We managed to get our hands on some Motorola LI4278 barcode scanners, and we decided the best plan was to break one on video. Somehow we failed. Aside from some superficial (and some less than superficial) damage, the scanner kept on scanning.

So after dropping it from about 80-feet to asphalt, kicking it down a road, spiking it off a wall, hitting it with a plank, standing on it, hosing it down, and driving over it a few times, we could only scuff up the housing and crack the head of the scanner. But it still runs like a champ.

For a retail-priced scanner, we were amazed at the amount of abuse it survived. We really don’t recommend actually doing this to your scanner, but if you have remarkably clumsy employees or like to throw stuff to people, this is a great fit.

I’ve traditionally pegged Motorola (really Symbol) as the company that makes great laser scanners. Their LS2208 has been selling a ton since the beginning of time, and it’s a great choice for a lot of retailers. However, with their creation of the Blockbuster 2D imager, and now their linear imager, they’re distancing themselves from the pack as a premier data capture manufacturer. Their first entry into the linear imager market, the Motorola LI4278, has a list of specs that make it a fantastic choice for cordless scanning.

The LI4278 looks very much like their LS4278, and is a cordless 1D barcode scanner. I do believe it will be supplanting the LS4278 eventually, so the transition should look pretty seamless. And it’s compatible with the LS4278 cradles, so if you have an old LS4278 and you want to upgrade, you just need the scanner. That is great forward thinking on Motorola’s part. There are plenty of LS4278′s in the wild, and if the LI4278′s spec sheet is any indication, upgrading is a no-brainer.

In terms of scanning, the LI4278 is a fantastic device. For standard UPC barcodes, you can get a read from an inch to 31 inches out. Most linear imagers out there can get reads from 18 inches back, some of the higher end ones make it to about 25-30 inches, so a retail scanner getting reads from that distance is going to be a boon to many businesses. Especially places like Costco, where maybe you can’t reach the barcode way up on the second or third shelf. High volume scanning should be no sweat for the LI4278. A maximum scan speed of 547 scans per second hangs in with even some presentation scanners, and the barcode scanner’s motion tolerance of 25″ per sec (1.4 mph) is pretty solid for a linear imager.

Bluetooth powers the wireless radio on the LI4278, Bluetooth v2.1 Class 2 to be exact. Most manufacturers run with this radio, as it can send data pretty quickly, and data transmissions are encrypted. Why you don’t want prying eyes to know you just scanned a case of Mountain Dew is a little beyond me, but I guess it’s important when you’re scanning like drivers license or customer data. With this radio, you get 330 feet of effective range, way beyond most cordless scanners and their paltry 33 feet of radio range. The Bluetooth radio also allows you to connect the LI4278 to a mobile computer or laptop, maybe even your iPhone or Motorola ET1 tablet. It runs in HID mode, so scanned data will be sent as keyboard input, making it really easy to integrate into a lot of mobility applications.

The LI4278′s battery provides more than a shift’s worth of scanning, eliminating nagging fears that the scanner’s just going to stop partway through a day. The replaceable battery with “green sustainability” can run for 72 hours on a full charge, or up to 57,000 scans. I can see why they’d put an either or. At the max scan rate, you can hit 57,000 scans in a little under two minutes. Or if you stayed at that scan rate for 72 hours, you’d read 141.7 million barcodes.

Motorola built the LI4278 for retail and maybe light industrial applications, and the durability matches up with those needs pretty well. The scanner sports an IP54 seal, though it’s advertised as a “gasket seal to protect from dust and water sprays.” It’s also built to withstand 100 consecutive 5-foot drops to concrete, so even a really clumsy person should be okay to use it.

I’m trying to get one in house to really put it through its paces, but so far the LI4278 is poised to be a fantastic scanner and a great release to start 2012. The 330-foot range and advanced scanning capabilities ensure that it’ll exceed most business’s needs for quite some time. And personally I’d rather have a product that does a lot more than I need, rather than a lot less.

The MC2100 is Motorola’s recently announced mobile computer, looking to place itself between the MC1000 and MC3000, and I think it’s a great choice for retailers needing powerful inventory management at an affordable price. The low end mobile computer market has a lot of options, but many run a proprietary OS or cut out key features & functionality in an effort to make the price point more appealing. Thankfully, the MC2100 fits well into this price range without cutting out needed functionality.

