Inventory Managers are Being Replaced by RFID-Mounted Drones

Picture this. A few times a week, a sales manager grabs a clipboard and walks around a car lot to see what is on the ground. That information is then entered into a computer and managed through an auto dealer’s software, which maintains data on everything from the car model, to price, and market value. That's the old way of taking inventory, and it is time-consuming and inefficient. Now, with the advent of drones, a fleet of airborne assistants can automate the drab inventory process. These drones whiz through outdoor yards to collect information about what items are available, and where.

Micromax to launch NFC mobile payments with TranServ and Visa

Handset maker Micromax will soon begin offering its customers in India an NFC mobile payment service through a collaboration with Visa and payment solutions provider TranServ. The three companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote a “digital payment infrastructure” in the country which will begin with a roll out of TranServ’s Udio mobile payment app and the mVisa platform.

For the first time, police use RFID tags for recruitment

For the first time, the Mumbai Police are using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in the physical tests of their recruitment process to electronically record the time taken by candidates to finish the mandatory 1.5-km run. The tags have cut down the time taken in the process down to half. The decision to use RFID tags was taken after seeing its success in the Mumbai Marathon, in which participants are given bibs with inbuilt RFID tags. The idea was suggested by Mumbai Police officers, who participate in the marathon every year, and after discussions, the police contacted some private suppliers and an arrangement was reached to procure the tags, said officials.

Dynamsoft’s barcode reader SDK adds PHP support on Linux

Dynamsoft’s Barcode Reader software development kit (SDK) now includes support for the Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) language on Linux platforms so developers can easily enable barcode reading from images, scanned documents and webcam captures in a PHP application on Linux. This includes support of web applications in ASP.NET, in C# or VB.NET, and PHP on Windows or Linux. The new PHP barcode reader toolkit for Linux supports PHP x64 version 5.3 to 5.6. Both Thread Safe (TS) and Non Thread Safe (NTS) options are provided. The Dynamsoft toolkit works with Linux Debian, Ubuntu, and CentOS operating systems.

Shazam for Brands’ wants to be the catch-all QR code of the future

Shazam made its name for its music recognition technology, and since then has tried to get users to scan anything from TV commercials, radio spots, and print ads. While it’s clear that Shazam has grown into more than just a song discovery tool, tomorrow the company will launch Shazam for Brands, an initiative to make just about everything Shazam-able. Shazam has worked with brands for quite a while, but the initiative will act as an official landing page for those interested in incorporation its technology into their marketing.

Revolutionising data capture and barcode scanning

Barcodes are synonymous with enterprise supply chain operations such as asset identification, visibility and track-and-trace. Everything from packages ordered on Amazon to products at the local supermarket to individual car parts and components has a barcode label. The digitisation of physical products is central to product information lookup, merchandise returns, product recalls, traceability and offering visibility throughout the supply chain. Keeping track of individual products or stock keeping units (SKUs) and getting them into the hands of consumers efficiently is made possible by the use of data storage tags such as barcode labels and data capture solutions such as barcode scanners.

Barcode Printers Market Is Expected To Reach $3.81 Billion By 2020

The global barcode printers market is expected to reach USD 3.81 billion by 2020. Increased demand for mobile barcode printers is expected to drive market growth over the forecast period. Implementation of bar-coded wristbands for personal identification in hospitals and events has augmented the demand for mobile barcode printers.

Growth of organized retail stores worldwide has significantly driven the barcode printers market, as products equipped with barcode tags enable faster and more efficient check-outs. Growing adoption of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) may pose a challenge to market growth over the next six years owing to the numerous advantages offered by the technology, such as dynamic storage of information which can be updated periodically.

Further key findings from the study suggest:

