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Point of Sale Information and News for December 2012

Motorola ET1 and Redbeam Mobile Asset Tracking Kit 12/21/2012 6:15:17 PM

Motorola ET1 RedBeam Asset Tracking BundleRedBeam has released an Android version of their Asset Tracking software, giving us a more complete data management solution for Android devices. And so we’ve put together a Motorola ET1 kit including the software and peripherals you need to track assets at your business.

Asset tracking is pretty important at larger offices and multi-location businesses. Even at our office, we have lost a lot of time wondering where demo products have wandered off to or whether we even had the product in the first place. With RedBeam Asset Tracking, we can not only keep track of where products are, we can store additional data, including warranty and specifications.

Let me give you an example of where RedBeam Asset Tracking would’ve saved me a ton of time. When I was at WWU, I managed 5 residence hall computer labs, plus a smattering of single station PCs in common areas. All told, it was about 65 computers and 8 printers. It wasn’t a ton of hardware, but still more than I could track by memory, so I had three or four spreadsheets of specs, serial numbers, and maintenance history.

RedBeam Asset Tracker could’ve stored all that info AND been at my fingertips in a mobile computer or tablet. This would have been especially useful for the single stations, since they were often forgotten.

Any time I had to send a PC in for repair, RedBeam Asset Tracking could timestamp when equipment moved locations, so other employees could determine if the PC was stolen without a lot of work. We even had a few PCs get stolen, and it was a bit of a search to get the serial numbers to campus police, whereas with Asset Track it could’ve been brought up quickly and easily.

The bundle we offer includes the Motorola ET1 as well. I’ve talked about the ET1 a couple times already. Motorola’s enterprise tablet offers the functionality and familiarity of Android OS but with the durability and warranty coverage needed for business success. With the new addition of their Blockbuster 2D Imager as an add-on scanning module, the ET1 becomes a fantastic data collection and management tool.

I really think this is a great combination, it’ll fit in really well at schools or offices, places where automated asset management will save you time and money, but you don’t necessarily need a huge industrial mobile computer to get the job done.

Tags: Uncategorized

Receipt Printer Speed – Visualized 12/20/2012 4:11:08 PM

We did a video a couple years ago covering the Epson TM-T88V and Epson ReadyPrint T20 receipt printers, including the difference in print speeds. Receipt printer speeds are always kind of nebulous. You can read all these data sheets and product descriptions and come to the conclusion that the TM-T88V is 6 better than the ReadyPrint T20, or maybe twice as fast, but until you see them side-by-side, it’s difficult to grasp what 6 better really entails.

Tags: Product Reviews videos epson readyprint t20 epson receipt printer epson tm-t88v receipt printer

Video: Knockoff Scanner vs Symbol LS2208 12/10/2012 7:33:21 PM

So we have video now of the scanner we’ll still not name going up against Symbol’s LS2208. As you can see, while the knockoff scanner costs tremendously less than the LS2208, it is also a lot cheaper. Totally not worth it.

Tags: Product Reviews videos barcode scanner knockoff scanner motorola Symbol Symbol LS2208

Off-Brand Barcode Scanners: Are They Worth It? 12/10/2012 5:30:59 PM

Quick answer: No

Long answer:

From time to time we hear of companies selling barcode scanners that look close enough to the major players, but at unbeatable prices. Like $40 for a Symbol LS2208 knockoff. But like Ninolta cameras and Mokia phones, these knockoffs are going to cost you a lot more in the long run in terms of lost productivity and frustration.

We recently picked up one of these scanners, available on Amazon and through their own site, for not much. The manufacturer, who I’ll refuse to name, also sells car rear view cameras, TV antennas, and outdoor LED strip lights. You know they’re making major moves for the data capture market when they also sell a tape to MP3 converter.

Though the scanner looks sort-of like a Symbol LS2208, the performance pales in comparison. The trigger mechanism merely activates the autosense in the scanner, similar to waving your hand or a barcode in front of the scanner. This does make the scanner act like an actual barcode scanner but doesn’t give the common experience of holding the trigger until a barcode is scanned. It also means that products moved near the scanner activates the laser, which can cause bad reads on products with multiple barcodes.

