Top Things to Consider While Buying a Bluetooth Barcode Scanner

Bluetooth barcode scanners are becoming the most preferred scanners of small businesses because they offer ease of use and flexibility. If you often need to move away from the counter to scan items or do inventory, then this is the kind of scanner that you should buy for your business. Here are features to look for if you’re thinking of buying Bluetooth barcode scanners:

Barcode compatibility

Naturally, you want to make sure that the scanner can read the barcode that you are using. But if you can find a scanner that reads different types of barcodes like UPC, EAN, ITF, QR codes, and Data Matrix codes, then choose that one. This way, you won’t need to buy a brand-new scanner if you happen to change your barcodes in the future.

Battery life

One of the drawbacks of Bluetooth barcode scanners is that they run on batteries. Unlike those with cords, they have a limited power supply. That’s why checking the battery life of the scanner is a must. A good unit will last about 15 days without charging.

Auto-induction mode

Find a Bluetooth barcode scanner with auto-induction mode for more efficient and hands-free scanning. With this feature, there will be no need to press the trigger every time you scan a barcode. All you need to do is to put the scanner in a stand and make sure that the laser light is pointing on the barcode. This way, you can use both of your hands at the sales counter and finish work quickly.

Storage mode Another essential feature to look for in any barcode scanner is storage mode. It comes in handy when you are bulk scanning. What happens when this feature is turned on? It will allow your barcode scanner to continue storing data even if it has lost connection to the receiver due to distance or transmission signal problems. The device stores the barcodes in the built-in memory card. Once you are done, you can upload the stored data to your system.

Find Out How USB Barcode Scanner Works

What is a USB barcode scanner and how does it work? It is a type of wired or corded barcode scanner used in many industries such as retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and shipping or product tracking. USB is the most common interface because it works for most types of computers and systems.

Aside from being more affordable than their wireless counterparts, USB barcode scanners are easier to implement or set-up. They are plug and play devices that require no drive. You can almost use them for scanning right after taking it out of the box.

Here are the steps on how to install a USB barcode scanner:

Step 1: Take the barcode scanner out of the box along with the cable. The box should come with a quick start guide or user manual.

Step 2: Plug in the cable to the barcode scanner. When you hear a click that means that the retention clip locked in, keeping the connection to the barcode scanner secure.

Step 3: Plug the other end of the cable to your computer’s USB port. Once the computer detects your scanner, the installation is complete. You should see a red beam coming out from your USB barcode scanner. You can also use this scanner with a POS software in your computer.

Step 4: Follow quick start guide to change the settings. This manual has different barcodes that you only need to scan.

How barcode scanners work

Barcode scans different kinds of codes such as CODE39, UPC, and EAN. To read data, the scanner has to illuminate code with a light. With its sensor, the scanner detects, generates, and sends an analog signal to the decoder. Then, the decoder interprets the signal and converts it into text if code is in the database of a specific software system. This is how the barcode scanner finds out the information about the product such as its maker, cost, and product number.

Everything That a Buyer Needs to Know About HDD Docking Station

Finding the right HDD docking station for your laptop, computer, and other devices are not always easy, especially when you can’t quite find the perfect match. Need help? We have some tips.

Size

How do you know if the docking station is compatible with your SDD or HDD? Find out what size of SDD or HDD fits in it. Docking stations are designed for either 2.5” or 3.5” hard drives—though some models are made to be compatible with both. If you have two sizes of hard drives, then you should look for a universal docking station.

Ports available

You need to know what types of ports the HDD docking station has to see if it can accommodate all your devices. For example, if you have a traditional computer, then the docking station should have a type-A USB port. But if you are using a newer laptop like MacBook 2018, then the docking station should have type C USB port; otherwise, you won’t be able to connect the two. It’s a good idea to go with a docking station with several types of ports so you can use multiple devices at once.

One-Bay or Two-Bay?

To choose between a single-bay and two-bay docking station, you have to consider the type of work you do. If you always have to transfer files between hard drives, then opt for a dual-bay docking station. This will speed up the transfer process through the offline cloning feature. No need to copy and paste files because the docking station can duplicate them without any computer intervention. No need to download an application or a special driver on your laptop, either.

Chipset

You want an HDD docking station that transfers data fast and in the most secure way to and from storage devices. That’s why you need a unit with top-level chipset such as ASM1153E that supports UASP Transfer Protocol.

USB Barcode Scanner – Know 3 Top Technical Benefits of Using It

From supermarket shopping to club hopping, warehouse management, and asset tracking, nearly everything nowadays needs a barcode to function. While barcode scanning may seem like an outdated technology, a barcode scanner is far from being obsolete. As a matter of fact, recent developments like handheld barcode scanners, wireless barcode scanners, and USB barcode scanners or readers are all proof that barcode scanning is still very much a relevant technology in the modern world.

A USB barcode scanner is a huge step up from traditional barcode scanners, which required different types of connectors that may or may not be compatible with certain systems. This compatibility issue often places the burden of replacing scanners to match connectors or vice versa in the hands of business owners—an issue that is even more expensive than it is frustrating, especially when barcode scanners play a critical role in day to day business operations.