• Industrial printers dominated the barcode printers market in 2013, accounting for over 60% of the overall revenue share. Mobile printers are expected to witness high growth over the forecast period owing to their ease of use and utility in numerous field-based applications; they have been increasingly used by organizations' salespeople in order to conduct business and issue authentic invoices and receipts irrespective of the time and place.
• Thermal technology based printers accounted for over 60% of the market share as compared to their non-thermal counterparts, primarily because of their reliability, high speed, low noise and provision for easy cleaning. Among thermal technology based printers, the direct thermal technology is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period owing to enhanced durability, low operational costs and elimination of the need for disposing used ink ribbons, making it more eco-friendly.
• Manufacturing applications led the market in 2013, accounting for over 35% of the overall revenue. Retail and healthcare are expected to be lucrative fields for the barcode printers market over the forecast period, with both projected to witness high growth rates. In healthcare, barcode printers have been extensively used for printing tags used in patient ID systems in order to prevent medical errors by enabling access to accurate patient information for surgical procedures and specimen collection.
• North America dominated the market in 2013, accounting for over 40% of the overall revenue. Asia Pacific is expected to witness high growth rate over the forecast period.
• The market has become increasingly consolidated owing to significant mergers and acquisitions in order to achieve growth across several product categories, verticals, and regions; for instance Honeywell's acquisition of Intermec and SATO's acquisition of Argox. Vendors have to deal with low profit margins owing to the highly commoditized nature of the market.

Avery Dennison Aims to Deliver Product Info Via RFID, Bar Codes

Avery Dennison Retail Branding and Information Solutions (RBIS) is launching a cloud-based Internet of Things platform, known as the Janela Smart Products Platform, that will enable consumers to scan labels fitted with either EPC Gen 2 or Near Field Communication (NFC) RFID tags, or printed with QR codes, in order to receive information about the products to which they are attached. The system will use labels provided by Avery Dennison, in conjunction with software developed by EVRYTHNG. The software will link the unique identifier of each label used by the brand manufacturing a particular product with content that could include the date and location of manufacture, as well as any information about the product or brand that the company would want consumers to access.

Hologram and barcode compulsory on liquor bottles

Maharashtra government made it mandatory to have a 'track and trace' mechanism, and hologram on liquor bottles to ensure the stuff inside is genuine. In order to know if the liquor bottle is genuine or fake, all one will need is a barcode scan from mobile phone. The decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet here, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Retailers will have to stock special lenses so that consumers can read the covert security features on the hologram, invisible to the naked eye, and thus verify the brew's authenticity.

RFID Brings Lululemon's Inventory Accuracy to 98 Percent

Global athletic apparel company lululemon reports that it has boosted its in-store revenue by deploying a radio frequency identification system at all of its stores to track its products' movements as they arrive at stores, are placed on display on the sales floor and are sold. The system has increased the company's inventory accuracy to 98 percent, says Jonathan Aitken, lululemon's RFID program director, which is one reason that the company's revenue is up, since its stores know what goods are available in the back room to be restocked on the sales floor and purchased.

MTA MetroCard to be replaced by smart cards

The New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) is finally ready to move on from the MetroCard to something much more convenient. If you watched Secretary Hillary Clinton (or even the hilarious SNL spin-off) try to use the NYC subway recently, you know the MetroCard can be a real pain in the tush. One day it’ll swipe just fine, and the next you’ll need to swipe 5 times just to get a read on the darn thing.

The IoT devices you deploy may be Trojan horses

Like any market surrounded by relentless attention and hype, the Internet of Things (IoT) has quickly evolved from an exciting idea to an all-out race to the shelf. This flurry of production has been met with enthusiasm by consumers and businesses eager to automate and connect everything from their HVACs to their vehicles. But at the same time, in the rush to market, manufacturers are often neglecting to secure these devices against cyberattacks.

RFID Brings Visibility to Wind Energy Services

German energy technology company SSC Wind is using passive ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) and high-frequency (HF) RFID tags, in combination with GPS technology, to manage tools and equipment stored within containers and service vehicles on its job sites. In so doing, the company can better account for the tools and ensure their return at day's end, thereby saving the cost of searching for or replacing them. The solution was supplied by track-and-trace systems provider DHL-MyIDentification, with RFID tags attached to tools that were provided predominantly by assembly and fastening materials maker Würth.

Dutch gas stations enable mobile payments with MyOrder

Motorists will be able to order and pay in advance for fuel at 220 Tamoil gas stations in the Netherlands from this summer using their smartphone and a new mobile refuelling feature enabled through MyOrder — the mobile ordering and payment service backed by Rabobank. “MyOrder have a direct connection via the API of Tokheim — Tokheim is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of fuel dispensers,” MyOrder explained to NFC World. “So, as soon as the payment is arranged in the MyOrder app, the pump is ready for use.