The MC2100 runs Microsoft Embedded CE 6.0, which I guess is the next step in Windows CE. There’s been a pretty solid naming shakeup since Windows Mobile split into Windows Embedded for handhelds and Windows Phone, but it seems like everything is settled by now. Anyway, Microsoft Embedded CE 6.0 gives you support for legacy Windows Mobile/Windows CE software packages.

Windows CE is powered by a 624 MHz Marvell PXA320 processor with 128 MB of RAM and 256 MB of Flash. While it’s not the biggest and fastest mobile computer on the market, the MC2100 is going to make short work of database management for most businesses. For additional storage, a microSD slot supports up to 32 GB cards, for big databases, preformatted files, or 10,000 copies of Rebecca Black’s “Friday” in mp3 form. If you’re into that sort of thing.

For barcode scanning, the MC2100 gives you your choice of 1D laser scanner, linear imager, and 2D imager. The linear imager is a new addition from Motorola, and is pretty beefy. From what I’ve heard, you can get an effective scan range of 30″ on regular UPC barcodes with the linear imager. It should definitely cut down on having to haul products off shelves during inventory audits. The laser scanner and 2D imager are the same fantastic scanners Motorola’s been building since the dawn of time, so no matter which model you pick, you’ll have no trouble scanning barcodes.

Motorola really designed the MC2100 for retail inventory management, asset tracking, and receiving, not necessarily for heavy industrial environments. But for the 95% of us who don’t work in torrential downpours, sandstorms, or the arctic tundra, the MC2100 is still a tough product. The body is sealed to IP54 standards, meaning windblown dust & splashes of water won’t get in and harm sensitive electronics. It can also survive drops of about 4-feet to concrete, so it should be fine if it accidentally is knocked off a table or out of a pocket, but I definitely wouldn’t want to throw it to a coworker.

It does come in two flavors: the MC2100 and the MC2180. The MC2100 is the batch scanning device, and lacks a touchscreen interface and 2D imager option. The MC2180 is the more full-featured of the two, giving you Bluetooth and 802.11b/g/n WiFi, a resistive touchscreen, and greater data capture with 2D scanning.

Both are great options and definitely have different applications. The MC2100 would be a great fit for smaller retailers needing batch inventory counts but not doing shipping/receiving, more like simple data entry and management. If you need a bit more functionality, like up-to-the-minute inventory updates, or you’re scanning shipping labels or the PDF barcode on a state ID, the MC2180 is the product for you.

Honeywell is building out their mobile computer product library, spreading into previously untapped territory. The Honeywell Dolphin 7800 mobile computer is positioned as an economical Enterprise Digital Assistant, and has some great tools to make your work easier.

Enterprise Digital Assistant is a fancy way of saying “burlier than a smartphone,” and the Dolphin 7800 fits into this class pretty well. It looks a bit like a cross between their higher end Dolphin 9700 EDA and the Dolphin 6000, which if you average the two out you get 7850. So that’s pretty close.

The Dolphin 7800 runs Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5, giving you support for legacy Windows CE/Windows Mobile apps. A TI OMAP processor clocked at 800 MHz drives the software, along with 256 MB of RAM and 512 MB Flash, making the Dolphin 7800 no slouch when running demanding applications. There’s also a microSD slot in case you need to stuff even more storage in there, like route maps, large form databases, or the compiled works of Motley Crue. Home Sweet Home is great to play on a return trip.

A 3.5″ LCD display runs in full 640×480 VGA on the Dolphin 7800, which is awfully crisp and shiny. You also get your choice of 30-key numeric or 46-key QWERTY keypad layouts, depending on if you like T9 or tiny keys. Either way, it should be pretty easy to enter data manually.

Honeywell built the Dolphin 7800 with Adaptus 6.0 imaging technology, in either standard range with green beam or extended range with laser aimer configurations. The standard range imager should get you about 20″ of optimal scan range for a UPC barcode. I don’t have exact numbers for the extended range imager, but I assume it’s greater than 20″. Long range imaging is making a pretty solid surge, with multiple manufacturers releasing autoranging or extended range imagers in the past year or so.

All of the Dolphins come with Bluetooth and 802.11a/b/g/n radios standard, with optional models sporting the Gobi 3000 WWAN radio. Gobi is a fancy pants new radio style that allows you to switch between GSM and CDMA networks on the fly. I’m not sure how often you’ll need to swap from Verizon to AT&T, for instance, but it’s great to have multiple options in case you hit a dead zone for either cellular network.

