Thursday, July 31, 2014

7 awesome QR code marketing campaigns

QR codes are a bridge between offline and online in the smartphone age. In the absence of links, they guide potential new users and faithful customers to a brand’s store, social media account, or promo page. We’ve come up with a list of clever QR code marketing ideas we’ve seen in Asia – a nice mix of one-off novelty uses and practical, daily use-cases. While not all these QR code campaign examples relate to marketing in the strict sense of being used in adverts, they’re all part of a connection between us and the web – and that easy segue is a vital part of easing ordinary people into adopting something. That helps a product or marketing campaign to go viral.

Schmersal RSS260 safety sensors with RFID technology

Control Logic presents the new Schmersal RSS260 safety sensor designed to combine RFID technology and a high switching distance in a compact and tamperproof design. The various actuators allow optimal integration of the safety sensors in the surrounding architecture of removable, hinged and sliding covers and doors. All variants offer a high level of tamper resistance as the RFID-based sensor technology permits individual actuator coding.

The safety sensor in its basic version accepts any suitable RSS260 family target. A second version for increased tamper resistance only responds to an individually assigned target; however, the teaching process can be repeated any number of times. The third version offers the highest level of tamper resistance and only accepts the target presented at initial power up.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

SITA gets smart with boarding passes

Airlines can now offer their ultra tech-savvy passengers the chance to board their flight with a mere flick of their wrist and scan of their smartwatch. SITA Lab continues to innovate and lead in the area of wearable tech by providing boarding passes for Android watches via its API available now on developer.aero. A simple alert via Android Wear technology will remind the passenger of their flight at the appropriate time and location. A quick swipe reveals the boarding pass and a second swipe displays the barcode allowing the passenger to get through theairport checkpoints and board the plane.

Nuclear Facility Tests RFID on Pipe Welds


French technology-based tracking solutions company Beweis has developed an RFID-enabled system for verifying that pipes have been properly welded at nuclear power plants and petrochemical facilities, and for tracking the soundness of those welds via radiographic images.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

eBay barcode scanner app brings stealth price checking to Google Glass

Barcode scanners have been helping shoppers save money since the dawn of the smartphone era, but getting busted looking for a better deal online by the struggling independent store owner sure is embarrassing. However, help is at hand for guilt-ridden Google Glass Explorers who can now perform on-the-sly price comparisons thanks to the launch of the eBay RedLaser app on Google's high tech headpiece.

The Number One Thing About RFID In Retail

RFID, mobile, omni-channel, payment systems, and the list of initiatives go on and on. Brick and mortar retailers are fighting for their lives to compete with online companies by offering services like order online and pick up at the store or fulfillment from store for next day delivery. It is all about serving the customers’ expectations of near instant gratification. We as customers wait and take our time while we research a products functionality, quality as well as friends and strangers opinions. When we are ready though to pull the trigger and purchase, we then want it now! Because there are so many choices where you can purchase a product and its alternative, the days of being captured to one or two retailer options are over. - See more at: http://pointofsale.com/201407243562/Point-of-Sale-News/The-Number-One-Thing-About-RFID-In-Retail.html#sthash.nMQPVAAs.dpuf

Monday, July 28, 2014

Steel Association Introduces QR Code-based Scheme to Thwart Test Result Fabrication

In order to prevent the instances of fabricating mill test certificates and thereby reduce the volume of low-quality steel product imports, the Korean Iron & Steel Association has introduced a new QR code-based scheme called “QReal” and entered an emergency mode to fully implement the scheme.  According to the association, the imports of steel products during the first half of the year were 11.21 million tons, up 15.5 percent from the same period last year. Of these, as much as 6.55 million tons, or 58.4 percent, originated from China, rising 31.0 percent from a year ago.

