Epson's New Smart Printers Offer Innovative Peripheral Connectivity To Support Growing Demand For Tablet-Based POS

Two New Models Complement Evolving Cash Wrap in Retail and Hospitality

Recently at the Retail Solutions Providers Associations (RSPA) RetailNOW show, Epson, a leading supplier of value-added Point of Sale (POS) solutions, introduced two new smart printers to meet the growing demand for cost-effective, reliable peripheral connectivity in mobile and tablet POS environments. With innovative ePOS-Device technology and industry-proven USB and serial connectivity, Epson's OmniLink i-Series enables retailers to easily add peripheral devices to tablet POS systems while protecting legacy peripheral investments. With four USB ports and one serial port, the TM-T88V-i now provides connectivity for up to five devices, while the TM-T20II-i can accommodate up to three devices. Handheld scanners, scales, 2x20 customer displays, wedge MSRs (magnetic stripe readers) and more can be quickly and easily added to tablet POS solutions, enhancing functionality, strengthening connection reliability, and reducing costs.

According to The IHL Group, over 3.6 million tablets will have been shipped for use in North American retail and hospitality operations by 2017. Low upfront costs, sleek form factor, elegant interface, simplified training, improved data management, and increased mobility are just a few attractive benefits tablet-based POS systems offer retailers. "The connectivity options enable us to provide seamless support for peripherals across multiple markets," commented Rafael Tigay, vice president of operations at Lavu, Inc. "These new models will complement our iPad POS system well, while providing more peripheral options to the customer."

"As more retailers embrace mPOS solutions, they’re discovering what works and what doesn't in real-life store environments," commented Gregg Brunnick, director of marketing for Epson's Business Systems Division. "While many new wireless and tablet-connected peripheral options have been released, serial and USB peripherals remain better suited to meet the rigors of retail and hospitality store environments. Epson designed the newest OmniLink printers to enable retailers to embrace new tablet technologies without sacrificing functionality on required input and capture devices."

In addition to the innovative connectivity capability, Epson's newest versions to join the OmniLink lineup offer the same breadth of functionality as first-generation OmniLink devices. This includes support for two-way remote printing via Epson's Server Direct Print and ePOS technologies. Ideal for online ordering applications across multiple retail and hospitality verticals, print jobs can be initiated by way of a remote customer order or request, then routed via a server to the in-store OmniLink printer. The OmniLink printer can either print the ticket directly or route to up to 20 network-attached Epson slave printers. In addition, the OmniLink printer can call out to the server at pre-set intervals to proactively obtain new orders and requests.

About Epson America, Inc.
Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Long Beach, CA, Epson America, Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. For over 40 years, Epson’s advanced technology has been at work in millions of POS systems around the world. Today Epson’s Business Systems Division continues to bring industry-leading, open architecture, smart technologies to the point of service. For more information, visit pos.epson.com.