Asset vs Inventory Management Systems, Part 2

Welcome back to Part 2 of this blog series on what you should know about purchasing asset and inventory management systems. Prior to investing in one of these systems, it is important to determine exactly which type you need. Keep in mind that assets are owned items of value, while inventory is the amount of…

Asset vs Inventory Management Systems, Part 1

If you’re considering purchasing an asset or inventory management system, there a few things you should be aware of when determining which one is right for you. First, let’s specify the difference between assets and inventory: An asset is an owned item of value. Inventory is the amount of materials on hand. Next, let’s look at how each of these…

6 Ways to Use Barcodes in Hospitals

One of the biggest changes seen in the healthcare field is the introduction of barcodes in almost every application. Typically seen on a patient’s wristband, hospitals now have barcodes on almost everything, some of which you may have never heard of. Here are 6 Ways to Use Barcodes in a Hospital:  Patient Wristbands o Upon…

Do you know what these AIDC Terms REALLY mean?

In the world of AIDC (Automatic Identification and Data Capture), there are hundreds of terms, phrases and acronyms. It can be hard to keep up! There are several terms that some people mistakenly substitute for similar-sounding words, when in actuality, they are using the term in the completely wrong context. Below are 10 of the…

The Barcode Scanner: Out With the Old, “On” With the New

Here I am, standing in the middle of my closet for the 3,245,738th time wondering…WHAT am I going to wear?? Questions flash through my head. “When did I wear that last?”  “Has so-and-so seen me in that outfit before?” “Do I have pants to match this top?” “What about shoes?” I’m sure we’ve all been…

Sochi Security and Logistics Goes for Gold

Hundreds of skis, thousands of people, and billions of dollars worth of assets – what do they have in common? All of the above and more have been carefully monitored and tracked for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. For security and logistical purposes, the Olympic committee needed to stay in control of what – and…

Zebra Technologies WhereNet RTLS Solutions Deliver Efficiency & Savings to U.S. Air Force & Army Installations

I’ve written previously about deployment of Zebra Technologies real-time locating systems (RTLS) solutions in the critical flight-line operations of the aerospace and defense industries, but aerospace and defense applications go well beyond the flight-line. For example, Zebra’s RTLS solutions were incorporated by Robins Air Force Base in Georgia to provide real-time asset visibility in a…

The Cloud Made Simple

It’s hard to master big concepts like Cloud Computing with head down and full focus on the nuts-and-bolts components upon which such grand-but-figurative infrastructures depend. I’m a literal sort working with literal components for whom thoughts of figurative infrastructures can be distracting. The Cloud, Big Data, The Internet of Things? Huge, empowering concepts, no doubt,…

RFID and RTLS, What is the Difference?

RFID? RTLS? Are they the same thing? Sure, each acronym has a distinct root meaning, but I still hear and read RFID and RTLS used interchangeably. So, which should we use when? Fortunately, Zebra Technologies has published a white paper, RTLS 101: What It Is and Why You Need It, that distinguishes RTLS from RFID…

Follow or Get out of the Store

In retail today, the competition is fierce.  Considerable changes in customer expectations over the years have put increasing pressure on the customer service function. In order to differentiate themselves, retailers are working hard to find ways to improve customer interactions in innovative and techno-savvy formats.  They are also looking to create high-performance operational environments as…