RFID tags on honey bees reveal hive dynamics

Scientists attached radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to hundreds of individual honey bees and tracked them for several weeks. The effort yielded two discoveries: Some foraging bees are much busier than others; and if those busy bees disappear, others will take their place. The findings are reported in Animal Behaviour. Tagging the bees revealed that about 20% of the foraging bees in a hive brought home more than half of the nectar and pollen gathered to feed the hive.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Basuki Admits Jakarta Smart Card Not Effective

Acting Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama conceded the Jakarta Smart Card (KJP) program, an education aid scheme designed to help underprivileged students in the capital, was ineffective, saying the city was putting together an additional program to support poor students study beyond high school level. “KJP can only support the students for three years [in high school],” Basuki said on Monday. “We will evaluate it because it is not very effective.” The Jakarta Smart Card, or Kartu Jakarta Pintar, was introduced by Basuki and Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo when they were elected in 2012. It was designed to provide a monthly allowance to students at risk of dropping out of school.

The Meaning of a Retail CEO's Comments on RFID

I am often asked when radio frequency identification technology will take off, and I have replied, only half-jokingly, that it will happen when financial analysts begin asking CEOs about their RFID deployments during conference calls to discuss quarterly or year-end results. "CEOs suddenly gain an understanding of the value of new technologies when Wall Street is expecting them to be using it," I would explain. I saw this when I covered Internet technologies for Information Week and The Industry Standard. CEOs who were quoted as saying the Internet was hyped and had no business value one week would suddenly be throwing money at Internet projects after analysts pressed them to explain their Internet strategy.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

SATO Provides Solutions at GS1 Germany’s New Knowledge Centre

SATO is providing its iCL4NX and CT4i printer series to GS1 Germany’s new knowledge centre in Cologne.  The centre, which opened on 1 July 2014, features live demonstrations of equipment, enabling visitors to learn about practical uses for the printers, particularly in the industrial and health care sectors.

GS1 Germany is embarking on entirely new forms of interactive information transfer using practical learning experiences in realistic settings. “This is largely thanks to the sponsors and GS1 Germany solution providers – over 80 in total – who have contributed everything from ATMs to patient wristband printers to our extraordinary venue,” said Jörg Pretzel, Managing Director of GS1 Germany.

Fujitsu TELentice Digital Media Solution Offers Facial Detection, Personalised Messages and Advanced Analytics

Fujitsu announces the launch of the latest version of TELenticeTM, its Australian-designed digital advertising solution. Version 6.3, which will be released in August in Australia, will incorporate facial detection technology to enable organisations to create a deeper and more interactive level of communication with their customers. The new functionality, which incorporates Near Field Communications (NFC) capability and Bluetooth connectivity, will allow targeted messages and personalised content to be directed to consumers as they approach or pass media screens. An optional demographic recognition capability will allow marketers to personalise content of advertising based on estimated age and gender to improve the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.
 
TELentice is designed for the global retail sector, centre management organisations, the transit market (airports, train stations) and healthcare. Fujitsu’s strategy includes attracting high end advertising and media operations as it looks to partner in the development of a wider range of content creation services.

The solution is ideally suited to implementations of multiple-screen complex display networks in dispersed locations due to its ability to be scaled with little addition to the management effort. Marketers will benefit from the new Operations Dashboards, which offer the ability to gain insight into customer profiles and to calculate returns on communications investment.

Developed at the Fujitsu software development centre in Australia, TELentice delivers integrated control over digital advertising campaigns from network-wide booking and scheduling, distribution and display, through to billing, analysis and auditing. TELentice allows a range of organisations to raise their brand profile, and engage audiences with advertising and information content, faster and cheaper than through conventional channels.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

China-Made Handheld Barcode Scanners Ship with Spyware



Some Chinese-manufactured shipping-barcode handheld scanners — of the type used by many United States retailers and warehouses, as well as delivery services such as UPS and FedEx — were found to have sophisticated spyware preloaded on them, according to San Mateo, California-based security company TrapX. Dubbed "Zombie Zero," the information-stealing malware is likely part of a state-sponsored industrial-espionage campaign.


