This Week’s Product Pick

Touch Dynamic (Irvington, NJ) debuted its Pulse All-in-One, designed to deliver flexibility and reliability for retail and hospitality at an affordable price. This new POS terminal carries Intel’s Atom N270 processor at 1.6 GHz, quick detachable base, and fewer moving parts, RRN.Com was told by Craig Paritz, President of Touch Dynamic. Featuring 15-inch LCD with resistive touchscreen, up to 2 GB of RAM, and full complement of ports, this fanless system should meet the needs of harsh environments in particular. Options include integrated magnetic-stripe reader, 2x20 customer display, and rear-facing 8- or 12-inch LCD. “Touch Dynamic has long been known for product reliability and versatility,” Paritz stated. “Pulse is an entry-level, full-featured terminal that offers all necessary add-on’s at an affordable price--just above $1,300 with OS and MSR--and thus helps enhance our portfolio.”

Pulse by Touch Dynamic

COMPANY BUSINESS

Datalogic’s Assorted Moves

Datalogic S.p.A. (Bologna, Italy) has entered into an agreement to purchase Accu-Sort Systems, Inc. from the Danaher Corporation. Founded back in 1971, and based in Telford, PA, Accu-Sort produces Auto ID systems targeted towards the transportation and logistics industry. With 2010 revenues of $92 million, it employs approximately 250 workers and has one production factory in the U.S., two research centers (in the U.S. and Europe), and eight sales offices.

Under terms of the transaction, expected to close in Q1 2012 following review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Act, Datalogic will pay approximately $135 million from cash on hand and unused credit lines. Accu-Sort’s products include laser and camera-based readers, dimension measurement units, print/apply configurations, small-item sortation systems, and integration services. Datalogic will also gain control of significant intellectual property, including 80 patents, 57 of which are registered in the U.S.

“This transaction doubles Datalogic Group’s presence in the industrial automation industry by positioning it in the high-end segment and by broadening the company’s competitive stance in a highly fragmented market with great growth potential,” indicated Mauro Sacchetto, CEO of Datalogic. “Accu-Sort is complementary to the existing business of Datalogic and is a leading supplier with a widely-recognized brand and long-term relationships with preeminent customers. Accu-Sort is financially sound--with an operating margin that exceeds 19%--and highly focused on researching solutions and developing additional value for its customers.”

Accu-Sort’s Hardware Includes Industrial Laser Barcode Readers

[Editor’s Note: At press time, Datalogic also announced that on January 1, 2012, it will combine Datalogic Scanning, Datalogic Mobile, Enterprise Business Solutions, and Evolution Robotics Retail into one unit, to be called Datalogic Automatic Data Capture. Bill Parnell, currently CEO of Datalogic Scanning and Datalogic Mobile, will lead the new division as CEO of Datalogic ADC. “This business realignment will improve our service by having ‘one face to the customer,’ with specialized focus on various industries and vertical market applications,” said Parnell. Datalogic Industrial Automation comprises the parent company’s second area of focus.]

A POS Peg in Square Hole?

Two leading vendors of POS peripherals--APG Cash Drawer (Minneapolis, MN) and Star Micronics (Edison, NJ)--saw their telephone and web traffic explode one day last month when Square publicized its interest in their products. Square, as many RRN.Com readers know, supplies its namesake credit card reader and app for low-end retail environments, such as art shows, farmer’s markets, and even garage sales. In announcing its new electronic wallet, dubbed Card Case, which addresses loyalty, the start-up pointed to the need for hardware devices in cases of cash payments. Enter APG’s Vasario 1416 and 1616 cash drawers and Star Micronic’s TSP143LAN and TSP650 receipt printers, both of which were recommended.

Reportedly, Square reached out to both vendors and the parties worked on integration. “Peripherals would have to be bought through distribution, so I can only guess at how many units they’ve sold,” Mark Olson, President of APG Cash Drawer, told RRN.Com. “It’s an unknown area, frankly, and we’re all exploring how we fit. What is mobile POS, really, what forms will it take? We’re just trying to make sure that when there’s an opportunity for cash drawer sales, we’re ready.”

