Using the iPhone, iPod touch or iPad for Scanning Applications ...

Using the iPhone, iPod touch or iPad for Scanning Applications

In evaluating barcode scanning hardware, iPhone Life magazine indicates that the Linea-pro is “gathering quite a bit of momentum.” Read this excerpt for more…

There are many different ways that today’s hottest consumer technology can be used for business applications. While most organizations that use handheld barcode scanning technology still utilize ruggedized, industrial-strength devices from companies like Motorola or Intermec, there is a growing trend to use off-the-shelf consumer technology as a replacement for these often extremely expensive, rugged devices.

For example, in late 2009, Apple retail stores replaced their Windows Mobile-powered devices from Symbol/Motorola with iPod touch devices and a Linea Pro sleeve. The Linea Pro provides laser barcode scanning and magnetic stripe reading to allow Apple Store employees to simply scan a product, swipe a customer’s credit card right from the iPod in their hands, and let the customer be on their way in mere seconds. This article will examine many of the barcode scanning options for organizations looking to take advantage of applications like these.

This article is an update of a review from one year ago, as most of the products have been updated and several new products have been added.

Linea Pro

($499-599, ipclineapro.com)

The Linea Pro was popularized as the hardware used in Apple Retail stores to facilitate rapid customer checkout. The Linea Pro is a sleeve for an iPhone or iPod touch, which makes it a single-unit form-factor that is very convenient for many kinds of applications. In addition to providing a moderate level of durability and protection to the iPod touch, it also offers a hot-swappable battery that not only powers the scanner but also serves to keep the iPod fully charged. The Linea Pro has both a 1D/2D barcode scanner and magnetic stripe reader, which makes it perfectly suited for applications like retail point-of-sale where the product can be scanned and the customer’s credit card swiped. A Software Development Kit, or SDK, is provided by the manufacturer, Infinite Peripherals, to give app developers low-level access to scanners and readers to configure settings, trigger the barcode, and receive events for successful scans or swipes. As the first barcode scanner to receive certification from Apple to provide an SDK for low-level access, the Linea Pro is gathering quite a bit of momentum. This is happening in internally developed applications similar to Apple’s deployment and also in several commercial apps and point-of-sale solutions such as LightSpeed Mobile (xsilva.com). The Linea Pro is the perfect device for many types of applications, and although the latest version now supports the iPhone 4/4S and iPod 4th Gen, the Linea Pro does not work with the iPad.

Posted in news - Written by IPC on February 28, 2012