Transforming the Customer Experience with RFID
Despite the explosion of online choices, customers still value seeing and touching merchandise firsthand – an experience only available to them in a brick-and-mortar store. When retailers add the cutting-edge benefits of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to that unique advantage, they help close the all-to-common gaps in service, information and inventory of traditional retail and open more opportunities for sales and customer satisfaction.
RFID empowers retailers like never before, elevating shopping into an enriching and positive experience. With RFID as part of a total solution, retailers can greet customers by name, impress them with a wider selection of merchandise, and better serve them with faster assistance, deeper product information and more personalized promotions. What’s more, retailers can turn shopping time into social time with RFID enabled kiosks that enable customers to interact with their social network of family and friends. And when customers are ready to buy, so are retailers. RFID applications can identify merchandise, recognize loyalty accounts and facilitate mobile transactions. Even fulfilling customers’ needs is easier using RFID. Retailers gain real-time visibility into inventory, so they can expedite fulfillment of orders from closer locations. In short, RFID – along with advanced retail technology – can help keep customers happy and coming back in this intensely competitive industry.
The Internet of Things with Zebra and Barcodes, Inc.
What is it?
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the coming connectivity of everything you own, everything you see. No longer will access to the internet be limited to single point interfaces like your phone or computer, or single-point data sources like web pages or servers. Nor will it be limited to you! Everything you see can, and someday will, be interconnected and sharing data: your tv, your refrigerator, your home, your car, the roads you drive on, the building you work in, the package you’re delivering… everything.
So far, the Internet of Things has been most closely associated with machine-to-machine (M2M) communication in manufacturing and power, oil and gas utilities. Products built with M2M communication capabilities are often referred to as being smart.
Why do I care?
IoT will affect the way we live and work. IoT will impact every industry out there: Healthcare, Manufacturing, Transportation & Logisitics, Retail, Hospitality, Warehousing, and so on. Your competitors will be embracing IoT capabilities to find a competitive advantage, the same advantage you want to get first. The advantage that comes with speed, efficiency, and a clear view of your assets and operations, your people and inventory, 24/7 in real time.
Infographic: Barcodes vs RFID
When it comes down to choosing the right technology for tracking anything from products in a warehouse to people at an event, the 2 main options today are Barcodes or RFID. Most people are familiar with barcodes and RFID is becoming more and more common place but the differences between them may not be so clear. The first big difference you’ll find is the cost between RFID and barcodes.
This infographic is a great primer on the capabilities of each technology to help you decide if the the cost difference is worth it for your application. As always, feel free to contact one of our data collection specialists to get the perfect solution for your needs.
RFID for your Cat
When you think about RFID one of your first thoughts probably isn’t how it can benefit your pet cat. Many pets today have an RFID chip in them for identification purposes but beyond that, the technology doesn’t really come into play in their day to day lives.
Ben Milliam realized that he could enhance his cat’s general curiosity and ‘mobile’ hunting drive with the aid of some RFID tagged wiffle balls and a modified electronic feeder he embedded an RFID reader in. Now his cat, Monkey, gets a taste of being an outdoor ‘hunting’ cat in the comforts of home.
You can find a detailed breakdown of Ben’s process and how be built everything on his site.
RFID vs Barcodes
With the introduction of NFC, RFID has become a trendy technology, but is it really a necessity for your business? Let’s go over some of the differences between barcodes and RFID:
- Line of Sight – Rather than using light to collect or read a number from a barcode, radio waves are used to read a number from the RFID tag. Therefore, RFID does not require a line of sight to operate, but rather you can wave the RFID reader to read the tags.
- Multiple Item Scanning – Since RFID does not require line of sight it is not necessary to present each tag to the reader separately (as is required for barcodes); instead, all tags within the range of the reader can be read almost simultaneously as they pass the reader.
- Automation & Accuracy – Barcodes require a person to manually read each individual barcode, which can lead to manual read errors and mis-scanning. RFID, on the other hand, is a fully automated solution with a higher accuracy rate.
Although there is a huge savings in RFID technology from a resource, time and accuracy standpoint, we rarely recommend a business migrating from a completely manual process to a RFID solution. Companies that currently incorporate barcodes face the best return on investment from a RFID solution. Talk to one of our experts today to get a full assessment of your business.
