EuroCIS 2013: Pointing to the future of checkout

Retail IT suppliers were on hand at the annual European trade show to showcase new products that capitalise on cutting-edge design and technologies

The influence of the mass consumer adoption of mobile gadgets and technologies was in evidence at EuroCIS 2013, in Düsseldorf, Germany today.

The so-called ‘Apple’ effect, it could be argued, is having just as large an impact behind the till as it is in front of it if the global launch of the Sango till system by Aures Technologies is anything to go by.

The latest in a series of distinctive electronic point-of-sale (EPoS) systems, Sango is designed to appeal to retailers with a brand image to maintain. Its freestanding die-cast aluminium fame dissipates heat and leaves room beneath for Aures’ wired or wireless Bluetooth printer and cash draw, while its front-facing graphical display enables retailers to display logos or promotions to the customer

Strong design to attract brand conscious

“Our customers are attracted by the design,” Patrick Cathala, Aures president and director general of Aures Technologies, told Retail Technology. “Franchises, for example, like the coloured interchangeable fascia, so the till system can be standardised while also taking care of individual store design and branding.

The Sango system also offers a choice of resistive or capacitive touchscreen and three Intel processors from the low-power Atom, midrange Sandy Bridge and fastest Ivy Bridge options, all with a fanless drive to reduce the numbers of moving parts. “We have made it very easy to swap out the hard drive just by taking the cover off of the side of the unit and sliding it out,” added Cathala. “And the motherboard can be removed with just one screw.”

Highlighting a new concept clip-on one or 2D barcode scanner and a new collapsible EPoS model for environments where space and flexibility is needed, he said: “These kind of systems are good for pop-up shops, for example.” Cathala also commented on the recent completion of Aures’ acquisition of J2 Retail Systems. “This will widen out international footprint in the UK, US and Australia,” he added.

Putting PoS intelligence in the printer 

Another company exhibiting a different development for traditional PoS technology at EuroCIS was printer manufacturer Star Micronics.

Star was showcasing its AsuraCPRNT ‘intelligent’ printer, which supports a range of integrated human interface devices (HiDs) to provide two-way communication using its 7-inch touchscreen, combined quick response (QR) and barcode scanner and magnetic strip card reader, along with the ability to add other, biometric options. 

The manufacturer said its new multifunction device was also powerful enough to be used as a standalone computer terminal or server and drive applications and web content to other digital devices too. These could include customer smartphones and store tablets, kiosks and digital signage, while still printing receipts and other materials at the same time.

“Our new range of products, from mobile and PoS printers to innovative network software and an intelligent printer combined in a rich interactive IT solution effectively meets the constantly changing demands of both retailers and consumers with reliable, low-cost solutions,” stated Simon Martin, Star Micronics director and general manager in Europe, Middle East and Africa.