(PresseBox) (Lisses – Fürstenfeldbruck, 29.01.2013) The AURES Group will unveil sango, its new integrated EPOS* terminal during EuroCIS, the largest trade show dedicated to Point of Sale and Retail technologies in Europe.

Designed and developed entirely by the manufacturer AURES, sango - which means coral branch in Japanese - is a completely new concept – original and innovative – an all-in-one till management systems;one of its special features is to completely free-up the space under the touch screen.

“Our latest EPOS* combines purity in design and lightness, while remaining impressively robust,” explains Patrick Cathala, AURES Group CEO and founder; “the gamble of creating an integrated system where the screen would be suspended, as if weightless, was made possible by using high quality materials, cast aluminium and polycarbonate. The final impression is one of a beautiful and contemporary terminal, totally in step with current design; the space available under the screen is also a response to a number of our customers, who regret the lack of room on the checkout desk …”.

Reduced to a few essential design elements, the clean open lines of the sango are emblematic of a complete and efficient management and till system (flat, fully-tilting, multi-touch LED-technology touch screen with edgeless, capacitive projected technology).

With no intrusive base, stand or foot, unlike other EPOS on the market, sango soars effortlessly, as if weightless, offering and revealing a space traditionally occupied by the central unit and motherboard; elegantly attached and suspended from its offset aluminium arm, the system’s real exo-skeleton and support for its technological core (CPU), sango combines minimalist aesthetics and ease-of-use (a dedicated till drawer can be housed under the screen) – as well as lower power consumption.

Sublime in the shine of the polycarbonate, sango’s seven interchangeable colours (White, Black, Red, Blue, Orange, Grey & Cassis) fit into the revolution line started by AURES in 2005 with the Odyssé terminal, bringing the final touch to the brand image and visual identity of retail chains.

“sango once again demonstrates that our Group is the most creative manufacturer in the market” adds Patrick Cathala.

And to conclude: “The leadership shown by AURES in innovation by design has also been recognised by the juries of the prestigious IF Product Design Awards 2013 and TOP Produkt Handel in Germany: sangois already a prize-winner in these prestigious European awards, even before it reaches the market, at the beginning of quarter two in 2013″.

sango Advantages

- Compact, minimalist design - no stand under the monitor
- Free space under the screen
Associated peripherals can be housed there (eg. till drawer)
- Several choices of motherboards and processors
INTEL Cedar View D2550 / Sandy Bridge 847 E / Ivy Bridge i3 - 3217UE
- High Speed Performance (USB3 connector)
- High graphic capability (INTEL HD Graphics 4000 core)
- Fanless EPOS (no ventilation)
and low power consumption (Atom I3 processor + LED technology)
- Ultra-light metal base (dissipates heat – thermal effect)
- High quality materials and detailed finishes
Aluminium and polycarbonate
No screws for easier access to the hard disk
- Superior quality display (15″ LED-backlit LCD)
- Ergonomic screen
Thin and flat, edgeless, with resistive touch-sensitive or projected capacitive multi-touch screen,
tilts to horizontal (90°)
- Associated peripherals
Receipt printer, till drawer, bar code reader,
card reader and Dallas and Addimat keys (optional)
- Graphic customer display (high readability) – as an option
- Net weight: 8.70 kg (not including power supply or customer display)
- Dimensions(working position – tilted at 45°):
L x H x D: 410 x 400 x 260 mm
- 7 colours (interchangeable polycarbonate parts):
White, Black, Red, Blue, Orange, Grey, Cassis.

Reference: http://www.pressebox.de/pressemitteilung/aures/EuroCIS-2013-the-AURES-Group-unveils-sango/boxid/570348

The sango will be a part of Pioneer Solutions’ EPOS system range. For more information on the system, please contact us.

According to a survey by Digital Persona, nearly 70 percent of the more than 1,100 participants surveyed said they were considering switching their retail POS systems from password-based technology to biometric authentication.

The rising interest in biometrics has come as fraud has taken a greater toll on consumers and retailers. The study cited figures from The Centre for Retail Research’s Global Theft Barometer that revealed approximately $40.7 billion going missing each year as a result of fraudulent employees.

“Despite the overwhelming indication that fraud and theft are major business concerns for POS security, it’s surprising that over half of businesses still use the least secure method of user authentication,” said Jim Fulton, vice president at DigitalPersona.

“The retail industry continues to be a victim of their own inaction – they know the use of passwords is a threat to their business, and yet will accept this situation despite the availability of cost-effective and proven alternatives,” Fulton added.

