Barcoding News

Barcode printing solutions that help nurses do what they do best: Provide excellent patient care

Thermal Barcode Printing Solutions That work with you and for you

Zebra thermal barcode wristband and label print solutions offer you and other members of your hospital’s nursing staff an easy way to improve patient safety. This is technology you’ll actually welcome, because rather than hindering your workflow, it actually helps you work more effectively. Consequently, you’ll have more time to do what you do best: care for the patient.

Performing together as a complete, optimal barcode print solution, Zebra thermal printers and genuine Zebra wristbands and labels encode patient data as a barcode and text. Scanning the barcode gives you immediate, automated access to patient information—helping prevent errors and improve patient safety

Download PDF: Barcode Print Solutions for Nurses

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According to a survey conducted by Australia-based University of Wollongong’s Centre for Business Services Science, one reason companies adopt radio-frequency identification technologies is to gain an advantage over their rivals, and another is improved data accuracy. Companies that have not adopted RFID, however, cite the technology’s cost as one of the most important factors influencing their decision.

(Original article: http://www.smartbrief.com/news/comptia/storyDetails.jsp?issueid=6BBCD91D-F82A-4F8E-A30B-79D6476F5235&copyid=D42F4495-2E52-4B17-B810-DB06651E6965)

Today’s Reality—Closing the Productivity Gap

With an increasing emphasis on cost reduction, global enterprises are looking for ways to improve efficiency and accuracy in their supply and distribution chains. To remain competitive, distribution centers, manufacturers, and short-haul and long-haul carriers must change the way they label and track goods. Success depends on maximizing efficiency throughout all supply chain operations—front to back. Exploiting mobile labeling technology is fundamental to achieving optimal efficiency.

The most effective way to improve efficiency and keep labor costs under control is to minimize the amount of time required to label materials, work in process, finished products, boxes, and pallets. Centralized labeling solutions significantly reduces productivity and injects inaccuracies; thus, even the slightest improvement to the handling process will yield significant cost savings.

Barcode and RFID labels are by far the fastest and most accurate method to identify and track materials and products throughout the supply chain, and within warehouses and distribution centers. Used in multiple industries, centralized printing stations affix barcodes and RFID to the materials, finished goods, and packages. When integrated with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, these systems are a proven solution for significantly boosting operational efficiencies and reducing costs. However, tightening the supply chain even further calls for mobile printing solutions that equip workers with seamless mobility throughout the warehouse—wherever and whenever they need it.

“By using mobile wireless printers at the receiving dock to issue goods receipts, Driscoll Strawberry Associates reduced the time to process receiving transactions by 25 percent.¹â€

1. Zebra Case Study, “Driscoll Picks Perfect Mobile Solution for Distribution Account Reconciliation”

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Zebra G-Seriesâ„¢ desktop printers are now available with a factory-installed, efficiency-enhancing cutter or peeler option. This means the G-Series now offers a full complement of options to meet additional applications within healthcare, retail, manufacturing and other industries.

The peeler, which is available on both GK and GX models, automatically peels the lining from each label before application, saving the printer operator time and labor.

The automatic, full-width guillotine cutter is available on GX models only. Particularly useful for heavier stock, including tag stock up to 7.5 mil, the cutter option is easier to use than the alternative manual tear-off mode. It also provides better-quality label edges.

Both options are available factory-installed peeler. Neither option is available as a field-upgradeable option.

Tetherball, an industry leader in mobile loyalty and rewards solutions, has unveiled its breakthrough RFID-based mobile marketing platform and a test with International Dairy Queen.

According to CBS News, the test is being conducted at a single Dairy Queen store in Rochester, Ind. The solution tracks customers’ purchases and makes are make customized coupon recommendations upon their entering the store.

“We are a big believer in the future of mobile marketing,” said Jamie Guse, Web site manager for International Dairy Queen Inc. “Through (Tetherball’s) innovative RFID-based Mobile Loyalty Program, we are able to provide great offers to our customers in a fun and easy way while precisely measuring the effectiveness of our Dairy Queen Mobile Rewards Program.”

