanning the QR Code, and after establishing their eligibility, receive UPC Code for scanning at the POS. Also, customer information may be streamed into the retailer's loyalty program and data warehouse. "We're pleased to provide our customers with the first Omnichannel Gated Offer to meet and serve their customers wherever they are," proclaimed Jake Weatherly, CEO of SheerID.

Identity Verification by SheerID

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

CX "Jumps" Out

An in-store shopper engagement platform, appropriately named "CX," has been rolled out by ISV Jumpmind (Columbus, OH). Intended to work with Jumpmind's POS, CX delivers personalized content, offers, and experiences for shoppers at check-out. It runs on any tablet with iOS, Android, or Chrome O/S, and with its multi-functionality, and one-touch button, the screen may be readily switched between the CX and POS.

As examples of advantages for retailers, CX supports customer loyalty programs, including registration, tracking, and redemption of points. Alerts for "near-miss" promotions, personalized recommendations and offers, and charitable giving at check-out are furnished. Among current users, CX has American Eagle Outfitters, Build-A-Bear Workshop, The Paper Store, Reitmans Canada, and the Vitamin Shoppe.

"There has been great interest in bringing highly personalized e-commerce-like experiences into the store setting; meanwhile, retailers have long endeavored to drive improved shopper engagement during store visits. All the while, the check-out process has remained notoriously tedious, time-consuming, and uninspired," put forth Joe Corbin, President and CEO at Jumpmind. "CX Connect puts highly relevant, curated omnichannel brand experiences directly in front of the customer, making the most of their time at check-out, while giving retailers fantastic upselling opportunities and so much more."

Jumpmind Offers Its CX Connect Digital Engagement for Check-Out

Sharp's Coloring Book

A new approach in digital signage, eponymous "ePaper," has been introduced by Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (Montvale, NJ). As sustainable replacement for paper posters, the ePaper displays fit applications requiring static content with regular updates, such as point-of-purchase promotions, menu boards, nutritional information, and timetables, check-in, or gate information in transportation settings. At present, two sizes are offered: 13" and 25".

Addressing today's carbon-neutral goals, the Sharp ePaper offers always-on visibility with as low as zero power consumption in static mode, only drawing minimal power when updating the image. With full-color, low-reflection, paper-like quality, it ensures readability in bright or semi-outdoor environments. In slim, lightweight design, it has multiple mounting points for landscape or portrait orientation. As communication technologies, it supports USB, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi.

"Sharp's new ePaper provides a sustainable and quick alternative to traditional poster boards and printed posters while fitting seamlessly into the ongoing business practices," proposed Keith Yanke, VP of Product and Solutions Marketing for Sharp. "The Sharp ePaper allows for easy integration into supported third-party CMS (Content Management System) solutions where users can manage the distribution and display of the ePaper according to a registered schedule, prepare the screen to be displayed, monitor the displayed status, and more. This is revolutionary for clients across industries that are seeking sustainable display methods."

Sharp's Sustainable Color ePaper Display

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Peripherals
Bixolon America
Electronic Payments
Epson America
FEC POS
HiStone
HP
Ingenico
Optima Systems
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Sam4s/Shin Heung Precision
Star Micronics
Toshiba

Barcode Printers
Bixolon America
Brother Mobile
Epson America
GoDEX Americas
Woosim Systems

Cash Drawers/Cash Handling
apg/APG Cash Drawer

Data Collection
MobileDemand
Star Micronics
Unitech America

Integrated Payment Solutions
Charge Anywhere
Datacap Systems
Electronic Payments
Ingenico
Miura Systems
North American Bancard

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

Stands, Mounts, Cradles
Star Micronics

A Message From the Editor

We welcome your thoughts and suggestions for coverage of our industry.

Michael Kachmar, Editor

INSTALLATIONS

A Slice of CRM

An embedded marketing functionality has been debuted by pizza ISV, Adora POS (Roseville, CA). As part of the developer's Adora Cloud, it furnishes e-mail and text outreach in support of engagement, promotions, and customer loyalty. Engaged within the interface for Adora POS, as another feature, it eliminates the need for juggling multiple platforms and simplifies campaign management, says Adora.

In Adora Cloud, the new marketing functionality includes the capacity for personalized messages and promotions based on purchase history, preferences, and demographics. Additionally, it provides for digital coupon creation and management. Also, analytics allows pizzeria owners to measure success and optimize future marketing efforts.

"After switching [from another platform], Adora POS has met all needs from the initial install, to training, and to ongoing service support for all of my stores," testified Victor Esaloo, Owner of Eddies Pizza, with three locations in Stockton, CA. "Sharli Younan [Founder and CEO of Adora POS] and his team understand my team's needs and has supported Eddies Pizza through a smooth and seamless transition. Their customer service team is top notch and has exceeded expectations."

