Drive Control Corporation (DCC), Philips and Apex Cash Control Solutions (Apex CCS), a supplier of Point of Sale (PoS) hardware and software, have formed an alliance to deliver touch screen technology to resellers at an affordable price.
The move is in response to two major trends. Firstly, PoS equipment is fast becoming a pervasive technology in the retail and service sectors. More and more PoS software applications are written to support touch screens. Secondly, there is a marked increase in the use of touch screen technology in other applications such as industrial monitoring and control applications; information kiosks; Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and market survey applications.
Says Bruce Byrne, visual communications specialist at distributor DCC, "We established that there was a market for both CRT and LCD touch screen monitors locally but were unable to deliver a competitively priced product of high quality. Apex CCS is now able to supply the channel with a branded product that offers high quality affordable touch screen technology through an agreement with Philips."
Philips SA (Martindale JHB) conducted extensive testing and research to establish the suitability of the Apex CCS offering. The objective was to ensure the quality of the touch product was high enough to support Philips` endorsement, and to make sure that the end product remains affordable. Both objectives were achieved.
Says Peter Held, managing director of Apex CCS, "The agreement with Philips authorises Apex CCS to retrofit Philips CRT monitors with our touch screen solution. Another criteria, which Philips had set, was that the touch screen panel should not interfere with the monitor`s electronics, or influence picture quality. A tamper-proof seal is also added to ensure the national (3 year) Philips warrantee remains valid. In the unlikely event that service is required, ERS (Electronic Repair Services) centres around the country are able to provide a prompt response."
Byrne adds, "DCC also identified the requirement for LCD touch screen monitors and a further agreement with Apex CCS and DCC has expanded our product offering to include these monitors. DCC will market Apex CCS` 15 and 17 inch LCD touch screen monitors, further extending resellers` opportunities into new markets. LCD touch screen monitors are driven by applications with space constrictions, or in places where aesthetics is high on the priority list."
Apex CCS` LCD touch screen monitors are designed `from the ground up` to accommodate touch screen applications. Regular LCD monitors usually cannot accommodate additional glass panels (touch panels) in their frames, making it almost impossible to offer touch panel conversion to these units. Apex`s LCD touch screen monitors are more durable than normal LCD monitors and are `rock steady` when touched. This is primarily due to the specially designed heavy base and overall heavy-duty construction of the monitor providing additional stability.
In addition, the angle of the display panel can be tilted back to allow easy wall mounting. Connectivity (VGA synch cable and Serial connector for the touch system) is built into the base, therefore protecting electrical connections. A custom designed `clip-on` magnetic card reader is also available.
These products feature competitive pricing and are available from DCC branches countrywide or direct from Apex CCS.
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