Improve and Expand Your Scanning Capabilities with Motorola’s LI2208

Scanning barcodes has become such a standard and integrated part of many businesses it is easy to think that all scanners are essentially the same. While this may have been more true in the past with traditional laser scanners, recent advances in imaging technologies have brought expanded capabilities to scanners without increases in costs.

The same type of hardware that is being used for cameras in smartphones and tablets is also being used to make better barcode scanners. These new scanner types are called imagers since they are essentially capturing a picture of the barcode and then decoding it. Historically, imagers have been quite a bit more costly than a standard laser scanner but with new units like the Motorola LI2208, we now have imaging scanners at the same cost as a laser scanner.

So what exactly are the advantages of moving to an imager based scanner exactly?

The first big advantage imagers provide is increased productivity. With a scanner like the LI2208 you will see you can scan codes faster and with less aiming since with imaging technology your scanning area is larger than a single laser line. Likewise, imagers have a greater tolerance for poorly printed or damaged codes as they are processing an image as opposed to reading just reflected light. With an imager you will quickly find check out lines moving quicker and workers getting more done faster.

Another advantage imagers provide is their ability to read a barcode from any surface, including phone or tablet screens. This plays into increased productivity as well but being able to scan codes from a screen opens up opportunities for loyalty cards, mobile coupons and other customer interactions through their mobile devices. Being able to easily market to your customers through their mobile devices not only helps reduce costs of printing and managing lost cards but also increases their engagement rate since it’s so easy. With a single scanning device, you can manage the whole checkout process from product scanning to customer incentives.

In addition to the increased performance aspects of imagers, they are also more durable than a laser scanner. Without even getting into ruggedized enclosures, imagers have no moving parts as compared to lasers which have a small moving mirror in them. The Motorola LI2208 is the perfect example of a scanner with a single circuit board design that is made to last with a minimum points of failure. Regardless of the environment or the drops it takes, an imager is an investment you can count on.

For more information on how imagers like the LI2208 can benefit your business, contact us at Barcodes Inc.