Weatherford RFID drilling tools save Sakhalin Island operator two days of rig time

In late February, Weatherford completed a drilling and reaming project near Sakhalin Island, Russia, that resulted in a total of 52 hours in rig time saved. Weatherford deployed a dual-reamer bottomhole assembly including a RipTide drilling reamer and a RipTide Rathole Killer drilling reamer. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags enabled both reamers to be opened and closed remotely and selectively throughout the run. This method allowed the crew to drill and ream the hole section to a total depth of 14,629 ft (4,459 m), eliminate the rathole and clean the wellbore in a single trip.

California Label Offering Woven RFID Labels from TexTrace

Swiss company has developed a woven RFID (radio frequency identification) tag that can stand up to production processes such as stone washing, bleaching and enzyme finishing. The passive UHF tags were developed by TexTrace AG and are available on the West Coast from California Label Products. TexTrace labels retain their look, feel and performance even after industrial washing and drying, pumice stone and enzyme washing, and color-removal processes such as bleaching and ozone finishing

You don’t need RFID protection in your wallet

It seems like a creepy and very 21st-century crime — your credit cards being invisibly read and stolen by a futuristic gadget as you walk down the street. A solution is a kind of armour — keeping credit cards with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology behind a discreet aluminum shield in a wallet. Mountain Equipment Co-op, for example, sells nearly two dozen wallets, bags, money belts and backpacks equipped with RFID protection. But, here’s the thing: though it is possible to read some credit card data remotely, there’s not a lot thieves can do with that data.

IoT investment bulks up in 2nd best quarter ever

The Internet of things (IoT) continues to be an investment darling for venture funds who keep on dumping record amounts of cash into the industry. In Q1 2016, IoT startups charted their second highest funding quarter in history across all subcategories save one – wearables. According to analysis by CB Insights, investor interest in IoT continues to burn white hot for startups in Industrial IoT, healthcare IoT and general IoT.

Checkpoint Systems to Showcase Intelligent RFID-based Merchandise Visibility Solutions

Visitors to Retail Technology Show Asia 2016, being held from 20-21 April in Singapore will have the opportunity to hear from  Checkpoint Systems, Inc. (NYSE: CKP) and see first-hand the latest merchandise visibility solutions that can help retailers reduce out-of-stocks and on-hand inventory throughout the supply chain all the way from the manufacturer to the store.

Checkpoint System's enhanced merchandise visibility solution with new labeling and RFID (radio frequency identification) technology enable manufacturers to apply RFID-based tags at the point of manufacture cost-effectively. These RFID tags can be read throughout the supply chain, and enable each product to be tracked or located individually. Information about the product's location is automatically captured and verified against expected quantities in real time at the manufacturing facility, warehouse or store. This information is used to optimize inventory levels and shelf availability, enabling retailers to meet customer demand, improve operations, enhance customer experience, cut costs and increase sales.

RFID Cage Frees Up CYBRA's Customers

Several years ago, CYBRA began marketing a mobile ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID reader portal surrounded by a cage of metal mesh and mounted on removable wheels so that it could be easily moved to a user's existing conveyor systems. Not only does the cage protect the RFID reader hardware from being damaged though contact with boxes, individuals or equipment, but the mesh's half-inch by half-inch spacing is sized to keep the RF energy inside the cage. This enables it to prevent stray reads, the company explains, while still allowing users to see inside the cage to confirm that all is working properly.

Gieves & Hawkes Installs RFID to Prevent Shrinkage

To improve inventory visibility and prevent loss, men's clothing retailer Gieves & Hawkes has deployed a radio frequency identification system at its store in Birmingham, England. The solution tracks goods as they are received and stored in the back room or store front, then prevents unpurchased merchandise from being taken out the front door by sounding an alert, as well as storing data regarding which item is being removed. The company is expanding its RFID deployment to its newest store, located in of Hackney, an East London borough. The technology is provided by RFID solutions company Catalyst. Both Gieves & Hawkes and Catalyst are owned by Li & Fung.
 

The Internet Of Things Is Coming. Hang On To Your Hats!

If we think the consumer internet as we know it is a big deal, IoT will become an even bigger deal, over time.  Gartner predicts the IoT industry to be $1.9TN in size by 2020, and McKinsey thinks it could be as large as $6.2TN by 2025, in terms of economic impact.  Yes Trillion!!  Intel forecasted 15BN devices were already connected to the internet in 2015 alone.  That’s a lot of demand for embedded smart modules, cloud computing, connectivity, data security, mobile apps and analytics reporting alone.