As I mentioned earlier, Enterprise Digital Assistants are burly smartphones, and the Dolphin 7800 is no exception. A magnesium inner chassis and engineering grade plastic housing reinforces the device, so you can drop it a fair bit without breaking it too badly. According to specs, that’s good for a 5-foot to concrete drop resistance. I wouldn’t go throwing this across a warehouse, but it should be fine getting bumped off a table or dropped by a normal height person. The reinforcing also protects it from 1,600 1-meter tumbles, which is a high point for this class of device. The Dolphin 7800 is also built with an IP54 seal specification, meaning windblown dust and water splashes won’t harm the internal components.

Honeywell also offers the Dolphin 7800 as a healthcare-specific model. This one comes in hospital white, so it should match your healthcare provider of choice. I think it also makes it easier to spot like dirt & blood & junk on the device, letting you know when you should clean it. And the plastics are specially designed for these cleaning situations, being resistant to various cleaning solutions. Usually, cleaning agents will pit, etch, or otherwise damage plastics, thankfully these healthcare Dolphins are built to not succumb to such a fate.

With the small size and durable design, I could definitely see the Dolphin 7800 as a good choice for quick utility meter reading, mobile field crews, or anyone needing durable mobility but can’t carry around a gigantic industrial mobile computer. The healthcare-specific model should be fantastic for care providers, the device is small enough to fit in a pocket, easy to sanitize, and offers advanced scanning to ensure the right treatments get to the right patients.

FUZION For Aldelo Wireless!

I am excited!

For many years, now, if you desired to utilize a wireless hand-held device with your Aldelo POS for Restaurants system, the cost was prohibitive. First, you would have had to invest in Microsoft Server 2003 ($2100), a wireless license for each device ($295) and each hand-held ($500). Well, that is now in the past…no more…it’s history.  You have another, better choice.

POS-X has introduced a wireless solution for Aldelo for Restaurants…the FUZION!

This little touch-screen mobile computer comes standard with Windows CE 5.0 and a virtual keypad, as well as an IP54 rating to protect against dust and misted liquids. And, if you drop it from 4 feet, it should bounce.

But, all that is secondary to what this little baby can do. The price  for the device will be very reasonable.  So, here’s a scenario: Let’s say that you already have Aldelo installed on your back office computer and a station in your cashier area or bar. The license for the FUZION would only cost $500 for the Aldelo License and the price of the device for the entire mobile solution!

Another scenario: Suppose you have a night club. Besides your primary bar station, you would need a back office station($700 for copy of Aldelo for the office) to run any and all hand-helds. So, if you wanted 4 servers to each have their own mobile device, just add up the extra licenses at $500 each plus the price of the device…no more server pricing to pay for!

Look for this awesome solution to arrive in about a month or so.

Oh, and for those who require a card reader on those devices, that module will be coming soon!

Find it soon at: www.posguys.com

Knowing how to address some of the physical challenges of these devices makes sense, both for sales and support. This is another issue to consider when purchasing or presenting mobile computer-scanner options to specific market segments.

Selecting Appropriate Devices

Computers designed for spaces where invisible gases or extremely explosive “incindive” conditions exist require devices specially designed and sealed to prevent sparks from igniting such fuel sources. Oil refineries or grain elevator sites are areas where such devices might be used.

On “Incindive” Compliance for Class 1, Division 2 Devices:

Class 1 is part of the National Electric Code definitions of hazardous location classifications and protection techniques for operating devices within areas where flammable gases or other “incindives” may be present in sufficient quantities to produce explosive or flammable mixtures.

Division 2 is an environment where flammable gases, vapors, liquids, combustible dusts or ignitable fibers and airborne particulates are not likely to exist under normal operating conditions. Hazardous atmospheres are further defined by ”groups.” These include:

• Group A: Atmospheres containing acetylene.
• Group B: Atmospheres containing hydrogen, gases or vapors of equivalent hazard such as manufactured gas.
• Group C: Atmospheres containing ethyl-ether vapors, ethylene, or cyclo-propane.
• Group D: Atmospheres containing gasoline, hexane, naptha, benzene, butane, propane, alcohol, acetone, benzol, lacquer solvent vapors, or natural gas.
• Group E: Atmospheres containing metal dust – including aluminum, magnesium, and their commercial alloys, and other metals of similarly hazardous characteristics.
• Group F: Atmospheres containing carbon black, coal or coke dust.
• Group G: Atmospheres containing flour, starch, or grain dusts

The bottom line to all of this is that without the specialized components within these hardened devices a mobile computing/scanning solution has the potential to be downright deadly. Therefore, it would be prudent for the buyer and the sales professional to make certain that all devices considered for these areas be certified as Class 1, Division 2 compliant.

