Barcoding News

Motorola has introduced a new series of business-class fixed radio-frequency identification (RFID) readers. The Motorola FX7400 series provides maximum functionality in a sleek package that is less than half the size of traditional fixed RFID readers, making it ideal for retail stores, offices, and other customer-facing or business environments. Motorola’s new cost-effective, high-performance fixed RFID reader is built on a new platform that supports Gen 2 technology and is capable of hosting third-party, customer-driven embedded applications.

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Service Pack 4 for the Socket Mobile SoMo 650 handheld mobile computer is now available on the Socket Mobile secure download site.

To access the service pack download, your SoMo 650 must be registered.

The service pack addresses the following issues:

• • Included Enhanced WiFi Companion in ROM

• • Added Socket File Store

• • Included SoMo 650 Back Pack software

• • Updated Connect!Agent to version 1.3.11.0

• • Updated Audio and Touch drivers

• • Improved flash write speed

• • Fixed SDIO driver to correct some issues with cradling the device

• • Lowered default screen brightness when on battery power

• • Fized some help files

• • Cleaned up Bluetooth power up/down (suspend/resume and radio on/off)

• • Updated Audio code so unit microphone is turned off when Bluetooth headset is connected

• • Updated Getting Started applets

• • Updated Standard Serial CF Card driver and PCMCIA driver to:

• • • Fix issues with some 3^rd party CF serial products

• • • Ensure power is turned off when COM port is closed

By Jeff Sibio, Intermec Director, Industry Marketing

I was somewhere in the middle of Montana when it happened, on a bitterly cold November night, 20 miles from the nearest town. My decade-old, four-door hatchback – a rusted, dented, green beast with a cracked windshield and a headlight that died every three months – began making a subtle whine that steadily grew into an angry cough. And then Rita, as I had named the car, died for the eighth and final time.

This was years before the age of the modern cell phone, and as I made my trek back to civilization, I recalled what my grandfather had warned me the last time I had taken Rita to the shop: “If you keep putting good money into a broken-down car for repairs, you’ll never have enough for a better one.”

I had rolled my eyes at the time, turned to the repairman, and told him to fix up my green beast. But walking along the highway through the Montana snow long after midnight, it occurred to me that he was right. Besides, after all the money I had tossed toward repairing Rita, I had to wait six months before I was able to afford my next car.

I still tell this story to businesses that are researching AIDC, mobile computing and printing solutions, because it underscores the importance of the long-term costs of critical technology. Buy the inferior solution in the here-and-now, and hidden repair and replacement costs will negate any savings from the purchase. And that’s why total cost of ownership (TCO) matters so much.

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Imagine a checkout line at your local grocery store, but with students lining up to be scanned instead of your groceries. That is the growing scene at college fairs across the country since the National Association for College Admission Counseling introduced barcode scanners at several of its National College Fairs.

The technology allows applicants to fill out their contact information online and can then print out their own personal barcode to take to the fair. In turn, colleges attending the fair can rent scanners, allowing students to swipe their barcodes at the colleges they are interested in. Universities can download an applicant’s information on the computer within 24 hours after the fair.

Citizen has made version 2.0 of its receipt printer driver available for free download.

New features introduced in the new Windows driver version 2.0:

• Electronic Journal (Journal Viewer)
• Couponing
• Watermarking
• Upside down printing
• Raw File Sender
• Reprinting
• Launching POS Printer Utility

Supported printer models are CT-S310, CT-S2000 and the CT-S801.

Are you a hospital debating between laser and thermal printing for your wristbands? Read Zebra’s white paper, Calculating Total Cost of Ownership for Patient Identification Wristbands. It compares laser and thermal print technologies for ease of use, print quality, durability, and upkeep costs. The results might surprise you!

A lawsuit filed in the state Supreme Court is aimed at blocking the use of bar codes on election ballots in Washington because they could be used to identify a voter’s choices.

The lawsuit alleges that more than 1 million Washington voters could have their secret vote preferences violated in counties that use certain ballot-tracking equipment. Elections officials say the claim is not true.

