Socket Talk

Oodles of CompactFlash Options for the SoMo

Back in 1997, Socket Mobile co-invented the CompactFlash (CF) I/O standard. Fast forward to 2012, and the CompactFlash I/O slot is one of the key competitive advantages of our SoMo handheld computer versus other mobile devices on the market.

Many of you may be familiar with Socket Mobile's various CF devices that can be used with the SoMo, but did you know about the plethora of 3rd party CF options that have also been successfully deployed with our handheld computer?

Just as a refresher, here is a list of CF options from Socket Mobile:

• CF Mag Stripe Reader Card Series 4 - credit card swipe
• CF Scan Card Series 5 - 1D & 2D barcode scanners
• CF RFID Reader Series 6 - HF RFID reader
• Rugged CF 10/100 Card - adds an Ethernet port

Third-party CF devices have been deployed with the SoMo in diverse verticals, including healthcare, hospitality, forestry, public health research, and more. (Note: Not all of the devices listed below have been tested by Socket Mobile.)

1. GlobalSat: BC-337 GPS receiver
2. ARANZ Medical: SilhouetteMobile 3D wound imaging and documentation device
3. Dytrex: Endire Pro blood glucose monitor
4. Hewi: eLOCK electronic locking system (see page 80)
5. Pro Active: SpringCard contact and contactless RFID readers/writers
6. UIC: UIC683 contactless payment 
7. GAO: LF RFID reader
8. Skoot: contactless payment
9. Smart-Reg: Smart-Alec name badge reader (see page 36)
10. Scirocco: R60 IR Reader "Libeccio"
11. iDTRONIC: Smart RFID
12. Kenetics: Volare UHF CF2
13. BrightCard: CF Reader UHF
14. Quatech: SocketSerial RS-232  serial I/O cards

 

Do You Need Wi-Fi Persistence Mode for Your SoMo 650?

by Dave Bledsoe, Sr. Product Manager, Handheld Computer Products

In the business world, not all Wi-Fi networks are the same.  Whether you have a complex, professionally surveyed network with dozens of access points or just a basic Wi-Fi setup with one or two access points, the Socket SoMo 650 handheld computer now features multiple Wi-Fi configurations to meet your needs.

• Persistence Mode optimizes mobile connectivity in facilities with few access points or limited wireless coverage. This is ideal for many restaurants using WLAN for tableside ordering / POS or other SoMo deployments that don't involve an expert site survey.



• Fast Roaming delivers high performance in environments deployed with a professional site survey with multiple access points and wireless coverage designed for mobile devices. This is ideal for many healthcare implementations, such as a hospital with dozens of access points spread across multiple buildings. In healthcare facilities, a professional site survey is critical due to all the metal, mirrors and other materials in a clinical environment that can degrade network communications.

     DOWNLOAD: Log in to get the latest Wi-Fi software for your SoMo.

     WHITE PAPER: Learn how Wi-Fi Persistence mode works.

An ideal replacement for HP iPAQ 200 series users!
Are you using the SoMo 650 as a substitute for the HP iPAQ 210, 215 or other 200 series handheld? With the discontinuation of the HP iPAQ 200 series, Socket's new Persistence Mode provides iPAQ users a familiar wireless experience, eliminating the need for application changes and end-user re-training.

     View the HP iPAQ / SoMo 650 comparison chart.

Professional Site Surveys from Ekahau
Need a site survey for your SoMo deployment? Socket partner Ekahau offers expert site surveys that can help you plan your wireless implementation, troubleshoot problems like misconfigured access points or missing security settings, and improve overall network performance. They even have a custom option for the SoMo 650 so your worksite can be tested based on the specific Wi-Fi chipset and antenna design of the SoMo.

     Learn about professional site surveys from Socket partner Ekahau.

London Restaurant Khana Khazana Uses SoMo 650 for EPOS

Mmmm... samosa chaat, butter chicken, and kofta curry — when East Londoners want some delicious Indian food, restaurant Khana Khazana is the place to go. 

