{POS SYSTEMS}

XT Unfolds at Posiflex

Posiflex Business Machines (Hayward, CA) has delivered its XT Series of touchscreen POS with handy foldable base. First previewed at the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) Show in August, this new design offers height and viewing angle flexibility while reducing shipping size and weight by 40%. A pair of terminals has been stocked with 15-inch touchscreens for the XT: Posiflex XT4015 with three Intel CPU choices, or the more cost-effective, "workhorse" Posiflex XT3215.

XT4015 extends three powerful processors--the G540 at 2.5 GHz, the Core i3-3220 at 3.3 GHz, or the Core i5-3550s at 3.7 GHz. A bezel-free projective capacitive or resistive touchscreen terminal comes standard with 4 GB DDR3 RAM, upgraded to 16 GB. In order to secure valuable data, the XT4015 optionally offers RAID 1 (disk mirroring).

XT3215 features an Intel D525 Dual-Core CPU at 1.8 GHz, 2 GB DDR3 RAM, upgraded to 4 GB, and 15-inch resistive TFT LCD touchscreen. A range of additional benefits are included in the XT Series: five USB ports, dual LAN ports, VESA wall mount capability, control of two cash drawers, mini PCI-e slot for Wi-Fi, along with three DB9 and one RJ-45 ports. Options for the XT Series are SSD, secondary display, and parallel port with extension cable.

XT Series Touchscreen
Terminal From Posiflex

{RECEIPT PRINTERS}

Qaliber Lite: Tastes Great, Less Filling

Seiko Instruments USA, Thermal Printer Division (Torrance, CA), has unwrapped its new "lite model" Qaliber receipt printer, designated the RP-D10. Overall, RP-D10 features the same primary characteristics as its predecessor, the RP-E (10 and 11), introduced in June 2012. This includes an innovative cubic design with small footprint of approximately 5 in. x 5 in. x 5 in., both top load and front load access for flexibility, and USB, Serial, Powered USB, or Ethernet. Command emulation is also provided to enable faster printer replacement, with an extensive suite of software utilities, drivers, and SDKs for configuration. Units are available in "onyx" black and "ice" white.

In order to reduce cost, several technical specifications have been changed. For example, RP-D10 prints at 200 mm/second (8 inch/second) at 203 dpi, versus 350 mm/second (14 inch/second) for the RP-E. Service life ratings have been quoted at 62 miles of printing and 1.5 million cuts, slightly lower than the RP-E, and an LED has been eliminated. Such changes have lowered weight to 1 lb., 14 oz. from 2 lbs., 14 oz. Additional benefits of the Qaliber family include variable print speed settings, an anti-jamming cutter design, and multiple techniques for reducing paper consumption. Both RP-D10 and RP-E accommodate standard paper sizes from 58 mm to 80 mm, with direct thermal printing.

"This new lite model printer truly resonates with the channel because it is designed to help overcome real-world business and technical challenges at the POS," declared Kaz Onishi, VP of Seiko Instruments USA. "It is smaller in size, offers increased flexibility, has increased performance, and is aesthetically pleasing--all at a value-driven price point."

Seiko's Qaliber Lite
Model RP-D10 Printer

{SCANNERS}

Gryphon Stands Up

Datalogic (Eugene, OR) has unveiled its new presentation scanner, the Gryphon GPS4490, with all the capabilities of the popular handheld Gryphon GD4400. With compact footprint of 4.2 in. (H) x 2.9 in. (W) x 4.8 in. (D), and weighing 10.4 oz., Gryphon GPS4490 features an ergonomic design and curved, multi-positioned stand particularly suited for confined retail spaces. (Scanner may be detached from stand for bulky items.) All popular codes may be read--linear, two-dimensional, postal, and stacked--with omni-directional capability, wide angle field of view, and high motion tolerance.

As expected, Gryphon GPS4490 employs the company's "Green Spot" technology for good read feedback, even in crowded or noisy spaces. Other key features include multi-interface capabilities (RS-232/USB), external trigger button for testing and alignment, LED lights for power and reading indications, and beeper for audible confirmation. Easy set-up is enhanced through use of Datalogic's Aladdin software configuration program, with operational modes such as standard, auto-sense, and continuous reading. Black and white versions are offered.

"Market studies have shown the presentation scanner segment to be strong, and projected to show steady growth over the next few years," reported Giulio Berzuini, GM and VP for Handheld Scanners at Datalogic. "We have designed the Gryphon GPS4490 presentation scanner with this in mind, as well as the need to offer the ability to aggressively read both 1D and 2D codes while maintaining one of the smallest footprints in the field." An IP-52 environmental rating and three-year factory warranty helps protect the customer's investment, the company added.