“In addition to violating statutory ballot secrecy standards, the use of ballot IDs threatens actual compromise of ballot secrecy,” declares the suit prepared by Knoll Lowney, an attorney who has filed suits in the past against targets such as Tim Eyman’s initiatives, U.S. Senate candidate Mike McGavick and the Building Industry Association of Washington.

Lowney estimated that one-third of eligible voters are affected in Washington, but Reed’s elections chief denied that there is any risk.

A new release of Teklynx LABELVIEW barcode label software is available for download. LABELVIEW 8.20.03 adds the following new features:

• New CAB, Cognitive, Intermec, and TallyGenicom printer drivers are available with LABELVIEW 8.20.03.
• Various reported defects are repaired with this new version.
• Works with Windows Server 2008: LABELVIEW has received “Works with Windows Server 2008” certification for 32- and 64-bit systems

LABELVIEW 8.20.03 is compatible and fully tested to work with the following TEKLYNX software products:

• BACKTRACK 6.0
• Pocket LABELVIEW
• LABEL ARCHIVE 2.05

Challenge:
A family-owned chain of 156 small town hardware stores in the Northeast was looking for a way to streamline operations at the outlets while making it easy to get information on daily activity back to headquarters. They selected a software product offered by one of Zebra’s solutions partners.

Application:
A software house specializing in the management of data and business processes for retailers had all the features a retail hardware company needed. It also had one feature this customer didn’t realize it needed: Zebra desktop printers. Over the years, the software company had seen the efficiencies created by pairing their system with a dedicated output device for the shelf labels, shelf talkers, and flags the customers would create.

Solution:
Instead of trying to customize their offering for the almost limitless number of retail hardware environments they might encounter, the software company forged partnerships with the manufacturers of best-of-breed hardware platforms from PCs to network systems, to servers. The desktop barcode printers they chose for all their installations are from Zebra. Teaming up with Zebra meant this software company only had to be distracted from their code one time. As soon as the Zebra printing language was integrated with the partner’s system, the desktop printer was “plug & play” wherever the software was installed.

Result:
By choosing a single vendor for barcode printers, the software developer simplified their own programming. A dedicated interface between the partner’s proprietary software and Zebra Desktop printers allows a seamless installation in the customer’s 156 small hardware stores. At the same time, it eliminates the need for unbundled buying decisions that would have consumed both time and money for the end user.

LXE Inc., the rugged mobile computer business of EMS Technologies, Inc., announced today the immediate availability of the MX9, MX9CS, and MX9HL Ultra-Rugged handheld computers, designed for use in a wide array of heavy industrial and outdoor data collection environments.

“The MX9 family of handheld computers further extends LXE’s reach into new markets and outdoor data collection applications.” states Steve Newell, LXE’s general manager. Replacing the popular MX5 series of handhelds, LXE has incorporated improvements and additional functionality requested by its existing customer and partner base. “We have seen a growing demand for ultra rugged computing products. The MX9 computer offers best-in-class performance along with special features such as GPS receivers for positional location applications. Interest in the product for agriculture, forestry and public safety markets, among others, demonstrates the need for high-reliability handheld computing solutions. Adding the MX9 family of computers to our portfolio of products will greatly extend the breadth of LXE products made available to our growing network of partners, for use in their solutions offerings.” Newell added.

The MX9 computer is in a class by itself, offering a host of features, including an outdoor display, multiple scanning and imaging options, back-lit keypads, built-in GPS positional location option, and 802.11 a/b/g, WWAN and Bluetooth communications options. The MX9 computer includes an IP67 rating and rugged packaging designed specifically for harsh outdoor environments. With low-temp batteries and built-in heater control capabilities, the MX9CS version of the handheld computer is ready for a variety of cold storage applications. The MX9HL version is compliant with Class 1 Div. 2 Hazardous Location environments. All MX9 computers ship with a PXA320 processor and industry-leading Windows® CE 5.0 operating system offering an open platform for application development. All versions also include LXE’s Toughtalk technology, supporting voice recognition applications.

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