UCF grad marketing RFID security 'shield' used by White House

Nolan Wilson, 40, has taken a break from his life on the Nascar racing circuit to market what he calls RFID "Military Grade" wallets and passport billfolds designed to stop high-tech thieves. The UCF class of '97 communications graduate has the exclusive franchise rights for a special fabric lining sewn in nylon wallets and billfolds. The items are assembled in Georgia and sold to consumers online and soon in an airport near you.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Big Brother In Your Garbage Cans? New Totes Have RFID Chips to Monitor Recycling

Last April 17, the Niagara Falls City Council approved Mayor Paul A. Dyster's proposal to buy some 45,000 refuse and recycling totes from Cascade Cart Solutions of Grand Rapids, Mich., for $2,124,449, the low bidder for the contract. Casino funds were used for this purchase. The wheeled, blue 64-gallon refuse carts cost $42.78 each and green, 96-gallon recycling carts cost $50.96 each. The price included delivery.  Included also in the over-all price was $19,389 for 10 year software licensing and a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip embedded in each tote. 

​QR codes aren't useless after all, study says

Nielsen's latest report on mobile payments isn't too surprising, save one tidbit: people like using QR codes. The study found that mobile payment users actually prefer methods involving quick response (QR) codes or bar codes. Almost half, 45 percent, of the nearly 4,000 people surveyed by Nielsen said they use the method to check out with their smartphones. Akin to bar codes, QR codes are blocks of printed code used to store large amounts of digital information. For a time, they were showing up everywhere -- on product packaging, ads, marketing campaigns -- but were seen as unnecessary or gimmicky. In mobile payments, cashiers can simply scan the codes displayed on a customer's smartphone as they would any bar code.

Monday, July 21, 2014

ISA Boutique Tracks Inventory, Shopper Behavior Via RFID

China's ISA Boutique is installing a radio frequency identification system at one of its stores, after determining that the technology provided valuable data following an initial installation at another location. The RFID readers and antennas, supplied by Convergence Systems Ltd. (CSL), enables the store to track its fine jewelry and to know not only what is stocked within the cabinets, but also when a particular piece is removed from the cabinet and returned—and how often—thereby providing analytics regarding how well customers like each item.

Zara Increases RFID Implementation for Faster Fast Fashion

If Zara’s speed to market was not yet speedy enough, its parent company Inditex recently announced it would add radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging to its supply chain processes in a much bigger way. The technology will allow for garment tracking from logistics platforms through to ultimate sale.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Coles launches mobile wallet

Australian grocery retail giant, Coles, announced the launch of its mobile wallet, combining a new smartphone app for iPhone and Android, near-field communications (NFC) sticker for contactless payment, and the integration of its existing Coles MasterCard. The Coles Mobile Wallet comes around 18 months after the company first trialled its Coles Pay Tag NFC patch, and is also integrated with the company's Flybuys program in addition to its credit card program.

Systematic Laundry in Singapore Installs InvoTech UHF-RFID Laundry System for Efficient Operations

InvoTech Systems, Inc. announced Systematic Laundry installed the InvoTech UHF-RFID Laundry System to efficiently manage resort laundry operations. The InvoTech Laundry System streamlines and automates laundry operations, cuts labor costs, and provides real-time information to lower operating expenses. Systematic Laundry processes up to 20,000 garments per day for Resorts World Sentosa and 50,000 garments per day for other hotel clients and international airlines. Click here for more information on InvoTech’s Linen, Uniform, and Laundry Systems.

“The savings are magnificent with the InvoTech UHF-RFID Laundry System,” said TP Chan, CEO of Systematic Laundry. “The system considerably reduced employee involvement. This is important to us since the cost of per-employee labor is high in Singapore. With the InvoTech System, we can reallocate manpower to other processes within the laundry. This saves us money.”

The InvoTech Laundry System at Systematic Laundry interfaces with the InvoTech Uniform System at Systematic Laundry’s largest client, Resorts World Sentosa. The interface enables the UHF-RFID laundry tags in the Resort’s uniforms to automate operations at the properties and the laundry. The InvoTech systems also interface with the White Conveyors Mercury Sorting System and U-Pick-It System to automate uniform sorting at the laundry and the distribution of the uniforms at the resorts.

