We got yet another video up for your amusement. This time it’s the Datalogic QuickScan series of retail barcode scanners. Available as a linear imager, laser scanner, and cordless imager, these barcode scanners are pretty snappy and lightweight.

Anyway, enjoy!

Opticon OPR 3101

November 3, 2009

I do enjoy finding odd or unique design decisions in the POS industry, and the Opticon OPR 3101 barcode scanner is a good fit for unique design. The only barcode scanners I know of with a trigger guard, the OPR 3001 and OPR 3101 are designed for light industrial or rough retail environments. The OPR 3101, though, is a cordless barcode scanner, so you can do your best Briscoe County/Wyatt Earp impression while doing inventory. I do want to get my hands on a couple of these and set up some sort of incredibly expensive laser tag style shootouts.

This is a rugged laser scanner, and it actually has the capability of scanning PDF and MicroPDF barcodes, so you could use it in shipping applications at a lower cost than cordless 2D scanners.

The scanner has a Bluetooth 2 radio in it, so you can’t get quite as far from the base station/bluetooth-enabled device as the XI3200, for instance, but it does automatically switch into batch mode when out of range and dumps the data when communication is regained.

Otherwise, it’s pretty similar to the cabled model. IP54 seal to keep out dirt and water, 9″ optimal scan range for 10 mil barcodes. And it has a trigger guard!

POS-X updated their XI3000 to become the XI3200, and so they did the same with their bluetooth barcode scanner. The XI3200BT is a pretty solid contender for any retail location needing a bit of mobility. It doesn’t have a batch memory mode, which is alright since it also has a 328-foot line of site radio range. That is a long distance to cover and can easily take care of most businesses.

And check this out, more video!

The fellas over at POS-X did a rev bump on their mid-range barcode scanners, jumping from the XI3000 to the XI3200. I’m pretty sure that this scanner is 200 more than the predecessor, too. POS-X chose the XI3200 as the time to shift offering only a USB model. A lot of manufacturers, and even some end users, are still clinging to PS/2 and even RS-232 for their barcode scanners, but 9 times out of 10 we’re selling a USB model.

We have a video here to show off, just a quick look at some of the new features on this scanner. Once we have a couple in house we’ll try to chuck one off the roof.

Datalogic Magellan 8500Xt

September 29, 2009

Our friends at Datalogic let us know about this new scale they have kicking around, the Magellan 8500Xt, so I thought I’d share it with you guys. This is a combination barcode scanner and scale, kind of like what you see at your local grocery store. Only it’s probably about 10 years younger. Scanner / Scale combos are the tanks of the point of sale industry, so if you buy one, you probably won’t need to buy a replacement.

The 8500Xt improves on the already existing Magellan 8500. In fact, it’s Xt more. I don’t know what Xt stands for. Maybe eXtra Tough. or Xylitol Teleporter. Either way, it’s a bit beefier and does a bit more than rest of the class.

The big feature for this, at least the one I thought really made it worth buying over other scanner / scale combos, is the dual-interval weighing system. For weights between 0 and 12 lbs, the Magellan 8500Xt has a weight increment of 0.005 lbs, much more precise than the 0.010 lbs that seems pretty standard. In fact, it’s twice as precise! You know it’s great, because it rhymes. This really helps for fancy pants delis who cater in only the finest meats and cheeses, because 0.005 lb of gruyere may cost just enough that you don’t want 1.105 lbs to be rounded up to 1.110.

They also have the AllWeighs system, so the weighing platter extends up the side of the unit. This is great for big tilty items, like giant okra, mega celery, or maybe off-balance pets, keeping the weight balanced on things that won’t actually alter the weight of the product.

For the scanning, this guy reads up to 6 sides for products, so you don’t have to do much to get your scan on. It also scans at about 6,400 scans per second, pretty snappy for high-volume reading.

In our ongoing effort to make the site plump with content and solid, honest information, we’ve implemented user reviews. Customers can hop onto the site, find their favorite product, and write up their likes, dislikes, etc. It’s always nice to have verification on the awesomeness of a barcode scanner or receipt printer, especially if it’s from someone who isn’t drawing a paycheck from the site.

We’ll be adding them slowly, but if you want to check out a couple, the Honeywell 3800g barcode scanner. Two whole reviews! And they both backup the claim that it’s probably the best 1D handheld barcode scanner on the Earth. That’s a big dorky claim, and I’m sticking with it.

Hey so I already used my words plenty of times to talk about the UltraScan, so here’s some video of it, with the incomparable Jaime showing off the barcode scanner’s feats.

Opticon OPN 2002

March 20, 2009

Opticon, those guys who make really crazy yet inexpensive stuff, have finally unleashed their OPN 2002 on the masses, and I’m pretty stoked about it. It’s a straight upgrade to the OPN 2001, which is a batch data collector with a lithium ion rechargeable battery and memory capable of holding about 1,000 barcodes and timestamps. We put it up on our site at the beginning of 2008, and with no real big fanfare on our part, it was able to become a top seller no sweat. You could get mobile inventory management, attendance tracking, or registry services for $200, which is a fantastic deal.

The OPN 2002 beefs up the specs, making it a solid contender for almost any use. In addition to bumping up the memory to 1 MB (around 20,000 barcodes and timestamps), Opticon crammed a Bluetooth radio in the unit. So now the mobile data collector can be configured to run as a Serial Port Profile or HID bluetooth device, making it a great fit not only for mobile data collection on a budget, but it’s now one of the cheapest Bluetooth scanners on the market. Hook it up to a PDA, smartphone, whatever you like, and you can send data easily.

I have a feeling this product will have limited stock quantities just by demand alone, and that’s pretty fantastic.

POSGuys ULTRASCAN!!!!

March 11, 2009

I just like the name. UltraScan. Like it should be fighting dudes in rubber suits over a scale-model Tokyo. And it’s a new scanner only from POSGuys.com and totally great for low to medium volume retail establishments.

The POSGuys.com UltraScan laser barcode scanner, to use its full name, is a laser barcode scanner on the cheap. And that’s not to say it’s a cheap scanner, just inexpensive. It’s got a 12″ scan range on 100% UPC barcodes, which is 99% of what retail stores end up scanning. And, pretty fanciful, it can scan inverted barcodes without having to set any configuration. That’s a lot more rare than you’d expect but still pretty rad.

Other fun facts, this is a REALLY light barcode scanner. The cable probably accounts for 90% of the weight, so extended use isn’t going to cause arm problems. We also dropped it a bunch and it seemed to survive 12-foot drops no sweat. But that’ll be in the soon-to-be-released video. And outtakes.

We’re trying to aim the scanner (hah pun) at people who need something more aggressive than our entry level & contact scanners, but don’t need all the bells and whistles that make medium volume and high volume scanners so expensive.

We finally got a video done for a review of the VoyagerGS (Gorilla Slapper). It’s good times, and took like 2 takes to get done. Which is good, unless you think outtakes are fun to watch.

I’ve waxed poetic on this scanner on a couple occasions already, so let’s just get to the video.