Barcoding News
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Point of Sale Tablet Comparison Made Easy
Finding the right tablet for your point of sale application is key to ensuring you get the best performance and value from your investment.  With a host of options available for each model, getting a clear overview of what each tablet can do is challenging when looking at individual specification sheets.
This convenient chart breaks down the main features of some of the most common POS tablets. From point of sale transactions to on-site applications there’s a tablet to meet whatever your requirements are. For additional assistance finding the right tablet, contact one of our mobility specialists at Barcodes Inc.
 |  |  |  |  |  |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Manufacturer | ELO | Panasonic | Panasonic | Pioneer | Pioneer |
Model | ETT10 | Tough Pad FZ-G1 | Tough Pad FZ-A1 | Dash | Dash 7 |
WLAN Radio | 802.11 b/g/n | 802.11 a/b/g/n | 802.11 a/b/g/n | 802.11 b/g/n | 802.11 b/g/n |
WWAN Radio | None | Optional 4G LTE | Optional 4G LTE | Sold Separately | Optional 4G LTE |
GPS | None | Optional | Optional | Sold Separately | Optional |
Bluetooth | Bluetooth | Bluetooth | Bluetooth | Bluetooth | Bluetooth |
Operating System | Win 7e or No O/S | Win 8 Pro 64-bit | Android 4.0 ICS | Win 7e | Win 8.1 |
Scanner | 2D Imager | None | None | 2D Imager Option | 2D Imager Option |
Camera | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Optional (factory add |
Number of Keys | None | 7 Keys | 5 Keys | 5 Keys | None |
Display Type | 10.1″ Color/Touch | 10.1″ Color/Touch | 10.1″ Color/Touch | 10.1″ Color/Touch | 7″ Color/Touch |
RAM/Flash Memory | 2GB/32GB SSD | 4 or 8GB/128 or 256GB SSD | 1GB/16GB | 2GB/32GB SSD | 2GB/64GB |
Accessible Micro SD | None | microSD | microSD | None | microSD |
MSR | Yes | None | None | Yes | Yes (field add-on) |
IP Rating | IP54 | IP65 | IP65 | IP54 | IP54 |
Drop Spec | 3′ drop to concrete | 4′ drop to concrete | 4′ drop to concrete | 4′ drop to concrete | 4′ drop to concrete |
Processor | Intel Atom N2600 1.6GHz | Intel i5-3437U vPro | PXA2128 1.2GHz | Intel OakTrail Atom 1.5GHz | Intel Z2760 1.8GHz |
USB Ports | 1 | 1 | 1 x MicroUSB | 2 | 2 (plus 1 Serial) |
Audio Ports | 1 x 3.5mm | 1 x 3.5mm | 1 x 3.5mm | 1 x 3.5mm | 1 x 3.5mm |
MSRP | $1,525/$1,640 | $2,599/$3,719 | $1,379/$1,929 | $2462 | $1899 |
TSC Introduces New TTP-2410MT/TTP-2410MU Industrial Label Printers
TSC has introduced two upgraded versions of its popular TTP-2410M Pro printer, TTP-2410MT and TTP-2410MU,  that significantly boosts print quality, is faster than its predecessor, and is loaded with enough surplus memory to mass produce even the highest-resolution labels.
Enhanced print quality
One of the major upgrades is a new printhead technology, called “Thermal Smart Control” which along with faster processors and upgraded firmware, deliver a level of print quality that is superior to anything previously offered by a TSC midrange printer. Thermal Smart Control tracks and precisely calculates the duration that each pixel needs to be heated to produce consistently clear high-quality labels – one at a time or in batches of thousands.
TSC’s Alpha-3R, Alpha-4L Mobile Printers Now MFi Certified
TSC has received Apple license approval of its Alpha-3R and Alpha-4L handheld mobile printers, certifying them as an MFi hardware accessories. The licensing enables TSC to advertise the Alpha-3R and Alpha-4L as Apple-approved MFi devices and display MFi-related logos on their product packaging.
Operating in Bluetooth mode, the Alpha-3R can print receipts, tickets, proof of delivery, invoices and other documentation direct from iPhone and iPad Apple devices. Â The Alpha-4L can print direct from iPhone, iPad and iPod devices. The result: increased transaction efficiency and improved worker productivity.
5 Ways the Internet of Things Adds Value to Manufacturing and Field Mobility
Manufacturers and mobile workers are the unsung heroes of invention and innovation. Their creativity builds stronger economies in their organizations, communities and around the world, and their services keep everything moving forward. But the landscape is intricate, and it’s a constant battle to maintain profit margins, revenues and quality of service. With the vast opportunities for waste throughout global manufacturing supply chains, it’s not surprising that enterprises are focusing on cost reduction and ways to improve efficiency and accuracy across their organizations.