BarCode ID Systems changes name to Inovity

BarCode ID Systems (Booth 2926) has officially become Inovity. The new name for the 23-year old company reflects its continued and long-term evolution from a supplier of barcode systems to an enterprise software and services solution provider. Inovity offers complex and innovative data automation systems, along with custom and tailored business process improvement software for numerous industries including manufacturing, warehousing, field service and healthcare.

Alaska Airlines Passengers Take Electronic Luggage Tags for Test Flight

Alaska Airlines is providing 500 of its frequent fliers with high-tech luggage tags that have the potential to speed-up the check-in process. The airline is employing Vanguard ID Systems' ViewTag, which comes with an electronic paper (e-paper) display, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio and a passive EPC Gen 2 ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID inlay.

In November 2016, the airline plans to evaluate the results before deciding whether to continue using the ViewTag or make it available to more passengers.

Apparel maker meshes RFID, NFC and QR together

The idea of embedding RFID tags into clothing is hardly new, having been part of the anti-theft efforts of manufacturers and retailers for more than a decade. But one European apparel manufacturer, Moncler, has come up with a new marketing twist. Instead of inviting consumer protests on invasion of privacy fears — remember this book? — it has flipped the argument. Moncler is positioning the RFID tags as customer tools to fight piracy and to verify that the product is legitimate.

Gentrified stealth gun storage, now with RFID

TacticalWalls of Virginia announced this week that some of their home décor-gun storage products now have a radio frequency identification option. The company is known for their attractive shelves, mirrors, and other wall-hung items that appear to be decorative but can conceal firearms of almost any size. Original TacticalWalls products open with a simple magnetic closure. RFID adds a measure of security in that the units will only open if a matching-code card is swiped next to the unit.

Smart Card Tech Lagging

About 6 months ago retailers were supposed to have updated their payment terminals as credit card companies shifted to smart cards. The cards come with a chip that is designed to prevent fraud. While that sounds like a great idea, Jill Gonzalez at Wallet Hub says there’s still a huge number of US retailers who have not updated their payment terminals. They can still read the new cards but they don’t provide the security measures used in the smart cards.

Denmark's Mega Hospital Works on Mega RFID Deployment

Once construction is completed, Denmark's New University Hospital (DNU) is expected to be the largest facility of its kind throughout Northern Europe, with a capacity for treating approximately 100,000 inpatient visitors annually and another 900,000 as outpatients. DNU will include an automated system to ensure that it can manage the mammoth amount of assets and individuals moving around its facility. About one-fourth of the construction work is now finished, with the entire facility anticipated be in operation in 2019. The RFID deployment is currently in its first phase.

How Smartcard Coin Bounced Back From Near Failure

Coin, a smartcard startup, had that experience after much fanfare and an impressive crowdfunding campaign.  The YC-backed company raised $50,000 in less than an hour.  The concept — to store all your credit cards, membership cards, and gift cards on a single card — quickly accrued a fan following. But the product didn’t deliver; the first iteration was plagued with problems.  Last year, Coin bounced back with version 2.0.  Turns out that a failed launch isn’t the end of a company.

NFC-enabled smartphones can be used to pay for transport, food

Following the conclusion of a joint trial to study the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to pay for public transport, compatible mobile phones can now be used to do just that. With the new NFC SIM card, certain mobile devices can be used for payments on MRT, LRT and public buses, as well as at more than 30,000 ez-link acceptance points across the island, according to a joint press release by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and EZ-Link,

Portland Trail Blazers Deploy Digimarc Barcode

Digimarc Corp. announced that the Portland Trail Blazers have partnered with the company to introduce a first-of-its-kind FanScan feature for the National Basketball Association (NBA) team's official mobile app. Powered by the Digimarc Discover® Mobile Software Development Kit (SDK), the app lets pro basketball fans use their mobile devices to scan enhanced print media -- such as team posters, the BlazerDancers calendar and game programs -- and to 'listen' to audio played during the game to trigger access to digital content including exclusive videos, real-time game schedule information and behind-the-scenes photos.

The imperceptible Digimarc Barcode, part of the Digimarc Discover platform, makes any media impression a gateway to rich, digital experiences without visibly altering the design aesthetics in print or the audio quality of the original media. With today's announcement, the Portland Trail Blazers become the first major professional sports franchise to improve the fan experience with Digimarc's technology. Now, Blazers fans can interact with FanScan-ready materials, which will deliver a mobile experience unmatched by any other professional or amateur sports team.