Square was started by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, and now claims to have placed 800,000 of their devices in the market. The card reader is sold through electronics retailers for the price of $9.95, plugs into the headphone jack on smart-phones or tablets, and carries reduced processing fees. High-profile investors have come onboard, including Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, and the Salvation Army has adopted the platform for this year’s collection activities. While it’s not likely that major retailers and resellers will adopt Square, and any distribution would probably need to go direct to end-users in the manner of CDW and MicroAge, the phones were certainly ringing and the websites humming.

Square Payment Processing System

Worth Your While

2012 Events

NRF 101st Annual Convention & Expo
National Retail Federation
January 15-18
New York

INSPIRE 2012
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
January 29-February 1
Herradura, Costa Rica

MODEX 2012
Material Handling Industry of America
February 6-9
Atlanta

2012 Annual ETA Meeting & Expo
Electronic Transactions Association
April 17-19
Las Vegas

NRA Show 2012
National Restaurant Association
May 5-8
Chicago

GS1 Connect Conference
GS1 US
June 4-7
Las Vegas

ALL IN THE FAMILY

MMF Gets the Draw on Mobility

MMF POS (Wheeling, IL) continues to spread its wings with this week’s release of holsters for mobile printers and mobile computers, offered under the “MMF Mobility” designation. Initial designs address popular models of such devices from vendors such as Motorola Solutions, Zebra Technologies, Star Micronics, and Epson America, with customization capability offered through the company’s Product Development Group, based at its cut-and-sew plant in Bristol, TN. This represents the third expansion by the longtime cash drawer supplier this year, following its VID-Box for DVR equipment from MMF Security and Rhino Elite Series of lockable tablet enclosures from MMF Kiosk.

“Every vertical from warehousing and transportation, retail, hospitality, manufacturing to sports arenas are affected by mobile technology,” noted Greg Carlson, CEO/President of Block and Company, parent firm of MMF POS. “In the future, MMF Mobility will launch an ongoing stream of complementary products for this space.” Such products will go to market through the normal MMF POS distribution channel, RRN.Com was told.

Described as lightweight and durable, MMF’s holsters protect mobile devices from superficial damages and scratches, according to the manufacturer. Moreover, devices remain secure while providing easy access when needed to functions such as keyboard/volume buttons, screen pads, media changing mechanisms, and power charging. As another benefit, the designs utilize nylon or leather, not snag-prone thread, while coming in the color black.

Holsters for Mobile Printers and Mobile Computers by MMF

OKI Okays Desktop Labeling

OKI Data Americas (Mount Laurel, NJ) has extended its Auto ID/POS product family with the introduction of the LD610 Series of desktop label printers. Two models have been offered-- direct-thermal LD610DT and thermal-transfer LD610TT--each with USB + Parallel, USB + Serial, and USB + LAN configurations. With starting list price of $594, the LD610 furnishes print speed of four inch/second at resolution of 203 dpi, 8 MB RAM and 4 MB Flash, and support for Windows 7, Vista, XP, and Server 2008/2003.

“The OKI LD610 Series features superior printers at an affordable price-point, backed by our two-year warranty,” declared Nicholas Ciarlante, Director of the Specialty Products Business Unit for OKI Data Americas. “These compact, flexible, and simple-to-use printers can be easily integrated into any work environment. The LD610 Series printers are ready out of the box, offering a number of standard features for today’s demanding workplace.”

Measuring 7 in. (W) x 9.4 in. (D) x 6.9 in. (H), and weighing approximately 4 lbs., the LD610 targets end-users in manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and banking with requirements for more than 100 labels per day, according OKI. Maximum print width reaches four inches with outer roll diameter of five inches and drop-in media loading. For easy use and maintenance, the LD610 supplies competitive emulations and replaceable print-head and platen roller.