The InvoTech Laundry System eliminates many time- and labor-intensive tasks, such as separating and hand-counting uniforms and linens that ship into and out of the laundry. “InvoTech also automates recordkeeping by electronically reading and recording RFID tags attached to the uniforms and linens. Then it instantly tracks laundry activity, location, and billing per customer, which removes many manual errors,” Chan said.

RFID Readers Validate Location of Customer Orders, Monitor Uniform Usage and Aging
“Systematic Laundry now serves its customers better than it could before,” says Chan. “Clients sometimes have questions that pertain to their order not being returned. Our operations team is now able to tell them quickly and precisely where the order stands, whether it be in rewash, repair or already delivered.” The RFID readers validate where each customer’s order is at all times. This cuts labor costs and provides real-time information for continued cost-saving benefits. “InvoTech’s Laundry System even monitors the usage and aging of articles to maintain quality standards and forecast purchases for our clients,” Chan said.

“InvoTech’s UHF-RFID Laundry System enables laundries and related businesses to eliminate costs for unaccounted losses and reduce employee and laundry errors,” says Oswald Lares, director of sales for InvoTech Systems. “By reducing labor costs and removing the error-related expenses, operators often see a full ROI from our Laundry System in about one year.”

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Will RFID Help to Enslave Us?

There has been a growing chorus of experts claiming that advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics will make human workers obsolete. The argument goes something like this: Computing power has gotten incredibly inexpensive. At the same time, we are seeing advancements in robotics, machine learning and machine vision that could enable robots to do almost any job humans do today.
 In February, I wrote about a December 2013 article in Wired magazine titled "Better Than Human: Why Robots Will—And Must—Take Our Jobs." In that article, author Kevin Kelly argued that we will soon see a wave of robots taking over most jobs that people are doing today. "Yes, dear reader, even you will have your job taken away by machines," he wrote. "Robot replacement is just a matter of time" (see The Age of Robots).

Tracking students: RFID chips to be used on buses in Chattooga County

No child left behind — on the school bus. That's part of the sales pitch made by StudentConnect Inc., a Marietta, Ga.-based start-up company that lets school districts and parents track students using ID cards that contain radio frequency identification device (RFID) chips. The Chattooga County School District recently signed a five-year contract to use StudentConnect, said Kayode "Kay" Aladesuyi, chairman and CEO of East Coast Diversified Corp., the holding company that owns StudentConnect.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

RFID Technology Market Set for Huge Growth

According to a research report by IDtechex,  the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) market is in a hyper growth phase. The technology through wireless contacts automates distribution, inventory management and helps in increasing customer satisfaction.  Today the RFID market size is around $9.2 billion. The report notes that the high growth of RFID is visible in tags, readers and software/services for RFID labels, cards, fobs and other forms. IDTechEx makes a forecast that the market size will grow to $30.24 billion in 2024.

NFC Promotion Boosts Pepsi's Midwest Sales

Having completed a Near Field Communication (NFC) technology pilot as part of a product promotion for PepsiCo, logistics company Rehrig Pacific has launched a second project this month at the Mall of America, located in Minneapolis. During the Mall of America installation, participants can tap their smartphones against NFC tags at Pepsi product displays in order to access promotional and discount information from Pepsi, mall stores and next week's Major League Baseball All-Star Game. (Pepsi is a sponsor of Mall of America and the All-Star Game.)

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

The Emerging Marketplace for RFID Data Analytics, or Finding a Needle in a Haystack

At the grocery checkout, there are two printers. One prints your receipt, while the other outputs a strip of coupons just for you. Usually buy Barq's root beer? Try Mug for free next time. Most likely, Catalina Marketing owns the second printer and uses loyalty card data to target promotions, generating substantially higher redemption rates than other methods. The company claims to have the largest shopper history database in existence—some 2,500 terabytes of information. Data mining for retailers and brand owners is a profitable business. Catalina generated $661 million in revenue during a recent 12-month period with an EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) of about $230 million.