The Digimarc Discover Mobile SDK allows application developers to build and deploy best-in-class mobile apps that scan imperceptible Digimarc Barcodes in print, packaging, and audio, as well as traditional UPC barcodes and QR codes more efficiently and reliably than ever, to unlock information and experiences for consumers. Digimarc Discover is a key part of the company's Intuitive Computing Platform (ICP) that aims to make technology innately easy to use. ICP enables mobile devices such as smartphones and other computer interfaces to respond to the user's environment by acting as an extension of their eyes and ears, using the camera to look or the microphone to listen for digital signals everywhere and instantly identify almost anything. 

QR Codes Can Save Lives

Those little black-and-white boxes are everywhere these days. QR (quick response) codes can be scanned with a smartphone or tablet, leading you to a website, providing contact information, launching an app, or sending a message. If your smartphone or tablet didn’t come with a QR code scanning app, you can download one for free in the app store. Then, you just open the app and scan a code, much like taking a photo. To create a QR code, you can use a free online generator like Jump Scan or SPARQCode.

RFID Inventory Systems: Tower Inventory System

RFID Inventory Systems Inc. has introduced a patent-pending Tower Inventory System (TIS), a Passive Radio Frequency Identification (pRFID) inventory scanning solution designed to enable faster cycle counts at a fraction of the typical industry cost. The TIS also offers flexibility of inventory reconciliation audits and simpler software integration into current Supply Chain Management databases. The system is is self-contained and comprises four 6-inch pRFID panels stacked vertically to create a 24-foot mobile array that includes: a battery, battery charger, inverter, PC-to-power/communicate with four pRFID readers and 16 RFID antennas.

Identiv to Showcase Smart Card Readers and Internet of Things Solutions at Smart Card Alliance Payments Summit

Identiv, Inc. will showcase its smart card readers and radio frequency identification (RFID), near field communication (NFC), and inlay solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT) at Smart Card Alliance Payments Summit in Orlando, Florida. Smart Card Alliance Payments Summit is the premier industry event covering all things payments, including FinTech, EMV chip technology, mobile wallets, NFC, contactless, open transit systems, and more.

Identiv will be showcasing its smart card readers during the summit. Identiv offers the world's broadest range of contact, contactless, and mobile smart card reader and terminal technology, digital identity and transaction platforms, as well as solutions that integrate physical and logical access control. Identiv's smart card-based products and solutions are utilized around the world to enable security and identification applications, transaction systems, e-health, and e-government. Identiv is a leading provider of solutions for secure access, secure identity, and secure exchange.


Identiv will also feature its RFID, NFC and inlay offerings at the event. Identiv is an expert in designing and manufacturing high-frequency (HF) and ultra high-frequency (UHF) transponders for embedded use in everyday objects, including medical devices, books, toys, and athletic apparel. Transponders can be delivered in different form factors, including dry inlays, wet inlays (with backing adhesive), labels (printed or not), tickets, and more, and are uniquely positioned to deliver RFID connectivity to any object in the IoT market.

BarCode ID Systems Announces New Name and Branding at MODEX Supply Chain Expo

BarCode ID Systems, a business process improvement company and data automation systems integrator, has announced its official name change to Inovity. The new name for the 23-year old company reflects its continued and long-term evolution from a supplier of barcode systems to an enterprise software and services solution provider. Inovity offers complex data automation system integration, along with custom and tailored business process improvement software for manufacturing, warehousing, field service and healthcare.

According to Inovity co-owner and Executive Vice President, Steve George, "We felt our company name was far too limiting because we provide so much more for our customers. Although barcode technology will continue to be a core offering, we deliver solutions that don't involve barcodes at all." George continued, "The new name really speaks to who we are as a company.  We have always prided ourselves on delivering complex solutions that center around innovation.  Our new name reflects the unique and differentiated solutions we provide our clients that help improve their competitiveness and bottom line."

Along with the new name is the company's new slogan, "Know where. Know when. Know how." The slogan conceptually encompasses the services and results Inovity delivers for its clients: "Know where" refers to the critical need for today's corporations to know the precise location of all materials, production processes, products and inventory to enable real-time information and instant decision-making; "Know when" refers to the importance of knowing when crucial incidents are occurring throughout an organization, from the status of manufacturing work in process to being alerted of a production line stoppage due to mis-packaged or mis-labeled products; "Know how" has a dual-meaning: Inovity has the know-how to provide complex, innovative solutions that allow its clients to know how to improve their productivity, efficiency and ultimate profitability. As Mr. George added, "Our slogan speaks simply, yet in a clever way, to the actionable insights and knowledge we provide to our customers."