LD610 Series Desktop Label Printer by OKI Data

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ALLIANCES

Healthcare Providers Examined by Epson

Epson America (Long Beach, CA) has added TransEngen (Wilton, CT), one of the leaders in electronic payments for healthcare environments, to its Envision Partner Program. With this new relationship, Epson will provide TransEngen with its extensive line of POS printers and check scanners, which the developer will offer to its customer base of over 15,000 healthcare providers across the U.S., including hospitals, doctors, and clinics. In making the announcement, the two parties cited the fact that $1 out of every $4 in medical payment now comes from patients, so efficient collection has become financially imperative.

“Epson has the industry’s most reliable and robust offering of printing and scanning solutions, and we are looking forward to becoming an integral part of TransEngen’s offering,” commented Mike Helm, Director of Sales and Marketing, Epson Business Systems Division. “We share the vision for designing technology solutions that promote greater efficiencies, which makes this a great fit.” Of late, Epson has been very aggressive in the area of multifunction payment devices, bringing forth the TM-S2000 and TM-S9000 with advancements in check processing speed, MICR accuracy, and image scanning quality.

“We are committed to improving the efficiency of the transactional process in healthcare by providing complete solutions that deliver actionable data at the point of care,” espoused Gregory Morris, CEO/President of TransEngen. “By partnering with Epson, we strengthen that commitment by offering an array of scanning and printing solutions to current and future customers.” Founded in 2006, TransEngen supports multiple payment processors as part of its combined healthcare/financial IT platform, including WorldPay, Profit Stars, Heartland Payment Systems, TSYS Merchant Solutions, Chase Paymentech, First Data, and Vantiv.

Epson’s New TM-S9000 Multifunction Payment Device Will Be Demonstrated at the National Retail Federation Show in January

Take Your Tablet Anywhere

Lenovo’s ThinkPad Tablet will be outfitted with Qualcomm’s Gobi 3000 communication technology, making it the first such Android device to offer multi-carrier mobile broadband capabilities. This new partnership eliminates the need to change hardware to support different carriers or mobile connectivity standards from region to region, according to the two parties. With Gobi 3000, ThinkPad Tablet users can easily link to any major U.S. carrier and stay connected with global roaming support when business takes them outside their country.

“More and more business users rely upon mobile broadband connectivity to enhance their productivity,” stated Tom Butler, Director of ThinkPad Marketing at Lenovo (Research Triangle Park, NC). “Qualcomm’s Gobi 3000 option on our ThinkPad Tablet lets users easily connect to mobile networks regardless of their location or underlying wireless technology, making their wireless experience truly flexible.” The Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet with Gobi 3000 will go to market through Lenovo’s business partners, as well as the company’s website.

“Our Gobi 3000 solution was designed to simplify 3G connectivity for mobile computing devices, like Lenovo’s ThinkPad Tablet,” added Fram Akiki, Senior Director of Product Management for Qualcomm (San Diego). “With Gobi, enterprise IT departments have the flexibility to purchase 3G-enabled tablets, deploy to offices around the world, then allow each region to provision on an as-needed basis to the preferred carrier.” Qualcomm’s Gobi 3000 represents the only multiband embedded connectivity scheme for all major U.S. carriers and supports global roaming on EVDO and HSPA networks.

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet for Android Armed With Gobi 3000

Code Corner

United Bank Card (Hampton, NJ), in partnership with Charge Anywhere (South Plainfield, NJ), has delivered integrated credit and debit payments for use with QuickBooks from Intuit. Certified for PCI PA-DSS, this plug-in supports various transaction methods, including “quick sale” to generate payment with or without an invoice; “multiple invoices” to process numerous transactions simultaneously; and “recurring payments” to register frequent transactions with effective date, number of payments, and amount. With this combination, transactions get imported into QuickBooks from the merchant’s credit card terminal or POS system for reporting purposes. “Our payments plug-in dramatically enhances the functionality of QuickBooks software,” declared Jared Isaacman, CEO of United Band Card. “An ability to automatically generate and apply payment to an invoice or customer upon transaction approval saves the merchant time by eliminating double entry. Additionally, the various transaction methods provide the merchant with maximum convenience and flexibility.”