The development of USB barcode scanner pretty much got rid of this connectivity problem. With the mass adoption of USB or Universal Serial Bus as a connection standard, users can plug their devices into nearly anything, including barcode scanners. Provided that you have the proper software, your barcode scanner will work seamlessly with your system using a USB connector. Other technical benefits to using USB scanners are as follows:

• Multi-compatibility
• Low-power consumption;
• Long-distance transmission

What sets this type of barcode scannerahead of other configurations is that it enables the device to run on a wide range of devices, be it your laptop, your cash register, or even your phone. Most types of USB scanners are also designed to be directly powered via the USB connection, which eliminates the need to replace or charge batteries every so often. USB technology is a welcome addition to barcode scanning as it makes the task fast, secure, cost-efficient, and extremely convenient.

Why Prefer Inateck PCI-E USB Card Over Others?

Inateck is one of the leading manufacturers of the PCI-E USB card. In fact, it is among their flagship products since the company started out almost a decade ago. What started out as an option became a crucial component in personal computers in need of a reliable and speedy motherboard interface for critical hardware connections, like SSDs, Ethernet, graphic cards, Wi-Fi, and hard drives. PCI-E stands for ‘Peripheral Component Interconnect Express,’ the standard for high-speed serial computer expansion bus that replaced AGP, PCI-X, and PCI standards. Its advantages include a smaller footprint, less I/O pin count, better maximum system bus throughput, a native hot-swap function, and a detailed mechanism for error detection and reporting. Besides these, there are specific reasons why you should consider Inateck PCI-E card over other products:

• Inateck was among the first to manufacture the PCI-E USB card, and with this experience, they are able to have deeper and sharper insights and the ability to understand the needs of their customers. This is supported by their robust R&D for peripherals for computers, and constantly updating their products to deliver the latest and most superior performance every time.

• It is easy to install an Inateck PCI-E card due to its plug-and-play feature. You can choose between a wired or wireless card, but regardless of what you pick, you should be able to connect it easily, as Inateck provides the necessary user manuals and drivers.

• Every PCI-E USB card by Inateck uses the FL1100EX Host Controller of Fresco Logic. This makes them blazing fast, with most cards capable of achieving up to 5Gbps of transfer rates. Take note that the actual transmission speed may be limited by your device’s setting.

• An Inateck PCI-E card is compatible with many different devices. Newer products are made for USB 3.0, but they are backward compatible with USB 1.1 and 2.0. Moreover, they work with Oculus Rift, which officially recommended cards by Inateck in resolving bandwidth issues.

Know How Wireless Barcode Scanners Are Helpful

Barcodes have improved the way we keep track of products, inventory, and sales. To read them, you will need a specially designed barcode scanner. The most modern scanners are more compact, mobile, and lightweight, allowing you to bring them almost anywhere in your facility, as long as it still remains within a range from the main machine that stores the data. Known as the wireless barcode scanner, this device will be able to improve your operations and help your business in the following ways:

• Dependable Bluetooth technology – Currently one of the most modern wireless technologies, Bluetooth allows you to use the wireless barcode scanner within a 35-meter range. It connects fully in three seconds, so you do not have to wait long to calibrate and start using the device.

• Fast deployment – It is easy to deploy newer wireless barcode scanners. Moreover, they are compatible with modern operating systems and point-of-sale systems running on Raspberry Pi, Linux, Windows, MacOX, Android, and iOS.

• Features to make your job easier – The wireless barcode scanner can read many different types of 1D barcodes. Lightning scanning is supported, and it can read broken or blurry barcodes under dim or brighter lighting conditions. Apart from its dependable recognition ability, it allows editable suffix or prefix of up to 32 digits, or hiding an aspect of barcode. Some retailers can customize the device, in case you require specific features to suit your unique needs.

• Longer battery life – A full charge should be enough to make the scanner useful for 15 continuous days. This way, you get less downtime and increase your productivity without low-battery issues, which can cause interruptions.

• Durable – A good wireless barcode scanner is built to last. The external TPI protective casing is twice as thick as another similar product. Internal core parts have been treated with triple consolidation method. Manufacturers understand that these devices have the tendency to be dropped or mishandled, so they crafted robust units that can withstand repeated 1.8m or six-feet drops to concrete flooring.

All You Need to Know About Good Dual Bay HDD Docking Station

What is dual bay HDD docking station? Docking station for hard drives provides easy and quick access to the stored data. This helps to easily transfer, recover and test multiple hard drives. With the help of good dual bay docking station, an individual gets several benefits like – save a lot of time as there is no need to mount or install the drive in a computer, backup to external bare drivers easily, increase productivity for data transfer with USB 3.0 & UASP transfer protocol, etc.

The best part of the dual bay docking station is that it allows you copy your files from one disk to another without computer support. This system also provides a special mechanism and use of the latest technology that allows users to do offline clone with high efficiency. Just open it and place the 1 or 2 hard drivers inside, connect the necessary cables like power cables, USB cable to the computer, it’s plug and play. This system provides traditional hard drives portability and eases to transfer the data.

When you look for the good dual bay HDD docking station it is better to gather information about the available options in the market. Look for the dock station that provides two HDD ways and can support 2x 8TB hard. This also helps to transfer and copy all the files from one hard drive to another. In addition, the HDD docking station allows the user to have 3.5” HDD in one slot and SSD in another slot. Just look for the efficient dick station that also comes up with USB 3.0 SuperSpeed & Supports UASP, sleep mode and other options that ensures the best performance and operation.

In the market, there are various options available from top brands like Inateck that assure of providing the best dual bay HDD docking station & HDD drive enclosure. Just look for the dock station that is compatible with different hard drives and provide a complete solution for plug and play and removable storage drive. The best one helps an individual to make optimum use of hard drive and give drives portability if you have a spare one.