Adora POS Adds Marketing Prowess for Pizza

Jesta I.S. Enlisted for Marines

As major driver of its digital transformation, the Marines Corps Exchange (MCX) has deployed Merchandising ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) from Jesta I.S. (Montreal, QC, Canada). As the foundation of the Vision Retail Management Suite by Jesta I.S., Merchandising ERP includes Forecasting, Planning, Price Management, Sales Audit, Allocation, and Automated Replenishment. MCX will also leverage Jesta's Place and Locate Mobile App for in-store Inventory Management, as well as Jesta's Vision Central Portal.

Headquartered in Quantico, VA, MCX operates more than 150 sites for retail sales worldwide. A large number of SKUs spans military uniforms and tactical gear, apparel, sporting goods, electronics, health and beauty products, and groceries. Additional solutions in the Vision Retail Management Suite, such as Onboarding Analytics, will be considered for future project phases at MCX. (A Vision Supply Chain Management Suite is also offered by Jesta I.S.)

"With Jesta's Merchandising ERP, the Marine Corps Exchange has obtained robust capabilities to unify enterprise data, which ensures data integrity," elaborated Arvind Gupta, President of Jesta I.S. "MCX will modernize the architecture that supports existing business processes with a constant awareness to adaptability for future directives, support for critical business decisions, and vendor relationship management and compliance. MCX will also be able to easily manage their extensive product classifications and the movement of inventory to surpass the expectations of their invaluable community."

Marine Corps Exchange Deploys Inventory Management and ERP by Jesta I.S. for Its Worldwide Stores

Channel Factoid

On the Menu for
Restaurants in 2024

-Digital Marketing: 63%

-Loyalty/Rewards: 57%

-Back Office: 52%

-Inventory Control: 52%

-POS Systems: 48%

-Contactless Payment: 41%

-Labor Management: 37%

-Cyber Security: 37%

-Smartphone Apps: 34%

-Dynamic Pricing: 30%

-Self-Order/Self-Pay: 25%

-Augmented Reality: 22%

-Artificial Intelligence: 16%

-Robotics: 5%

-Drones/Autonomous Vehicles: 3%

Source: "Technology Landscape Report 2024," by National Restaurant Association

A Front Counter Features HP POS

Channel Retirement

John Waldron, SVP and Chief Commercial Officer, and former President of Scanning and Mobility, at Honeywell: "Working down the lengthy list of long neglected home projects, annoying (aka, entertaining) my kids with subpar humor, and trying hard to make life easier for my wife . . . stay tuned for what's next."

Honeywell's John Waldron

HELLO GOODBYE

Joe Basks in Glory

A promotion at cash technology solution manufacturer Glory (Lisle, IL) has Joseph Gnorski becoming President of Americas. He previously served as the company's EVP of Retail Markets, Americas. He joined Glory as Director of Marketing in 2006. (A series of recent acquisitions in POS by Glory includes Acrelec, Revolution Retail Systems, and Flooid.)

"Joe's deep industry knowledge and exceptional leadership qualities make him the right choice to lead Glory Americas," commented Toshimitsu Yoshinari, Chairperson and CEO of Glory Global Solutions (Himeji, Japan). "He has a deep and broad understanding of our customers, our technology, and our employees, and this leadership change positions Glory to continue to thrive and expand in the Americas, delivering innovative solutions and unmatched service to our customers." As customers, Glory includes McDonald's and Walmart.

"I am honored to take on this new role and excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for Glory Americas," contributed Gnorski. "I am committed to leading with transparency, fostering a culture of collaboration, and prioritizing customer service excellence. I look forward to working closely with our talented team to further strengthen our market position."

Joseph Gnorski, President of Americas, Glory

ECRS Preaches Self-Service (With Parsons)

An appointment as Product Owner of Self-Service for retail veteran John Parsons at thriving ISV ECRS (Boone, NC). He brings 47 years of experience in retail automation and store systems, including 18 years dedicated to consulting with Fortune 500 retailers on self-checkout. Some titles include: Senior Retail Client Executive at Fujitsu Frontech, North America; Retail Solution Engineer Team Manager at Fujitsu America; and Retail Automation Manager at HEB Grocery Company.

"We are thrilled to welcome John Parsons on board as the Product Owner of Self-Service at ECRS," shared Pete Catoe, Founder and CEO of ECRS. "His wealth of experience and deep understanding of the retail industry will be instrumental in providing expertise to the Catapult community of retailers, allowing them to stay at the forefront of self-service technology." A "unified transaction platform," the ECRS Catapult POS runs in thousands of locations in North America.

"I'm delighted to work with the present line-up of self-service solutions here at ECRS. Perhaps the greatest current strength of the line-up is its ability to scale to retailer needs, whether it's an issue of physically available space, timeline, budget, or any combination of factors, we've got a solution that can be implemented to exceed retailer and shopper expectations," emphasized Parsons. "We're also in the process of developing some really transformative solutions that I'll be eager to share with retailers this summer."

John Parsons, Product Owner of Self-Service, ECRS