Futuretail: The Retail Technology Weblog

Ethernet-powered computer debuts

UK computer company DSP Design has just released a new flat-panel, touch-screen based PC that is powered by Ethernet (PoE) rather than a traditional power source. So what does this mean for retailers? Well, first, it means that the device can be placed anywhere in a store, and being low-voltage, Ethernet cable is both easier to run than power cabling and has the bonus of not being subject to local building codes. Second, as the linked article points out, Ethernet is a global standard... so the devices work everywhere. The same cannot be said for traditional power supplies that need dozens of adapters to work everywhere. This means that multi-national retailers could deploy a single device to multiple countries. It should come as no surprise that this device originated in Britain, home of the world's clunkiest three-prong power plugs. But alas, I doubt even they will give me a PoE tea kettle and electric razor.

California cleverly bans RFID in identity cards

Boneheaded legislation: 1, common sense: 0. Once again, California has proved that it's legislators just don't get it. There's a bill making its way through the state senate that bans the use of RFID technology in identity cards, including (but not limited to): ID cards for state employees (so much for secure access), library cards (so much for faster checkout), health insurance cards (so much for fast-response medical care from EMS units), and student IDs (so much for contactless vending, ticketing, and buying a hot dog at the snack bar). Note to legislators: don't ban the technology, support encryption and punish abusers. What's next, you're going to ban automobiles because they can be used in bank robberies?

SMART cars coming to the US

OK, I'm literally giddy with joy about this. SMART cars, those tiny little two seaters that are so much... "fun"... to drive around the M25 in London, are coming to the US! So why am I posting this here? Remember those Q1 2005 Wal-Mart results that were a little less than spectacular? Well, though Wal-Mart blamed "poor Easter weather" or some other such nonsense, the truth is that driving the old F250 pickup truck to the Wal-Mart twenty miles away is putting a serious dent in some people's pocketbooks, with gas prices the way they are. While I can't imagine the regular SMART car appealing to the same demographic as monster truck rally, when they start shipping THIS beast to the US, I'm buying one. It gets 60 MPG and looks hella cool and who cares if the F250 can out accellerate me...

Next from the land of the Rising Sun... HyperSonic Sound vending machines

So I'm sure by now some of you think I should rename this "Japan Futuretail" but I swear, if we only had these cool devices here I would write about them. Apparently thousands of Japanese soda machines are now going to woo passersby with the sound of soda pouring using a new technology called HyperSonic Sound (sounds like an oxymoron to me, but then again, I'm not a scientist...) It looks like the company that created it (oh-so-cleverly-named American Technologies) also makes some "industrial/military grade" noise cancelling gear... I'll be first in line to buy a "Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD)"  if the FCC unwisely decides to allow the obnoxious guy next to me on an airline flight to loudly use his cell phone.

Marks & Sparks and Amazon... Oh My!

OK, so on the surface, this is just another Amazon.com deal... but UK retailer Marks & Spencer has announced that they are partnering with Amazon.com to run their e-commerce operation. Now Marks & Spencer has been ailing a bit lately... well, more than a bit (despite making the world's coolest men's suit) but I don't think e-commerce is going to be a barnburner for them. But if you read the story closely, you'll see that Amazon is going to be handling "in-store and telephone ordering" but M&S is going to still handle warehousing and fulfillment. It will be interesting to see if this deal either A) improves Amazon's ability to do interesting things in stores or B) improves their UK distribution/fulfillment to the point where they take over for other retailers as well. 

Target on drugs... seriously!

Already known for bringing style to the masses with the Mossimo, Michael Graves and Phillipe Starke, Target will begin offering a stylistic (and hopefully practical) treat to prescription customers when it switches over to a new prescription pill bottle designed by Deborah Adler, a graduate of the New York School of Visual Arts. While it isn't quite the RFID-enabled pillbox we've all been lusting after, it certainly looks more legible than the old pill containers. And it even looks cool, which is a bonus if the medicine you're taking makes you feel a bit dorky.

Ringtones eclipse online music sales (temporally, not financially...)

For all of you 14 year old girls perfectly balanced normal folks out there who think it is of critical importance to have your phone ring with a perfect rendition of the latest pop song (personally, mine rings with a monotonal version of the "Wallace & Gromit" theme, or "ET" if my wife is calling), you can now not just get the latest ringtone... you can get it before you even hear the song. Cingular Wireless is making Coldplay's new single "Speed of Sound" available via ringtone before it even hits the radio airwaves next week. Ironically, people are willing to pay $2.49 for a ringtone version of a song, while complaining bitterly about the $.99 Apple charges at iTunes. Go figure.

WiMax progress: high speed Internet on commuter trains

Don't get too excited yet, Northeasterners... we can add the UK to the list of countries eclipsing the US with wireless access and gadgets. T-Mobile is now offering 802.11b WiFi service on selected train lines between London and Brighton. The service is poised to use WiMax to connect to the trains and WiFi within them, meaning consumers will be able to connect just as they would any other T-Mobile hotspot. Think we'll get it here? Unlikely, with Amtrak bankrupt and no one else stepping up to take its place.

Shameless self promotion

OK, so it's not really retail technology news, per se... but I've got a BUNCH of upcoming speaking events, including a really cool series on multi-channel retailing. Check out the "Speaking Engagements" section on the lower left.

Man arrested at Best Buy for using $2 bills

OK, so it's not strictly speaking "technology news," but apparently a disgruntled customer at Best Buy was arrested for using $2 bills to pay for an installation he wasn't happy with. Any of you who have heard me speak in the past year may have heard the story about how an alert Wal-Mart cashier (Janice Sanders) called her manager when a customer tried to pass a (fake) $1 million bill. Note to Best Buy's HR department: please tell your cashiers that $2 bills are REAL (albeit unusual)... I'd hate to be arrested when I bring my penny collection in to buy a new ink cartridge...