Socket Talk

Jazz Up Retail Sales with Colorful Scanners and Square Register iPad App

By Michelle Yakura, Marcom & Social Media Manager

Last month, Javelin Strategy & Research published a report stating that mobile point-of-sale (POS) proximity payments will increase a whopping 11-fold between 2012 and 2018 as retailers rapidly adopt mobile technology.

Many of these payments will be handled by Square, a leader in the mobile POS market that has successfully processed more than $12 billion in mobile transactions to date, for its more than 3 million users in the U.S. and Canada.

This week Socket Mobile was proud to announce that Square has selected our best-selling Socket Bluetooth Cordless Hand Scanner (CHS) 7Ci Apple certified barcode scanner for their Square Register app for the Apple iPad and iPad mini.

Read press release >>

In case you haven't seen any of Square's recent TV commercials, the company is known for their free credit card reader that plugs into the headphone jack of an iPad, iPhone or Android device. My first encounter with Square was a couple years ago at the Treasure Island Flea Market in San Francisco, where a jewelry maker used an iPhone and the Square Reader to complete my purchase.

In response to customer requests for barcode scanner support, Square downloaded our SocketScan 10 SDK to embed custom support for the CHS 7Ci into their Square Register app, which is Apple MFi approved and available on the Apple App Store. Today the CHS 7Ci is the only barcode scanner recommended on the Square Register website, and the company's Business in a Box hardware bundle (which includes an iPad stand, wireless cash drawer and printer) features on-screen instructions for installing the CHS 7Ci barcode scanner.

Learn more about our SDK >>

 

THE SPRING COLOR COLLECTION

As sweet as Square's selection of our barcode scanner is, Socket Mobile had other great news to announce this week - the launch of our new Spring Color Collection of the CHS 7Ci barcode scanner.

Read press release >>

Remember when Apple first came out with coloful iMac computers, or when brightly-colored notebook computers were all the rage? Well we at Socket Mobile think it's high time for barcode scanners to get a splash of color too — not to appeal to consumers but to better address the needs of retailers adopting mobile POS.

The eye-catching new colors are perfect for retailers or other customer service professionals who want to maximize corporate branding while engaging with customers on the sales floor or other point of interaction. Custom colors and private label scanners are even available for companies that want to match their exact corporate color scheme. The vibrant new colors also enable personalization of devices among team members and make the scanners easier to find in store aisles or other busy environments. (Just think of all the times you've misplaced your cell phone!)

Contact Socket Mobile to purchase or customize >>

In retail, everyone from small self‐employed cash‐only vendors to the largest big‐box retailers is replacing cash register terminals with mobile devices. Socket Mobile is addressing the market by providing the right hardware features, software development tools and support services for mobile point-of-sale applications. Stay tuned to learn about other ideas we're working on for the retail market!

Get the SocketScan 10 SDK Update for Apple iOS 6

By Len Ott, Chief Technology Officer

Are you a developer who would like to integrate support for Socket Mobile barcode scanners into apps for the iPhone 5, third generation iPad or other Apple device running iOS 6?

Socket Mobile updated our SocketScan 10 Software Development Kit (SDK) to not only support iOS 6, but also add new features including multiple scanner support and more sample apps to demonstrate what can be done with the SDK. We've already heard back from some beta testers, and the updated SDK works great!

Registered Developers: Download the latest SDK free from the Developer Portal!

Not in our Developer Program? Register Now to download the SDK ($19.95/year).

 

What's New in SocketScan 10 SDK for Apple iOS

Benefit	Feature
Compatibility with iOS 6 devices: iPhone 5 3rd generation iPad iPad mini 4th generation iPod touch Other devices running iOS 6	Added support for iOS 6 and iOS 6.1 SDK to compile with Xcode 4.5
Greater productivity and streamlined data collection	Full support of multiple CHS and/or CRS scanners to a single host device
Easier to understand APIs and coding practices	Added more sample apps, including a simple app for scanning barcodes
SoftScan camera-based barcode scanning support for Apple iOS 6	Added support for latest version of RedLaser

 

New Sample Apps

We added more sample apps to the SDK  in response to requests to developers, including a very simple barcode scanning app which makes it easier for developers to learn the APIs:

Fix for iPad Reconnection Errors

We received reports of errors on iPads running the latest iOS version, when either the CHS or iPad "went to sleep," and after both were reawakened, the CHS wouldn't reconnect to the iOS app. ScanAPI would throw errors -27 or -21. The latest SDK (10.0.9.10132) corrects this problem, so the CHS should reliably reconnect to an iPad after it goes to sleep.