NFC phone sales to soar to 1.2b units

Sales of NFC (near field communication) 4G mobile phones may quadruple to 1.2 billion units in 2018, and NXP Semiconductors sees Chinese users as a huge market that will use their phones as mobile wallet. More than 275 million smartphones sold globally in 2013 were equipped with the NFC function, which helps smartphones and other electronic devices to communicate with each other. The sales of NFC-enabled phone are predicted to jump fourfolds globally to 1.2 billion units in 2018, according to research firm IHS Technology.

Monday, July 14, 2014

iBeacon app developers working to change the way you order food

Even in a war zone, a young team of hip developers are hard at work designing and testing new apps for iBeacon. At least that’s the case in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, where the three member team at Latio are running extensive tests at some of the city’s trendy eateries in order to fine tune their restaurant app that they say will revolutionize the way people access virtual menus and order food. “The situation here is difficult, but we’re still working on our project,” Latio founder and chief Artur Kiulian told VentureBeat via phone from Kiev Thursday.

Intel's Internet of Things Group Is Highly Profitable

Though the buzz around the Internet of Things, or IoT, has probably been more focused on the ARM Holdings ecosystem, it's actually quite stunning just how profitable Intel's own IoT division is. Now, do keep in mind that Intel's IoT group is a relabeling of its Intelligent Systems group, which in turn was a relabeling of its embedded division, but the point is that this is a very interesting -- and highly profitable -- business. Since the IoT group was -- before the most recent quarter's earnings release -- lumped in with the rest of the entities in the Other Intel Architecture group, it was hard to get a precise read on the size of the business. However, thanks to a restating of the financials with various segments broken out separately, investors can now keep tabs on this business as a separate entity.

Friday, July 11, 2014

How Samsung's New NFC Laser Printers Can Help Your Business Manage BYOD

Embraced strategically, a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) approach broadens staff workflow. That’s why Samsung built NFC into its latest colour lasers. Workers can simply tap their smart devices to print, scan or fax to a printer via the Samsung MobilePrint app. No frantic IT calls for help with last minute copies before a presentation. Just high performance prints with or without a PC. Let’s take a look. Support for seamless tap and go printing through Near Field Communications (NFC) is an industry-first innovation being driven by Samsung.

Deluxe brings checks into the mobile era

US check printing company Deluxe Corporation has introduced the Deluxe Mobile Checkbook, a new app that will let small business owners send and receive checks using their mobile device. Available now for iOS, the app allows users to write, approve, sign, receive and deposit payments anywhere through a mobile device and serves as an extension to the company’s existing Deluxe eChecks platform, powered by VerifyValid, which enables them to make and receive check payments online utilizing a virtual lockbox and virtual remote deposit capture system.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Woodside Tests New Passive-Active RFID Tag

With the goal of making mega-constructions projects leaner and more efficient, Australian oil and gas company Woodside Energy Ltd. is testing a dual-frequency passive-active RFID tag developed specifically for use by Woodside and other oil and gas firms. What makes the Smart Tag (or W-Tag) different from other tags, Woodside claims, is its intrinsically safe certification combined with long- and short-frequency ranges, which enables petrochemical facilities to track components via radio frequency identification.

Visual 2000 Announces PLM.net Mobile QR Code Implementation

Visual PLM.net users can now track samples, retrieve quick product information, capture specifications and measurements with a simple scan of a QR Code. QR Codes, which stands for Quick Response, is a modern barcode scannable by any smartphone or tablet, including iPhones, iPads, Blackberry and Android devices. Users can now gain instant access to information stored on VisualPLM.net using their mobile device.

"The technology is readily available to millions of smartphone and tablet users and very few software vendors are leveraging this simple and powerful technology for the real-world," says Charles Benoualid, VP of Research and Development. "Our users will be able to instantly generate QR Codes for any product stored on our Visual PLM.net software and tag the products so they can be tracked, retrieved and spec'd from any mobile device."

