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Restaurant POS Equipment: Types of Input Devices
POS Equipment - types of input devices
Point of Sale (POS) Equipment: Keyboards and touch screens
One of the first choices you will have to make about your POS equipment is whether to go with a touch screen or a programmable keyboard. Most businesses choose touch screens. The only market where keyboards are more popular is grocery stores, because it has the ability to program individual keys for specific item codes and prices.
A growing number of touch screens today are designed by restaurant owners, and since many retail business owners aren't tech savvy they prefer to use touch screens that are more intuitive to use. Touch screens also provides flexibility in the user interface and programming, where it eliminates costly staff training. Most touch screens sold today are all based on flat-screen LCDs unlike the traditional CRT monitors. While LCD touch screens are a bit more expensive (typically $600 - $1,000 instead of $400 - $500), they are sturdier, doesn't use much electricity, and take up less space. They also look much better. When purchasing touch screens, avoid touch screens that are overlayed on top of regular monitors - these monitors tend to breakdown easily and even causes unnecessary complications to your system.
When it comes to keyboards, some models are standard 101-key models that you find with any computer. Others are smaller, more POS-specific devices, such as the flat-panel membrane keyboards you often see on fast food outlets. Often, they come in with built-in magnetic stripe readers for debit card processing. Programmable keyboards usually ranges between $150 and $300.
It doesn't matter which POS equipment you choose, make sure you consider the environment where it will be used. You'll find both keyboards and touch screens have varying levels of spills and dusts proofing.
Scanners
All scanners work in the same basic manner, reading a bar code and sending the resulting numbers back to the computer. They typically connect to the system through Y-connectors called wedges that make them function as an extension of the keyboard. Bar code scanning has an improved accuracy and speeds up sales transactions.
Low quality, cheap scanners are made based on CCD technology. These scanners are inexpensive, but usually have a very short range - the item being scanned needs to be 1 to 3 inches from the scanner. In a typical retail setting, this should be fine.
For laser scanners, they offer better scanning with the ability to scan bar codes at long distances. You may find some laser scanners that automatically turn themselves on when scanning and then turn off again, this is called "autosensing". Omnidirectional scanners send out 15 or 20 lasers simultaneously, making bar code scanning from any angle easy. The top of the line scanner is the embedded scanner, which you commonly see in supermarkets located below the counter.
Properly use different types of scanners to serve customers. If the counter line has only one or a couple of customers, the CCDs or entry-level laser scanners should. A fairly constant flow of customers might call for an autosensing model, and for businesses with high volume of traffic, they should check out omnidirectional or embedded scanners. Their prices ranges from below $100 to $350 or more.
Handheld POS terminal
The latest type of input device is the handheld, wireless terminal. PDAs, each handheld terminal wirelessly transmits orders back to its base station. A great advantage for restaurants is that they increase the amount of time servers spend on taking orders on the floor and interacting with customers, because it eliminates the need to go back to a terminal to give the orders.
Write-on handhelds: instead of trying to fit a touch-screen interface onto a tiny PDA screen, these devices allow servers to simply write the orders down. Handwriting recognition software parses the order then sends it directly on to the kitchen and bar to prepare the orders.
These handheld terminals are more expensive compared to a traditional touch-screen order terminal. However they can make up for the cost by up-selling your customers more desserts and drinks. If you are evaluating handheld terminals, make sure you ask about the "drop test" - these units are rated for toughness according to how much they can survive a fall. You can easily find out if your business is a candidate for handheld POS terminals by comparing POS equipment from multiple dealers to learn what products and services they offer.
Need more information or perhaps an online resource?
Go to POS-For-Restaurants.com
The author of this article is the Vice-President of Customer Relations at POS-For-Restaurants with over 20 years of experience serving restaurants of all types throughout the U.S.
Turkish company builds 65-inch Android 'tablet' with Honeycomb, 1080p support (video) (Engadget)
Want Honeycomb on your TV? You can take your chances with a Google TV-enabled
set from Sony, or you can get the full Android experience by adding a
connected tablet to your HD mix -- if Istanbul-based Ardic gets its solution
out the door, at least. The Turkish company's prototype uses a 10-inch Android
Honeycomb-based tablet to power a 65-inch LCD with 1080p support for basic
gestures, like pinch and zoom. The display currently has two touch sensors,
but a version with four sensors is on the way, which will bring multi-touch
support. The tablet is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 2 SoC, and includes 1GB of
RAM, 16GB of flash memory, dual cameras, HDMI, USB, microSD and 3G and WiFi
connectivity. A dock enables instant connectivity with the OEM TV, including
HDMI for video and audio, and USB for touch input (a wireless version is in
the works as well).
The devs customized Android to support 1080p output, and it appears to work
quite seamlessly, as you'll see in the embedded video. And this isn't simply
another goofy demo or proof of concept -- the Turkish company is in talks with
education and enterprise ...
Blackberry Storm 2 9550 Take Apart LCD Touch Screen Digitizer
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