Please note: If you are using the CHS 7Xi or 7XiRx, Socket Mobile strongly recommends that you also update your firmware to revision "G" or later (revision build 7812). Upgrading your CHS 7Xi or 7XiRx to "G" must be done at the factory. To get yours updated, contact Socket Mobile support and request an RMA.

(There is a revision "H" starting to ship, which also fixes a very rare condition, where scanning a Data Matrix barcode with a required symbology identifier resulted in data getting truncated because the length of barcode data was miscalculated.)

Another new feature of revision "G" firmware is the ability to do firmware updates over the air via Bluetooth. A Windows PC with Bluetooth and an updater program from Socket Mobile is all you need to update firmware in the field. Of course, sending the CHS to Socket Mobile as an RMA is still an option.

 

Sign up for our Beta Tests!

We are already working on our next SocketScan 10 SDK release for Android, Windows and BlackBerry, which will include new data editing features. Contact us if you would like to be a beta tester!

Socket Mobile will do our best to keep up with the latest Apple iOS releases, and we try to test the beta releases as soon as we get them from Apple. Please check with us whenever Apple releases updated software — either iOS or Xcode — or when new platforms come out!

By the way, if you plan to distribute your application on the Apple App Store, make sure your app is Apple MFi approved before you submit it to the App Store! Read our blog to learn the details (Hint: Socket Mobile needs to submit the MFi request for you.)

How to Get Your SocketScan 10 SDK Enabled Apps on Apple App Store

By Len Ott, Chief Technology Officer

Are you using the SocketScan 10 Software Development (SDK) to integrate support for Socket Mobile barcode scanners into your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch application?

If you want to offer your application on the Apple App Store, keep in mind that your application needs to be approved by the Apple MFi program before you submit it to the Apple App Store, and that Socket Mobile needs to submit the MFi request for your app.

If you try to submit your application to Apple App Store without MFi approval, it will be rejected!

 

Follow these steps to get your app approved by MFi and posted on the App Store:

1. When your application is ready, send the following information to developers@socketmobile.com:
   • App Name as it will appear in the Apple App Store
   • App Version as it will appear in the store
   • App Bundle ID
   • Any protocol strings you are using other than com.socketmobile.chs
   • Functional description of the application
2. Socket Mobile submits your app to the Apple MFi program.
3. Socket Mobile will notify you when your app is MFi approved. Approval may take anwhere from 1 day to 3 weeks. So far, the Apple MFi program has approved every application we've submitted!
4. Submit your app to Apple App Store with Socket Mobile's Product Plan ID (PPID) numbers in the Review Notes section of your app:
   • 102806-0002 (for the CHS 7Xi and 7XiRx)
   • 102806-0003 (for the CHS 7Ci, 7Di and 7XiRx)
   Note: Socket Mobile recommends that you include both PPID numbers even if you are currently using only one type of scanner.

We look forward to seeing your apps! If you have any questions, feel free to reach us at: developers@socketmobile.com

USEFUL LINKS

• This month, we updated SocketScan 10 SDK for iOS. Registered developers can download the latest version from our Developer Portal.
• Not in our Developer Program? Join today to download SDKs and get exclusive discounts! ($19.95/year)
• View a selected listing of SocketScan 10 SDK enabled apps currently on Apple App Store. Let us know if you'd like to be added to the list!

 

Top 10 Things to Do with SocketScan 10 SDK

By Anna Meens, EMEA Distribution and Business Development Manager

Socket CHS barcode scanners work out of the box for basic barcode reading, so developers often ask: What are the advantages of using SocketScan 10 SDK to integrate custom scanner support into their applications?