DocuSign (Seattle) confirmed that Salesforce users such as Drawloop, Expedia, Extra Space Storage, LinkedIn, and Yamaha have standardized on its eSignature solution to “Close it in the Cloud.” DocuSign for Salesforce eSignature helps to close more deals faster, thereby accelerating speed to revenue, reducing costs, and enhancing the customer experience, according to the two parties. Built on the Force.com platform, it works with any custom object. Users may add buttons, features, and functionality to any Salesforce app, enabling “one-click sending” for eSignature, merger of fields between the two platforms, and automated update of chatter among sales teams. “It’s easy and fast to sign up new customers with DocuSign’s electronic signature solution,” testified Teardra Pederson, CRM Business Analyst at Extra Space Storage. “DocuSign improves efficiency across our facilities.”

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

Tri-Tech Flexes Web Muscle

Tri-Technical Systems (Dubuque, IA), provider of AIMsi POS software, has debuted its new suite of Active-e website add-on functions--Guided Navigation, Promotions Engine, and Mobile Commerce Plug-In. Guided Navigation empowers customers to quickly and easily narrow down product search choices, according to the developer. Visitors to the retailer’s e-commerce site may drill down by specific feature, style, or price selections. In addition to enhancing the customer’s shopping experience, this interface was also designed with ease of implementation in mind.

“What I love best about Guided Navigation is that the store owner can tag all of their products in AIMsi,” emphasized Margaret Wachter, Tri-Tech’s Marketing and Web Developer. “There is minimal set-up. If you want your sheet music to be sorted by publisher, voicing, artist, and composer, choose those groups and AIMsi knows which products to tag. Update your web inventory with a click of a button and let the sorting begin.”

The second new feature, Promotions Engine, gives store owners the ability to address their online customers with uniquely configured marketing campaigns, including those with unlimited restrictions. Examples include free shipping, free gift with purchase, and buy three get one free. Finally, the Mobile Commerce Plug-In allows merchants to provide full-featured mobile versions of their site. This integrated platform automatically detects when mobile devices are used and renders the requested page in appropriate format. All Active-e operations integrate seamlessly with AIMsi for inventory management.

AIMsi Software Developer Adds Active-e Website Modules

Holiday Shopping With ScanLife 4.0

Scanbuy, Inc. (New York), one of the leaders in use of UPC and QR Codes for mobile marketing, has launched its ScanLife Version 4.0 in time for the holidays. This new build brings several significant enhancements for consumers, according to the developer, such as live feed of products being scanned around the world, capacity to personalize scanners with different themes (such as “Top Gun” or “Holiday Cheer”), and access to additional product reviews from retailers like Best Buy and price comparisons from Buy.com. Further benefits include more nutritional facts and ingredients sourced directly from brands, capability to share deals and product discoveries on Facebook and Twitter, redesigned user screens, and faster scanning rates.

“We updated our ScanLife app to create a more personalized and immersive experience for millions of consumers who use our app to scan a variety of barcode formats,” recounted Mike Wehrs, CEO/President of Scanbuy. “The industry is going through massive growth with millions of people scanning every day. This update will give our users some new ways to enhance their experience and obtain valuable information and content.”

ScanLife supports popular mobile operating systems such as Android, iPhone iOS, and BlackBerry. Over the holidays, this app will also become available for the first time for Windows Phone. In addition to ScanLife Version 4.0, Scanbuy has updated its Scan & Send function, which sends photos via MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) or e-mail. This allows virtually any device with camera to access the code’s content--without ever downloading an app. System accuracy of Scan & Send has improved by 80% on common QR codes, according to Scanbuy.