Published on: http://retailpro.com/community/blog/

Bloomberg Businessweek reports that according to the United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics, the results were higher than expected, as economists had anticipated only a 0.4 percent gain. Research by the office suggests that one of the main contributors to the increase was the amount of consumers who flocked to store to purchase winter clothing and school uniforms, the news source states. Clothing retailers saw a 2.1 percent rise from August.

The recent numbers are giving the country hope, as many believe it could be a sign that the U.K economy is improving, The Guardian reports. Since the retail results from this summer’s London Olympics, along with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, were not as successful as was hoped for, the country is looking for some signs of growth.

“This is a marked improvement from the low growth seen over the past two years and suggests that after experiencing tough trading conditions for a prolonged period of time, retailing conditions could be improving now,” Berina Urici, an economist at Barclays Capital, told the source.

Published on: http://retailpro.com/community/blog/

According to a recent survey by Listrak, 32 percent of consumers stated they have purchased items from a retailer in the past six months after receiving an email from them, reports Internet Retailer. The trend is significantly higher among older shoppers, with 38 percent of those aged 55 years or more buying items recently from retailers due to emails. Women are more likely to respond to these emails by purchasing items than men, as 35 percent of females stated they did so compared to the 30 percent of men. While the amounts may not seem incredible when considering that 83 percent of consumers open emails, there are still many opportunities for retailers when they make use of their email lists, the source says.

This strategy could be a contributor to the increase in retail sales that occurred in September, and it could lead to higher gains within the industry over the coming months. The Associated Press reports that overall retail sales rose by 1.1 percent during the month, representing some of the largest increases since October 2010.

Published on: http://retailpro.com/community/blog/

Millions of customers’ banking details are at  risk after it emerged that card readers used in shops and restaurants can be  hacked. Experts have found a security flaw in chip  and PIN terminals that allows thieves to download customers’ card  details. There are more than one million such readers  in the UK according to the UK Cards Association, which processes about  800million purchases each month.

Thousands of terminals must now be  reprogrammed. The chip and PIN system replaced the use of  signatures to authorise card purchases in 2006, and combines two effective  security features: a microchip to ensure the card is not counterfeit, and a  personal identification number (PIN) to prove the user’s identity.

However, researchers discovered that  criminals can use second-hand devices purchased on eBay to load fake cards with  malicious software. Once used in shops, the fakes – made to look  like a normal credit or debit card – infect readers, which begin storing the  details of all subsequent transactions. The criminal then returns later and uses a  second card to download this data, which includes card details and  PINs. A spokesman for security firm MWR told  Channel 4: ‘In our demonstration we just got the card number and PIN, but a real  criminal would probably reprogramme the reader to request that the card is  swiped. This would give magnetic strip data which could be used to clone the  card.’

VeriFone, which makes most of the terminals  used in Britain, said it is working on an update to fix the flaw. A spokesman said: ‘MWR implemented a  sophisticated scenario that is technically feasible on some older systems.

‘VeriFone has developed a software update to  resolve this issue in deployed systems and has already submitted the code for  testing and approval on an expedited basis.’ Account numbers and PINs are sold, often in  bulk, on hundreds of so-called ‘carding’ websites, often based in Eastern Europe  or China. Anyone with an email address can sign up and  receive access to a global network of criminals selling details from victims  over the world, contributing to the £308million of card fraud committed in the  UK each year.

A Daily Mail investigation found one seller  on a Russian website offering British credit cards, with full details of the  original owner’s identity, for just £19 each. For £190, they also claimed to be  able to offer access to a bank account with a credit limit of £8,000. It recently emerged that 15million Barclays  customers using new contactless credit and debit cards could have their details  stolen by ‘electronic pickpockets’ who brush past wallets with a mobile  phone. The cards, billed as the latest in payment  technology, contain a chip so that payment can be made without the need to enter  a PIN. However, investigators found criminals could  obtain a customer’s name, card number and expiry date by holding a smartphone  fitted with simple software over a wallet containing the card.

Published by: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2180849/Hackers-steal-details-chip-PIN-machines-used-shops-restaurants.html

While the concept is about three to five years from becoming a standard, this could open the door for Intent to get into the retail market. Social media, 3-D printers and smartphone technology are already changing the retail industry, as consumers are beginning to adopt technological advancements such as mobile price comparisons and online rewards programs.

