Infographic: The Order and Chaos of Mobile POS
With the wide range of options for a Point of Sale System these days it can be a bit daunting to figure out which type will meet all your needs. Especially with the adoption of tablets and mobile devices as substitutes for a traditional computer, sometimes price may not be the driving factor in your decision.
Making sure you can process all the types of payments your customers will use, integration to other software systems, and transaction security are some of the key concerns when figuring out what type of system will work for your business. This infographic is a great primer and comparison of mobile vs traditional POS Systems to get you started on your decision. As any questions come up, feel free to contact one of our POS specialists at Barcodes, Inc for further assistance.
Honeywell’s Newest Mobile Computer the Dolphin CT50
Honeywell is pleased to announce our most advanced enterprise-ready 4G/LTE handheld computer, the Dolphin CT50. Targeting frontline mobile workers in scan-intensive workflows such as on-demand delivery, field service, and customer engagement who require anytime, anywhere connectivity to business-critical applications, the Dolphin CT50 offers the modern conveniences of an all-touch smartphone and the highest degree of future proofing. With support for either Windows or Android operating systems, the CT50 is a truly connected device that combines a design focused on ergonomics and reliability with industry-leading performance to enhance productivity, ultimately delivering a reduced total cost of ownership.
Improve Patient Care and Nurse Efficiency with the Zebra MC40-HC
In hospitals and clinics, mobile computers help nurses and lab technicians improve the quality of patient care and save lives by providing instant access to a wealth of business-critical information: real-time lab results, a change in a patient’s condition, or verification of the ‘5 rights’ of medication administration at a patient’s bedside.
Zebra’s MC40-HC is the perfect blend of enterprise functionality in a familiar smartphone form factor that can empower your healthcare staff to improve their daily operations providing more time for patient care.
Honeywell Announces the Captuvo SL42 for Apple iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus
According to a report recently published by Good Technology, iOS activations accounted for 73% of global device activations in Q4 2014. The introduction of the Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been pivotal in driving the market share upswing for iOS, as enterprises take advantage of leveraging the hallmark user interface and broad availability of enterprise-class apps to deliver engaging and unique customer experiences.
For enterprises looking to extend the capabilities of Apple’s latest consumer-preferred devices, Honeywell is pleased to announce availability of the Captuvo SL42 for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Designed to transform the popular smartphone into an enterprise-ready solution, the Captuvo SL42 for Apple iPhone 6 and Apple iPhone 6 Plus targets mobile frontline workers who require real-time connectivity to business-critical applications and superior barcode scanning performance to improve productivity and better serve customers whether in the office, on the road, or in the field.
Adoption of Android in Enterprise Mobile Computing
Should your business commit to using or migrating to the Android operating system? Before we answer that we should caveat by stating that no two IT departments are exactly the same. While Android currently holds a small market share of the rugged platform, its flexibility and customizability make it a leading candidate to take over for Microsoft, which has historically dominated the enterprise space. Microsoft’s software constrainment after each release has pushed the large device manufacturers like Zebra (formerly Motorola) and Honeywell to start investing heavily into the Android operating system for their mobile computers. The rest of the manufacturers have started to follow suit. Furthermore, despite the large market share of iOS in consumer devices, Apple is currently the least suited for the enterprise mobility space due to its lack of customization and restricted API access. See below for a chart that depicts the biggest benefits of Android in enterprise mobility:
The Hidden Costs of Using Consumer Grade Mobile Devices for Data Collection
With the widespread use of consumer grade smartphones and tablets, many business have been looking to these types of devices for a variety of applications. While consumer grade devices may be viable solutions in limited environments like Point of Sale, most enterprise applications will find that for the same costs a dedicated ruggedized mobile device will greatly reduce the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and improve your ROI.
For more in depth comparison of consumer based devices vs dedicated mobile devices see this previous post as well – How Durable Handheld Computers are Better Suited to the Mobile Workplace than Consumer-grade Smartphones
New SOTI MobiControl 12 Strengthens Mobile Device Management
SOTI has recently announced the general availability of SOTI MobiControl 12. The newest version of SOTI’s enterprise mobility management platform drives down total cost of ownership for businesses relying on mobile devices to deliver efficiencies across an entire organization, and extends remote management capabilities to smart peripherals for the connected enterprise.
In addition to the overall reduction of mobility costs, SOTI MobiControl 12 introduces a host of key features:
- Elimination or minimization of common mobile device deployment and management tasks, allowing rapid zero-intervention provisioning, policy administration and the ability to assign configurations over-the-air based on a broad range of criteria or LDAP attributes. This saves businesses up to $100 per device in provisioning costs.
- Quick device provisioning and remote support for next-generation Zebra peripherals. SOTI offers the industry’s tightest integration with Zebra, which minimizes downtime because of the ability to manage device profiles and spin up new devices remotely.
- Enhanced and broadened support for Apple, Kyocera, Lenovo, Sony, LG, Samsung, Motorola APIs, as well as Windows Phone 8.1.
- Over-the-air device configurations for email, WiFi, VPN etc. at a granular level based on various criteria including device properties, custom attributes and data, and more. This takes the burden off IT as users can now enroll their own devices quickly with zero IT intervention through a simple URL.
- An updated user experience that optimizes device management across operating systems using advanced profiles and policies.
CipherLab’s New RS30 Rugged Android Smart Phone.
The RS30 series by CipherLab with its 4.7-inch touch screen, along with Android’s 4.4 operating system enables the user interface to be as familiar as any personal smartphone. Its large 4.7 inch screen allows data to be easily seen and quickly navigated. This ensures a rapid process for its users and allows them to be more productive. The lightweight design of the RS30 series carefully frees the burden for users and makes it easy to carry. Ultimately the RS30 Series touch mobile computer simplifies the operating process with an intuitive touch-centric familiar experience.
Opticon’s New H-27 Android Mobile Computer
With the functionality of a PDA and the appearance of a smartphone, the new Opticon H-27 is particularly suitable for mobile workers who need the combination of auto-ID and business-critical information to carry out their work in a highly efficient way.
The device comes with an integrated 1D barcode reader or 2D imager and supports a variety of linear barcode symbologies, 2D and stacked codes. Due to the ergonomic design, the H-27 is slimmer and lighter than an industrial device, and also stronger and more robust than a consumer phone. Furthermore, the 1.5 meter shock drop test, the IP65 rating, the ability to operate at temperatures ranging from -10C to 50C and its 4.3” display with Gorilla glass and anti reflective coating gives this Android 4.2.2 based device the durability and ruggedness you may expect.
Mobile Device Convergence in Healthcare
Smartphones have transformed the way healthcare providers communicate, and these mobile devices are poised to revolutionize the way hospitals deliver care in 2014 and beyond.
Texting long ago surpassed voice calls as the favored method of communication among the general population, and it is rapidly gaining favor in hospitals. Doctors and nurses already exchange patient related texts on their own personal phones at many facilities, and as more hospitals issue mobile devices to employees, the ability to communicate quickly and access and update patient data on the move has become a critical function.
Deploying mobile, flexible, and reliable IT tools to caregivers is a top priority for provider organizations that not only need to meet new regulatory and technology requirements, but want to do so efficiently. At Cedars-Sinai Hospital in California, for example, the combination of smartphones and a new software solution to help prioritize alarms resulted in faster response times for emergency conditions, and a 50 percent reduction in overhead pages. Laboratory values are received 10 minutes faster and nurses are able to spend more time at the bedsides of patients who require their attention, according to a case study published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