The included stand is thin plastic and doesn’t actually need an autosense activator, as the scanner is always autosense. The boot of the stand clamps around the scanner, so you have to physically hold down the stand to remove the scanner. Or you can just swing it around like it’s an extension to the scanner. Either way. And the plastic screw that holds the stand at a proper angle loosens easily and on its own, making it difficult to keep a consistent scanning area.

I looked into the warranty on this product. It’s up to 12 months, which isn’t too bad compared to other $40 scanners. However, the manufacturer requires the reseller to handle any warranty coverage for that time period. I doubt Amazon or Ebay are going to handle warranty calls for this product.

In comparison, our top selling barcode scanners come with a 5-year warranty. 5 Years of coverage for manufacturer defects and performance degradation, with optional comprehensive coverage for just a few bucks. You pay a little more and you can run your scanner over with a forklift, send it to the manufacturer, and they’ll give you a replacement.

If you read over my other product review/announcement posts, I give pretty glowing reviews of the products we sell. And that’s because those products are purpose built for our industry. Even if they’re not the best for everyone, they’re great for specific applications, and I do my best to point it out. Further, we only list products that are going to work well for you.

TL;DR – Knockoff scanners aren’t worth it.

Tags: Product Reviews Cheap Barcode Scanners Fake Barcode Scanners Knockoff Scanners Symbol LS2208

POSGuys.com Partners with Mercury Payment Systems for Pre-Financed Point of Sale Systems 12/7/2012 1:11:37 PM

Retail POS SystemPOSGuys.com has partnered with Mercury Payment Systems and Retail Capital to provide new retailers and restaurant owners with Pre-Financed POS Systems. Looking to cut down the initial investment for new businesses, the Pre-Financed POS System defers the cost of hardware with credit card batch fees.

“The initial costs starting a business can be prohibitive. From general infrastructure, hardware, to initial inventory orders, many businesses feel tremendous up-front financial strain,” said Travis Chun, Director of Operations for POSGuys.com. “By going with a Pre-Financed POS System, businesses defer initial investment costs of anywhere between three and ten thousand dollars, money that can be put to other vital uses.”

Businesses that apply for credit card processing through Mercury Payment Systems are eligible for the Pre-Financed POS System. With a 24-48 hour turnaround and 90% approval rate, getting approved is remarkably straightforward and easy.

To ensure quick setup, customers’ point of sale databases are preinstalled before shipment and on-site installation by a certified technician is included, further speeding the setup process. POSGuys also provides over-the-phone training to teach employees and managers the day-to-day functions of their POS software.

The Pre-Financed POS System is paid via 10% of daily credit card batches through Mercury Payment Systems. There are no minimum payments or monthly bills, eliminating the headache that can be associated with other financing firms. By paying a set percentage of credit card batches, businesses can scale payments as they grow.

Pre-Financed Retail POS System

The Pre-Financed Retail POS System uses the same hardware as the POSGuys.com Preferred Retail System. Running on the PCAmerica Cash Register Express POS software platform, this retail system scales well from single-checkout retailers to multi-lane operations. POSGuys.com prebuilds the Pre-Financed Retail POS System to ensure the quickest path to ringing up customers.

Included in the system: POS Computer with software and drivers preinstalled PCAmerica Cash Register Express Pro Software 19″ Widescreen LCD Monitor POS-X ION Cash Drawer POS-X Magnetic Card Reader Epson ReadyPrint T20 Receipt Printer Symbol LS2208 Barcode Scanner

Pre-Financed Restaurant POS System

Using the same configuration as the POSGuys.com Premium Restaurant System, the Pre-Financed Restaurant POS System leverages Aldelo Pro For Restaurants software to make order entry and table management straightforward. Ideal for sit-down dining, the system includes a standard order station and kitchen printer, ensuring meal accuracy and customer satisfaction. The Pre-Financed Restaurant POS System is preconfigured and ready to go out of the box.

Included in the system: All-in-one 15″ LCD Touch Screen Computer with software and drivers preinstalled Aldelo Pro for Restaurants Software MMF Advantage Cash Drawer Epson TM-T88V Receipt Printer POS-X EVO Impact Kitchen Printer POS-X Magnetic Card Reader

[Source – PRWeb]

Tags: New Products aldelo pro cash register express mercury payment systems pos system pre-financed system restaurant system retail capital retail system

December 2012 News on the Barcoding Industry