The experts at www.POSGuys.com can assist in providing safe, appropriate mobile computer-scanner options for retail and warehouse environments in addition to industrial class 1 division 2 areas and cold storage facilities.

So, you have an authentic Chinese restaurant and have hired an authentic Chinese cook who speaks and reads only Chinese. Does your POS system have the capability to print in languages other than English? Does your printer print in languages other than English?

If your POS system does allow displaying and printing in other languages then what printer has the ability to print the those language sets?

For instance:

Aldelo Pro for Restaurants prints in English, Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Spanish. The system will display in Arabic characters.

Amigo POS prints in Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovenian, Spanish, Turkish, Welsh…and four user-defined.  By the way, all these languages are displayed in the system by Arabic text. The system will display different character sets for these languages using non-Arabic characters if the character sets are installed on the system.

What is the procedure to get such a printer?

1. Call your software vendor to make sure your POS application does have the ability to print in another language set.
2. Ask them if any specific printer model works better than another with their system.
3. Most of the time a KITCHEN PRINTER is what is needed but other models are made for receipts, as well.
4. Go to www.posguys.com to get your printer. Our sales staff can research the correct printer for your needs.
5. Epson and Star-Micronics are just two of the manufacturers that make printers with alternate language drivers.

Additional things to consider:

1. How the printer attaches to the computer:

Serial port, or RS-232 has 25 pins on the computer side.

Parallel port, or Centronix has 36 pins on the computer side.

USB port is a small, flat connector that slides into the computer USB port.

2. What kind of paper the printer uses:

Thermal (no ribbon) uses heat-sensitive, coated paper

Impact (uses ribbon) uses plain paper

Each brand or model has specifications for paper width and diameter, in addition to ribbon type so check your operator’s guide!.

www.posguys.com has all your retail POS and inventory needs!

Do you require custom gift cards, employee cards or loyalty cards for your retail store or restaurant?

You may be interested in knowing that all cards will not work with all software applications. Therefore, here are a few things to know before placing an order for Card Printing:

1. Color of card stock
2. Design of card available from your card vendor
3. Programming codes required by the software you are using
   1. Some applications require specific characters before or after the card number so that their system identifies the card as a gift card, loyalty card, employee access card from a credit card. These programming codes can be found by asking your software provider. Be ready for some resistance from your vendor because they usually provide card programming themselves and may not release their codes to you!
   2. Card number you want the current batch to start at: ie: 1001 for Gift cards, or maybe 4001 for employee cards, etc. to be able to differentiate each type of card, if you wish.

1. All cards should come with a barcode but you may want to add a magnetic stripe if required by your system or if you just want to use a MSR instead of a barcode scanner.
2. Color of the text and image on the card (single-color or full-color ribbon needed).
3. Pre-made image to be included on a custom card (JPG, GIF, PSD, etc. format)
4. Text to be printed on the front (or back) of the card (restaurant name, address, phone, “10% discount for order over $100″, or other message needed).
5. There may be other things to consider but this is just a place to start!

At POSGuys.com we print custom cards in quantities of 50 and up. We can provide all the information you need for your cards (except maybe the proprietary programming codes mentioned above if we do not already have them).

Also, we have a full-service design department to assist you!

Check out our site at http://www.posguys.com/custom_card_printing_60/

It’s amazing what a difference Class 1 vs Class 2 Bluetooth does for the scanning range of Bluetooth Barcode Scanners.  Here’s a relatively good example of how much farther the Class 1 Bluetooth will allow you to scan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ahjBQO6ixg

The Xenon Barcode Scanner is one of the most aggressive wireless barcode scanners I’ve seen.  And it’s priced accordingly.  If you don’t want to mess around with damaged or barely readable barcodes, buy this scanner.  The only other scanner that comes close is the Symbol 9808.