Vivienne Westwood Chooses TexTrace Woven RFID Labels to Protect Valuable Brand Assets

TexTrace AG has designed an innovative radio frequency identification (RFID) product authentication solution for renowned fashion company Vivienne Westwood.

Together with partner Eximia Srl, TexTrace delivers a unique solution that discreetly incorporates RFID technology into woven brand labels, offering secure protection with the genuine brand look and feel. In this way, TexTrace is providing Vivienne Westwood a complete approach to product authentication by focusing on the key elements of a leading-edge protection strategy.



 As brand labels have been ruled to be legally part of a product, brand owners can take action against unauthorized resellers, even charging them with product tampering if needed. Garment care labels, however, are not considered part of the product by law, so RFID enabled care labels don't offer the true brand protection provided by a brand label. The TexTrace woven RFID brand label allows items to be tracked throughout the supply chain, with easy authentication using standard RFID technology at the border and in the store.

Sydney smart card problems echo Vancouver’s Compass

Glitch-laden smart card readers. Delays. Millions of dollars in unexpected costs. That’s certainly the story of Vancouver’s troubled Compass Card. But a related digital payment system half a world away has been suffering similar growing pains: the Opal card in Sydney, Australia. The Opal Card and the Compass Card share the same private contractor, Cubic, a San-Diego based weapons system manufacturer. News of the problems there have TransLink’s critics here watching closely as the fare gates close on Monda

American Apparel, Postmates Use RFID Visibility for On-Demand Delivery

Consumers who use Postmates' on-demand delivery service now have the opportunity to buy core products from American Apparel. The service takes advantage of the passive ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID tags that American Apparel attaches to all of its merchandise, enabling Postmates to identify which items are available within an individual customer's geographic area. On Mar. 21, Postmates began offering American Apparel products from 79 of the garment company's stores across 31 metropolitan U.S. markets, says Thoryn Stephens, American Apparel's chief digital officer.

How Retailers Stack Up On EMV Smart Card Compliance

By now, all retailers theoretically should have upgraded their checkout terminals to accept the newest high-tech plastic. To review, the latest generation of credit and debit cards have dispensed with hackable magnetic strips in favor of embedded chips. While the chips are more secure, they require upgraded payment terminals, and Visa and MasterCard set last Oct. 1 as the changeover deadline, when liability for credit card fraud switched from financial institutions to retailers.

Financial Institutions Turn to the Internet of Things to Stay Competitive

The IoT, an interconnected ecosystem of internet-enabled objects—networks, devices, sensors, microprocessors, machines, data hubs, artificial intelligence software and analytics programs—already has many applications in the financial services industry. Whether it’s tracking driving habits for the purpose of offering insurance discounts, using biometric data to confirm an ATM user’s identity, using sensors to determine the condition of loan collateral, or remotely disabling a car that is slated for repossession, the financial services IoT is ushering in an era in which “smart” things can seamlessly collect, share and analyze real-time data, as explored in a new eMarketer report, “The Internet of Financial Things: What Banking and Insurance Industry Marketers Need to Know Now.”

Studies that assess the market size and growth potential for IoT in the financial industry generally agree that there is substantial investment, with healthy growth expected to continue over the next several years. 

Barcode Functionality and Logistics Integration to Aid in Retail Inventory Management

Stitch Labs, an inventory control platform, announced new product and partnership integrations that help enable mid-market retailers to streamline and scale operations, and combat their most common inventory and shipping issues. Stitch’s new barcode scanning and printing functionality adds efficiency and organization to warehouse operations, and provides a manageable, unified view of a customer’s business. Additionally, through new partnerships with third-party logistic providers (3PL), such as DCL, AMS and others, retail businesses can now manage multi-channel fulfillment effortlessly without the need for additional warehouses or staff.

Has the Internet of Things gone too far?

The Internet of Things (IoT) – with its network of objects and computers that collect and distribute data on our lives – has all the promise of making those lives easier. But are we in danger of IoT overload? We live in an interesting age where virtually everything we own can be connected to the Internet. Your phone, television, security system, and car are just the start. These devices may connect directly – through your home Wi-Fi router or via Internet-connected devices such as your smartphone or even your home thermostat.