Over the years, we've worked with hundreds of mobile developers who've used our SDK, and we've noticed some common implementations. Here are the most popular:

 

Top 10 Things to Do with SocketScan 10 SDK

Number	Feature
1	Cursor Control — Control where scanned data goes into your application
2	Detect when the scanner disconnects (e.g., when it goes out of range)
3	Send detailed configuration settings (e.g., scanning through plastic, narrowing the beam, etc.)
4	Remote Acknowledgement — Make the scanner beep only when the decoded data is validated at the application level
5	Trigger the scanner to scan
6	Scanner Location — Page the scanner to locate it if lost
7	Scanner Identification — Make the scanner vibrate or beep when the barcode is or is not the one expected
8	Retrieve the battery level
9	Configure symbologies (turn on or off certain types of barcodes)
10	Create custom beeps when scanning certain barcodes

 

Would you like to add any of these features to your barcode scanning application?
Join our Developer Program today ($19.95 / year) to download the SDK.

Which Usage Scenario Do You Need for Mobile Point of Sale?

By Mike Gifford, Executive Vice President 

In the last several weeks, I've been talking to a lot of  mobile POS developers. I met up with more than a dozen of them in January at the National Retail Federation (NRF) annual conference (a.k.a. Retail's Big Show) in New York (where many of them were displaying Socket barcode scanners in their booth with their POS applications!). I also spoke with many at MacWorld / iWorld in San Francisco, where numerous tablet solutions for the iPad and iPad mini were exhibited this year.

While I reviewed and tried to understand the different developers' software applications, it became clear that there are three primary usage scenarios in mobile POS deployments:

1. Mobile only — Tablets or other mobile devices are only used "in aisle," i.e., carried by sales associates throughout the establishment wherever they interact with customers.
2. Stationary only — Tablets are used only at fixed locations.
3. Both Mobile and Stationary — Tablets are used both in aisle and at fixed stations.

See the infographic in full size.

Which usage scenario retailers deploy depends on a variety of factors, including:

• How many devices will be used?
• What type of mobile experience is right for the retail establishment and its ambiance?
• Does the retailer want to allow devices to be removed from a secure stand?
• Does the retailer want credit card transactions to occur anywhere on the shop floor?
• How important is PCI compliance for secure transactions?
• What level of service does the retailer want to provide while closing a sale? Do goods need to bagged or gift-wrapped at a checkout station?
• Will the mobile devices primarily be used for cash register replacement, or does the retailer want to also use them for product lookup, upselling, customer loyalty programs, etc.?
• Will the devices be used at a temporary location where all the equipment and supplies need to be brought in for the day and later packed up and removed?

Mobile-only deployments often occur at outdoor kiosks, farmers' markets, and sidewalk sales where smaller, one-handed solutions are preferred, e.g., an iPhone or iPod touch with a credit card swipe and barcode reader physically attached to the device. In these environments, customers typically purchase few items, don't expect special bagging or gift wrap, and rarely require extra sales assistance because merchandise is readily displayed and available.

Within a store, mobile-only tablet POS deployments often are found at small retailers, where credit card transactions are encouraged immediately at the site of product selection. Using a tablet enables sales associates to easily look up targeted product information — ranging from inventory availability and recommended accessories to multimedia product demonstrations — thereby providing a rich, personalized, interactive experience for the customer.

Conversely, stationary-only mobile POS deployments are primarily for cash register replacement and are typically tablet-based. Many small retailers prefer the stationary-only usage scenario because they don't want to allow sales associates to remove tablets from their stands, and their goal is to upgrade to a "smart" cash register system that provides new features such as sales tracking and tools for loyalty and marketing campaigns that traditional cash registers don't provide.

Lastly, deployments that combine both mobile and stationary use of devices typically occur in department stores, clothing chains, specialty retailers and other large resellers where tablets are preferred and purchases need to be bagged or gift wrapped at a checkout station. Tablets are divided between multiple sales associates, with some using tablets to offer customers product information and recommendations on the shop floor, and others using tablets mounted at checkout stations to process credit card transactions.

At NRF, I saw Socket Mobile barcode scanners being integrated into tablet POS solutions for all three scenarios. For mobile usage, our scanners are small enough to fit in a pocket or can be worn around the neck with a lanyard. For stationary usage, our scanners can be kept in a charging cradle, and we've also partnered with a variety of tablet stand and tablet mount manufacturers who specialize in retail POS.

People were really excited at NRF this year! It was great to witness a monumental shift in the industry, with retailers moving away from traditional POS systems and adopting the next generation of customer-centric, mobile solutions. At Socket Mobile, this is manifesting in strong momentum in our Developer Program, which now includes more than 100 developers who specialize in mobile retail applications. We're very excited to be part of this historic technology shift in retail, and look forward to seeing mobile POS really take off in the next several years.