With the increase of devices linked to manufacturing and mobility processes comes the increase in data available. However, much of this information is disjointed across the enterprise, making it difficult to obtain a realtime view of assets, people and transactions. When this decentralized scenario is replicated across the enterprise, with countless devices running disparately, inefficiencies continue to mount. This leaves enterprise workers incapable of harnessing value from their data.
Driver Vehicle Inspection Reporting for Private Fleets: Pitfalls and Opportunities
As time marches on, many of the influences on our businesses change as well. This change alone is a great reason to frequently review your operations and make sure you are employing the very best practices in every facet of your business operations. In a recent research study conducted by Vanson Bourne trucking professionals reported that only 61% of their companies had conducted any type of process re-engineering effort in the previous 12 months. That leaves 39% of transportation operations as a whole (33% of private fleets and 53% of for-hire operations) that have not made a focused effort to innovate and improve their operational processes.
When you contrast that static approach to business against constantly evolving regulatory requirements, you have an obvious disconnect. For example, let’s take a topic like commercial vehicle inspections. All commercial fleets perform them since they are required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) initiative1 . Yet, how many companies execute these inspections and reports in a manner that not only improves the fleet’s Vehicle Maintenance BASIC score, but also improves the efficiency of the operation, positively impacting everything from driver performance to customer satisfaction?
Epson Teams with Touch Dynamic for Mobile POS Solution
Epson has announced a partnership with Touch Dynamic to address the growing importance of mobile POS as the overall mobile expansion in retail and hospitality continues. By bundling Epson’s new ultra-compact Mobilink P20 receipt printer with Touch Dynamic’s new 7″ and 10″ Quest Tablets specifically designed for mobile POS, merchants can increase sales and improve customer service.
New Labels for the Star SM-T400i Portable Printer
Star has announced new direct thermal labels certified to work with the SM-T400i portable Bluetooth printer. As the widest format portable Bluetooth printer in Star’s “i†Series, the SM-T400i is a rugged four inch (112mm) portable Bluetooth printer with a wide 104mm printable area, ideal for data-filled service reports, delivery notes or law enforcement citations. The SM-T400i includes both transmissive and reflective sensors, enabling label printing.
The new printing options will help quickly and easily print labels ideal for government, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and shipping and receiving industry applications. With three thermal label sizes available in various heights, the SM-T400i can accommodate most labeling applications with the ability to print from virtually any device.
Zebra Printer Selection Made Easy
As the leading manufacturer of industrial label printers, Zebra has a wide range of printers to meet the needs of any environment. From a small warehouse to a high volume distribution/logistics center, there’s a Zebra printer that will handle the speed and print quality requirements of the application.
Choosing the right printer for the job can be challenging when several models and a range of options are available for each. This handy comparison chart is a great starting point to narrow down your selection. As always, feel free to contact one of our printer specialist to find the best fit Zebra printer for your needs.
New Barcode Workflows for Nurses
A creative group of nurses are helping Honeywell uncover better ways to use barcode printers and scanners at the bedside. In the past, it was common to see barcode scanners mounted on workstation-on-wheel (WoW) carts behind the display and out of the way. It made perfect sense at a time when reading barcodes was a new and relatively uncommon task. Today, the frequency of reading barcodes at the bedside has dramatically increased and—with Meaningful Use Stage 2—this trend will continue. Nurses using Honeywell’s Xenon cordless barcode scanner quickly discovered that mounting it in an elevated, forward-facing orientation allowed them to fully benefit from the scanner’s “presentation mode†feature. Just like the built-in scanners found at the grocery store, presentation mode scanning is faster because it eliminates the need to squeeze the trigger, and frees up the second hand for quickly handling items.
Star Announces Wi-Fi Capable DK-AirCash
Expanding the field for mobile point of sale solutions, Star introduced its DK-AirCash accessory for enabling secure cash payments in mPOS. Normally, cash drawers are manually operated or by a wired connection to a receipt printer. The DK-AirCash allows you to control a cash drawer directly through an Ethernet, Bluetooth, MFi certified Bluetooth, and now Wi-Fi connection. Star’s DK-AirCash makes “wireless†operation of an existing hard-wired cash drawer possible.
With Wi-Fi interface, Star’s DK-AirCash SAC10EW-24 US model is compatible with all devices running on Android, iOS, and Window platforms. The new Wi-Fi DK-Aircash will provide merchants the ability to use their cash drawer on a network without the hassle of running a cable to the cash drawer. This latest release of the DK-AirCash series will be another step forward in our cost effective way to upgrade your cash drawer’s compatibility for mPOS.