Socket partner Cratos Hospitality has written a case study about Khana Khazana and how they are using the SoMo 650 handheld computer with a wireless receipt printer for tableside ordering and EPOS.

Read the case study about Khana Khazana.

Top 10 Mobile Apps in the Automotive Industry

Ever since the early days of Socket, automotive businesses have been a core customer base for our company. Over the years, we have seen our products incorporated into a wide variety of automotive applications implemented on diverse mobile platforms. Most involve VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) scanning into electronic forms as a way to replace inefficient paperwork and /or quickly look up vehicle and customer information.

Here is a list of our top 10 automotive applications (in no particular order):

1. Estimates and Billing: Service centers and reconditioners use the SoMo 650 and Socket barcode scanners for estimating jobs, billing customers, and more.
   - Examples: DuPont mRECON and Reynolds & Reynolds Service Sales Kit



2. Auction Bidding: Car dealers and recyclers use Socket barcode scanners and handheld computers at vehicle or salvage pool auctions to look up pricing information before they bid.
   - Examples: LKQ Bidmaster Remote and Manheim Auto Auction



3. Paint Formula Lookup: Body shops use the SoMo 650 to determine the paint formula for an exact color match.
   - Examples: DuPont mColorQuick and Standox mRapidview



4. Inventory Management & Merchandising: Car dealers and recyclers use the SoMo 650 and barcode scanners to manage inventory and prepare online listings.
   - Examples: ASL Automotive Mobile Inventory Manager and Buddy AI



5. Fraud Prevention: Car dealers, auto auctions, and salvage yards use Socket CHS barcode scanners to check for stolen vehicles to comply with federal regulations.
   - Examples: ScrapWare and VINtrack



6.  Tracking Repair Parts: Body shops use the SoMo 650 and Socket barcode scanners to recover the cost of parts used in vehicle body repair.
   - Example: Auveco FasTrack



7. Inventory Pricing: Car dealers use Socket CHS barcode scanners to determine retail and wholesale values for vehicles.
   - Example: Kelley Blue Book Pocket KARPOWER



8. Loaner Vehicle Tracking: Car dealers use Socket CHS barcode scanners to manage vehicles loaned out to customers.
   - Example: TSD



9. Certificate Verification: Automotive industry groups in Europe are testing Socket barcode scanners to read 2D barcodes used to authenticate vehicle safety inspection certificates.



10. Financial Audits: Auditors use Socket barcode scanners to quickly perform inventory counts at car dealerships.
    - Example: Car CPA

Is Your Wi-Fi Network Singing the Blues?

These are all signs that your Wi-Fi network may have an illness, and if you've been experiencing any of the above symptoms, then it might be time to give your network a little TLC by treating it to a site survey from Ekahau, a worldwide leader in high performance Wi-Fi-based Real Time Location Systems (RTLS) and Wi-Fi network planning and optimization tools.

Socket Mobile recently partnered with Ekahau to provide Socket customers in healthcare and hospitality with site survey software tools and professional network services, which enable them to detect, analyze and correct network-related issues, ensuring optimal performance of their
SoMo 650 handheld computers, as well as other Wi-Fi devices on their network.

 

The above video gives a two-minute overview of Ekahau Site Survey (ESS), a visual and easy-to-use toolkit for deploying and maintaining high performance 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi networks being used for VoIP, video, location tracking, web browsing or high-speed data.

IT managers and wireless professionals have the ability to correct a number of network problems, including fixing all the symptoms of an unhealthy network listed above and much more. In addition, ESS makes in-depth network analysis easy with accurate, color-coded heat maps that identify signal strength, data rate, packet loss roaming, overlap and various other characteristics.

Restaurant IT: Things to Consider When Setting up Wireless Ordering & POS

This week, Hospitality Technology published a case study about Socket's largest hospitality customer — Studio Movie Grill of Texas, which has deployed 250 units of the SoMo 650 handheld throughout several of its dine-in theater locations.