ScanLife Version 4.0 Advances Barcode-Based Mobile Marketing

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Auto ID Distribution
BlueStar
ScanSource

POS & Peripherals
Casio America
Logic Controls
Pioneer POS
Posiflex
POS-X
Touch Dynamic

POS Systems - Hospitality
PAR

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Datamax-O'Neil
Zebra Technologies

Cash Drawers
APG Cash Drawer
MMF POS

Data Collection Terminals
CipherLab
Datalogic Mobile
Janam Technologies

Data Collection Software
Wavelink

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Merchant Warehouse
WorldPay US

Keyboards
Cherry, ZF Electronics Corp.

Mobile Marketing & Loyalty
Sundrop Mobile

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
Citizen Systems America
Epson America
Star Micronics

INSTALLATIONS

Hot Buttered POS Bundle

Doc Popcorn, the fresh-popped flavored popcorn merchant based out of Boulder, CO, has chosen the Restaurant Pro Express POS package from pcAmerica (Pearl River, NY) to replace its electronic cash registers, along with POS hardware deemed suited for its unique needs. Touchscreen-based, Restaurant Pro Express was designed to provide fast operation, accurate order taking, and detailed reporting at an affordable cost, according to its developer. Following testing, the chain now plans to expand the rollout throughout its franchise network of locations in shopping malls, stadiums, and other entertainment venues.

When Doc Popcorn decided they needed new POS, they began by reviewing different configurations with the pcAmerica team. Their bundle of choice includes the Elo TouchSystems 15B1 All-in-One Touch Computer from TE Connectivity (Menlo Park, CA) and the TM-T70 thermal receipt printer from Epson America (Long Beach, CA). Epson’s TM-T70 fits under the counter with all-front access to controls, paper loading, and receipt dispensing. This space-saving design was ideal for Doc Popcorn, which operates 44 stores, including mobile carts where room is extremely limited.

“pcAmerica offers an easy to use and highly customizable restaurant software solution that is certified on the Elo TouchSystems 15B1 AiO and with the Epson TM-T70 receipt printer, which were both perfect fits for our cart locations,” remarked Rob Woodfield, Director of Operations for Doc Popcorn. “We needed a point of sale set-up that was small but had all the functionality of a standard-sized POS terminal.” With the Doc Popcorn brand expanding quickly, this solution has helped standardize its technology, facilitating the collection and aggregation of sales data from multiple sources, the company added.

Doc Popcorn Rolls Out Restaurant Pro Express by pcAmerica

Lightning Strikes for RFID in Tampa

NCR Corporation (Duluth, GA) has leveraged RFID technology and its Quest Venue Management software to help drive sales and loyalty for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Under this clever marketing scheme, NCR worked with the NHL franchise to embed 10,000 RFID chips into team jerseys for season ticket holders. In support, approximately 250 RFID readers were added to Quest POS terminals throughout the St. Pete Times Forum. Radiant Systems snapped up Quest Retail Technology (based in Australia) in August, RRN.Com readers may recall, just prior to its own purchase by NCR.

Season ticket holders are rewarded with the exclusive jersey, enabling them to get discounts on food, beverages, and retail items at home games. Discounts are delivered when the RFID chip, sewn into the sleeve of the garment, gets scanned at checkout. Since implementing the program, the Lightning has reported significant increase in demand for full-season tickets and “a sea of blue jerseys in the stands at home games.”

“This innovative technology enables us to track and identify spending patterns and preferences of our season ticket members to help us provide even better service,” observed Brad Lott, EVP of Sales and Marketing, Tampa Bay Lightning. “Our season ticket members absolutely love their new jerseys and are taking advantage of the discounts provided exclusively to them.” Tampa Bay Lightning has employed Quest Venue Management for the past five years, although the RFID-based loyalty system was sparked by new team ownership in 2010.