You can find the Xenon on our website at:

http://www.posguys.com/barcode-scanner_3/Honeywell-Xenon-1902_1030/

Thanks and please let me know if you have any questions,

Shad

The OPN-2002 bluetooth Barcode Scanner quickly connects to the Apple iPad and functions like an external keyboard device.  This Barcode Scanner is small, lightweight and survives drops to concrete by the fact that it weighs a couple ounces.  The lithium ion battery is recharged via a USB cable and will power the scanner for a few days of moderate use.

We sell the scanner for $314 and they’re currently in stock.

http://www.posguys.com/mobile_computers_6/Opticon-OPN-2002_947/

Honeywell Xenon

Fort Mill, S.C. – May 4, 2010 – Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today announced the introduction of the Xenon™ series, the company’s sixth generation of hand-held area imaging scanners. Xenon is the first Honeywell scanner to combine two proven technologies, Adaptus® Imaging Technology and Omniplanar’s SwiftDecoder® decoding software, to create an industry-leading platform that extends depth of field, shortens read time and improves scanning performance, including faster throughput and processing, on almost all types of bar codes. Designed to meet the needs of workers in healthcare, retail, manufacturing, postal/courier and government, Xenon is available in two easy-to-use models: the corded 1900 and Bluetooth-enabled 1902.

Xenon utilizes Adaptus Imaging Technology 6.0 to read high density linear bar codes, 2D bar codes and those found on alternative surfaces, such as the screen of a mobile device. Adaptus also provides enhanced image capture capabilities, including auto-cropping, resolution enhancement and sharpening filters that increase flexibility and ease integration into existing applications. Combined with SwiftDecoder software, which improves the scanner’s ability to decode damaged and hard-to-read bar codes, Xenon delivers unmatched scanning performance.

“The Xenon series is not only a major advancement in our scanning portfolio, but also the industry, as it brings the best of two worlds together to form a scanning platform with next-generation capabilities,” said Darius Adamczyk, president, Honeywell Scanning & Mobility. “In our internal testing, Xenon outperformed the other scanners tested in a wide variety of use case scenarios. We look forward to offering our customers this series of feature-rich scanners that will reshape the AIDC industry.”

Another differentiator for Xenon is its custom sensor, optimized specifically for bar code reading to deliver improved scanning aggressiveness. Additionally, as the sensor is manufactured only for Honeywell scanning products, it helps avoid supply chain issues experienced with off-the-shelf camera sensors used by other area-imaging scanners. Unlike most competitors within the AIDC space, Xenon’s internal infrastructure mounts critical components on a single board, reducing the need for connectors. This improves serviceability and reliability, while minimizing downtime and increasing productivity.

“Our customers demand quick, efficient and seamless transactions,” said Brad Fick, president, Direct Source, Inc. “To meet this need, we collaborate with partners like Honeywell to provide advanced scanning solutions. It serves our customers well that Honeywell is a proven leader in the imaging space.”

Xenon also comes equipped with Honeywell’s TotalFreedom® development platform, which expands Xenon’s functionality by allowing image processing, decoding and formatting application plug-ins to be loaded directly to the scanner instead of the host system. Additionally, the device is compatible with Honeywell’s Remote MasterMind® (ReM) scanner management software, which provides a quick and convenient solution for IT administrators seeking to manage all scanners within their network from a single remote location, enabling users to perform tasks ranging from asset tracking to software upgrades.

EZConfig, Honeywell’s new scanner configuration software, is launching along with Xenon. With an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI), EZConfig saves time and increases productivity by simplifying scanner configuration.

Xenon’s space-saving design fits well in any sized hand, increasing comfort and reducing operator fatigue. The scanner’s rugged form factor is capable of withstanding up to 50 drops to concrete from distances as high as six feet. Xenon also offers optional disinfectant-ready housing to minimize degradation in environments where scanners must be cleaned frequently with harsh chemicals, such as healthcare facilities.

Corded Xenon scanners are now available, while Bluetooth® Xenon scanners will begin shipping in June. For more information on Xenon, please visit www.honeywellaidc.com/xenon_press_release.

This video from APG Cash Drawer shows their focus on point of sale Cash Drawers extending to high volume, multi-lane implementations. APG Cash Drawer has a solid offering of Cash Drawers that fit into the budget whether you’re a multi-lane grocery or a quiet book store.