The article captures the complexity of deploying a tableside ordering solution in a restaurant — setting up the wireless infrastructure, testing different handheld devices, and trialing various software. It can be a lengthy process, often several months, especially for restaurants with limited IT resources or expertise.

For eateries that want not just wireless ordering but also credit card payments at tableside, issues of data security (i.e., PCI Compliance) also have to be tackled, to prevent problems with identity theft.

Thinking of our experiences with Studio Movie Grill and other customers in the hospitality industry, we came up with some key questions that restaurants should ask themselves when setting up a wireless ordering / tableside POS system:

1. Can foodservers access the wireless network everywhere they need to? Do you need to add or reposition access points to fix "dead spots"?
2. How rugged must the handheld devices be? Will they be used outdoors?
3. How small and light must the handheld devices be? Do they need to fit in an apron pocket?
4. How big must the handheld device screen be for the software to be easy to use?
5. How many hours must the handheld device battery last before it is recharged?
6. Does every foodserver need a handheld, or will some use fixed POS terminals?
7. Should the solution provide just wireless ordering, or tableside payments too? What about inventory management? What peripherals will you need — card swipe, wireless printer, barcode scanner, etc.?
8. Is the POS system flexible enough to adapt as your business changes over time?
9. Does the software provide the monitoring and reporting features your business needs?
10. Do you need device management software to handle POS software updates and troubleshooting?

What do you think? Which factors were most important to you when setting up a POS system? Is there anything you would add to this list?

 

 

Socket Mobile Partners with Digital Dining for Restaurant POS

For the past few years, Socket customers in the hospitality industry have been using the SoMo 650 with Digital Dining software for wireless ordering and mobile POS. Now the relationship is official, as Socket has partnered with Menusoft Systems, who is recommending the SoMo 650 for its popular Digital Dining application.

Read the press release.     See Socket listed on the Digital Dining website.

 
One customer using the SoMo with Digital Dining is Grazie! Grille of Brentwood, Calif., an Italian-style restaurant and martini bar quoted in the press release.

 

This year is particularly good for restaurants in the U.S. to invest in mobile POS, with tax deductions of up to $250,000 available for equipment purchases including IT.

For more information about Socket products for the hospitality industry, please view our hospitality solutions sheet.

The Garden Terrace Restaurant Increases Revenue with Socket Mobile and Cratos Hospitality

Signature Bars is an Irish company that operates top-quality restaurants and bars in Dublin Airport. One of its most popular eateries is The Garden Terrace, a large, stylish restaurant and bar that often serves more than 1,000 customers per day. Signature Bars effectively manages The Garden Terrace’s demanding operations by using a fast and reliable Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) system from Cratos Hospitality that features the Socket SoMo® 650 handheld computer.

Utilizing the SoMo 650 for wireless tableside ordering has enabled The Garden Terrace to not only boost monthly sales by 2%, but also efficiently serve customers on Dublin Airport’s busiest day ever — the day a volcano in Iceland formed a giant ash cloud over Europe, causing hundreds of flights to be cancelled, with thousands of travelers stranded throughout the airport.

Located in a busy departure terminal, The Garden Terrace features a lush interior, critically acclaimed menu,and relaxing, outdoor beer garden. When Signature Bars initially launched The Garden Terrace, the restaurant was using a manual, paper-based POS system. Like at any eatery using pen and paper, waiters wasted time walking to and from the kitchen or bar to deliver customers’ orders or to check on the status of food and drinks. Waiters also lacked tableside access to recipes or full menu listings to answer customers’ questions or upsell additional appetizers, drinks or other items.

At company headquarters, executives also wanted a fully integrated stock control system that would enable them to monitor up-to-the-minute inventory levels at all 10 of their restaurants and bars within Dublin Airport. Signature Bars was managing everything with Excel spreadsheets and needed a better way to collect and analyze data on a company-wide basis.

Continue reading the case study.