“The next five years will bring more change to retail than the last 100 years,” Cyriac Roeding, CEO of Shopkick” told USA Today. Shopkick is a shopping app that is available at top retailers such as Target and Macy’s.

Kevin Sterneckert, a Gartner analyst, believes that big-box stores such as Old Navy will become testing centers with no physical merchandise. While this is just a speculation, it could help retailers stay competitive with online-only retailers. As retailers start to adapt to the changing landscape, they might benefit from the retail merchandising solutions offered by Retail Pro.

Published on: http://retailpro.com/community/blog/

Intelligent Shipper (iS) is a powerful suite of software that manages the life of a shipment from order through to delivery.

We have successfully implemented our products in companies such as Harrods, Game & Schuh where we have reduced time and costs significantly whilst improving sales through increased customer confidence and satisfaction.

Below is a list of just some of the more common used features of our system.

• High level of customisation and flexibility on our system and complete carrier neutrality ensures our solution is shaped around your operational process.

• Automatic order retrieval from e-commerce, retail software and warehouse systems (full integration). Reduce time to process orders significantly

• Multi carrier selection, print labels automatically with multiple courier companies in one place

• Automatic & predefined routing – automated lowest cost route all orders or alternatively customise routing based on destination, customer, shipment value etc.

• Proactive email notifications – your customers receive emails with tracking on their order. Can direct them to the delivery company for tracking queries. These emais are also often used to provide marketing information on special offers

• Proactive CS console – your customer services can now have full visibility of all delivery orders, open a log and much more, on one screen

• Full pricing control – manage all your delivery costs, internal charges and external mark ups.

• Invoice Checker – upload and automatically check your courier invoices for you. Errors are marked and a report is produced so you can retrieve the difference from your delivery company

• Reporting – Produce late shipment reports, retrieve money back from your delivery company. Produce customised reports in order to get the business information you need.

• Full accountancy & ERP systems integration

After a two-week investigation, the online file storage service confirms that usernames and passwords were stolen from third party Web sites and then used to access Dropbox accounts.

When a few hundred Dropbox users began receiving spam emails about online casinos and gambling sites two weeks ago, it seemed like something was up. And indeed there was.

The online file storage service confirmed today that hackers accessed usernames and passwords from third party sites and then used them to get into Dropbox users’ accounts.

“Our investigation found that usernames and passwords recently stolen from other websites were used to sign in to a small number of Dropbox accounts. We’ve contacted these users and have helped them protect their accounts,” the company wrote in a blog post today. “A stolen password was also used to access an employee Dropbox account containing a project document with user email addresses. We believe this improper access is what led to the spam.”

When the problem first began earlier in the month, several Dropbox users posted on the company’s Web site forum saying they received spam from email addresses only associated with Dropbox. By the time the company got a hold on the situation, 295 people had posted on the forum. The majority of the users were European, coming from Germany, Holland, and the U.K.

Dropbox has since put in place additional security controls to avoid a repeat occurrence. According to the company blog post, here are some of the steps it is taking:

Two-factor authentication, a way to optionally require two proofs of identity (such as your password and a temporary code sent to your phone) when signing in. (Coming in a few weeks)

New automated mechanisms to help identify suspicious activity. We’ll continue to add more of these over time.

A new page that lets you examine all active logins to your account.

In some cases, we may require you to change your password. (For example, if it’s commonly used or hasn’t been changed in a long time)

The file storage service also recommends that users avoid using the same password on multiple sites, since it means that if one site has a security breach then all accounts could be at risk. As TechCrunch notes, Dropbox’s security breach is eerily reminiscent of LinkedIn’s mega-password leak in June, not that the two were related or even on the same scale.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57483998-83/dropbox-confirms-it-was-hacked-offers-users-help/

Diptyque requires no introduction and their product range can be found at several stores in the UK, Liberty London, Harrods, Selfridges and John Lewis.
The business had outgrown their current system and required one that was flexible, multilingual, easy to use with a built in customer management system and comprehensive reporting. After a significant review process the retail management team decided on Retail Pro provided by Pioneer Solutions (UK) Ltd.

Minesh Thakkar, Director at Pioneer Solutions, said “there was a huge requirement for a customisable system, allowing their staff at head office make key decisions on various aspects of the business using the Business Intelligence Tool. The management team can now monitor sales and costs better and concentrate on improving customer experience and pushing sales.”

Jayson Tane-Smiler at Diptyque said “The reason we chose Retail Pro is its efficiency, CRM functionality, scalability and cost. We also have a great exisiting relationship with Pioneer Solutions which is key”.