Tablet POS Market Fuels Growth in Socket Mobile Developer Program

By Michelle Yakura, Marcom & Social Media Manager

Last week, Socket Mobile issued a press release about the growing momentum of our Socket Mobile Developer Program, which now has surpassed the 230 member mark after being launched back in July. It's very exciting to not only see developers signing up virtually every day, but also find their apps on the Apple App Store, Google Play or other places with support for our CHS barcode scanners!

Read the press release about the Developer Program momentum.

We've analyzed the data and found that more than 30% of the developers in our program focus on retail, and many have begun integrating support for Socket barcode scanners into their tablet-based POS solutions. These mobile POS developers come from at least 16 different countries in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region, and several of their solutions are already commercially available and actively in use by retailers for the holiday shopping season.

Image: LightSpeed Retail

A white paper on mobile POS published last month by NCR cites that while only 7% of retailers currently use mobile POS, 52% plan to implement mobile POS within the next 2 years.

If you look at the number of Apple based POS solutions that are recommending or bundling our scanners, it's apparent that the Socket CHS is becoming the de facto standard for barcode scanning for iPad based retail POS solutions.

Global POS leaders and independent developers alike are joining our Developer Program to embed support for the CHS into their tablet POS solutions, not just because our scanners are easy to use and easy to connect to mobile tablets, but also because they just look so cool with iPads — very important for image-conscious retailers!!!

Additionally, many mobile developers create apps for several operating systems and device platforms, and the CHS makes it easy to embed barcode scanning support because each scanner model works with multiple operating systems. This gives end users the flexibility to choose their favorite device, whether it be Apple, Android, BlackBerry or Windows based.

Learn more about the Socket Mobile Developer Program and SocketScan 10 SDK.

Apple Certifies Socket Barcode Scanners for iPhone 5

By Michelle Yakura, Marcom & Social Media Manager

Yesterday everyone at Socket Mobile was so excited to find out that Apple officially certified the "i" versions of our CHS barcode scanners for the iPhone 5. Many of our customers use the CHS with iPhones, so it's important to our user base that we support the latest model. The iPhone 5, in particular, sports several new features that are attractive to business users, including a faster processor, improved Wi-Fi, and more screen real estate.

Read our press release about adding iPhone 5 support.

Having Apple certification is especially important for our developer community because it means our scanners can support two-way communications with the iPhone 5, and SocketScan 10 SDK can be used with iPhone 5 applications. As part of our upgrade to support the latest Apple devices, SocketScan 10 SDK for iOS now requires iOS version 4.3 or later. To download our SDK, simply join our Developer Program.

Please note that only the "i" versions of our scanners have this Apple certification: the CHS 7Ci, 7Di, 7DiRx, 7Xi and 7XiRx. Our other CHS models do work with iOS devices, including the iPhone 5, but only in Bluetooth HID mode for basic data entry.

Besides getting our CHS hardware certified for iPhone 5 by the Apple "MFi" program, this month Socket Mobile also updated our ScannerSettings and SocketPad utilities for the CHS. Both are free on the Apple App Store with support for not just iPhone 5 and iOS 6, but also the iPad mini, iPad (4th generation) and iPod touch (5th generation).

To see how the CHS actually works with the iPad mini, check out this video on YouTube. We've also recently posted a video with the Microsoft Surface tablet.

 

Top 5 Tips for Migrating Apps to the SoMo 655

By Vince Coli, Product Manager, Handheld Computers

If you've previously deployed a Windows Mobile app on the SoMo 650 or HP iPAQ Pocket PC, you can easily upgrade to the new SoMo 655 and keep using the same app.  In many cases, you'll be able to implement the same app on the SoMo 655 without any adjustments.

For some apps, there are some tweaks that you (or your developer) can make to take advantage of new features in the SoMo 655 not available in the SoMo 650 or HP iPAQ. Also, some apps need minor modifications to resolve differences in OS version, as the SoMo 655 runs Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 (the new name of Windows Mobile).

If you don't already have the SoMo 655, now is a great time to switch, as we're offering terrific rebates when you trade in your SoMo 650 or HP iPAQ 2xx!