The new VisualPLM.net Mobile feature is responsive to any device, simplifying many daily activities and increasing productivity. QR Code integration can be notably used for factory quality control, allowing product information to be retrieved and stored on a mobile device as opposed to remotely logging onto VisualPLM.net. Tracking samples, sending and receiving parcels is now instantaneous at reception. Whether working with a customer, sales representative, or a factory, specific information can be tailored to the targeted audience without having full access to PLM.

QR Code scanners are now imbedded into most devices' operating systems and are easily downloadable from any app store at zero cost. The QR Codes can be sent to any printer directly form Visual PLM.net and anyone with login credentials to PLM can get direct access from a mobile device with this responsive web app.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Facets Physical Asset Management solution goes RFID at SABC

When assets are physical items it is important to actually see the item and then have a means of confirmation that you have seen it. In certain cases – it is not easy to scan or reach the asset – even if it is seen. This is the case at the SABC with studio lighting and artworks. To solve this problem Cradle Technology Services has added RFID capability to the Facets system and together with EOH, have implemented this technology at the SABC. The Facets Physical Asset Management (PAM) solution allows you to capture, identify, move, update, transact and report so you know where you can find and asset or where to look for them when they are not found.

National Taiwan Museum of Fine Art Adopts Active-Passive RFID Solution

The National Taiwan Museum of Fine Art  (NTMOFA) has launched a hybrid passive and active radio frequency identification system to manage the movements of its artwork and visitors into and out of its warehouse, and to identify the locations of works of art at one its 24 exhibit halls. The solution, provided by EPC Solutions Taiwan, includes passive and active RFID-enabled carts, fixed passive RFID portals at the warehouse egresses, passive tags on art and Futaba Electronics Taiwan software to manage the collected read data.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

East Midlands Ambulance Service Uses RFID to Track Equipment Quickly

The management of critical equipment aboard ambulances involves not only ensuring that each item intended to treat a patient is onboard when needed, but also providing scheduled maintenance and servicing to guarantee that if a piece of equipment is required during an emergency, it will function as expected. East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) NHS Trust is tracking onboard equipment within its ambulances via an RFID solution known as CheckedOK Medical. The solution, provided by CoreRFID, consists of EPC Gen 2 ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) passive RFID tags applied to medical equipment (such as resuscitators, ventilators and monitoring devices), as well as handheld readers to capture the ID numbers encoded to those tags, and software residing on CoreRFID's hosted server that stores data.

Scan Makes A QR Identity Play

Scan, a company that’s trying to link physical businesses to users with QR codes, is stepping into the identity and payments space. The new version of Scan’s app adds a ‘Code Wallet’ that can be used to store codes you scan or use a lot. It can also store your personal identity code, which you can generate on the device. In fact, every user of Scan, over 75 million of them so far, will have a personal QR code available to them once they’ve updated the app. This code effectively acts as an identity that they can use to direct people to social media profiles, Instagram accounts, personal webpages and more.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Scottevest Debuts the World's First RFID-Blocking Clothing

Technically, anyone who jousts regularly or thinks of chainmail as casual-wear has some pretty decent RFID-blocking technology built into their clothing already, but for the rest of us, Scottevest has just released the world's first (non-Renaissance-fair) RFID-blocking clothing item. The RFID-blocking vest has an interior pocket and is available in men's and women's styles. Even if you don't yet have the type of credit card you can just tap on a card reader instead of swipe, you may still be vulnerable to RFID identity theft if you are carrying smartphone or a passport issued since 2006.

40 Years on, the Barcode Has Turned Everything Into Information

On June 26, 1974, at 8:01 a.m., Sharon Buchanan used a barcode to ring up a 10-pack of Juicy Fruit at the Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio. A tectonic shift in the underlying economics of trade in tangible, physical goods of all kinds soon followed. Today, we celebrate the fortieth anniversary of this decisive moment — a moment whose universal impact can be seen in just how banal scanning a barcode has become.