International Dairy Queen Franchisee Dave Reasner has been working with Tetherball for nearly two years to refine the mobile loyalty program for his stores. The program now averages more than 900 members per store, with continued solid growth in membership and redemption rates. The solution is “making a measurable difference in our year-over-year traffic and revenue,” he said.

Mobile banking and payments is considered a promising area, in which near-field communications (NFC) is widely viewed as the pinnacle. NFC promises to turn the mobile phone into a secure credit card by enabling the exchange of data between devices over about four inches of distance. While companies work out the kinks to make it attractive for all members of the ecosystem, including carriers, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags that can be affixed to the mobile phone are cropping up as a temporary solution – one that Aite Group senior analyst Nick Holland says is extremely flawed.

“This is seen by the people who put the stickers out as some interim technology that will magically get us to NFC, whereas what is really required is a solid business case for NFC and a level of merchant penetration for contactless payments that makes NFC viable,” Holland said. “This, as far as I’m concerned, is a step in the wrong direction. This is not something that will accelerate NFC. If anything, it’s going to be a distraction.”

Companies including Blaze Mobile, MasterCard, First Data and, as of today, Alcatel-Lucent and Tetherball, are among those using RFID stickers to bridge the gap to NFC. Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) announced today its touchatag venture will work with Belgacom mobile and micro payments company PingPing, to create an open model of application development for contactless cards and mobile payments. Through the partnership, Belgian consumers can use one contactless card or sticker to launch mobile payments or other mobile applications.

Star Micronics America is proud to announce that Microsoft’s Dynamic Retail Management System (RMS) supports Star’s HSP7000, the company’s multifunction printer series. Microsoft RMS offers small and mid-market retailers a complete point-of-sale (POS) solution that can be adapted to meet unique retail requirements.

“Star Micronics has always played an innovative role in the printer industry. Our participation with Microsoft RMS is the most recent example of that role,” said Michael Hanson, vice president of Star Micronics America. “It is a truly innovative platform that brings a number of advantages to POS systems; including simplifying the setup, deployment and management for small to mid-size businesses. We believe Star’s line of receipt printers is an ideal complement to RMS as the printers bring additional benefits to point of sale applications.”

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Star Micronics America Compatibility with Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System

Star Micronics America is proud to announce that Microsoft’s Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS) supports Star’s HSP7000, the company’s multifunction printer series. Microsoft RMS offers small and mid-market retailers a complete point-of-sale (POS) solution that can be adapted to meet unique retail requirements.

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Janam’s XG100 was designed specifically for scan-intensive, extended shift use in warehouses, distribution centers, loading docks and other demanding environments. The XG100 is the only rugged gun-shaped mobile computer with its battery positioned inside the pistol grip. This lowers the product’s center of gravity and makes it light and balanced in the hand which maximizes worker comfort and productivity.

Janam Technologies LLC is a provider of rugged, handheld computing devices for mobile workers. Janam combines deep industry knowledge with advanced technologies to deliver products and accessories that increase productivity, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction. Specialising in purpose-built mobile computers that scan barcodes and communicate wirelessly, Janam develops products for mission-critical applications in retail, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and logistics.

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Harrisburg, Pa – June 2, 2009 – Tyco Electronics’ Elo TouchSystems, the global leader in touch technology, makes multiple things possible with an expanded touch portfolio. Broadened touch capabilities bring a new realm of performance and functionality to the user experience. The newest Elo technologies deliver benefits that have been only partially achieved before by other touch technologies. Bringing multi-touch capabilities to the widely accepted mainstream IntelliTouch surface acoustic wave (SAW) touch technology is an example of the innovation and performance customers depend on from Elo TouchSystems products.

The new touch capabilities will be exhibited at Computex at the Taipei World Trade Center in Taipei, Taiwan, June 2- 6, 2009. Computex Taipei is the largest computer exhibition in Asia and the second largest in the world. Demonstrations of IntelliTouch multi-touch will be conducted on the popular Elo 2239L 22-inch open-frame touchmonitor in the Mythology Tech Express Booth #L1104. Mythology Tech Express, an Elo TouchSystems customer, specializes in the retail market with point-of-sale solutions. The new technology will be available for purchase on the Elo 22-inch open-frame touchmonitor or as components later this year.
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