Well, the labelling and barcoding world has seen many changes in 2009. On top of the recession, the up and down fluctuations of the Euro has made 2009 challenging for the industry. But alongside the bad the good prevails with new innovations in technology to make our life’s easier in business.

The Highlights

The first quarter starting the New Year with a buzz, AM Labels took over Applied Labels, extending production facilities to cope with demand.

The new VIP VP485 has made high volume colour inkjet printing more affordable, faster and in a more compact form factor, with an increased resolution (up to 4800x1200dpi) and increased print width (up to 8.5 inches) it caters for a wide variety of colour printing applications. The 3D2015 Label Dispenser was released to offer a simple effective method of dispensing labels on-demand.

Spring saw new heights for Tec, releasing their first 600dpi printer – the Tec B-SX600 for specialist printing needing incredibly accurate and fine printing. The B-SX600 will print on labels as small as 3mm in height at an incredible 600 x 1200 dpi ultra-high resolution.

Zebra released their smallest portable printer, The EM 220 is perfect in customer-facing environments or when users will be wearing the printer for long periods.

AM Labels added Epos systems and software to their portfolio, offering low cost hardware and software choices for retailers starting out, or looking to switch from a till. Epos systems start with single store systems up to a fully integrated system for multiple stores and tills.

Summer kicked off with a brand new Datalogic Gryphon offering a more ergonomically designed and lightweight barcode scanner with a faster read rate and improved IP rating.

Epson launched a new colour label printer the TM-C3400, Primera introduced the AP360 bottle labeller and Zebra announced the new G-series printers.

AM Labels joined the world of Twitter with open arms and is excited to find out the latest and greatest goings on in the world of labelling and barcoding.

Autumn saw revolutionary new technology from Motorola with their MC9500, incorporating a universal accessory system, groundbreaking modular technology, and improved day-to-day management. Motorola also launched the MT2000 that has added computer functionality and technological updates on top of the Symbol P360/P370/P460/P470 scanners.

Zebra launched the newly improved Zebra LP2824/TLP2824 plus printers and the new Zebra Xi4 high performance label printer with more memory, a faster print speed and Ethernet as standard.

Jewellery labelling arrived in style with a label printer, professional labelling software and a variety of different jewellery labels to suit individual stores.

Nearly the end of the year but that doesn’t stop us looking for the best products to offer our customers. December has seen new product offerings for visitor management, memory scanning and the launch of Label Focus - our new focal point for everything labelling.

Check out the full list below:

So what’s the fuss about?

Mobility Architecture eXtensions, (MAX) will allow Motorola mobile computers to deliver value throughout their lifetime. MAX offers groundbreaking modular technology, universal accessories and improved day-to-day management, allowing the handheld to change with your business demands.

Flexibility & Protecting Future Investments

With MAX Backroom Management, Motorola are introducing a one-of-a-kind universal accessory system which means future handheld computers including the MC9500 will be able to utilise the same accessories as other handhelds in their range. The new modular design has been created to reduce the capital and operational costs in the backroom related to batteries, cradles, battery chargers, cables, and other accessories.

Modular Technology

Motorola has introduced modular components for their handhelds. This means that if your business requirements change, you can just purchase a different module rather than a new handheld.

MAX FlexWAN

If you want the possibility of using a wide area network (WAN) in the future, you don’t have to spend more and buy a WAN model now. You can simply purchase the WAN card when you need it and simply fit it yourself by unscrewing the keypad, screwing in the card and rebooting the device. You don’t need to send it back to the manufacturer or to a service provider to fit, saving time and money.

MAX Keypad

The flexible keypad options mean that should your business demands change, through the simplicity of two screws you can change the way your handheld functions. You can choose from four options:

• Alpha numeric – for users who will be entering heavy text and numeric data.
• Alpha – offering full alpha keys plus shifted numeric keys, this keypad is ideal for users who will mainly enter text.
• Numeric telephony – For users who will primarily utilise the device for phone calls and some numeric data.
• Numeric Calculator – For users who will enter primarily numeric data in applications such as DSD.

Sensor Technology

Motorola’s new MAX Sensor provides an interactive sensor technology which enables their handheld computers to use motion-based applications such as dynamic screen orientation and power management. This enables sensing, collecting, reporting and acting on device movement. For example, when the device is handed to a customer to sign for proof of delivery, the signature screen will automatically orient itself depending upon how the customer chooses to hold the device. MAX Sensor can also be used to detect and report on device misuse.

Battery Management

One of the largest advances included in the MAX development are the alterations they have made to the humble battery. This revised battery now utilises indicators to report both its state of charge and health, allowing users to proactively change batteries when needed. Another function of intelligent battery management uses the motion sensor technology to preserve power whenever the device is not in use. As a result, battery life is maximised, preventing users from running out of battery power during a shift, protecting the productivity of your workforce and ensuring business continuity.

Read the full story from Motorola