Friday, July 4, 2014

Edinburgh trams use QR codes to validate mobile tickets before boarding

The city of Edinburgh’s new tram service is using QR codes placed at tram stops to validate passengers’ mobile tickets before they board. Passengers of Edinburgh Trams can use an app, developed by Corethree, to select, purchase and download Flash Pass mobile tickets to their mobile device. Payment can be made using a debit/credit card or the Barclays Pingit mobile payment service.

VivaLnk introduces temporary adhesive NFC tattoo

Digital Tattoo is a temporary tattoo that can be used to unlock your device via NFC. The temporary adhesive tattoo is the size of a nickel and is touted as being able to last for up to five days in normal conditions. This means that you will be able to wear your NFC tattoo and still participate in your everyday activities like showers, swims, workouts, and more.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

DHS IG finds security flaws in system that produces RFID-enabled 'green' cards

While the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is largely safeguarding electronically stored personal data on permanent resident cards, a recent investigation found vulnerabilities in the overall system, including missed security patches that could have been potentially exploited by hackers. The Homeland Security Department's inspector general said in a recent report (pdf) that it identified deficiencies with technical security controls, annual assessments and privacy training.

Datex Launches WMS and 3PL WMS Software Editions for Small Business

Supply chain software developer Datex Corporation announced special warehouse management software editions for small business warehouse, distribution and third party logistics operations. The Datex Small Business Editions are designed to be ideal for small business supply chain logistics operations, either startup businesses or those with less complex business needs.

The Datex FootPrint WMS Small Business software editions provide excellent functionality for warehouse, distribution and third party logistics operations at a lower cost. These software editions are packaged to enable small businesses to save time, money and labor and provide them with a competitive advantage to earn new business, explained Michael Armanious, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Datex FootPrint WMS SBE for 3PL includes sophisticated, easy to use billing to enable third party logistics providers to capture and bill for all value added services. In addition, the warehouse management software also includes an online portal for 3PL customers to access inventory and reports as well as the ability for 3PLs to customize labeling, reports and documentation for their customers. EDI services can also be added to the software editions.

Datex FootPrint WMS relies on workflow to power accurate, efficient productive business processes. Datex FootPrint WMS can be used with RF or RFID solutions to provide complete real time inventory visibility and tracking.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Has NFC Become Unfashionable with Wearables?

Here's my ideal mobile payments scenario: I go up to the counter with an NFC smartwatch or an NFC Ring, wave my hand or wrist Jedi-style over the contactless card reader, and the payment goes through. Maybe a digital receipt will show up on my phone's screen, but I'd never have to take the phone out of my pocket. Sadly, this process is looking more like science fiction than science fact, now that the specs for Google's inaugural line of Android Wear smartwatches are out – and Near Field Communication is conspicuously absent from the features of the LG G watch and the Samsung Gear Live watch.

Apple market share forces Suncorp Bank to eschew NFC for QR codes

Suncorp Bank has introduced a new feature to its mobile banking app called QuickShare that allows its customers to share their account details through SMS or QR code to be paid by both Suncorp Bank customers and non-Suncorp Bank customers. QuickShare — launched last weekend for Android and iOS smartphone users — allows Suncorp Bank mobile app users to share their account details along with how much is owed to them through a virtual IOU via SMS to any contact on their phone. The recipient can then copy and paste the details sent to them into their banking app to pay back the sender.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Opera Mini for iOS gets QR code reader

Opera Mini, the mobile version of Opera’s desktop web browser, gets updated to version 8 with a brand new UI and much more.  On top of a completely redesigned UI that makes the app fit in nicer with iOS 7, the update also introduces enhanced options for Opera’s power saving and compression modes that offers data savings. The app also makes it easier to switch between search sources, offers the ability to share URLs via QR codes, and introduces customizable themes.

Cavitex is first PHL tollway to implement RFID payment system

Drivers passing through Cavite Expressway (Cavitex) can now opt to pay toll fee without having to roll down their windows to pay cash or swipe a card. This is possible via radio frequency identification (RFID) stickers called EasyDrive, a "paper-thin sticker that contains a chip and an antenna" attached to a vehicle's windshield. It utilizes radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, which is being applied on a Philippines tollway for the first time.