CipherLab’s 1862 UHF Bluetooth Reader Brings RFID to Android, iOS and Windows Mobile Devices
CipherLab has announced its upgraded multi-operating system 1862 Bluetooth UHF RFID reader designed to easily add UHF RFID reading and writing to Android, iOS and Windows Mobile devices. The 1862 UHF RFID Bluetooth Reader is the perfect cost-effective accessory to any Bluetooth enabled mobile device. With a universal mount, the The 1862 UHF RFID Bluetooth Reader sled can transform any Android, iOS or Windows Mobile devices into a high performance handheld RFID reader. CipherLab recently debuted the new 1862 UHF RFID Bluetooth Reader at RFID Journal LIVE!
Key features
- Makes RFID data collections easy and efficient with its powerful RFID reader function.
- Sets itself apart with its ability to extend its RFID reading and writing capabilities to existing mobile devices through its Bluetooth pairing.
- Enables versatile data collection with Bluetooth pairing while the 1862 also includes Bluetoot V4.0 dual mode which is backward compatible with current and future smart devices.
- Conveniently allows users to have no worries of high replacement costs for their existing mobile device investments.
For assistance finding the right RFID solution for your business, contact us at Barcodes Inc.
CipherLab’s New Long Range 1862 UHF RFID Handheld Reader
CipherLab has recently announced that its 1862 UHF RFID handheld reader is now launching.
The CipherLab 1862 UHF RFID handheld reader has a long reading range of 16.5 ft. which makes data collection easier from the ground. Users can also easily reach and collect data from hard to reach locations. On top of that, the data collection process is made simple with the ability to read manifold and various EPC Gen 2 (ISO 18000-6C) tags at one shot. CipherLab’s 1860 series’ high performance RFID technology makes applications such as asset management and item level tagging quick and easy.
CAEN’s New qIDmini Keyfob Bluetooth UHF RFID Reader
CAEN RFID has announced the release of the new qIDmini, a keyfob sized Bluetooth UHF RFID reader of its easy2read family.
The qIDmini (Model R1170I) has an integrated antenna suited for short to medium range applications and, thanks to the Bluetooth communication interface, it is a perfect UHF RFID add-on for any Bluetooth enabled host such as a PC, a smartphone, a PDA or a tablet. The reader is compatible with Windows XP/7, Windows CE/Mobile, Android, iPhone and iPad.
It can operate both in wired mode, using a USB cable, or in wireless mode through the Bluetooth interface. The reader can also operate in “Batch Mode”, allowing to store EPC codes into the internal memory when the communication link (USB or Bluetooth) is not available.
Socket Incorporates NFC in theirs SoMo 655
Socket has announced that commencing in June, its SoMo 655 handheld computer will be able to read and process information using Near Field Communications (NFC) technology. NFC is an RFID technology enabling the wireless transfer of information at short range with extremely simple setup.
The SoMo 655 RFID Reader with NFC operates both as a reader and writer. The SoMo 655 will read NFC High Frequency 13.56MHz contactless smart tags including those that are ISO/IEC 14443A and B compliant including Mifare and Sony FeliCa. It will also read tags that are ISO 15693 compliant, EPC GEN 2 HF and ISO 18000-3 mode 3 compliant, and will read many other proprietary tags. The RFID NFC reader plugs into the SoMo 655 handheld computer and enables single handed operations. The model 6E2 RFID reader has a U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $225.00. The model 6P2 is a combination RFID NFC reader and barcode scanner with a U.S. MSRP of $569.00. The RFID Readers will be in black and antimicrobial white to match the SoMo 655 and 655Rx, respectively.
TSL’s 1128 Bluetooth UHF RFID and Serialio Software Work Together to Boost Productivity
TSL has announced that popular mobile software from Serialio has been optimized to support their high-performance 1128 Bluetooth UHF RFID Reader. Working together, these powerful hardware and software solutions keep the mobile workforce operating at peak productivity.
Serialio apps for iOS and Android operating systems that are compatible with TSL’s 1128 Bluetooth UHF RFID Reader include the Mobile Grid Solution Framework, iScanBrowser, and SerialMagic Gears Android. Support for SerialMagic Professional Windows is expected in the near future.