Season Ticket Holders Rewarded With Benefits-Bearing Team Jerseys

Channel Factoid

Good news from consumers, with deals on Thanksgiving and Black Friday helping to secure last weekend’s place in the record books for both traffic and spending, according to the National Retail Federation. NRF reports that 226 million shoppers in the U.S. visited stores and websites over the weekend, up from 212 million last year. Contrary to many predictions, the average holiday shopper spent $398.62, significantly more than $365.34 last year. Indeed, total spending reached an estimated $52.4 billion. Additionally, shoppers also checked out retailers’ deals online, spending an average of $150.53 on the web--37.8% of their total weekend activity. Lured by promotions on everything from winter apparel to tablet devices, shoppers stocked up on discretionary gifts out of the gate. More than half (51.4%) purchased clothing and accessories, nearly four in ten (39.4%) bought electronic items, followed by toys (32.6%), gift cards (23.1%), home décor (21.3%), and jewelry (13.8%). For the first time, NRF explored how shoppers would use their smart-phones and tablets over the weekend as well. More than one-quarter (25.7%) of U.S. citizens with tablet devices said they did or will purchase items through that platform; similarly, more than one-third (37.4%) will or have researched products and compared prices. “Stuffed to the brim from their holiday meals and eager to shop, more consumers than ever turned out for retailers’ Black Friday promotions, a promising sign for the economic recovery,” observed Matthew Shay, CEO/President of NRF. “After an historic holiday weekend, retailers know the season is far from over and will continue to look for ways to excite shoppers and build on the momentum we’ve seen thus far.”

HELLO GOODBYE

Territory Beyond for TSC

TSC Auto ID Technology America (Pomona, CA) has promoted Matt Botts to Eastern U.S. Sales Manager, responsible for supporting the company’s partners in that area. Botts joined TSC in September as Sales Representative and works out of Hebron, KY. Prior to TSC, he was Northeast and Midwest Regional Sales Manager for Citizen Systems America and Account Manager for BlueStar.

“Matt is a superb professional who knows the barcode printer market,” noted Ron Brown, Director of Sales for TSC America. “He has a wealth of experience working with AIDC distribution, as well as having worked for another barcode printer manufacturer. With Matt on board, we look forward to growing our presence in the distribution market and introducing TSC to many new dealers.”

TSC Auto ID Technology Co. also launched its TSC Partner Portal, which provides online access to free marketing resources such as data sheets, product comparisons, region-specific price lists, and promotional templates. TSC Partner Portal addresses three geographic segments: U.S., EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), and APAC (Asia-Pacific). In September, TSC America moved into newer and larger corporate offices at 3191 West Temple Avenue, Suite 105, Pomona, CA. “Business has more than doubled over the past two years and we have outgrown our old facility,” said Kevin Aie, CEO of TSC America. “We simply need more space as we continue to quickly grow our business in North and South America.”

Matt Botts, Eastern U.S. Sales Manager, TSC Auto ID Technology America

Shuford the Shoo-In at CipherLab

CipherLab USA (Plano, TX) has elevated Jake Shuford to the new position of VP of Sales. Shuford joined CipherLab in 2010 as Senior Account Manager, based out of Jacksonville, FL. He brings more than 15 years of experience in sales and channel management for the Auto ID industry. From 2001 to 2007, he served as VP of Major Accounts for Hand Held Products (now part of Honeywell), and from 1994 to 2000 as Territory Manager for Symbol Technologies (now part of Motorola).

“Since coming to CipherLab, Jake has helped us to grow our BlueStar revenue, developed several new partners, and assisted in the reorganization of our sales team,” commented Luis Wu, GM of CipherLab USA. “He is very knowledgeable about our new Windows Mobile terminals and 2D scanners and their potential in the U.S. market. Jake has also been successful in the Telxon/Symbol replacement space with CipherLab’s dedicated system terminals. He is the right person to help CipherLab grow our U.S. market share.”

“I am honored to accept the position of VP of Sales for CipherLab USA,” Shuford shared with RRN.Com. “CipherLab has a great reputation for building products that provide reliable capabilities at a competitive price. Going forward, we intend to expand our footprint in the Americas through partnering with organizations seeking manufacturer/distributor collaboration that will grow their business. I look forward to being part of the team that will take us to the next level while providing real value to our partners.”

Jake Shuford, VP of Sales, CipherLab USA