Technology

HP today launched new technology solutions it developed to help retailers engage with their customers and enhance the shopping experience at every customer touch point.

The HP rp5800 Retail System is a high-performance point-of-sale (POS) solution that combines enhanced processing and functionality to address the needs of demanding retail environments.

Additionally, its new HP Self-Service Kiosks, featuring Virtual Sales Assistant software, provide shoppers with an interactive platform that offers information and personal assistance via 23- or 42-inch diagonal high-definition touchscreens.

“Retailers know that consumers want the shopping environment to be as interesting as online experiences,” said Ray Carlin, VP, Retail Solutions Global Business Unit for Palo Alto, Calif.-based HP. “Savvy retailers are upgrading their in-store technology – especially at the point of sale – to seamlessly integrate with other channels and enable their customers to shop the way they want to, creating a better in-store experience.”

According to HP, the rp5800 Retail System features advanced POS performance, manageability, and security features that enable retailers to standardize on one system throughout their stores. Its second-generation Intel Core processors with Intel vPro technology provide a stable and reliable IT infrastructure, while dual-integrated graphics ports that support both clerk- and customer-facing displays were designed to create a rich and engaging customer experience.

The unit also enables enhanced manageability and control for retailers through compliance with industry manageability standards, including Intel AMT (Intel vPro), DASH, WMI and DMTF, and support for Microsoft Windows 7 Professional, Microsoft Windows POSReady 2009 and Microsoft Windows XP operating systems.

With extra memory slots, multiple PCI Express slots and optional optical drives, the HP rp5800 can be customized for a variety of retail environments. It can easily be connected to a range of optional peripherals such as receipt printers, monitors, cash drawers, and scanners. New optional peripherals include:

• HP L1506x 15-inch LED Monitor: Utilizing an LED-backlit industrial panel, the HP L1506x Monitor offers increased brightness and a high contrast ratio and supports operating temperatures up to 50 C (122 F). The L1506x has a detachable base and standard VESA mounts, allowing it to be mounted to a wall, the rp5800 Integration Assembly, or other custom mounting solutions.
• HP Integration Assembly: The HP Integration Assembly is a four-part, mix-and-match kit for retail locations. The Terminal Enclosure provides extra security and protection for cables and I/O ports and against dust, while the Integration Tray Assembly keeps peripherals neatly contained – either secured on top of the HP rp5800 Enclosure Assembly, the Heavy Duty Cash Drawer or directly on the counter. With room for a keyboard, printer and barcode scanner, the design allows for various configurations depending on retailers’ needs. The Pole Mount Assembly and Optional Display Arm Assembly enable the mounting of multiple monitors for customer and employee use.

The flexibility and management features of the HP rp5800 enable it to be used as a manager’s workstation, placed within a kiosk or as a player for HP Digital Signage.

The system was also designed with the environment in mind, and is ENERGY STAR 5.0 qualified, EPEAT Gold registered, and free of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

HP Self-Service Kiosks are interactive self-service solutions that feature a 23-inch diagonal, 16:9 LED-backlit BrightView display or an immersive 42-inch diagonal, 1,920 x 1,080 HD touchscreen housed within a secure lockable steel enclosure. Retailers can place the kiosks in any customer-facing environment to run in-store promotions, provide directions, or share news and product information.

The HP Self-Service Kiosks use Microsoft Windows 7 Professional operating systems and integrated Virtual Sales Assistant software, which includes a setup wizard that enables retailers to personalize a variety of pre-developed user interfaces, upload custom assets, manage content remotely, and assign locations and playlists.

The HP Self-Service Kiosks are available in three configurations:

• Wall & Shelving Mount: Includes an HP TouchSmart 9300 Elite Business PC with a 23-inch diagonal screen for touchscreen interaction, which also can be used to display advertisements or messages when not in use.
• Pro: Includes the HP TouchSmart 9300 Elite Business PC with a 42-inch diagonal HP LD4210 Digital Signage Display mounted above shelf level that can provide messaging to consumers even when the software is in use on the interactive screen.
• Elite: Features the HP LD4200tm Interactive Digital Signage Display, a 42-inch diagonal, touch-enabled, vertical-mounted display delivering HD-quality messaging and content to the user, creating an ideal interactive self-service solution.

Each model can be customized with additional optional accessories such as HP Digital Signage Displays, Thermal Receipt Printer, HP Imaging Barcode Scanner, and HP Mini Magnetic Stripe Reader.