Gryphon GPS4490 Presentation
Scanner by Datalogic

{HANDHELD COMPUTERS}

Common COS for CipherLab 8600

CipherLab (Plano, TX) has presented its new generation of 8600 Series Mobile Computer with the CipherLab Operating System (COS). Elements of its flexible design include swappable keypads of 29 or 39 keys, 802.11b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth 4.0, and one- and two-dimensional scanning as well as RFID. "I'm confident that our users will feel the efficiency and increased productivity right away," exclaimed Steven Liau, President of CipherLab. "It is lightweight, yet rugged and powerful--with all of the features of our 8600 Series."

Measuring 6.7 in. (L) x 2.4 in. (W) x 1.2 in. (D), and weighing 8.5 oz., the 8600 features ARM Cortex-M3 CPU, 16 MB Flash, 8/16 MB SRAM, and Micro SD. A 2.8-inch LCD with LED backlight defines background and text for improved readability. In terms of ruggedness, the 8600 meets IP-65 standards for dust and liquids and survives drops of 1.8 meters and 1,000 tumbles at 1 meter. A polycarbonate panel protects the display screen.

In addition to the CipherLab COS, which minimizes redundant system programming and supports intensive data-collection applications, the new 8600 comes equipped with the Forge Application Generator, Text Browser, and Remote Console. It also ships with some typical user applications to help with easy start-up. Accessories include hard shell, pistol grip, snap-on cable, and various combinations of charging/communication cradles.

CipherLab's 8600 Series Mobile Computer With CipherLab Operating System

{DIGITAL SIGNAGE}

Elo: "Big, Bright, and Beautiful"

Elo Touch Solutions (Milpitas, CA) has unboxed its new 5501L 55-inch touchscreen, part of its Interactive Digital Signage (IDS). With total thickness of only 3.5 inches, and 29 inches high, the 5501L features an energy-efficient LED high-definition display (16:9 aspect ratio and 1920x1080 resolution) with optical multi-touch technology and sensitive response along the lines of today's consumer devices. It employs tempered pure glass for durability and state-of-the-art brightness (700 lumens), along with steel chassis, VESA mounting, and portrait, landscape, or tabletop orientation. It weighs approximately 100 lbs.

Supporting Windows 7 and 8, the 5501L offers the choice of two optional integrated computer modules: with Intel Core i3 CPU at 3.3 GHz and HD 2500 graphics or Core i5 CPU at 3.6 GHz and HD 4000 graphics. This eliminates the need for any cables or additional mounting hardware. Webcam kits and NFC/RFID scanners are also offered. Available worldwide in sixty days, pricing starts at $5,250, with three-year standard warranty and additional two-year extended warranty.

"Elo provides a broad portfolio of touchscreens to help retailers attract and engage their customers with interactive content," commented Craig Witsoe, CEO of Elo Touch Solutions. "Ready to enhance retail installations worldwide, the latest 5501L IDS display is a big, bright, and beautiful digital canvas to enhance shopper experiences and drive retail cross-selling effectiveness." Education, corporate meeting rooms, and office lobbies were cited as target markets, in addition to retail and hospitality.

Elo's 5501L Digital Signage Display

{RFID FOR RETAIL}

"Tag Up," Counsels Zebra

Another positive sign for RFID, and our channel for retail, with the debut of the ZD500R from Zebra Technologies (Lincolnshire, IL). Configured expressly for item-level exception tagging, with four-inch print width, the ZD500R represents the company's first desktop UHF RFID printer. As such, it brings significant advantages in cost, size, and technical capabilities, RP Digest was told by Michael Fein, Senior Product Manager for RFID at Zebra Technologies.

With small form factor of 7.6 in. (W) x 7.5 in. (H) x 10 in. (D), and weight of 4.9 lbs., ZD500R satisfies space constraints at the front counter. An intuitive user interface requires little operator training, according to the vendor, and the widest variety of inlays are supported, everything from small jewelry tags to large shipping labels. In addition, chip-based serialization simplifies printing and encoding, while Zebra Link-OS facilitates networking, web-integration, and application development.

A list price of $1,995 has been set for the standard ZD500R, with 200-dpi printhead and Parallel, Serial, USB, and Ethernet. Options include cutter and peeler, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and 300-dpi printhead. "Even small stores have thousands of things to tag, whether returns, promotional items, or goods from new vendors," reflected Fein. "At present, people put printers on carts and roll them in, try to pre-encode, or even make their readers produce their tags. Now, for the first time, we have an RFID printer that targets such low-to-medium volume environments, whether stores or offices, with all that implies for the channel."

Zebra's ZD500R Desktop UHF
RFID Printer, With NFC Troubleshooting