In this review I’ll discuss the requirements for installation and the installation process. I’ll also discuss the contents of three of the Office 2013 suite programs, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and how the cloud-based Office 365 may change the way many users work with the suite. I’ll also talk about Windows 8 integration, and wrap up with a discussion about the impact that Office 2013 can have in business enterprises.

For Starters: The Requirements
Okay, let’s talk about the requirements for Office 2013. It will run on Windows 7 and Windows 8, on desktop PCs, notebooks, tablets, and mobile phones, or on Windows Server 2008 R2 or later. The Office 2013 family includes a large number of desktop apps as well as server products like Exchange and SharePoint. Office 2013 will not run on Windows XP or Vista; this means that more than half of all computers currently running Windows will need an upgrade first.

Component
Office 2013 Preview Requirements

Computer and processor
1 gigahertz (Ghz) or faster x86- or x64-bit processor with SSE2 instruction set

Memory (RAM)
1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32 bit); 2 gigabytes (GB) RAM (64 bit)

Hard Disk
3.0 gigabytes (GB) available

Display
Graphics hardware acceleration requires a DirectX10 graphics card and 1024 x 576 resolution

Operating System
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2012

Browser
Microsoft Internet Explorer 8, 9, or 10; Mozilla Firefox 10.x or a later version; Apple Safari 5; or Google Chrome 17.x.

.NET version
3.5, 4.0, or 4.5

Multi-touch
A touch-enabled device is required to use any multi-touch functionality.

Installation. So you decide to get Office 2013. Now what? First you must download and install the preview edition. You will be guided to the Windows Live ID screen, to get access. When you sign in you are given the option to download a Click-to-Run installer that handles the entire installation online. You must remain connected to the Internet until the installation is complete.

One new feature is that you can install Office 2013 on up to five PCs. The system allows you to deactivate the installed copy of Office from one or more devices so that you can install it on a new device. Once the installation is in place, you will see the suite appear on the start menu, in programs.

Roaming Apps, With the attention given to using Office on different devices, what if you want to use an app that is not installed, is that possible? A new feature, Roaming Apps, will allow you to use an individual app on a device where Office 2013 is not installed. First, sign in to your Microsoft Office account, open SkyDrive, and then open a document using the Office Web App. Click or tap File and then click or tap Edit to display the screen. But Roaming Apps is just one of the features, here are others.

The 2013 Office Suite

So what are the main differences between Office 2013 and 2010? Microsoft has moved Office to the cloud, just as it did with the Windows 8 operating system. What this means is that Office users can benefit from synchronization features to work with their own personal settings on all computers they sign in to.

The settings are stored in Microsoft’s cloud and synced automatically with SkyDrive, SharePoint and local drives Office is launched from.

This opens another interesting possibility, as you can continue to work on a document even if you switch computers, for instance after leaving work and going home.

Users who sign in to Office will automatically have Office select SkyDrive as the preferred save location for documents.

Word 2013. Here is what you get with Word. New templates and design tools help you put the finishing touch on documents, and you’ll find new and updated ways to share and work with others. There is an improved screen-reading experience. How? Well a new Read Mode Text reflows automatically in columns to make it easier to read. And Object Zoom allows you to view tables, charts, images, or online videos, a finger tap or mouse click in greater detail. When you’re done, another tap or click returns them to their original size.

Also, Word automatically bookmarks your last-visited spot. So if you step away, and return you can pick up where you left off– even if you are on a different PC or tablet.

Windows 8 Integration

As mentioned before, Office 2013 will only run on Windows 7, Windows 8, or Server 2008 R2 or later. Of especial importance is how this Office Suite will integrate with Windows 8. Microsoft has made a large commitment to the new operating system. This commitment comes from the fact that they are geared to change how Windows works with PCs.

The big move for Microsoft is not Metro, but touch. The touchscreen will change the character of user interaction. Sure at the beginning there will be resistance, but over time users will look at the touch technology as the best thing since sliced bread. Why? Because it will be more natural to use. The keyboard and mouse won’t disappear but they will have their use changed.

But there is another impact. The tablet. Microsoft has struggled for years to find a device that will compete with the iPad. They think Surface will be that device, because the tablet is self-contained. Meaning, that as the OS works on a device where the CPU will take full advantage of it, and then with Apps and the Office Suite 2013 or Office 365 integrated into the OS, there will be a high level of value built in since the hardware and OS will work in ways that have not occurred before.