Here are our Top 5 Tips for migrating apps to the SoMo 655:

1. Update CSS for web applications.
   If you are using a cloud application on the SoMo, you should update your CSS User Agent string.
   • Example of User Agent for SoMo 650:
     Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 8.12; MSIEMobile 6.0)
   • Example of User Agent for SoMo 655:
     Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; Windows Phone 6.5.3.5)
2. Eliminate .NET upgrade.
   The SoMo 655 features .NET Compact Framework 3.5, so if your install includes a .NET upgrade from 2.0, it's no longer needed.
3. Update UI for finger swiping.
   You can update the layout of your app to take advantage of the new finger swiping support, this is especially helpful when scrolling through lists. For example, see below how the System screen now features larger icons for easier swiping.
4. Update UI for larger soft keys.
   Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 has larger buttons in the soft key bar at the bottom of the screen, which can affect your layout.
5. Incorporate new vibrate feature.
   While the SoMo 650 supports visual and audio notifications, the SoMo 655 also has a vibrate feature. If your app includes user notifications, you may want to include support for vibrate, especially if the SoMo will be used in places where a beep would be hard to hear, or where audio needs to be disabled.

For more comprehensive list of changes, you may find this MSDN article helpful, though it's from 2010. It summarizes changes from Windows Mobile 5.0 to Windows Mobile 6.5:  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb158613

Software Development Kit

If you would really like to customize your app for the SoMo 655, don't forget that there's a new SoMo 655 SDK, which you can download after joining the Socket Mobile Developer Program for just $19.95 per year.

Did you find other things you had to update for the SoMo 655? Please share with other developers by commenting to this blog.

Socket Takes a Big Step into Retail with NCR Silver and the Apple iPad

By Mike Gifford, Executive Vice President 

This morning, Socket Mobile announced some exciting news: NCR is offering our CHS barcode scanner as part of its NCR Silver cloud-based point of sale system running on the Apple iPad. The mobile system, targeted at small retailers, not only takes payments but also enables you to manage your business anywhere you go.

With big companies like NCR turning to iPad based solutions, it really becomes clear how mobile POS is quickly replacing the traditional cash register and checkout counter. In the past few years, many mobile developers in the U.S., Canada, Japan and other countries have tested and certified the CHS barcode scanners for their Apple or Android based point of sale systems. As soon as we released our low-cost Apple iOS certified 1D scanner (the CHS 7Ci), Socket Mobile really began generating a lot more interest from retail IT specialists.

See the CHS 7Ci featured on the NCR Silver website. (Click on the More tab.)

Having a global, well-known company like NCR choose the CHS for their mobile POS solution further validates our product as an essential POS tool. It also shows the growing momentum we're having in the retail space. Stay tuned for news on other retail partnerships we are developing!

Up on the Rooftop with iPhones and Socket Barcode Scanners

By Mike Gifford, Executive Vice President 

This week at the Solar Power International show in Orlando, Enphase Energy is demonstrating an exciting new solution, known as ArrayGun, that combines the Socket CHS 7Xi barcode scanner and Enphase Installer Toolkit app for the iPhone and iPod touch. We hear that ArrayGun has been a great hit at the show!

Solar panels are not only popping up all over the U.S., but around the globe — on office buildings, residential homes and even elementary schools. What many people don't know is how highly sophisticated and computerized solar power systems have become. Enphase manufactures semiconductor-based solar panel components, known as microinverters, which provide remote monitoring of energy harvesting performance through their Enphase "Enlighten" web-based platform.

The above diagram depicts a Socket CHS 7Xi barcode scanner reading a 2D barcode on a typical solar panel system installed with an Enphase microinverter.

Their system is so smart that when a specific component of a particular solar panel gets damaged or needs maintenance, an email is automatically sent to the owner or technician, diagnosing the problem and pinpointing which part in which location needs fixing. System and panel level performance can also be monitored in real time.

However, in order for all this automation and remote monitoring to take place, a bit of legwork needs to happen during solar panel installation by the installer: the serial number and location of each microinverter needs to be recorded. This is where the new ArrayGun solution comes in. The Socket CHS 7Xi barcode scanner and Enphase Installer Toolkit iOS app enable installers to quickly and accurately scan and connect large numbers of microinverters, saving a lot of time and labor costs.

VIDEO: Learn more about ArrayGun.

If you're in the Orlando, Florida vicinity, you can meet Enphase Energy today and tomorrow in Booth #2515 at Solar Power International 2012.

Read press release about the solution.